Hey,

I live up in cold, snowy Manitoba and have stopped driving my firebird for the winter. I was originally going to store it in my garage, but with 4 people with cars in this house, space is at a premium and people want it for cars that actually get driven in winter.

My question is, is it OK to leave my car outside in the winter? I recently had it rustproofed by a reputable place, and was going to park it on some poly (those big plastic clear sheets), and have that cover up the bottom part of the car and wheels, and then put my cover over the rest of it. I think it would protect it pretty good - my garage isn't any warmer then outside generally. What do you think?

Also, besides worrying about rust etc., what kind of additives should I throw in to make sure she fires up in the spring?

Thanks for any advice,
Cam

 

be cautious with a cover over the winter, they're know to scratch the paint because of the wind moving it. also I just found out with both my thirdgens watch out for mice, they'll find any possible way to get in.

 

I have the same problem. I don't have a garage in my appartment and I live in Dearborn heights (Michigan). It's supposed to have one of the worst winters this year so I'm not sure what to do I may just get a cover but secure it tightly

 

Leave it in the garage for starters,pull the sparkplugs and put a small amount of oil in the cylinders.If its going to be sitting for a long while,drain the fuel tank and the fuel line,you don't want to store old nasty gas in your fuel lines.

 

I've got 4 Camaro's and 3 of them stay outside. They are all road-worthy and each gets driven at a minimum of once a week. The Mice STILL find thier way in - even with pretty constant driving.

One day I pulled my v8 air cleaner off my 86 Coupe and left it in front of the car for no more than 2 days. When I picked it up to reinstall it there was a mouse nest in it. I drove my 95 Z on Monday and yesterday when I opened the hood to look around there were little nut shells all over the intake. I remember a time when I was swapping an AC dash housing into my 87 Coupe and 3-4 days after the heater boxes were installed I turned on the fans when making a "systems check" and a whole bunch of carpet insulation started blowing thru the vents.

Point being ----> Watch out for mice ! If they are left to have free rein for any length of time in a car they can do significant damage !

 

they just got into my wiring so now my power locks wont stop going on and off, thats what made me say it. also when I sat in my Dads camaro to move it and a mouse walked out from under the seat... dont know why Im scared of the little things. I hate opening the hood and having acorns fall out from the insulation.

 

i dont know how true it is but i have heard that if you put dryer sheets in the car mice wont bother it because they hate the smell. i know the guy that told me has a 1960s mustang and he has been doing this with good results for years. just put some under the hood, in the interior, ect...

 

sweet Im gonna try this, I was thinking of using moth ***** and seeing if those worked, guess Ill try both.

 

When I bought my car it had dryer sheets under the front seats and in the hatch area. I asked why he did it and he said the same thing.

I remember reading in a Hot Rod magazine an article mentioned putting charcoal briquettes in a tin pan to help with moisture buildup. Never tried it though.

 

And using dryer sheets will greatly improve your chances of having a passenger in the car with you. Using mothballs STINKS!!!! And the smell can take half the summer to get rid of.

One thing to consider is using a good quality weather-resistant breathable car cover may be better than the garage depending on how the garage is set-up.
You need to consider that the garage is being used by 3 others all winter. That means there will be a lot of activity of cars going in and out. And every time a car comes in in winter, it will have snow and ice on it that will melt either by the residual heat of the car or by the warmth in the garage.
Worst garage set-up . . .
- Insulated, heated and not ventilated. Snow and ice melts quickly and evaporates. Humidity is trapped. Rust runs wild. Better to have the car prepped for storage outside and covered properly. (Unless a dehumidifier is used and maintaned).
Bad garage set-up . . .
- Insulated, cold and not ventilated. Same as above but at least the melting process and evaporation is slowed a little due to lack of heat, but still nowhere for the humidity to go. Rust is still a big problem.
Good garage set-up . . .
- Uninsulated and not heated. Melting of snow and ice is very slow. Only heat is off of the vehicles when their warm. Lack of insulation means that the garage is not sealed and ventilation is really good so the humidity is quickly dissipated.
Best garage set-up . . .
- Insulated, heated and ventilated and or humidity controlled. Vehicle is stored above freezing. Moisture and humidity is quickly dissipated and the environment is dry. Plus comfy for you is a bonus.

In other words, depending on the parking conditions inside the garage, you may be better off outside as long as your ride is properly prepped.

