What do you do when storing your car (in the garage)?

**KMdef9** · 11-03-2010, 02:31 PM

For those of you who are lucky enough to store your vehicle inside of a garage, I was wondering what you do/use underneath the car inorder to prevent moisture seeping up threw the concrete?

This is the first year I'll be able to store her in a garage. I previously would put it up on jack stands (and I still will), treat the underside of the car and throw the water-proof cover on to prevent rust when car sits in the same place for months.

Does the garage floor sealer work well? Does anyone have that?

Is there a mat made for this purpose?

Any input is appreciated!

**cpop98ws6** · 11-03-2010, 02:46 PM

I just put a battery tender on the battery, other than that nothing special. Once a month ill go out and start it. My garage is heated, i keep it around 50degrees unless im back there working then i will turn it up.

**KMdef9** · 11-03-2010, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by cpop98ws6

I just put a battery tender on the battery, other than that nothing special. Once a month ill go out and start it. My garage is heated, i keep it around 50degrees unless im back there working then i will turn it up.

Heat helps reduce moisture, the garage I'm keeping her at has gas a natural gas heater, but I don't want to have to pay for it for months.

Charger is a must, I have a marine grade charger. Used it outside for the past 4 years and it's still working great. Same battery when I bought her.

I mainly would like to know what people do to prevent the moisture so the underside of the car doesn't rust.

**krese** · 11-03-2010, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by KMdef9

I mainly would like to know what people do to prevent the moisture so the underside of the car doesn't rust.

imo you are being very silly about this... i used to keep my last fbody in the driveway outside every winter and i never had issues..... being inside is much better than being outside! your car is NOT going to rust in a few months over the winter.

**pajeff02** · 11-03-2010, 03:33 PM

Is the natural gas heater vented? If it is not it will put a lot of moisture into the air when used and that will condense on the cooler metal of your car.

Ours rests in a heated garage with a mostly full tank of gas and the appropriate amount of Stabil. I'll start it and allow it to fully warm up a few times over the winter and will charge the battery avery 3-4 weeks with a Battery Tender.

**cpop98ws6** · 11-03-2010, 03:34 PM

you should not see any rust in the spring if it is on a concrete floor. I wouldnt worry about a thing.

**Smittro** · 11-03-2010, 04:54 PM

If moisture concerns you I suggest a dehumidifier.. I built a building just to house my Camaro a few years ago, I added electric heat and a dehumidifier. I drilled a hole in the pan that catches water and vented it outside the building.. Also dry rot can be every bit as damageing to a vehicle as rust if not more so.. I'm a firm believer that sitting is worse than driving but I do what I can to prevent both.. just my .02

The building you see here in the background is the Camaro building..

No troubles even with a small stream running right next to it..

**KMdef9** · 11-03-2010, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by krese

imo you are being very silly about this... i used to keep my last fbody in the driveway outside every winter and i never had issues..... being inside is much better than being outside! your car is NOT going to rust in a few months over the winter.

Nothing wrong with being over cautious, can't hurt it any.

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Is the natural gas heater vented?

It is, but not sure if I'll be running it. Maybe here and there when I do a few winter projects. We'll, it might be only 1 winter project with how much owning a house costs, lol.

Originally Posted by Smittro

If moisture concerns you I suggest a dehumidifier.. I built a building just to house my Camaro a few years ago, I added electric heat and a dehumidifier. I drilled a hole in the pan that catches water and vented it outside the building.. Also dry rot can be every bit as damageing to a vehicle as rust if not more so.. I'm a firm believer that sitting is worse than driving but I do what I can to prevent both.. just my .02

Dehumidifier is something I haven't thought of! She's staying over a friend's house and I don't want to listen to his wife beotch at their gas bill going up, so the dehumidifier would be a good alternative.

**clg82** · 11-04-2010, 12:36 PM

What battery charger are you guys using for year round winter charging?

**pajeff02** · 11-04-2010, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by clg82

What battery charger are you guys using for year round winter charging?

Battery Tender. I rotate it throughout the winter rather than leave it on vehicle all the time.

**KMdef9** · 11-04-2010, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by clg82

What battery charger are you guys using for year round winter charging?

Schumacher Ship n' Shore charger. Has a microchip in it to shut it off at 100% and change to trickel charge to maintain. 7 segment display, alt tester, charges 3 different types of batteries (gell cell, regular, etc) and charges at 4 different rates, trickel, 2amp, 6 amp and 10 amp.

**MrAFX** · 11-05-2010, 03:08 AM

it's dirt floors and wood floors that you want to stay away from.

a few months is no big deal for a car to sit, just disconnect the battery, and if it had a steel gast tank, you should always store a car with a fulltank of gas when it is short term storage.

