Winter Storage Questions

[The Nerd]

Living in beautiful northeast Ohio, we have brutal winters and I have a Chevy Silverado that I drive for my daily in winter months. My questions are:

1) I have a Battery Tender trickle charger that I've used before on previous vehicles….BUT, is there any difference in just starting the car for a few minutes once a week or two weeks? What's the advantage of a trickle/maintenance charger over just starting the vehicle to let it run every so often?

2) Cosmetically….my car is front PPF'd and fully ceramic coated. I haven't ever touched it with a brush or sponge. Im worried about putting a cover on it my garage all winter. Are there any disadvantages I'm not thinking of to just leaving it uncovered over by itself in the third bay of the garage all winter? No kids will be going near it, so that's not an issue.

[Anderson11]

My service adviser recommended the follow regarding storing my M2C during the winter. I can't use a battery tender because there is no power in my unit.

1. Fill the tires to 45 lbs

2. Disconnect the battery if you are not going to run the car for more than a month. I questioned that due to electronics and he said it would be okay. I have winter tires so I would run the car weekly for about an hour or two in lieu of disconnecting the battery. Had no issues keeping the battery charged.

3.Maintain a full tank of gas during storage.

I didn't cover my car because there weren't any issues with dust. I did wash it at a touchless car wash every 2 weeks. I am paranoid about salt on the roads! Had no issues at all regarding winter storage here in NH during the winter. I have a 2010 328i xDrive for winter and last spring I started counting down the days to March 15th to switch cars! Good luck.

[G80indy]

Get a CTEK maintainer.

No to car cover unless you don't mind scratches

[The Nerd]

Originally Posted by 330indy

Get a CTEK maintainer.

No to car cover unless you don't mind scratches

Thx for the advice. Quick question though….I keep hearing the car cover would cause scratches. How will this happen if it's put on one time in the fall, no one touches it for 5 months, and then it's taken off in the spring (assuming it's a quality car cover)? I get it if someone is constantly moving the cover around on top of the paint over and over….but how would it cause scratches if it isn't touched or moved for 5 months?

[luckylingy]

A car cover won't scratch the paint, The Nerd, if it's handled as you describe. Be as cautious with the cover (the underside touching the car) when not in use, in order to avoid introducing contaminants, which in turn can scratch the car's paint when used in subsequent winters.

I stored BMWs in years past, and (depending on the car and circumstance) used a battery tender or disconnected the battery. Either method is fine.

I also liberally scattered dryer sheets throughout the engine bay, trunk and interior in order to discourage rodents from taking up residence and chewing wiring. I also left a few desiccant storage bags (from Griots Garage) in the interior to absorb moisture.

[The Nerd]

Originally Posted by luckylingy

A car cover won't scratch the paint, The Nerd, if it's handled as you describe. Be as cautious with the cover (the underside touching the car) when not in use, in order to avoid introducing contaminants, which in turn can scratch the car's paint when used in subsequent winters.

I stored BMWs in years past, and (depending on the car and circumstance) used a battery tender or disconnected the battery. Either method is fine.

I also liberally scattered dryer sheets throughout the engine bay, trunk and interior in order to discourage rodents from taking up residence and chewing wiring. I also left a few desiccant storage bags (from Griots Garage) in the interior to absorb moisture.

All great suggestions! Never knew the dryer sheets thing….I will definitely be putting some of those in the engine bay.

[G80indy]

Do the dryer sheets really work?

Which brand works best?

[Ximian]

Dryer sheets thing is a myth for keeping mice away. Better option is block entry points into the garage and put up mouse traps.

When storing your car, only start it if you can get everything up to full temperature while driving. If you start it for just a few minutes, the exhaust won't heat up enough to boil away the moisture that will condense on/in it as it warms up.

A layer between the tires and ground helps a bit as well so the tire is more evenly cold. I use a few flattened cardboard boxes under each tire.

Finally, these cars have lithium batteries so a maintainer specifically designed for that type of battery should be used.

[Rotherd31]

Correct advise on the CTEK maintainer for lithium battery. My second car is always stored Nov-Mar in my heated garage and for the past two M4's I had to switch from the Battery Tender brand to the CTEK lithium. It's a great piece of equipment IMO, as well as in ratings. For the past 10-12 years I've been using the California Car Cover brand. Their inside dust proof model. https://g80.bimmerpost.com/forums/ne...e=1&p=29543264 I always wash and wax my G83 before putting it in hibernation. Yes, there are cheaper covers out there, but one thing I have learned over the years is you typically get what you pay for. I suspect there might be some cheap covers out there that could put a swill mark or a scratch on your paint. But then I've never used any cheap covers! Your choice on whether or not to use a cover. I have never started up my cars from time to time during the four month storage period. No need whatsoever to do that with an appropriate tender attached.