 

Ive never heard of using moth *****, I was just spit-balling ideas. I thought I was the first person to think of it. haha

 

mouthballs work very good. I stored an el camino outside last winter and no mice. I put them under the hood and below the seat, the only problem(already mentioned) is that they stink. Better look into storing it soon I just looked outside my window (Milwaukee,WI) and it's already snowing.

 

everytime i read about you northern folks i feel bad for ya all over again. you folks hafta go thru all of the storage issues and almost cant drive your cars for a few months.

im in the south and have a garage with my own side (wife has the other).

 

ya but we have snowmobiles and other toys to make up for it.

im a little worried abotu mice as we have a mosue problem in the house, wouldnt be a big surprise if they got into my car

 

Last winter we had a mice problem not only in my house but in the garage. In the garage I have my camaro and my younger bro had his mustang, guess which car the mice chose to nest in...that's right, must have been smart mice because they didn't touch my camaro.

 

When I had stored my vehicle outside I used a car cover (breathable) over the car. Then another layer of a solid poly plastic sheet, and then a large tarp overtop that covered all around including the wheels and then some underneath. You'll need a good nylon rope probably 1/4 to 1/2 inch to tie it up all around (make sure the tarp includes metal grommets to insert ropes).

Now when it comes to winterizing the car I mix in the required amount of fuel stabilizer fluid in the gas tank and shoot a good amount of engine storage spray through the throttle body while it's running(maybe some after shutting the car off). Now in the interior I open 3 small boxes of baking soda (I usually leave the boxes on top of the dashpad) to help in absorbing mosture and odours. I also throw a couple dozen mothballs in a sandwich bag and place them on the back seat. I've heard this wards off mice and in fact I've never had a rodent problem. **BEWARE though mothballs left in a closed car over a long period of time will leave your car interior smelling like mothballs when you open her up in the springtime. I also place a couple baggies of mothballs in the engine bay just behind each of the strut towers (you'll need to remember to remove these bags in the springtime). Another alternative to mothballs are those electric plug in rodent modules which emmit a high pitch sound (you can get 'em at any hardware store) and place one in the interior or / and the engine bay but you'll need a constant source of electricity for those. I'm not sure if they have made any battery operated ones yet. Believe it or not those units really do ward off mice.

Now I always remove the battery and keep it indoors away from the bitter cold and the constant hook-up on the vehicle. I've had too many batteries die on me in the winter because of the drain and with the bitter freezing temps this can damage your battery. I've already had to replace 2 batteries because I left them out (so I always suggest storing your battery).

It's always best to store a vehicle indoors preferable at room temp with a breathable cover overtop as opposed to outside under a solid plastic cover because mosture builds up inside the vehicle and this creates rust on exposed metal parts. The moisture can also lead to mold growth in the spring when the temp warms up if the car is left sealed up. Try spraying Lysol in the interior before storage and periodically in the interior when the car is in storage.

And I usually try to run the car at temperature 3 or 4 times over the winter(that means unwrapping it). Too many dry starts is not good for the car, and if you use a good synthetic oil you can extend these start periods.

Hope you can get some usefull tips out of this.

 

Couple other pointers include placing the vehicle overtop a large poly sheet (I wouldn't leave a car stored outdoors overtop grass or dirt. Try to find a concrete or asphalt floor. Placing the car on jackstands is always a good idea or simply driving the 4 wheels up on small cardboard boxes will help to avoid bald spots on the tires while it's sitting. An oil change before storing would be a good idea as to avoid sludge from settling over time. A good wash (and wax if possible) and an interior vacuum before storing will help preserve the cars exterior and interior. Make sure you have the correct coolant mixture in the engine and rad as too much water will freeze and can cause cracks and ruptures in the cooling and heating system also fill the tank with fresh fuel and add the proper amount of fuel stabilizer fluid.

 

Hey guys,

Thanks for the large number of responses. I had definately heard before about the moth ***** and plan on using that, we have mice all over the place around here heh. The cover is actually a breathable fabric one, and i will tarp it down good to make sure the wind doesn't blow it around (we're pretty sheltered where we live). This car shouldn't be out of commission too long (I hope), 3 or 4 months I'd guess. I will be parked on new gravel, and i'll put cardboard under the tires.

I had to fire it up in -20 C to move it the other night, no problems!

This is the first time I didn't want winter to come, we ride alot of snowmobiles up here like one guy pointed out. However, I was quite conflicted about whether i'd rather keep my car out or have the snow fly. Well, the snow is here now.

