How to prepare the car for the winter in the garage?

Proper protection of the car for a period of non-use for more than a month is critical to its performance. This not only prevents many malfunctions and damage caused by not using the car for a long time, but also slows down aging.

In the past, many cars waited weeks or even months for the warm gaze of their owners, spending time alone in cramped garages or under tarps in local parking lots. Today, cars are used every day, which does not mean that sometimes it is not necessary to lay them down for a "winter" sleep, not necessarily related to the climate. This refers to a period of at least 4-6 weeks when the car is not used for a long time.

There can be many reasons to put a car in a garage for a longer period or park it. Vintage cars, or so-called Youngsters, are protected from the ravages of road salt and usually don't take to the roads in winter. Convertibles are also often used seasonally, especially if their fabric roofs are not insulated. Closing the winter theme, some people just don't like to drive on slippery roads. But that's not the end of the reasons for long-term garages. There are business trips abroad, contracts, studies or seasonal work, soldiers go on business trips lasting several months, it also happens that some temporarily lose their driver's license. All these reasons often mean that the car needs to be prepared for a long parking. Here's how to avoid costly hassles after many months.

Filling

When preparing your four wheels for a longer stop, it's worth starting your preparations with a visit to a gas station. Full refueling will protect the tank from the accumulation of moisture in it and the development of rust (steel tanks, fuel pumps). If the vehicle has not been used for many months, a stabilizer can be added to the fuel. If the gas station does not have it, then it will be in every garden equipment store in versions for two-stroke and four-stroke engines. Prevents the decomposition of fuel for up to two years, the combination of ethanol in gasoline with water, a mixture of which causes corrosion, protects rubber elements. When refueling, it is worth checking the tire pressure and adjusting it, preferably to the maximum level indicated for this car model.

body wash

General washing and cleaning the car is associated with general cleaning, but this is one of the first things we should do before leaving the car in the garage for a long time. A comprehensive body wash will allow you to remove dirt, dust, as well as bird droppings or stubborn black tar dirt. It is worth remembering to wash the wheels thoroughly, because dirt from abrasive brake linings is easily removed only in the first weeks. The longer they stay on disks, the harder it is to get rid of them. The same goes for resin marks on the lower body. On the other hand, bird droppings are very aggressive and easily damage the paintwork, so it should not be underestimated.

Bottom washing

Washing should be done on your own, which means it is best to use a self-service car wash. This will allow us to thoroughly clean areas that are often left untouched in a standard wash, such as wheel arches, suspension elements or bumper recesses. The goal is to remove dirt residues and accumulated dirt from them, which can accumulate moisture and lead to accelerated corrosion. If we are going to park a car that has been used in the winter so far, we must wash the entire chassis to get rid of all traces of road salt. If we do not know how to do this, we can take advantage of the offer of automatic car washes offering this type of service.

Waxing

The washed body should be protected with wax. The meaning of its use, the correct choice of wax and the method of application is a topic for a separate extensive article. Waxing is worth considering for two reasons. First of all, it protects the body from the effects of UV radiation, which means from the rapid fading of the paintwork, i.e. acts as a "firming cream" car. Secondly, the dirt that appears on the body covered with wax is easier to remove and to some extent this can be done with a simple washcloth, without the use of detergents.

Tires and wheels

If the car has not been used for several months, it is worth considering placing the car on appropriate stands, the so-called mare. This recommendation is due to the tendency of tires to deform at the point of contact with the ground, which we will feel when driving after a long stop. This phenomenon appears after about four weeks of inactivity. If the tires aren't old or the downtime hasn't been too long, the tires have a chance to repair themselves. Long enough to drive, warming up the tires, and the deformation should disappear. If we do not have stands or cannot use them, but we want to keep the tires working as long as possible, the garage car needs to be rolled regularly (for example, once every two to three weeks), making sure that the wheel rotation angle is different from 360 degrees

Seals

To protect automotive seals, preparations containing silicone are used. They protect the rubber elements from freezing to the body in winter, as well as from sticking to the body during long parking periods. It is enough to wash them thoroughly, wipe dry and grease with silicone. Do not forget to protect, in addition to the doors, the trunk lid, hood or hatch seals (if any). This will give us a guarantee that in a few months we will open them not only without problems and squeaks, but above all without damage.

Machine oil

If we ask a familiar motorcyclist when to change the oil in a vehicle that is not in use for the winter, he will probably answer that in the spring, when most two-wheeled vehicles turn in for inspection with a mandatory oil change before the season. However, such an inspection, both in a motorcycle and in a periodically operated car, is best done after the end of the season, and not just before the next one. This is due to impurities in used oil that cause corrosion and engine damage. This is why some car manufacturers even recommend changing the oil before a long stop. For a minimum period of one year, the oil will not lose its properties, so an autumn oil change does not deprive it of the right to use it in the next summer season. When planning long-term storage for more than a year, oil without additives should be selected. To do this, it is best to contact a specialized service, because not every type of engine can tolerate unenriched oil.

