Storing car over winter

[freeway]

I have too many cars and not enough garage space. I want to store my 2000 Camaro convertible outside beside my garage from about the middle of November until March. I don't have a pad or stones, this will be on the bare ground. My plan is to get a Wolf fitted NAOH cover and put plastic sheeting on the ground as a water barrier. Anyone else do this?

I plan to clean the car, leave it in gear, not engage the parking brake, release the tension on the top, but leave it up, over inflate the tires slightly and put stabilizer in the gas. Is there anything else you would recommend? Thanks

PS, I'm in PA so I most likely will be getting snow and freezing rain.

 

[Vette73]

If the tires are in good shape and you want to keep them I would raise the car off the ground. Only a couple inchs. You can do it with the tires/rims on the car or off.

Also take the battery out of the car. Keep it in the garage and then trickle charge it about a week before you need the car again.

 

[Vetterin]

You're only talking 4 months not 4 years so you really don't have to go overboard. I live in Chicago and have been storing my 85 Vette over the winter for 16 years now and only use stabil and a car cover. On nice, dry weekend days (and you will get a few) I start it up, take a nice drive to warm up and circulate all the fluids and that's that.

 

[freeway]

Originally posted by: Vetterin
You're only talking 4 months not 4 years so you really don't have to go overboard. I live in Chicago and have been storing my 85 Vette over the winter for 16 years now and only use stabil and a car cover. On nice, dry weekend days (and you will get a few) I start it up, take a nice drive to warm up and circulate all the fluids and that's that.

Yea, I guess you're right. I'm just a bit overprotective and it's killing me that I can't keep it in the garage this year. I'm glad to hear that storing outdoors has worked out for you, so I guess I should be OK. My Camaro is a causality of no longer being single 🙁

 

[kalrith]

If you really want to protect it, you could get something like this: http://www.amazon.com/ShelterL...-Shelter/dp/B000OQ7CBU. I bought that exact one for $200 at my local PepBoys. Whenever I get it set up, my '79 Monte Carlo will be living in it.

 

[boomerang]

I'm always concerned about mice. They can do a lot of damage. This especially concerns me with your convertible top. I understand the reasoning behind releasing the tension, but those little f'ers can squeeze into awfully small openings.

Doesn't somebody make a bag of some kind that you actually drive the car into? I seem to remember seeing those.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: freeway
I don't have a pad or stones, this will be on the bare ground. .

I'm a little worried about this. I've seen vehicles left on grass be buried up to their axles by the end of winter. It all depends on how hard packed the dirt is underneath.

 

[Vetterin]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: freeway
I don't have a pad or stones, this will be on the bare ground. .

I'm a little worried about this. I've seen vehicles left on grass be buried up to their axles by the end of winter. It all depends on how hard packed the dirt is underneath.

Cut yourself 4 pcs of 3/4" plywood about 16" X 16" and park you car on top of them. It will also help to keep your tires from freezing to the ground.