Thanks for all the responses.

edit: I do use synthetic oil and just got it changed a couple thousand klicks back

 

i think im just going to put mouse traps all over mygarage, my interior is gutted anyways so they dont have much of any place to hide.

 

I know how you feel. I used to love winter like crazy. I lived in Gretna, south of Winnipeg, and the groomed trails are awesome. On sled, I've been down the RED, the LeSalle, all over the prairies, Whiteshell Provincial Park, etc, etc. It's a whole lotta fun.
Now I'm like sad when the vert goes bye-bye for the winter.

 

No way! Keep your snow and ice. I'll keep my babes on the beach in bikinis through winter. I've never had a problem with mice. Must be a northern thing. The only thing we get is those damn hornets and wasps building nests under the wheel wells and behind the taillights. I've done the dryer sheets before but to keep the smell of mildew out and it works. The closest thing to a mouse was when I had an '81 Buick Skylark once and it sat for a while. Went to open the hood and a damn possum built a nest right on top of the air cleaner. After it flashed it's teeth at me I slammed the hood down on it and it squirmed it's way through the engine bay and out under the car.

Saw it waddle away into the bushes.

 

when do these precautions become necessary. ive been going away to college for a couple years, and i have to leave my car home. i go home and start it and drive it regularly for a whole weekend like once a month or sometimes every 3 weeks. is this enough driving not to worry about all these things. i mean i can do the dryer sheets and the cardboard pieces. and i keep it under a breathable cover. should that be enough?

 

Should be alright, I left mine outside for part of the winter last year under tarps. Most of your rust and corrosion is from the salt and snow, as long as its covered and isnt driving on the roads, you wont have to worry about either of those. But if you cover it up, mice will be attracted to your nice new "environment" that is sheltered from the outside weather. As far as additives go, just throw in some fuel stabilizer, and I start my car up and let it run for awhile every couple weeks throughout the winter.

 

.Is the car in a garage or at least under some type of dwelling with a roof.
That does make a difference if you have nice paint that you want to keep protected.a car with nice paint shouldn't be sitting in the backyard when the snow is falling,even with a breathable cover.As long as its driven somewhat frequently like once a month,you should be ok without making any extra measures.

 

yea, i drive it during the winter too (its my only car). i can usually get rides though. and if its salty from the snow i try not to drive it, and if i do i hose off the underbody as good as i can. i just keep it under a cover when im away at school. otherwise it doesnt sit for more than a couple days when im home.

 

This is what I am doing so i can work on my car still.

http://www.acecanopy.com/canopyenc10x10-1w75.html

It will face my garage door so whenever I want to work on my car I slip in there and turn the propane heater on and get to working...doesnt hold heat as good as a garage but still better than open area when you have a Camaro in the garage and a 300zx sitting outside with NO RUST at all on the car.

They just reduced the price on this too from $220.

 

wow I may have to buy one too at that price.

 

Hmm. Check this out now.

Under Car Canopy its $220

http://www.acecanopy.com/car-enclosed-canopy-10x10.html

But under Enclosed Canopy its $180....hmm, I dont think they know but Im not telling....lol....keep it cheap until we buy ours Lol.

 

Do they have any bigger ones hat could possibly be used for... paint booths?

 

Well check here, this is all of their enclosed conopies, thing is, you could probably get one with windows, and then hook up fans on the windows some how and have your booth ready.

http://www.acecanopy.com/outdoor-can...-enclosed.html

 

make sure you fog the engine. fogging spray is cheap and easier than pulling plugs, the proper way is to fire up the car to operating temp, do a little fog at a time till you get the slightest blue out of the exhaust, then full blast till it stalls (on carb models anyway, FI just lightly or it's bad for the injectors)

also fuel stab. would be a good idea and gas line antifreeze.

mine lives in northern BC and stays outside 24/7, never had a problem. also a block heater is an excellent idea, mine has one for a 91 Chev diesel, keeps it actually above 0. avoid using oil pan heaters, they eat pan gaskets

hope this helps

 

I got woodchucks trying to bury mine in the barn.

 

If you do decide to run the engine periodically over winter, be sure the exhaust system gets up to operating temperature. This is often difficult to do due to the low rpm's if it's only idling in a garage or outside.
If you don't get it hot enough, your exhaust system will really suffer and can fail prematurely. Since water is a byproduct of combustion, if your exhaust isn't hot enough to evaporate the water, all you'll be doing is filling all the low spots (cat, muffler, low bends, etc) with water that will cause rust and corrosion from the inside out.