graging the car for the winter

[one2chi]

im thinking about putting the si away for the winter. i have an old accord, which im trading with a friend for an old jeep, and i was thinking that i would drive that in the winter and keep the si away from snow and road salt. anyone else putting their car away? is there anything i should do to prepare it for liek 3 months of non-driving?

[graham]

I'm toying with the idea, but can't really afford a second car, let alone the insurance ... anyways, I think the following general strategy applies when storing a car for the winter:

- store it in a dry area
- DO NOT put it up on blocks
- inflate tires to max pressure specified on sidewall
- fill up the tank at least 1/2 way, add fuel conditioner, and let it run for a bit
- oil change
- disconnect the battery and store it in a warm area (don't let it freeze)
- give her a good interior/exterior wash

did I miss anything???

[one2chi]

thanks man. yea im really lucky to have the second car. the insurance is real cheap cuse its a really rural area. full ocverage for my si is only 1k a year.

[SmoothOperator]

I store my car too. Before I store it, I make sure I fill the tank with the highest octane gas, so it doesn't go bad so quickly. And having a full tank, leaves no room for moisture.

I might also add....I save a buttload of money by having a crappy winter beater. When I'm driving my EP, I pay $190 per month for insurance. In the winter...I pay $20 a month for the beater!!! I love it!!

[02civicSI]

$1k a year :eek: ...i pay $3k a year for two cars for me and my wife...i need to turn 25 damnit

[Loudpedal]

Originally posted by one2chi
im thinking about putting the si away for the winter. i have an old accord, which im trading with a friend for an old jeep, and i was thinking that i would drive that in the winter and keep the si away from snow and road salt. anyone else putting their car away? is there anything i should do to prepare it for liek 3 months of non-driving?

Keep the Si away from snow and salt?!? Guys, we're not talking Ferrari's here. I hate to have to say this, but EP's are econoboxes (I've got one and I have no problem with that). If I ever stop driving a car that I really like during winter (to drive a beater), I'll ask some stranger on a street corner to give me a swift kick in the ass that would hopefully help get my head back on straight.

I can't stop laughing when I hear about guys putting Civics away for the winter. Too funny.

[SmoothOperator]

Originally posted by Loudpedal
Keep the Si away from snow and salt?!? Guys, we're not talking Ferrari's here. I hate to have to say this, but EP's are econoboxes (I've got one and I have no problem with that). If I ever stop driving a car that I really like during winter (to drive a beater), I'll ask some stranger on a street corner to give me a swift kick in the ass that would hopefully help get my head back on straight.

I can't stop laughing when I hear about guys putting Civics away for the winter. Too funny.
I plan on dumping a lot of money into this car. Once Turbo, aerodynamics, suspension, sound system is done. It's no longer an econobox. I wouldn't want to go FI down the road, if I knew it'd end up rusting out on me.

[Zero Three Si]

To each his own....I'm not storing mine though.

[civicSIracer]

Originally posted by Loudpedal
Keep the Si away from snow and salt?!? Guys, we're not talking Ferrari's here. I hate to have to say this, but EP's are econoboxes (I've got one and I have no problem with that). If I ever stop driving a car that I really like during winter (to drive a beater), I'll ask some stranger on a street corner to give me a swift kick in the ass that would hopefully help get my head back on straight.

I can't stop laughing when I hear about guys putting Civics away for the winter. Too funny.

im goin with loud pedal on this one. thank god for the socal lifestyle. :)

[k20beast]

i may store my car or the winter but mine woulnte by choice. my licence may get suspended till may:'( but if it does then that shit is gonna get hooked up in the down time but hopefully it wont. hearing for that is on monday the 17th wish me luck

[Driftin SI]

Originally posted by Loudpedal
Keep the Si away from snow and salt?!? Guys, we're not talking Ferrari's here. I hate to have to say this, but EP's are econoboxes (I've got one and I have no problem with that). If I ever stop driving a car that I really like during winter (to drive a beater), I'll ask some stranger on a street corner to give me a swift kick in the ass that would hopefully help get my head back on straight.

I can't stop laughing when I hear about guys putting Civics away for the winter. Too funny.

I'm with you on that one. Maybe if it was a mint condition old 71 civic, I'de consider it.

http://www.carpage.hu/civic-02.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/honda_club_egypt/1stgenc.jpg

[jereds02si]

I'll agree with everyone that said its stupid to garage your civic. It's not a type-r and if it was its still meant to be drove.

[Jester]

Maybe if it was a mint condition old 71 civic, I'de consider it.

civic's debut was in 72' as a 73' model

[furious]

I too think that garaging the Si is quite overdone.

Just think, will you be putting this sticker on the bumper of your winter shitter? --> "My other car is a Civic!"

[graham]

Well hold on here guys ... it's not THAT rediculous to store a car in the winter. In the case of a civic, I'd say it's only worthwhile if you want to keep it for like 15 years. And if you've spent a lot of dough on coilovers or other aluminum parts, they take a major beating in the salt. So I can understand it.

Personally, I choose to spend that extra money on a good set of winter tires and an annual trip to Krown for rust-proofing. Now if I didn't live in an apartment, and had a nice dry garage to store a car ... maybe .... but then I probably would have an ITR now ... but thats another topic altogether.