It is good to combine an oil change with a periodic inspection, including the replacement of working fluids. Bringing the car back to life, we will be sure that it is not outdated. It is also easier to observe the cavities, especially if the substrate does not allow us to do so.

Engine starting

If the car has not been abandoned by us for many months, but is “at hand”, you should take care of periodically starting the engine. It is best to do them regularly, once every few weeks. This allows individual components to be lubricated and prevents them from seizing or corroding. However, there is one condition. When the engine is running, it should run at least until it reaches the correct operating temperature, about a dozen minutes is better. Running for a while makes no sense and hurts the engine more than it helps. So if we don't have the time or patience for it, it's best not to do it at all. Of course, when starting the engine in the garage, we must remember about good ventilation or exhaust gases to the outside.

air conditioner

If the car is equipped with air conditioning, it should be turned on for at least a few minutes each time the "winter" start. Not using the air conditioner for a long period of time leads to costly compressor failures, as well as faster mold growth in the system.

battery

Starting the engine regularly also takes care of the battery, which slowly loses energy over time when idle. The lower the temperature, the faster its loss. Even when the engine is idling, a running alternator has the ability to recharge the battery, recover lost energy, and start the next time. The situation is worse in the case of older cars equipped with a generator that does not generate electricity at idle. In such a situation, or when we want to retire from periodic disturbances, it is best to get the so-called. charger for service, i.e. very low current charging. It connects to a 230V socket on one side when the car is stopped and to the battery on the other side and forgets about problems with the corresponding starting current.

Parking brake

Frequent use of the parking brake ensures proper operation. When starting the engine periodically, we can use it several times, but we should not leave it on for a long time. This can cause the brake pads to stick to the drum, which can damage them if you try to move them. If we need to prevent the car from rolling, then it is better to use wheel studs. This is not necessary for vehicles with automatic transmission. P (Park) mode prevents the vehicle from rolling back.

Brake discs

The brake discs are not fixed by any preparation. The rusty coating that has appeared on them will be removed during the first few to ten braking. This is completely normal. Developed corrosion, requiring replacement discs, usually occurs only after the car has stood for several years in a humid environment.

Not only windows

Putting the car in the garage, it is good to slightly open the glass in the door. This can be one glass, for example, in the driver's door, or a sunroof, if the car is equipped with it. It's about letting the moisture come out, which, for example. prevents the growth of mold and fungus inside the car. The gap must be small enough to prevent unwanted guests (such as rodents) from getting inside.

Since door seals can stick to the body, the same thing can happen with windshield wipers. They cannot be coated with any chemicals, but this does not mean that we are helpless. The easiest way is to raise your hands, but this is not always possible. Therefore, the usual cling film, which is present in every home, comes to the rescue. We do not recommend the use of cardboard as it can warp the nibs.

Since we're at the wipers, it's worth checking the washer fluid. An unheated garage can experience sub-zero temperatures, which can cause the fluid to freeze and, as a result, damage the washer hoses or reservoir. Therefore, summer fluid should be replaced with winter fluid or removed from the system.

Garage or parking

Since the car is supposed to be washed, dried, and free of road salt, the best place to winter sleep is in a warm garage. Even minimal heating ensures that the air remains relatively dry, and this reduces the risk of metal corrosion, mold and mildew inside the car. When the car is parked in a warm, tightly closed place, the use of a cover is not necessary. If, however, we want to use additional protection against dust, we should purchase a thin, breathable and, most importantly, moisture-permeable case.

If we do not have heating in the garage, make sure that the car is at least on a hard surface, such as concrete. This will reduce the amount of moisture "attacking" the car from below. This will also catch any fluid leaks. Any coating is done in the same way as in the case of a heated garage.

A hard surface adapted to the shape of the body will be useful if the car is stored outdoors (for example, in a secure parking lot) or a simple roof. But in this case, the cover must be waterproof in order to protect, above all, from rain and snow. The battery should be disconnected (it is enough to remove the ground clamp - the negative pole) or take it home and close the windows. All other recommendations are the same as for parking in a dry and warm place.

Summation

A well protected car should not cause any problems when we decide to use it again. The door will open without effort, the engine will start, the air conditioner will work, and the tires will not knock. But before going outside, it is worth doing a general inspection of the technical condition. Let's take a look at the presence of disturbing leaks below. Under the hood, it is worth checking the condition of the cables, for example, whether martens have gnawed them. If everything is in order, we can start the engine and then check all the indicators one by one. An inspection and a full tank of fuel means you can hit the road and the risk of breakdown should not be greater than in the case of a car driven every day.