First restart after winter lay up

[lowrider]

I sorned my 2003 Z4 in November on my drive and connected a battery conditioner and left it. Yesterday I decided to try to start it prior to taxing on the 1 st of April I am happy to say it started on first turn of the key which proves the quality of the car.
I hope other Z4 owners have the same experience.
I can’t wait till my first drive of this year on Friday.

 

[buzyg]

Good to hear. They are indeed well built automobiles.

 

[Rockhopper]

I'd hope any car would start up like that - it not like they forget how to work is it

 

[abar121]

You should start it up and let it warm up every month at least if you can.

 

[Pondrew]

it not like they forget how to work is it

:rofl: :rofl:

 

[zriha]

My Z4 is also sitting during wintertime, under the storm protection (cover with foam to protect it), but I regularly, every week start the car, and if it is a dry winter day, I take it for a short spin around the house, just to keep everything moving.

 

[rdm05z4]

I always heard it was not good to just start up a car and let it run for a period without driving it. That it was best to take a car for a 20-30 mile run from time to time to give a good warm up and charge battery? Now saying this I scorn my car for the winter months , charger on and staybill in Gas tank. So even I don't follow what I have heard. Guess this is one of the items were there will be many different opnion's on what is what. Like what comes first chicken or the egg?

 

[Liam22]

If the engine has a water/oil heat exchanger (N52 has a small one) then running the engine at idle until the fan cuts in is worthwhile because any condensation in the block will get to >100ºC and evaporate. Otherwise you won't be getting the oil hot enough to be of any benefit.

 

[Zedebee]

I'd hope any car would start up like that - it not like they forget how to work is it

That’s flippant, I have had plenty of cars that struggled to start after a long lay up. Poor battery, condensation (and potentially ice) in the fuel and electrical system, vermin etc. Clearly there is no benefit in running the car to charge up the battery if you keep it on a charger; but there is plenty to be gained by getting the lubrication flowing again, driving out any condensate and freeing up any seized/rusted components. And rats and mice tend to take up residence only if the car has lain dormant for a good while!

 

[Rockhopper]

In the winter you'll never get the oil hot enough to get rid of any moisture just by letting it tick over on the drive - even my normal road driving still results in mayo in the filler cap at this time of year.
You'll do more harm than good by running it.
Fill the tank right up to reduce condensation risk, leave the handbrake off, put the trickle charger on and leave it well alone till the summer (if you choose not to drive it that is). Four months or so will be absolutely fine. I've left bikes for eighteen months before now and they have started up first press of the button and while i was working overseas my Alfa stayed on the drive for three months at a time for three years and always started up like normal when i came home.

 

[warmasice]

I read that as SORN in 2003.. blimey that's a long time ago :rofl:

 

[Zedebee]

In the winter you'll never get the oil hot enough to get rid of any moisture just by letting it tick over on the drive - even my normal road driving still results in mayo in the filler cap at this time of year.
You'll do more harm than good by running it.
Fill the tank right up to reduce condensation risk, leave the handbrake off, put the trickle charger on and leave it well alone till the summer (if you choose not to drive it that is). Four months or so will be absolutely fine. I've left bikes for eighteen months before now and they have started up first press of the button and while i was working overseas my Alfa stayed on the drive for three months at a time for three years and always started up like normal when i came home.

Agree with all of the above, good preparation and storage will help to prevent a lot of issues. I was advocating taking it out for a drive, not idling on the drive. :driving:

 

[lowrider]

Thanks for all the positive responses. My Z4 is 19 years old and that is why I am so impressed,I was not sure after 4 months winter it would start.

 

[DaveP]

To be honest, a modern car like the Z4 shouldn't have any issues being left for a few months at a time in the British winter.

It might be a different story if we were talking about an MGB or Northern Canada.

You're not going to be dealing with fuel freezing or brake lines rotting over the course of a fairly mild winter. If I were to lay my car up over the winter, I'd probably disconnect the battery, chuck a cover over it and not give it a second thought.

 

[Chris_D]

Longest my zed has ever stood was 4 months while I was in Hamburg on bizniz.
Came back and did a 'recondition' program on the battery via the CTEK.
Stormforce cover on and was still in place after I had returned even though we'd had storms here in NL in the meantime. Fueltank full, handbrake off and 1st gear selected as it sits on a slight incline.
Left the winter 16" 55 profile wheel/tyes on and pumped up to 3 bar to avoid flatspots. Still experienced flatspots however.
After the charge cycle was complete, cranked it and fired up first time.
Done this a few times over the course of my ownership with long periods of non-use. Never seems to present any major issues. Get a squeak from the steering column every time but this subsides with driving after a few days.
:driving:

 

[jgerrard2003]

Don't forget the brakes. I bought a Z4 last year that hadn't been used much in the previous few years (partly due to covid) and the brakes were in a poor state. 2 of the calipers were seized, so I reconditioned the fronts and cleaned up/bled the rears.