[Gottagofast]

With about 6 months before snow fall in Canada, I'm trying to figure out a solution to store my car safely in my garage. Don't wanna drive on salted roads and cause premature rusting if I can avoid it.

What do you guys recommend? I'm primarily worried about the battery and brake disks rusting.

PS: I have full body PPF with ceramic.

[LuckyBrand]

I put a battery tender on mine for the winter. Don't worry about the brakes rusting. As long as you don't wash and or drive it in wet weather then just park it for the winter you'll be fine.

On a side note man. It's just starting to get really nice here in Michigan and your already talking about winter? Let me at least enjoy some nice weather first lol. Oh and you'll probably get some heat from the guys that say this isn't a Ferrari and just drive it all year round lol. I got flamed a couple of years ago for talking about storing my car for the winter months from a few guys on the forum. I say enjoy your car how you want to!

[edofloat]

Originally Posted by Gottagofast

With about 6 months before snow fall in Canada, I'm trying to figure out a solution to store my car safely in my garage. Don't wanna drive on salted roads and cause premature rusting if I can avoid it.

What do you guys recommend? I'm primarily worried about the battery and brake disks rusting.

I’m not in Canada, but I cal almost see it out my window, eh?

So are you saying you plan to park the car for the winter or drive it? Sounds like you’re talking about storage. Look here:
https://g80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1969297

[BMWRacer523]

It's an x-drive. Drive it. I don't daily drive my car or park it outside in the snow but I do drive my car in the winter. Then again we get very mild winters now so snow driving is minimal. I do switch to winter tires once the temps drop below 40 F. My car is lowered so I would not drive it in heavy snow and we have an SUV for that anyway.

[Znomorph4theWin]

Despite having an M3CX, I stored mine in my garage over the Toronto winter and used a beater to get around. Much less stressful.

Here’s what I do:

1. Park it on thick rubber mats or foam.add a few more psi in each tire. Doing this will help prevent flat spots.

2. Make sure it’s showroom condition inside and out.

3. Put a battery tender on it. Make sure it’s one that is Lithium Ion compatible.

4. Install a custom fit and super soft car cover to protect it from dust.

5. Even though my garage is completely enclosed, I add some moth balls around the car to deter rodents…just in case

6. Leave it be. Don’t start it.

7. Enjoy a few beers while preying for a quick return to spring.

[Gottagofast]

I should mention that I have full body PPF with ceramic.

[osteome]

Originally Posted by Znomorph4theWin

Despite having an M3CX, I stored mine in my garage over the Toronto winter and used a beater to get around. Much less stressful.

Here’s what I do:

1. Park it on thick rubber mats or foam.add a few more psi in each tire. Doing this will help prevent flat spots.

2. Make sure it’s showroom condition inside and out.

3. Put a battery tender on it. Make sure it’s one that is Lithium Ion compatible.

4. Install a custom fit and super soft car cover to protect it from dust.

5. Even though my garage is completely enclosed, I add some moth balls around the car to deter rodents…just in case

6. Leave it be. Don’t start it.

7. Enjoy a few beers while preying for a quick return to spring.

The only thing that I would add after storing my E93 and my G83 for multiple winters is to add fuel stabilizer prior to your last fill up and then fill the gas tank prior to storage. This prevents fuel deterioration and the potential for water to condense in a partially filled tank, respectively.

[CanesM4]

I only put my car in the garage if there is a snow storm but as soon as the roads are clear, it's back out

[Znomorph4theWin]

Originally Posted by osteome

The only thing that I would add after storing my E93 and my G83 for multiple winters is to add fuel stabilizer prior to your last fill up and then fill the gas tank prior to storage. This prevents fuel deterioration and the potential for water to condense in a partially filled tank, respectively.

You can definitely add that. However, in my experience of storing cars and motorcycles for 20+ years over the winter, it’s is unnecessary to add stabil if it’s on the shelf for 3-4 months. YMMV.

I forgot to mention that I fill the tank completely before I store it. That’s important. Prevents rust in the tank as well.

[Znomorph4theWin]

Originally Posted by Gottagofast

I should mention that I have full body PPF with ceramic.

Yup. Full PPF and ceramic for me too. I still end up putting a cover on mine though. Perhaps that me just being overly cautious.

[chicagofan00]

Most people are out there celebrating the start of the upcoming summer driving season and here is OP worrying about winter storage already.

[wavyyyy]

Originally Posted by chicagofan00

Most people are out there celebrating the start of the upcoming summer driving season and here is OP worrying about winter storage already.

You're in Phoenix and have to worry about none of this!

[chicagofan00]

Originally Posted by wavyyyy

You're in Phoenix and have to worry about none of this!

[DDS2015]

Where in Canada?

I’ll be storing mine over the winter months. The plan is: dealership change the oil, fill the gas to the absolute top, thoroughly clean inside/out, bounce sheets inside and in engine bay, towels in the exhaust pipes, hook up battery tender, over-inflate tires to 50-60 psi.

[GrannyShiftG80]

Yolo cars are meant to be driven

[BryanCO]

Originally Posted by CanesM4

I only put my car in the garage if there is a snow storm but as soon as the roads are clear, it's back out

Winner

[BryanCO]

Originally Posted by Znomorph4theWin

You can definitely add that. However, in my experience of storing cars and motorcycles for 20+ years over the winter, it’s is unnecessary to add stabil if it’s on the shelf for 3-4 months. YMMV.

I forgot to mention that I fill the tank completely before I store it. That’s important. Prevents rust in the tank as well.

Originally Posted by Znomorph4theWin

Yup. Full PPF and ceramic for me too. I still end up putting a cover on mine though. Perhaps that me just being overly cautious.

But you don’t bother with $1 worth of Stabil.

[Znomorph4theWin]

Originally Posted by BryanCO

But you don’t bother with $1 worth of Stabil.

$1 notwithstanding, As I said, I found it unnecessary. Besides, it’s $12 for a bottle in my neck of the woods.

[BryanCO]

Originally Posted by Znomorph4theWin

$1 notwithstanding, As I said, I found it unnecessary. Besides, it’s $12 for a bottle in my neck of the woods.

The point is that the things you do are subjective (e.g. debatable if needed; difficult to verify if they add any value to the storage process) and adding Stabil is certainly in that category but is such low cost, why not just do it. Anyway, the right answer is to drive the car as much as possible.

[Znomorph4theWin]

Originally Posted by BryanCO

The point is that the things you do are subjective (e.g. debatable if needed; difficult to verify if they add any value to the storage process) and adding Stabil is certainly in that category but is such low cost, why not just do it. Anyway, the right answer is to drive the car as much as possible.

I can only share what has worked for me over the years. I’ve encountered no issues not adding stabilizer to the tank for a 3-4 mth storage. That being said, I do agree that driving it as much as possible is the best approach for most. For me, with as little driving I do (<5000km a year), I could not justify the cost of winter rims/tires when I have a perfectly good beater to drive during the winter months.

[Forzanerazzurri]

For what it's worth i have stored my E46 M3 for 12 winters in a row for an average of 6 months. I haven't bothered to use fuel stabilizer or increase the psi in the tires for several years now when I used to do it religiously (please don't fill your tires to 60 PSI, that's a really bad idea). No flat spots and the fuel is always fine. It's not necessary. Neither is a car cover which almost always does more damage than going without.

Few musts:

something in the tailpipes (i use steel wool)
battery tender
clean car
dont start it during storage
park brake off and in neutral (if manual) and use a block behind the tire
FULL gas tank
oil change either before storage or as soon as you can after