[forza1976]

Winter storage. Lol

I must have mistaken this for the Bugatti forum. 🤣

[G80indy]

With paint correction and the amount of time people spend on getting an M car's finish just right after factory delivery /handling and shipping, I'm amazed people put car covers on their cars inside a garage during the winter.

I have a Custom Noah car cover and an external moisture barrier car cover on my Z3 in the driveway, but it's sitting out during the winter so there's a reason for that - not to mention it's an older car.
However I don't want anything touching the paint on my M3
A little dust accumulation can be easily handled in the spring with a little power washing/ foam cannon and spot free.
But to each his own — good luck.
By the way the CTEK lithium charger is great; It will gently raise the voltage on your battery, and then once it's done it will float around 13.65 V. However, I don't know if I would recommend leaving it on, during the winter
lithium-ion batteries don't need to be at 100%. I monitor the voltage of mine with a CTEK voltage battery monitor via Bluetooth.
Look into it— you don't have to guess about the voltage of your car. Mine is holding at 13.35 V — no tender. No guessing. pretty impressive for that battery.

[The Nerd]

Thanks all for the advice. I'm leaning toward no cover. Honestly, part of my original logic for a cover is because when I pull my Silverado in next to it during bad Ohio winter weather, there's literally chunks of salty, "gravelly" snow that fall off the truck as it melts….and often it splashes up onto whatever is next to it.

I might try the Tender brand maintainer that I have and see how it goes before I buy a CTEK. But it's good to know there's a superior brand out there if the Tender doesn't do well.

[PHXATC]

Nobody has mentioned putting some gas stabilizer (Sta-Bil) in the tank and running some through for a few miles in order to get that stabilizer throughout the system. Cheap insurance.

The rest of the pointers are all good. Starting it once every two weeks and then not really running it on the road won't do much at all, other than possibly add condensation to the cylinder walls when you shut it off.

Stabilizer. Wash and protect appropriately. Cover or not, up to you. Battery tender. I don't have mice, however if that is a concern for you, try to mitigate that as well. Research projects over the winter to do come spring (or clean the interior of your car over the winter with a toothbrush and small lint brush like a crazed madman in order to keep sane LOL).

[astroricardo]

Originally Posted by The Nerd

Thanks all for the advice. I'm leaning toward no cover. Honestly, part of my original logic for a cover is because when I pull my Silverado in next to it during bad Ohio winter weather, there's literally chunks of salty, "gravelly" snow that fall off the truck as it melts….and often it splashes up onto whatever is next to it.

I might try the Tender brand maintainer that I have and see how it goes before I buy a CTEK. But it's good to know there's a superior brand out there if the Tender doesn't do well.

I have a feeling you have not priced the battery your car has. Spend the $100 or less and get the right charger

[Rotherd31]

Originally Posted by astroricardo

I have a feeling you have not priced the battery your car has. Spend the $100 or less and get the right charger

You're spot on. If your battery tender brand is not specifically for a lithium battery, then spend a $100.00 for the CTEK. Lithium batteries require specific charging sequence and changes within the process. But I can understand saving a $100.00 and with it, getting a shorter life out of your lithium battery.......... granted, this LiO battery is for the F series and not the current G series, but do you think the G series would be cheaper?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38472338877...5dc3c42d03cc94

[The Nerd]

Originally Posted by astroricardo

I have a feeling you have not priced the battery your car has. Spend the $100 or less and get the right charger

I had this Battery Tender (1.25V maintainer/charger) for a few years and used it in the winters on my F30 335i as well. Did that have a lithium battery? If so, I guess it wasn't the best option for that car either? I certainly understand the cost of a new lithium battery and will certainly spend an extra $100 if need be. Just trying to educate myself on the differences and pros/cons of the various options.

[Rotherd31]

Your 335i did not have a lithium battery. Most likely it had an AGM type.

[G80indy]

Don't gamble with your G8x

The battery is big bucks to replace

Get this

CTEK (56-926) LITHIUM US 12 Volt... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUF6UM8...p_mob_ap_share

Sleep like a baby

[edofloat]

I have my car stored in my garage, here is what I did.

