I have an unheated , non insulated wood garage located around 1 hour north of Montreal. Garage was built 10 years ago on a wood foundation capable of supporting the weight of a car. I even have an electrical socket in the garage in case I want to connect the car to a trickle charger. Normally I don’t get animals in the garage but am sure mice get in. Am I making a bad choice to store my 2024 C-8 corvette in the garage ? Will it mess up my electronics or anything? Rust ? Temperatures can go down to -40 c in the winter. Thoughts ?
Winter storage question
- Thread starter cacovette
- Start date
You will be fine
I'd still use the trickle charger.
I had mice poop on top of the fender near the drainage hole by the hinge of the trunk lid. Mice can get in the engine area easily.
I had mice poop on top of the fender near the drainage hole by the hinge of the trunk lid. Mice can get in the engine area easily.
Been doing this every winter for 40+ years with my C3, C5 and now C7. Never any issues. I only started using the battery tender on the C7, and I would definitely recommend it. Original battery is 6 years old now and still going strong. I used to get 5 years maximum out of them if I was lucky.
It doesn’t sound like you want to be a “princess” (which I would totally get) an pay out around a $G for choice storage then yes a battery tender is a MUST. Just set it and leave it on or better still leave it on 365 period. Put the large (8”x4”) disposable glue traps in all 4 corners and along side walls. Inflating tires to 40-42 will not hurt especially in an uninsulated garage in the middle of East Jesus Quebec. A quality cover if you have one, Bounce dryer sheets in the engine bay and on top of each tire and in the rear lower defuser. The sheets are cheap whether they work is up for debate. I use them, live rural and touch wood you know what, so far so good after years. Fill full of fuel and add Stabil, let run a few minutes after adding. Best not to start the vehicle during the winter unless necessary and then let it run to full operating temp before shutting off. An oil change is up to you and depends on where you are in the 1 year change cycle. I am probably forgetting something but others can chime in.
I stored mine in an enclosed unheated Shelter Logic last winter and had no issues whatsoever. Increased tire pressure a bit , put a couple of one pound desiccant bags inside, put the car cover on it and plugged in the battery tender and then cried all the way back into the house…….and here we get as cold as anywhere in the country. Oh , and fill the gas tank and use stabilizer. I think twice when we got an unusually warm day, like -10 or so I started it up brought it up to temperature and moved it so the tires rotated 180 degrees.
Invest in a set of good winter tires and drive the damn thing. Every generation of Vette since C4 has been extensively tested for cold weather driving.
PS, the instructors at the Ron Fellows school support that practice as do the Corvette engineers.
PS, the instructors at the Ron Fellows school support that practice as do the Corvette engineers.
Posted same reply twice. Sorry. Using my cell phone.
Do you not have a third party storage units nearby? If so rent one larger enough that is heated….and yes trickle charger for the battery a must as the c8 is all electronics and you need the juice in the battery come spring.!!!!
Me, sorry but I have a heated garage and I still use my trickle charger to keep the battery juiced and over inflate my tires so as not to get any flat spots….. damn rubber is expensive!!!!
Unheated isn’t an issue and the humidity is very low here in the winter. It’s perhaps even better than being stored in a heated space unless there is some climate control in there . I also have a heated garage but don’t park in it . Got a 10 foot snooker table in there , lol . And carpet on the floor.Do you not have a third party storage units nearby? If so rent one larger enough that is heated….and yes trickle charger for the battery a must as the c8 is all electronics and you need the juice in the battery come spring.!!!!
Me, sorry but I have a heated garage and I still use my trickle charger to keep the battery juiced and over inflate my tires so as not to get any flat spots….. damn rubber is expensive!!!!
Sure but our streets aren’t ploughed like most places. They just let it pack down and twice a winter they clean it down to the pavement but it doesn’t take long to build up again. No problem in a 4x4 but not great for a vehicle with 5 1/2 inches clearance. Plus at -30 or -40 even with a block heater and battery blanket I hate starting an engine. Plus you haven’t seen the average driver in action here , lol.
This is on December 20 . First flake to fall is the last one to melt in the spring. There can be a foot and a half elevation difference between my driveway and the road surface.
Garage is set at 10c over the winter months, so humidity is not a factor either.
Garage is full insulated and drywall so, I guess, there is climate control
Oil change before you park it, Stabil in the tank and then fill with non-ethanol unleaded, like Chevron's 94, at least one pound of silica gel dessicant inside the car, and I've heard a tray of moth balls under the engine keeps rodents away. Bounce sheets at the wheels and inside are also supposed to keep rodents away. Of course a Battery Tender plugged in at the frunk and a few extra pounds of air in the tyres...if your garage is large enough to roll the wheels a few inches forward or back in mid winter it's a good idea. I also go over all the rubber seals with a quality rubber conditioner/protectant when winter approaches.
You didn’t read post 7 , lol . Mice will use dryer sheets to build their nest….
Dave91TM
Power User
Been storing mine with dryer sheets inside engine bay and interior of car for 20 years , never had a rodent problem, so they seem to work.You didn’t read post 7 , lol . Mice will use dryer sheets to their nest….
Used them 2 years and never worked. YMMV (YRWV). ''' Your Rodents will vary!
Got bad news. Chevron's 94 has ethanol.
The carpet will help avoid the flat spots....
Except I would have to park on top of the pool table…GM claim flat spots aren’t an issue. OMG let’s not start another engine oil tsunami….The carpet will help avoid the flat spots....
Zee 8 in the corner pocketExcept I would have to park on top of the pool table…GM claim flat spots aren’t an issue. OMG let’s not start another engine oil tsunami….