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General => General discussion => Topic started by: vw_golf_nutter on 12 October 2012, 16:35

Title: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: vw_golf_nutter on 12 October 2012, 16:35
hi all, just looking for a bit of advice.
I have a mk3 cabriolet which will need a bit of work for the MOT in November. Im thinking of parking it up over winter and have found a concrete garage to rent that has a lockable metal door.
My question is. Obviously I am doing this is save money so Im thinking of cancelling the insurance altogether. Is this wise? I mean, what harm can come to it if its parked in a garage?
And if im parking it up do i leave the battery connected or is there anything i should do to prepare it for being laid up for 4 months+?
thanks
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: rob.043 on 12 October 2012, 16:58
If its going to be off the road then cancel the Insurance, and cash in the tax disc so its on a SORN. That way itll just be costing you whatever rent on the garage is. Disconnecting the battery would be best, and give it a charge before you start it up again.

However if the roof of the garage falls in, or it gets broken in to and the car's nicked, you will have no insurance cover. If the area is ok, and the garage is sound enough, I wouldnt worry about it not being insured.
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Luke1981 on 12 October 2012, 17:09
Depending on how much your car is worth I would also cancel the insurance and sorn it of the road. As stated above disconnect the battery and make sure you get a good lock on the door. Chances of it getting nicked are pretty slim as you need the keys to start it.
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Golf_GT_TDI on 12 October 2012, 17:13
I think whats been posted above covers everything but just to confirm that its best to disconnect battery.. its going to lose charge over that time anyway but by disconnecting it it won't go completely flat and not recharge etc. Park it up with brakes dry! and maybe turn wheels on full lock and engage steering lock, make it harder for anyone to steal it, very unlikely if its a locked garage in half decent area.
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: leigh_harty on 12 October 2012, 18:21
Is it going to be stored and run every now and again?

Maybe a dab of oil in the bores but might be overkill for 4months  :undecided:
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Gti_Jamo on 12 October 2012, 19:20
I would also take the battery right out the car.
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Thom89 on 12 October 2012, 19:29
Theirs no way in the world that i'd cancel my insurance! poor advice I think!

Just park it up, disconnect the battery, chock the wheels, leave hand brake OFF, get a decent dust cover, Halfords ones are more than adequate, and cover it up.

While laid up, don't bother running it up, thinking that you're doing it some good, all you will do is add condensation to the inside of the exhaust system, and possibly shortening its life, your car will easily cope being laid up for a few years let alone a few months

Bringing out of hibernation, charge battery fully overnight, Disconnect "King lead" from Distributor, spin the engine over for about 10 seconds, this will pump oil to the areas that need it, reconnect king lead, and start as normal
Drive to a Petrol station, fresh fuel, and check the tyres... Job done

Thom
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: dTEA on 13 October 2012, 12:14
Theirs no way in the world that i'd cancel my insurance! poor advice I think!

Just park it up, disconnect the battery, chock the wheels, leave hand brake OFF, get a decent dust cover, Halfords ones are more than adequate, and cover it up.

While laid up, don't bother running it up, thinking that you're doing it some good, all you will do is add condensation to the inside of the exhaust system, and possibly shortening its life, your car will easily cope being laid up for a few years let alone a few months

Bringing out of hibernation, charge battery fully overnight, Disconnect "King lead" from Distributor, spin the engine over for about 10 seconds, this will pump oil to the areas that need it, reconnect king lead, and start as normal
Drive to a Petrol station, fresh fuel, and check the tyres... Job done

Thom
this if you dont have enough money to replace when it gets taken.
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: vw_golf_nutter on 13 October 2012, 12:33
ok thanks. exhaust is rotten anyway, thats part of the reason im parking it up. its going to cost a bit to MOT it, needs middle and rear exhaust and other stuff and im not really using it.
do i leave it with petrol in or as empty as poss? my mums mazda was parked up for a few years before she bought it and the petrol tank was rotten because of it, think it was empty?
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: F17BAD on 13 October 2012, 13:50
i have a car in storeage, its still insured under "laid up cover"  basically insured for everyting apart from been driven on the road

Costs me £50 a year
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: danny_p on 13 October 2012, 15:00
you can get fuel preserative for classic cars and lawnmowers,  some people swear by it others don't.

dont park it on grass and it'll be fine , if leaving it longer its ideal to leave on flat ground and cover it   
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Gavv8 on 13 October 2012, 15:05
you can get fuel preserative for classic cars and lawnmowers,  some people swear by it others don't.

dont park it on grass and it'll be fine , if leaving it longer its ideal to leave on flat ground and cover it
I've heard that before, why is that?
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: vw_golf_nutter on 13 October 2012, 15:09
F17BAD where do you get your insurance from?
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: barrym381 on 13 October 2012, 15:20
you can get fuel preserative for classic cars and lawnmowers,  some people swear by it others don't.

dont park it on grass and it'll be fine , if leaving it longer its ideal to leave on flat ground and cover it
I've heard that before, why is that?
grass grows an you end up rottin the floor  :wink:
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: danny_p on 13 October 2012, 16:45
you can get fuel preserative for classic cars and lawnmowers,  some people swear by it others don't.

dont park it on grass and it'll be fine , if leaving it longer its ideal to leave on flat ground and cover it
I've heard that before, why is that?
grass grows an you end up rottin the floor  :wink:
exactly that, growm up round the car and holds the damp round the car.   makes what rust worms are allready in there go crazy and eat the car about 100x faster
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Gavv8 on 13 October 2012, 17:38
Mine is parked over grass most nights :sad:
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: danny_p on 18 October 2012, 23:39
not so bad if you move it,  it's when it's left there and the grass grows up   it's a killer
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: raferackstraw on 19 October 2012, 00:05
never really understood the worth of this, as from my experience with chieftain and challenger tanks and ergo all cars ive owned, the less you use them , the more unreliable they become, a bit different from cars but when you only were allowed 1500 track miles a year they used to breakdown all the time, compare that to running a tank for 20000 miles as on a r&d scheme with regular maintenance, they would go on much better.  :wink:
i currently run the golf all year round, not massive journeys but regular runs, and i have few issues and so far none major in the last 3 years,
so parking up a car over winter imho is utter nonsence  :wink:
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: Gavv8 on 21 October 2012, 09:27
not so bad if you move it,  it's when it's left there and the grass grows up   it's a killer
It's moved every day luckily  :smiley:
Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: F17BAD on 23 October 2012, 12:14
F17BAD where do you get your insurance from?

Adrian flux

Title: Re: who parks their car up over winter?
Post by: JC on 24 October 2012, 20:38
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/chuffs69/dublife.jpg)

 :whistle: