Just curious, for those of you who store you car over the Winter, how frequently do you start up the car? I read in one of the newer Mustang owners manual to do it every 15 days or 15 minutes, so that’s what I do, but curious if anyone does/recommends differently and why.
Starting Stored Car
- Thread starter subobo0411
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I say don't start it at all, disconnect the battery or put it a on maintenance charger. "warming" the car up for 15 minutes just develops condensation everywhere and isn't long enough to dry it back out. If it's not coming out long enough to get to full temp and stay there a while I say leave it alone. To me it's the same or worse than short trip driving all the time.
We have multiple vehicles (cars, ATVs, tractor etc...) that sit 6+ months at a time without being touched. We hook the battery up, double check fluids, fire it up and put it to use. We've never had a problem.
I don't usually start any of mine over the winter unless I have to move one to get things out of the garage or some other reason.
I don't usually store them with much gas, and always try to put fresh gas as my first destination when I start to drive one after storage.
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I don't usually store them with much gas, and always try to put fresh gas as my first destination when I start to drive one after storage.
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I don't have a Terminator any longer, but my '19 Genesis G70 is stored for the winter in my garage. I couldn't easily do the trickle-charge option because the battery is in the trunk, so I decided to change the oil and put dry-gas in the tank before storing it, and planned to start it every 3 weeks, letting it idle for 20-25 minutes (doing rev changes occasionally). This procedure will continue until the first week of April when I take it out of hibernation.
Have been storing my Mustangs/Cobras/GT500/Lightnings since 1993 when I had my new 93 Cobra. Never started any of them during the 4 or 5 months they were stored. Especially when its super cold you don't want to start up. Always prepped them before putting away in storage. Full tank of gas with some STA-BIL early on and STA-BIL 360 later. Fresh oil change before storage and increased air pressure in tires by 5 lbs so no flat spots. Hooked up a battery tender and forgot about them. If you don't have a storage container like a car jacket or car bubble do something to prevent rodents from setting up house in the car. Never had one problem over those years.
Mine usually sits like this from Nov-Apr with no start ups in between
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Some years I fill up the tires, disconnect the battery and let it sit for 3-4 months. Most years I leave the battery connected and take it out for a drive every now and then when weather and road conditions permit. Never had an issue either way. Whether it was in my rickety un-insulated garage in my old house, or in my heated garage in my current house. In my opinion, you don't really need to do anything to a car if it's only going to sit for 2, 3 or 4 months.
Yeah, @03SVT10, I was on the fence about doing nothing since it is only being stored for 4 months. I might extend my start-ups to once a month. Hell, in another 2 months I'll be preparing to take it out of storage....finally. Time is flying this winter.
Thanks guys, I appreciate hearing what everyone else does. Like a lot of you mentioned, I too add air to the tires and disconnect the battery.
Any reason for using a battery tender vs disconnecting it? I know from past experience trying to pass emissions that many of those systems won’t be ready for ~50 miles but otherwise seems just as easy and you’re not using any electricity.
Any reason for using a battery tender vs disconnecting it? I know from past experience trying to pass emissions that many of those systems won’t be ready for ~50 miles but otherwise seems just as easy and you’re not using any electricity.
I don't have a Terminator any longer, but my '19 Genesis G70 is stored for the winter in my garage. I couldn't easily do the trickle-charge option because the battery is in the trunk, so I decided to change the oil and put dry-gas in the tank before storing it, and planned to start it every 3 weeks, letting it idle for 20-25 minutes (doing rev changes occasionally). This procedure will continue until the first week of April when I take it out of hibernation.
I’ve seen several cars with the batteries in other places and there’s a jump start port/terminal under the hood. You can also get em that charge it through the cig lighter port
Battery tenders extend the life of the battery by keeping it fully charged at all times. Not good to let the battery die and then charge it again. It uses $1 in electricity Bryan! You can afford it lol
LOL, sorry I can’t help it, I’m just frugal by nature.
Hopefully mine starts, got to move it out to clean the garage. It is plugged in.
I don't have a Terminator any longer, but my '19 Genesis G70 is stored for the winter in my garage. I couldn't easily do the trickle-charge option because the battery is in the trunk, so I decided to change the oil and put dry-gas in the tank before storing it, and planned to start it every 3 weeks, letting it idle for 20-25 minutes (doing rev changes occasionally). This procedure will continue until the first week of April when I take it out of hibernation.
Why don’t you just hook the tender up to the aux jump start posts that are under the hood? I hard wired my mothers jaguar by the aux posts. The battery is in the middle of the car.
Put mine on jack stands, battery inside and full tank of 93, done this for years with all my mustang's.
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