I do put my car up on jack stands as I have noticed that these tires seem to havea memory for the flat spot where the car sat for the last 5 mon ths or so here in Ohio. That seems to have helped last year as the tires did not make any funny noises until they became round again.

My garage is gas heated to, vent free radiant gas heater, moisture is only a humidity problem if you set the thermostat to a high temperature. The stored car really is not going to get condesation on it because it is at the same absolute temp as everything else in the garage, the doors and windows get condensation because of the extreme temp difference from one side to the other when the thermostat is set to high. My Garage is at 55 to 65 degrees. 65 when really cold out, so we can warm up from shoveling snow.
Otherwise humidty is very low in cold weather, in fact you would want to consider a humidifier in your house to add moisture back into the air which makes it feel warmer.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-05-2010, 05:34 AM

Use coal under your car. Sounds silly, but it works. Old trick I learned from a guy who has a 60's Mustang showroom car with all original parts.

Coal absorbs moisture.

**rkvette** · 11-05-2010, 05:49 AM

i think same as storing, a vette for winter.. change oil and filter/stablliizer/fill up tank, run little bit/ride to get it through/pump up tires to 40psi/clean/ wash/wax/ car cover /battery tender/ heated garage .. some one said why start unless ready to go down the road ? do more damage starting, just let set/rest till spring..

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-05-2010, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by rkvette

i think same as storing, a vette for winter.. change oil and filter/stablliizer/fill up tank, run little bit/ride to get it through/pump up tires to 40psi/clean/ wash/wax/ car cover /battery tender/ heated garage .. some one said why start unless ready to go down the road ? do more damage starting, just let set/rest till spring..

When you don't start your car for long periods of time, the engine components are not properly lubricated.

Also to the OP or others, modern tires/rubber are not prone to getting flat spots when sitting unless you are talking years.

**Smittro** · 11-05-2010, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

When you don't start your car for long periods of time, the engine components are not properly lubricated.

Also to the OP or others, modern tires/rubber are not prone to getting flat spots when sitting unless you are talking years.

Agreed. Todays cars generally run thin oils too. Thinner oils will run to the pan. Over time nearly ALL the oil goes to the pan leaving the internals to go dry.. Months later when you fire her up you're metal on metal till the oil pumps back up and coats everything.. I usually fired mine up @ least once or twice durring the cold season till the wheather cleanered..

**KMdef9** · 11-05-2010, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

Use coal under your car. Sounds silly, but it works. Old trick I learned from a guy who has a 60's Mustang showroom car with all original parts.

Coal absorbs moisture.

Really!? I imagine a thinner spreading of them 5-10/sq. ft.? This would be an interesting alternative to having to coat the floor or running a heater.

Originally Posted by rkvette

i think same as storing, a vette for winter.. change oil and filter/stablliizer/fill up tank, run little bit/ride to get it through/clean/ wash/wax/ car cover /battery tender/.

I do these as well.

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

When you don't start your car for long periods of time, the engine components are not properly lubricated.

Also to the OP or others, modern tires/rubber are not prone to getting flat spots when sitting unless you are talking years.

I start her up everytime the snow clears and it's alittle warmer. Typically get 3-5 days like that here. I let her run for 20-30 minutes (depending on what else I have going on), running the RPM's up here and there (obviously not redlining it) to get all of the fluid moving. I think I even pump the brakes, lol.

I'm still a chicken sh1t when it comes to the tires though. I didn't know they wouldn't get flat spots, but I already purchased an extra set of jack stands for this purpose, so I'll probably stick to it. Especially since it makes some winter projects easier.

**Orcus79** · 11-05-2010, 09:27 AM

They will get flat spots, kinda. If you keep the pressures up in the tires they may or may not "flat spot". Mine did over the winter last season, but rounded out again after about 20 miles or so. The pressures were a bit low too before I pulled it out, so that may have been something to do with it.

I have to store my 02WS6 outside in one of those temp garage things. They hold moisture really well sadly, but its that or have deer using the car for a spring board and leaf littler, sap and so forth on it. Everything above mentioned is true and full tank of gas is a must, it will minimize the amount of air space in the tank and in turn reduce the amount of moisture that can condense then settle in the bottom of the tank.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-05-2010, 10:05 AM

Interesting. I've parked my car for 8 years every winter without moving it and I have the same OEM wheels on the fronts (20K miles on them) and the car sits for 6 months at a time. I've never had flat spots on my tires. I would imagine that the higher the tire pressure the better it would help the situation out though. I typically always have around 30-32psi in mine.

You could always move the car a little forward or backwards when you start it if you really think that you are going to get flat spots.

As far as the coal, I believe what the guy did that told me about it was put down a sheet of plastic and then put the coal on that for under the car body. I don't know how much he used and what square area though.