Winter storage advice

[Idlfc]

Planning ahead (whilst is sunny I know)
and I think I will be taking the Z4 off the road for winter this year as i have a company car

I've looked around and seen lots of covers and chargers but cant narrow anything specific down that I need

I need a cover that will allow the car to stand on my driveway as the garage is full
(I would prefer not to have something cheap generic from Halfords) but again don't want to pay massively over the odds' so anyone that has one and could recommend would one they use would be appreciated

I also need a trickle charger for the battery and I've seen a few but I need the lead to be longer that what appears to be the standard 1m length and the power will be coming out from the garage under the cover and into the engine bay - its the length that just as important as the quality of the product

I'm also after any advice that you can give me for leaving parked up for 4-5 months
for example I've been told not to leave the handbrake on to stop it seizing
Can it be left off or would it better to start the engine every month etc

so any advice would be appreciated

Many thanks Ian

 

[Christopher72]

Why leave it out in the elements if it's not being used for months? Theres always a barn or storage units that are fairly inexpensive to rent and assuming you cancel insurance while it's stored, may be a wash in price.

 

[DonDon]

Ctek do a great range of chargers. You can attach this https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/accessories/car-accessories/indicator-eyelet-m6 to have a permanent connection and use a zip tie to keep the connector from flapping around.

They also do an extension lead that will go onto that connector. I don't know if it really matters, but they say to only use one extension lead.

That will allow you to have the charger inside the garage (depending on the distance), or you could put the charger under the car cover (and hidden from view) and just use an ordinary mains extension lead.

 

[Christopher72]

I use the NOCO Genius 5 in the USA. There's a UK version with the massive UK plug. https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GENIUS5UK-Fully-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B0828HLDZC/. It has a solid AGM trickle charge setting and a modular connection with extension (https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GC004-X-Connect-3-Meter-Extension/dp/B004LWV0GQ/). This unit can easily be positioned and fastened inside the engine bay. I've' not chosen to do that.

For long storage in wind and weather, you may want a cover that doesn't mess up your car with rub marks -- Or a combination of covers.

Cheap covers like this one, ~$60, are waterproof but don't protect the car from themselves.


The BMW garage cover isn't waterproof, is stretch fitted, so it doesn't move around, runs 4x cost, and softer than most comfy clothes that I wear:


I keep mine stored inside with a garage cover in the winter in a storage unit with power. Last year I just used the soft cover since I had a storage unit that looked pretty watertight -- this year I may add the waterproof cover over it.

Some will say to put the car on jack stands to unspring the weight and prevent flat spots on tires, or park on a tire cradle (wheel savers), or carpet, etc. I keep mine on jack stands when stored for longer than a month.

The more important issue is pest control. Depending on the environment, a cold car is a nice warm refuge for pests. If your storage units don't have pest control, purchase your own. Outside that may be more of a challenge.

 

[B21]

Don’t leave the EFB on..it will weld the rear pads to the disc..

No worries with long term storage provided said trickle charger is used..or every 4 weeks you charge it..

As others said quite a few have been nibbled so careful on mice etc

A decent fitting cover with a liner is IMHO a must to avoid wind induced scratching of paint.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I'd say a trickle charger like a Ctek is a must. I SORN'd my Z4 for a month and sure enough the battery died. :roll:
And I left it in gear with the handbrake off!

I can't see the point of driving it once a month - strictly speaking it can't be on SORN if you do that!

I've never been a fan of covers after seeing the rubbing paint can get on the corners of wings, etc. if it gets windy. Rain isn't really a problem, it's when the rain has road dirt and/or salt in it that things deteriorate.

 

[k755]

Mine sits out all year with a Stormcover as previous inferior product let water in just after the warranty ran out (12 months). Only purchased a few months ago but no problems during wet July. Nice soft lining so wont scratch paint and a good fit so no flapping when windy a I live on the coast. You get what you pay for! +1 0n a trickle charger and hand break off.

 

[Idlfc]

Many thanks everyone for their input

 

[mcbutler]

Planning ahead (whilst is sunny I know)
and I think I will be taking the Z4 off the road for winter this year as i have a company car

I've looked around and seen lots of covers and chargers but cant narrow anything specific down that I need

I need a cover that will allow the car to stand on my driveway as the garage is full
(I would prefer not to have something cheap generic from Halfords) but again don't want to pay massively over the odds' so anyone that has one and could recommend would one they use would be appreciated

I also need a trickle charger for the battery and I've seen a few but I need the lead to be longer that what appears to be the standard 1m length and the power will be coming out from the garage under the cover and into the engine bay - its the length that just as important as the quality of the product

I'm also after any advice that you can give me for leaving parked up for 4-5 months
for example I've been told not to leave the handbrake on to stop it seizing
Can it be left off or would it better to start the engine every month etc

so any advice would be appreciated

Many thanks Ian

Just park it in the garage, run it once a month it'll do no damage, cover if it you have to.
Its a modern car it'll be fine.
Dont get bogged down in the anal crap (no pun intended) i.e. jack it up so tyres don't deform!!!!
If you need a trickle charger Lidl do an excellent one for around £15

 

[mcbutler]

Why leave it out in the elements if it's not being used for months? Theres always a barn or storage units that are fairly inexpensive to rent and assuming you cancel insurance while it's stored, may be a wash in price.

