Summer storage

[mediabandit]

Ok guys, so i decided i am going to keep the '98 Lumina LS as my winter beater for next winter as well, as the car is in excellent shape and works flawlessley. My question is, what should i do to it to store it over the summer? It will be left outdoors at my parents place and seeing as they live about 3hrs away i will not be going down to drive or start it very often. I am picking up a solar powered battery maintainer for it, it will also be washed and waxed before i leave it. But the main thing i am worried about is having mice (maybe the odd raccoon trying to make it their home, lol) get into it and chewing shit up. I would like to know what the best way or the best product to put in the car would be to keep the critters out of it. Also if there are any other tips/tricks to do to it for summer storage.

I have had no problems with storing my Z34 in the winters because i keep it in my heated garage and go down every Sunday to run it for an hour or so, and when it is nice enough out, i back it in and out of the garage a couple times to keep the fluid in the tranny flowing and to keep the brakes from seizing up or the tires from getting flat spots.

So any and all helpful info will be much appreciated. And if you're just gonna post one word comments to hoist your post count ( you know who you are) don't bother as i will have the mod delete it anyway.

 

A couple pics of the car...

 

 

[Addicted To Boost]

Fill the interior with dryer sheets and put a sun shade in the windshield. You may want to park on some blocks of wood if the driveway isn't paved so it doesn't sink

[mediabandit]

I will be putting a car cover on it, forgot to mention that. And yes, the driveway is paved.

when you say "fill" do you mean, put an obscene amount of them in there? What about putting some under the hood as well to keep them from chomping on the wiring? Is that a good idea as well?

[slick]

Just buy one of the boxes of it. I usually just spread them around inside the interior and trunk. Under the hood, never thought of it, but maybe not a bad idea.

[mediabandit]

Ok cool, i will scatter them all over inside and in the trunk, i am also going to toss some under the hood , i mean what can it hurt right?

[slick]

I would imagine that the one's under the hood may lose there scent at a much faster rate than the one's on the interior from the air that does flow through there. Just keep that in mind.

[Addicted To Boost]

I just lay them down across the entire interior (not stacked) just so they cover everything. Your car will smell good when you come back to it

You could do under the hood as well, just don't forget they are in there when you start it. A box of dryer sheets will cover several cars, so you can use as many (or little) as you'd like.

I only did the interior of my TGP when I put it away, however it is parked in a garage.

[mediabandit]

True, i will have to put new ones in each time i go down to visit.

Other then that, i think it should be ok with the maintainer hooked up. That was my biggest concern.... Critters, lol

I am really impressed with the car for having only paid $450.00 for it. I have already been offered $1500.00 but where it is so reliable and in such good shape i figured it would be better if i hold on to it instead of trying to find another winter beater next year, like i end up doing every winter.

[slick]

If you can talk your parents into it, I'd have them start it up and let it run for a few minutes every few weeks, just to keep the internals well lubricated.

 

Oh, and stabil in the gas tank.

[mediabandit]

Ya, my old man said he had no problem going out once a week and starting it for me and letting it run for a little while.

Should i still put the stabil in the tank if he will be running it for me? i never ut any in the Z, i never though of it actually.

[slick]

Well, I'm sure he won't go through a tank of gas if he is just starting it every week over the length of an entire summer. I'd atleast put a little in there, wouldn't hurt.

[Addicted To Boost]

I wouldn't say that its necessary. I've never used fuel stabilizer when I store my GP.

[mra32]

Where are you putting the solar battery keeper if you have a cover over the car? Arent they designed to be just stuck on your dash?

[mediabandit]

I will only leave her with about 1/2 tank of gas, full tank from my place to his will burn about 1/2 tank, so i will leave it at that. I may put a small amount of stabil in it just to be sure though.

 

The solar panel can just be attached to the car cover or to the garage wall or anywhere, the wire going back to the maintainer is plenty long and it can be tucked up under the hood. The one i will be getting just plugs right into your lighter port.

 

Like this one.... http://www.overstock.com/Auto-Parts/Grip-12-volt-Solar-Powered-Battery-Maintainer/2292785/product.html

 

 

[mra32]

is it waterproof?

[mediabandit]

Yes it is all weather.

[mra32]

sweet, I looked those up and they are expensive ($100) for the ones that supposedly work better than the $30 ones.

[mediabandit]

$100.00 is pretty cheap if you think about how long it SHOULD last.