[blueiedgod]

Originally posted by Loudpedal
Keep the Si away from snow and salt?!? Guys, we're not talking Ferrari's here. I hate to have to say this, but EP's are econoboxes (I've got one and I have no problem with that). If I ever stop driving a car that I really like during winter (to drive a beater), I'll ask some stranger on a street corner to give me a swift kick in the ass that would hopefully help get my head back on straight.

I can't stop laughing when I hear about guys putting Civics away for the winter. Too funny.

I agree, Si IS the winter beater. It is my commuter. Come on, storing a $15K car?

Anyway, if you have a heated garage her eis what to do:
1) Pour some "Sta-bil" in the fuel tank and run for 10 minutes.
2) I don't know why someone advised against putting the car up on blocks. I would, to avoid flatspotting, but make sure you inflate the tires to like 45 psi.
3) Remove the plugs and pour a table spoon of engine oil into the openning and turn the engine over once or twice to coat the cylinder walls with oil.
4) If not on blocks release parking brake and place chocks under the wheels to stop from rolling.
5) Change the oil and filter.
6) Disconnect the battery
7) Wash the car, dry, and wax
8) Leave the windows a crack open
9) Put a breathable cover over the car
This should do.

When you come back to it in the spring, she should start right up.

[graham]

Originally posted by blueiedgod
2) I don't know why someone advised against putting the car up on blocks. I would, to avoid flatspotting, but make sure you inflate the tires to like 45 psi.
[/B]

That was me.

The reason I heard is that when the car is up on blocks, the suspension pieces hang down. This exposes parts of the shocks that aren't supposed to be exposed for long periods of time ... and over a winter, some rust can generate on the surface, potentially wrecking them. But that's just what I read somewhere - I have no personal experience in this.

Other than that, I've also heard that flatspotting rarely happens with today's tires. I suppose you could roll it 1/4 rotation every month just to be sure.

My Uncle garages his Lexus in the winter ... he's never put it up on blocks.

[Lost03si]

I wish I could store my EP for the winter...But It's Hawaii.....WOOO HOOO!:D

[Driftin SI]

Originally posted by Lost03si
I wish I could store my EP for the winter...But It's Hawaii.....WOOO HOOO!:D

fucker :D I miss Hawaii :(

[blackyEP3]

Originally posted by Driftin SI
fucker :D I miss Hawaii :(

Never been!! But I hate you anyway! hahaha. :D

[blacksihatch]

I have no winter beater, and my girlfriend gets the garage, so my car will be outside in the cold and wet day in and day out, but the winters aren't too bad here in Oregon, just a little wet.

[blacIIkIIsi]

Not to hijack the thread or anything but I am going to Iraq for 1 year and I will be storing my car also. Any tips for the longer storage time?

[one2chi]

i dont think its stupid at all. im a student and i spend all my hard earned money paying for the car. i dont want to wind up getting into an accedent or getting all that road salt on it. true it is ONLY a civic, but its my civic, so i wanna take good care of it.

[Loudpedal]

Originally posted by one2chi
i dont think its stupid at all. im a student and i spend all my hard earned money paying for the car. i dont want to wind up getting into an accedent or getting all that road salt on it. true it is ONLY a civic, but its my civic, so i wanna take good care of it.

Anything that I pay good money for I intend to get as much use out of as possible. Storing a car for half a year to me would not be getting value out of my car.

[Zero Three Si]

Originally posted by blueiedgod
1) Pour some "Sta-bil" in the fuel tank and run for 10 minutes.


THIS IS A MUST!!!! Your car would probably start up in the spring but all the gas would sit on the injectors and just build up on them. You wouldn't notice any effect until later down the road.

[siver-SI]

I would like to just keep my SI in my shop and get a 4x4 for winter just have have it incase. I think next year I am going to save up for a 4x4 beater since I like to off road and just keep it going for winter since I am going to lower my car this winter or spring. I all ready have the shop to store it in so no extra cost there and just some cheap insurance on the beater and I will be set.

[SmoothOperator]

Originally posted by siver-SI
I would like to just keep my SI in my shop and get a 4x4 for winter just have have it incase. I think next year I am going to save up for a 4x4 beater since I like to off road and just keep it going for winter since I am going to lower my car this winter or spring. I all ready have the shop to store it in so no extra cost there and just some cheap insurance on the beater and I will be set.
Beaters are fun too man....I literally beat the crap outta mine. Snowbanks, icey patches, etc etc <---all fair game in the winter car! :smilem:

[siver-SI]

Originally posted by SmoothOperator
Beaters are fun too man....I literally beat the crap outta mine. Snowbanks, icey patches, etc etc <---all fair game in the winter car! :smilem:

Yea I know I beet my old Saburban. Had it when I was in high school so one day we had a bad snow fall and they filled the parking lot up with snow piles. So I just took and drove my Saburban up the snow pile and left. I got called down to the office because they said I could not do that I showed them I was parked inbetween the lines because you could just see them sticking out from under the snow and I asked them were it stated in the rules that I could not do that. Well since there was no rule like that they let me park there. Needless to say next year there was a rule for not doing that. :)