When did you last rent a barn!
Average residential garage rentals are well over £100 a month now, a lot more if you want power.
I am seeing garages with workshops at over £500 down here in Devon

 

[deltasierra]

I’ve had a few soft tops and now I’ve built a car port to keep the worst of the rain off, previously not only green algae on the roof but also damp inside has been a problem. Then I try to use it most weeks year round, sitting outdoors without any protection does cars no good at all.

 

[Christopher72]

When did you last rent a barn!

Last year. Not a WHOLE barn :lol: , just a "can I park this here for a few months, what'llya need for that?"
I live in a township in Ohio, not even a city. A barn is the official historical structure of this state.. there are a ton of them. Even more ppl with steel pole barns

 

[SSF]

Why would you buy a hardtop convertible and treat it like a ragtop? I drive it the whole winter when I can; I actually prefer it in the winter because it's rwd and fun to drive in the snow.

 

[Christopher72]

Why would you buy a hardtop convertible and treat it like a ragtop? I drive it the whole winter when I can; I actually prefer it in the winter because it's rwd and fun to drive in the snow.

That's cool - That's how I learned the difference between summer and all-season tires - the hard way ... several of my E46 convertibles I ran all year and they were ragtops. For some of us, these are seasonal cars, not because of any limitation of the E89, just because we have other cars. I use an AWD SUV to deal with Ohio late fall and early winter.... or rainy days... or big flocks of birds....

 

[ronk]

Fill the fuel tank as full as possible, trickle charge, handbrake off - Do Not start the car unless absolutely necessary!

 

[smorris_12]

Do Not start the car unless absolutely necessary!

Absolutely this bit!

Also, make sure the last run before parking it up gets it properly hot to ensure engine and exhaust are fully dry.

 

[SSF]

Why would you buy a hardtop convertible and treat it like a ragtop? I drive it the whole winter when I can; I actually prefer it in the winter because it's rwd and fun to drive in the snow.

That's cool - That's how I learned the difference between summer and all-season tires - the hard way ... several of my E46 convertibles I ran all year and they were ragtops. For some of us, these are seasonal cars, not because of any limitation of the E89, just because we have other cars. I use an AWD SUV to deal with Ohio late fall and early winter.... or rainy days... or big flocks of birds....

I have an xDrive 7 series as my people carrier, so if I want safety and comfort - I can use that one in the winter, but the Z4 is definitely more fun to drive (as always). And that's exactly what I bought it for. Especially in fresh snow, with the top down - it's priceless.

Fill the fuel tank as full as possible, trickle charge, handbrake off - Do Not start the car unless absolutely necessary!

I don't know about filling the tank; petrol will degrade quite a lot in the months the car is stored (assuming it's at least 3 months). I'd keep the fuel level low and refill it (from a canister, for example) with fresh one before starting it in the spring.

 

[ronk]

The tank should be filled to minimise air space in the tank and thus surface area for condensation to form on the tank wall.
The fuel does not degrade enough to notice - I store mine for five months sometimes six using this regime and never had the hint of a hiccup when I start using the car in the springtime.

If you do an internet search, you will see that petrol will last for a year if stored in a sealed container.

Apart from anything else, it’s not going to be cheaper in few months!

 

[Christopher72]

The tank should be filled to minimise air space in the tank and thus surface area for condensation to form on the tank wall.
The fuel does not degrade enough to notice - I store mine for five months sometimes six using this regime and never had the hint of a hiccup when I start using the car in the springtime.

Never thought of condensation... At any rate, if someone is storing for a year you can add some petrol stabilizer, correctly dosed. We only have about 4+ months of too cold for topless.

 

[SSF]

If you do an internet search, you will see that petrol will last for a year if stored in a sealed container.

Yes, I've seen this phrase (it usually says "6 months to one year without significant degradation" though). But if you read the next one, you'll see that "However, fuel that is exposed to oxygen, moisture, or contaminants can deteriorate more quickly, resulting in reduced quality, lower octane rating, and increased levels of sediments or sludge." Meaning as soon as it comes out of the pump, it enters in contact with oxygen and moisture and starts degrading. Filling the tank doesn't count as resealing the container.

Now this is not something I'm sure of, it's just what I read on the internet (multiple sources though), but this is how I see the situation.