[1990lumina]

Put a bunch of rat poison on the strut towers and such rather than dryer sheets. Not inside - just exterior (if the mice and stuff is a big issue).

 

Other than that, it's summer so I really wouldn't worry about it. My Lumina gets parked out at the farm. Basically driven in and shut off. Come October I go out, fire it up and drive it home.

[3pt1lumina]

Just make sure the underside is nice and clean (I'm assuming they use salt where you are?) and just washed/waxed. Other than that, like everyone else has said...full tank of gas and that's about it.

[runt]

You could also try moth balls to keep critters out. We do that to the camper for winter storage.

[Brian P]

x2 on getting the underside of the body rinsed off good.

[mediabandit]

I will be washing/waxing detailing the whole car before i store it. I will also be getting a fresh inspection and undercoating, that way when i go to take it out next winter she will be all ready to go.

[Breakdown]

Take my opinion for what it's worth. I've been storing winter cars for 3 years now.

 

I think that you're making this far too complicated.

 

Most of the things that are being suggested were also suggested in the Nick TGP thread.

 

There's some incredible differences here:

 

1.) You're starting your car every week.

 

2.) You have access to your car and can drive it.

 

3.) You're storing a winter car and not a summer one.

 

 

These are my opinions (not expert but how I operate):

 

-You're starting the car weekly, in warm weather. The battery shouldn't and won't suffer. In my opinion the trickle charger is a waste of money.

 

-When you start the car back it up turn it some (power steering) and hopefully when you pull it back in, you'll be sitting on a new (random spot on the tires), simply backing the car up and pulling forward should put you on the same spot.

 

-I think that an hour is a little long. It's fine if it's your only start in months, but otherwise it's a waste of gas, 20 minutes tops (I do less and open up the throttle a little even in neutral. I keep mine at 3,000 RPM for about a minute.

 

-The rodent stuff. I've never had these issues. If you keep the car active, I think that they stay away, or maybe I've never had rodents in the garage, either way. The worst that I got is wasps both in the gas door and between the front passenger side doors.

 

-I like full tank of gas, the tanks on these cars always develop leaks up top. I think that it's because there's not always fuel up there, but that's just me arriving to idiotic conclusions that aren't really based on factual knowledge.

 

-Turn interior lights off when you get out of the car.

[mediabandit]

Take my opinion for what it's worth. I've been storing winter cars for 3 years now.

 

I think that you're making this far too complicated.

 

Most of the things that are being suggested were also suggested in the Nick TGP thread.

 

There's some incredible differences here:

 

1.) You're starting your car every week.

 

2.) You have access to your car and can drive it.

 

3.) You're storing a winter car and not a summer one.

 

 

These are my opinions (not expert but how I operate):

 

-You're starting the car weekly, in warm weather. The battery shouldn't and won't suffer. In my opinion the trickle charger is a waste of money.

 

-When you start the car back it up turn it some (power steering) and hopefully when you pull it back in, you'll be sitting on a new (random spot on the tires), simply backing the car up and pulling forward should put you on the same spot.

 

-I think that an hour is a little hairy. It's fine if it's your only start in months, but otherwise it's a waste of gas, 20 minutes tops (I do less and open up the throttle a little even in neutral. I keep mine at 3,000 RPM for about a minute.

 

-The rodent stuff. I've never had these issues. If you keep the car active, I think that they stay away, or maybe I've never had rodents in the garage, either way. The worst that I got is wasps both in the gas door and between the front passenger side doors.

 

-I like full tank of gas, the tanks on these cars always develop leaks up top. I think that it's because there's not always fuel up there, but that's just me arriving to idiotic conclusions that aren't really based on factual knowledge.

 

-Turn interior lights off when you get out of the car.

 

 

I don't think i am making this complicated at all, just wanted some input. This is the first time i am storing a car out of my grasp and outdoors, where i can do everything to it when i want/need.

 

I am relying on my father to start the car up every week, he is an older/busy man, so it is not guaranteed he will do it every time. So that is why i am going to attach the maintainer to it, just in case.

 

They live 3hrs away and i rarely go down that way because i am always busy and there is nothing down there for me, other then my parents, who come to the city a couple times a month. So the access to driving it is not great, plus it will not be plated or insured.

 

And as far as saying i am storing a winter car not a summer one...... you don't think i know that?

 

And as far as the rodents are concerned, i never said there would be any, but like i said, it will be stored outdoors, not in the garage, so there IS the possibility of mice. My parents live in the country, not the city.