Winter lay up what's your routine?

[Siddleg]

So I'll be taking my RS off the road at the end of this month until next spring.
I usually lay my car up with fresh oil and filter ready for next year. Pump the tyres right up to prevent flat spots. A wash and wax and leave a tub of kitty litter inside to capture any condensation.

What's your routine?

[Derbyshire DUK]

Car is driven onto 4 tyre savers after checking tyre pressures are ok
windows left slightly down
left in gear , handbrake off
Put cover over the old girl
trickle charger on battery at weekends
start her up at least fortnightly and run up to temperature

[DanT404]

Trickle charger.
Handbrake off/chock a wheel.
£1 dehumidifier pot in a footwell.
Cover on.

Would personally say you are better off servicing your car after its been stood rather than before...

[Siddleg]

I've always changed the oil and filter on my cars before winter lay up so it's not sat with any contaminates in it from the years enjoyment

[Clayton]

So I'll be taking my RS off the road at the end of this month until next spring.
I usually lay my car up with fresh oil and filter ready for next year. Pump the tyres right up to prevent flat spots. A wash and wax and leave a tub of kitty litter inside to capture any condensation.

What's your routine?

Have to say Gary I have never heard of a cat litter being used, I can't see cat litter working. Cat litter only absorbs damp when used and the damp will remain until it naturally dries.

I Have the tyres over inflated
Sat on tyre shoes to also prevent flat spots
Fuel additive added to help prevent condensation and problems with the fuel lines
Start now and then (Not regular) and run up to temperature
Stored in Carcoon with a trickle charger

If your garage is damp and you don't have a Carcoon I would recommend having a small fan on to generate airflow as thats exactly what the Carcoon is designed to do with the fans. Moving air stops condensation from forming as it's still air that causes the condensation.

[DanT404]

I've always changed the oil and filter on my cars before winter lay up so it's not sat with any contaminates in it from the years enjoyment

Your car, your choice of course. I wouldn't overthink the whole thing too much anyway if its just for a few months.

[BartFRS]

Personally I use a spare set of wheels with old tires during storage, remove battery and put it in my house(better temperature as I have a LiFePo4 battery, no need for a trickle charger).
Dehumidifier pot in the car, and car cover.

I don't see the benefit of changing oil and filter as it will be stored and not used, I don't even start the car during storage.

After storage I give it a service, unplug the coil pack and let the engine turn over a few times to get a bit of oil pressure, after that's it's engine on and a good drive.

[Garry T]

Guys, my view on cat litter and dehumidifiers is they are a waste of time and are actually likely to cause problems. I hear people say I empty the tank or pot once a week, well you will, that is what a dehumidifier does. What you are doing is bringing the damp air moisture into your garage. You are just sucking in the moisture from the outside.

If you need to prevent moisture introduce some air flow to your garage. Air bricks or air vents in the walls or as Clayton said use a fan.

[DanT404]

Guys, my view on cat litter and dehumidifiers is they are a waste of time and are actually likely to cause problems. I hear people say I empty the tank or pot once a week, well you will, that is what a dehumidifier does. What you are doing is bringing the damp air moisture into your garage. You are just sucking in the moisture from the outside.

If you need to prevent moisture introduce some air flow to your garage. Air bricks or air vents in the walls or as Clayton said use a fan..

Can I just ask why you think this is the case? Yes airflow is the best solution for overall humidity control but thats not an option for most, especially on the interior of a vehicle.

I've seen countless cars left for a few months with more mould developing inside than you can believe, and yet a simple £1 dehumidifier sat in my passenger footwell has prevented any for the last 5/6 winters. Between about October and April roughly it fills maybe 3/4 full. That is definitely not pulling the moisture from the garage its sat in, it would be full in a couple of weeks.

[Siddleg]

I use to buy them moisture captures from ebay at £10 a go and place them inside to capture moisture. But basically kitty litter costs much less and does the same thing so a win win .
some good tips have popped up on here too 👍

[BartFRS]

A filled pot with water ain’t raising RH.
Moisture will only enter the car when outside RH is higher than inside, a dehumidifier pot definitely works to catch humid and lower RH inside the car. Just keep the car closed during storage and you’ll be better off than without a pot.

I don’t have a carcoon nor ventilation and never ever had any mold inside the car.

[1374lee]

What sort of de humidifier pot for £1, I would like to try this. I had no issues with my car being laid up last winter with a cover over it to be fair.
Clayton what are tyre shoes and what do they look like. I'd be interested to see this . I just seen them Clayton did a search on here, what a price for a bit of rubber, crazy money now.

Thanks. Lee.