1. Filled with non-oxy fuel and added fuel stabilizer and drove it enough to get it into the fuel system.
2. Full wheels off wash and detail. Cleaned wheel wheels, brakes, rotors, brake calipers, wheel barrels, the underside of the hood, engine bay, and glass inside and out, wiped down the interior, vacuumed everything, and stipped the floor mats too.
3. Inflated tires to 45 psi.
4. Put a heavy-duty tarp down on the garage floor to keep moisture from concrete away from underside of the car.
5. Put air desiccant bags in the trunk in a foil pan and in the interior of the car to absorb moisture.
6. Removed the wiper blades and put them in the trunk, put old socks over the end of wiper arms to avoid scratching the glass.
7. Bought Battery Tender @ Costco for $42 with LiPo maintainer setting and attached to the battery.
8. Car is sitting on race ramps (with higher pressure in tires) to help avoid flat spots. I jacked up the car and slid the ramps under the tires instead of driving the car on them since I have the rear of the car about 1" from the back garage wall.
9. Put some steel wool in exhaust tips to keep out mice.
10. Put some glue traps in the garage for mice control along the walls near the car.
11. Put some Irish Spring soap bars on the wheels below the brakes, might be old wives' tales to keep mice away...we will see.
12. Installed soft custom-fit CoverCraft dust cover. Super soft inside and adds some cushion to keep things nice. The car was super clean when I put the cover on and I have no concerns about damage. My car has full Stek ppf too.
13. Set the thermostat in the garage to 50 degrees.
14. Dehumidifier set to 50% humidity. Runs a lot and pulls some moisture but not as well as when it is warmer. May consider raising the temp in the garage to 60 but only if that drys the other cars completely overnight or lower to about 34 to keep ice from melting fast on other cars).
15. Other cars are parked on moisture containment mats too.
16. Put a heavy rubber curb stop on the moisture mat to keep my wife from getting to close the hibernating car (she parks in front of the car as her Subie is not as long as my daily/winter car).

Now I just need to wait until April for the snow to melt and get salt off the roads.

Edit:

1. I also added some air in the tires every 4-6 weeks to maintain the higher tire pressures.
2. Not sure if the soap bars worked, no sign of mice or mice in glue traps.

[G80indy]

Originally Posted by edofloat

I have my car stored in my garage, here is what I did.

1. Filled with non-oxy fuel and added fuel stabilizer and drove it enough to get it into the fuel system.
2. Full wheels off wash and detail. Cleaned wheel wheels, brakes, rotors, brake calipers, wheel barrels, the underside of the hood, engine bay, and glass inside and out, wiped down the interior, vacuumed everything, and stipped the floor mats too.
3. Inflated tires to 45 psi.
4. Put a heavy-duty tarp down on the garage floor to keep moisture from concrete away from under the car.
5. Put air desiccant bags in the trunk in a foil pan and in the interior of the car to absorb moisture.
6. Removed the wiper blades and put them in the trunk, pus old socks over the end of wiper arms to avoid scratching the glass.
7. Bought Battery Tender @ Costco for $42 with LiPo maintainer setting and attached to the battery.
8. Car is sitting on race ramps (with higher pressure in tires) to help avoid flat spots. I jacked up the car and slid the ramps under the tires instead of driving the car on them since I have the rear of the car about 1" from the back garage wall.
9. Put some steel wool in exhaust tips to keep out mice.
10. Put some glue traps in the garage for mice control along the walls near the car.
11. Put some Irish Spring soap bars on the wheels below the brakes, might be old wives' tales to keep mice away...we will see.
12. Installed soft custom-fit CoverCraft dust cover. Super soft inside and adds some cushion to keep things nice. The car was super clean when I put the cover on and I have no concerns about damage. My car has full Stek ppf too.
13. Set the thermostat in the garage to 45 degrees.
14. Dehumidifier set to 50% humidity. Runs a lot and pulls some moisture but not as well as when it is warmer. May consider raising the temp in the garage to 60 but only if that drys the other cars completely overnight or lower to about 34 to keep ice from melting fast on other cars).
15. Other cars are parked on moisture containment mats too.
16. Put a heavy rubber curb stop on the moisture mat to keep my wife from getting to close the hibernating car (she parks in front of the car as her Subie is not as long as my daily/winter car).

Now I just need to wait until April for the snow to melt and get salt off the roads.

Wow
That's a lot
Is your garage not attached to your house?

[edofloat]

Originally Posted by 330indy

Wow
That's a lot
Is your garage not attached to your house?

It is a stand-alone garage.

[G80indy]

OK makes sense….