How To Properly Store Your Car - 12 Tips For Winter Storage

We provide 12 tips how to store your car for the winter or long term storage.

Favorite Tools:

[Camhin]

I don't know why I'm watching this in Australia but hey why not. Great video guys.

[wrd]

I live in Toronto, ON. Canada and this video helped me out a ton! Followed all your steps and tucked the Mustang away for the season. Time to give the 98' Jeep Grand Cherokee 4X4 a go for our long winters! I think it'd be a cool candidate for a "Pimp My Cherokee" series ;) haha. Cheers guys!

[ogimia]

Vermin proof I use for winter storing my boat and car is BOUNTY SHEETS EVERYWHERE,
And the best part about it is when you get to it in the spring its all nice and fresh!

[nolanmaenke]

I talked with my insurance company and got a huge discount while my VW was in storage. Worth looking into

[miguelsanchez]

put stabilizer in an almost empty tank, then put gas in and it will mix best.

[hughphillipsMustang]

Mice- put 1 bar of Irish Spring soap on each section of the floor boards. Also put a bar of Irish Spring soap in the trunk. Plus, Irish Spring smells much better than moth balls. Leave all compartments open. (Glove box, ash tray, center console, etc). Mice are less likely to build a nest in a open area. Lastly, put a mouse trap at the base of each tire. 9 times out of 10, Mice will climb onto the vehicle via the tires. If none of these work for you, get an outdoor cat. 🦊

[dhj-ig]

Heard it was also a good idea to run the AC for 10min or so on the last drive to get lubrication for all the relevant parts. Also, putting some moisture absorbing packs in the trunk and interior might be good. Have also read that it's good to park on a tarp so the moisture that the concrete attracts, doesn't go up into the underbody. FWIW, I stuck steel wool in the exhaust, and an old t-shirt into my intake. For the S2000, especially if you don't have a hard top, you need to hit the seals with some shin-etsu grease.

[cassalynnvictoria]

This was SO helpful! I was gifted a really nice race car lately and I live in northern Minnesota where the snow is RELENTLESS! I had no idea on how I was going to store it. Such a helpful video. Thank you!

[boostben]

If you have a big wing and want a cover, you can get a cover for a wagon model and it'll fit a bit better over the wing

[sheldonm]

These are great tips. I fill my tires to the max psi on the tires. To avoid flat spots. I just let air out when it comes to Spring. I think it's better not to start the cars during winter storage just because the engine won't get up to temp. Unless you go for a long highway drive. I also put Bounce dryer sheets in the trunk and car to deter critters. And like you said, I fill up the gas tank. I don't like to leave car on jack stands, as I don't think it's good to let the suspension hang like that for months.

[gordiefrench]

park in fall and start in spring for 40 years and no issues at all
i agree on cold starts unless 0w30 syn oil is used
on real cold -30 mornings and 10w30 normal oil it takes aprox 20 secs for oil pressure to show
that is 20 secs of not lubed dry run
not good

[marc]

You are building up moisture in the engine when you are starting the engine up cold and killing it before it gets on operating temperature.
A couple month without running won't kill an engine.

[yhtaeD]

If you dont store in heated garage you should save the oil change till spring. Condensation can build up in oil system.

[GeoTrashPanda]

Silicon spray the rubber door seals and such for the cold winter months helps too.

[virtuitousvampire]

if your storing your car over the winter months call your insurance so you can save money by telling your insurer you only want it under theft and fire only until you start driving it again. If you are getting out of storage remember to call your insurance to switch back to full coverage.

[scottquattro]

Here in the uk if we have a dry day over winter, the wife's classic Mini Cooper does get started and gets up to temperature and driven up the road and back just to keep everything moving.

[Qgalkap]

Do another with outside storage, during winter. ;-)

[rtsoccerplayer]

Great video. I like to put my track car on crappy roller tires so my sticky summer tires don't harden in the cold. I store my summer tires in my heated basement.

[lauzon]

Just in time to store my own s2000 for it’s first winter in it’s new home. Thanks guys!

[Racer_DM]

great video thanks! First time storing a car (ChallengeR) away for winter here in Alberta CA so most were already mentioned by a friend but good call on the tires