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Now I am really depressed. November is when I start preparing my autos for winter. I drive my Camaro winters but make sure it is clean, leather treated, rust treated, and change oil (only drive about 1,500 miles yearly).
However, I do have a low mileage 1998 Riviera that goes into winter storage by the 3rd week of November. It has never been driven on salted roads, get it rust treated every 2 years (only drive this one about a 1,000 miles per year). After 15 years the Riviera is rust free and underbody looks almost factory new. Both autos are parked in my highrise apt. bldg. underground garage so never freezes and thankfully no issue with critters.
I start with oil change, stabil, add extra air to tires, clean exterior & treat interior leather. Does get damp in the garage but has never caused issues. Can not trickle charge battery for the five months off road, but it starts up each year just fine each year with its 15 year old factory battery. Nasty issue: I don't have a car cover so after about 5 months parked it has a heavy layer of salt dust on the finish from hundreds of cars driving in / out of the garage. So first thing I do in early May, start it up, let it run for 1/2 hour, then get it washed and change oil again. Bldg. management does not power wash winter crud dust from parking garage until June. June, both the Camaro & Riv. go a professional detailer and paint finishes are smooth as glass when he is finished.
Biggest issue with me are seals drying out while the car is stored. Two years ago had to have some AC seals replaced on the Riv. because they had dryed out from age and not driving the car. My mechanic told me to drive the damn car (!), other advice was to turn on the AC even if I don't need cool air. Something about the design of the Riv. AC unit that when parked for long periods of times fluid drains away from the seals.
I moved from Texas to Canada in 2003, learned a few things about winters. First: winters suck. Two: winters are expensive. If you store a low mileage auto winters change fluids often, and be aware seals are more likely to dry out and fail. Good for me I have an excellent mechanic that services both older classics, exotics, and daily driviers. The Riv., after winter storage undergoes a complete inspection yearly to see if any rubber belts or mechanical seals are drying out. Even though I change oil about every 1,500 miles (both autos because each is only driven about 1,500 miles yearly), this Nov. before winter storage all Riv. fluids will be replaced (did have supercharger fluid changed two years ago so not required this year). Suggested some of my Riv. fluids should be replaced every 5 years or 100,000 miles. Damn, my Riv. is 15 years old, far less then 100,000 miles, so every fluid in the auto will be replaced (except supercharger) this Nov. Some fluids will degrade over time.
From my experience, low mileage winter stored cars: Besides winter storage prep, pay attention to changing fluids and mechanical seals and rubber parts drying out.
Sorry for the long post but just wanted to pass on my last ten years experience of storing an auto during winters.
Back in 2000, wish I knew then what I know now about about storing autos. Back in 2000, while living in Dallas, I went to the Middle East for what was going to be only 4 months. Drove my 2-year old 1998 Sebring LXI coupe to NYC, left it in long term storage in a NYC garage. Turned out I did not return for two years. Sebring started up fine after two years, but only days later seals failed, transmission failed, fluids turned to crap and $3,000 in repairs later learned not to leave an auto parked for an extended period of time without some advance prep.
As I said, I have a wonderful mechanic that has experience with servicing autos that spend time in storage. Also have many friends in Ottawa that have wonderful car collections (one friend has 15 restored autos) that have advised me since I moved to Canada. Just passing on, my experience storing autos.
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