How do you store yours

[MalcH]

The summer season is almost upon us, although here in the North West of england it's not really happened yet

I've had Ferraris and other 'low' use classic/special cars over the last 18 years.
I am going over that topic which is forever popping up and with plenty of views either way. I am now questioning whether I do it right.

My first Ferrari I would start it in my garage and roll it out onto the drive. Bring it up to temperature and then put it back and do this about once a month.
After speaking with various experts at the time I came to the conclusion that perhaps it better to leave it right there and only start it when you were going to drive it.
This made sense because as we all know the most wear on an engine is the first 20 minutes to a half hour when it is cold.

Recently after an annual service I was told my cam seals were beginning to leak. As they dry out over winter (DH between 45% -40% and heated garage between 13°C - 22°C) and 'stick' to the camshaft and consequently tear a little on first start up.

It's varied over the years. I have tyre savers which are a PITA to use so don't always use them. I have it on a trickle charger too. That's about it other than the garage conditions I mentioned above. My Garage is attached to the house and apart from a 4 year period when I stored it at my parents that has always been the way. I also used a Carcoon for some years but my small new build garage made it feel like the Rover from The Prisoner (60's TV series) when I opened my garage door.

Ideally I think you should start it but then take it out for a drive.

What do you do and why?
What are people's thoughts?

 

[mon the fish]

Too much salt here for 5 months of the year to risk using mine. I do pretty much what you do - heated, dehumidified garage; trickle charge; covered; tyres to 45psi and tyre savers.

Never had a problem that was related to inactivity

 

[Nosevi]

I do much the same as you in terms of storage, Malc, and once a month I warm her up until fans all kick in and cool her down again so they have been turned over, use all the motors and solenoids such as the pop up lights, windows, fuel flap etc. and move her forwards and backwards leaving tyres are on a different spot. I certainly wouldn't drive her with all the salt on the roads as I'm sure over the years this would do more harm than good.

My theory is simple - most systems whether mechanical or electrical don't like to be stationary for months on end and equally most of them have absolutely no clue whether the car is moving or not. It's true there's a little more ware on start up than when a car is warm but there's no more starting it up and warming it up than there would be if you took the car for a drive - the tiny amount of ware isn't magically repaired when you drive the car. Lastly running the engine and using all the systems is what literally every expensive long term car storage place does, cheap places don't bother. It could be the expensive places are doing it all for no reason and with a large collection of cars it must take a reasonable amount of time and effort but I somehow doubt it.

 

[tom]

I just park it in the garage, connect it to the Ctek and over-inflate the tyres then leave mine well alone for the 4-5 months it's sat in the garage avoiding salt. I will take it for a quick spin if the roads are clear though, not that this happened this winter. If I do this, I make sure I drive it long enough to get everything well up to temperature though to try to get rid of any condensation in anything.

I've always avoided starting it, running it for a few mins, then turning it off again. Maybe it's actually worth doing? And at least running it in and out of the garage a bit...?

I've just found out I need my cam seals doing so maybe I should be turning it over every month or so during the winter!

When I do come to re-awaken it, I will give the engine a crank with the immobiliser enabled, so the engine turns over but won't fire, so I get some oil circulation before firing it up at least. No idea if that actually makes a difference though.

edit: My garage is basically a wooden barn with a concrete floor, so it gets quite cold.

 

[Nosevi]

I've always avoided starting it, running it for a few mins, then turning it off again. Maybe it's actually worth doing? And at least running it in and out of the garage a bit...?

I've just found out I need my cam seals doing so maybe I should be turning it over every month or so during the winter!

Hi Tom. I also wouldn't start it, run it for a few mins then turn it off again. If you're going to do it I'd run it long enough to get everything fully up to temperature. It takes at least 20 mins for the oil to get hot in my car and in the winter I run her for about 30 mins just to be sure. Regarding the cam seals, I wouldn't necessarily read too much into it, most tipos, especially older ones, are notorious for weeping cam seals after a while. Not sure there's a lot we can do about it.

 

[A348W]

I top the fuel tank (minimise condensation) put the trickle charger on and a dust cover. leave the handbrake off and crack the windows to allow a bit of air circulation. thats about it.

its in a non heated garage, a bit drafty but it does have a dehumidifier on twice a day.

if i do start it up, as above, gets run till up to temperature and the fans kick in, fluids need to be up to temperature etc. very rare it would get driven in the winter as we are in the countryside and the roads are a mud bath most of the time, about a mile or so to the closest road that gets salted so it would come back in s shocking state!!

 

[MalcH]

So I am still not sure. . I too leave the handbrake off but now think rather than using the awkward tyre ramps/savers I should just over inflate the tyres.
I forgot I leave the handbrake off too. I don't top the tank up but mainly because I think being in a low humidity slightly heated garage it's probably OK?

 

[mon the fish]

Forgot to say I also top up the tank and add fuel stabiliser - if nothing else it feels like a free tank of petrol when spring comes round

 

[francisn]

My 308GT4lives in a damp barn in a carcoon. I can't leave the fans on as the owner won't let me leave electrics on in case of fire. I have just bought a car cover with a dehumidifying canister for next winter. I isolate tne battery so need need for trickle charger.

During the winter I go every few weeks and start it up and run it until temp in the oil. About 15 mins. Then run it up and down the farmyard (no salt) to make sure nothing siezes etc. I never leave io with handbrake on, even in summer. Always just leave it in gear.

 

[tom]

I never use the handbrake when parking in the garage either. I do work it on and off a few times every so often though, just to keep it nice and limber.

 

[mon the fish]

I'm not sure I would start the car just to let it idle - it will take a lot longer to get to operating temp than actually driving it (prolonging the damaging warm-up phase); and I'm sure I read somewhere it's not as good for the engine to idle, far better to have some load on it

 

[Nosevi]

I'm not sure I would start the car just to let it idle - it will take a lot longer to get to operating temp than actually driving it (prolonging the damaging warm-up phase); and I'm sure I read somewhere it's not as good for the engine to idle, far better to have some load on it

I'm not sure that argument really holds water, Gordon. Idle is just an engine speed so in effect you'd be saying that before the oil is fully up to temp it's better for the parts in an engine to be moving quicker rather than slower. As far as not being good for an engine running while being under less load (there's always some load) I can't really think why that might be. I never actually run the car just at idle for 30 mins, as it gets up to temp I gently give it some revs just to move the throttle cable and linkage etc.

In a perfect world I think you'd start it up, let it get a bit warm then take it for a drive on totally dry roads with zero salt. If the dry roads with no salt aren't available, going by the theory that mechanical and electrical items designed to move don't like to be stationary for long periods I think running the engine is slightly better than not running the engine.

It's a bit like disconnecting the battery compared to having it on a smart charger - a smart charger is better as it 'monitors' the battery and keeps it at optimum charge which modern batteries like, whereas if you disconnect it it will slowly drain. But you do what you can given your situation.

 

[Lifeboatboy]

This cornucopia of advice and information (CS.co.uk) should be made a condition of sale for any prospective UK buyer ;-). It’s insane how much you blokes (and ladies?) know! I didn’t know the thing about never storing the fuel tank less than 1/2 full until recently, and yet once again many of you did . FWIW, I was advised (by my favoured detailer) against sealing the car in too much when stored, unless literally in an oxygen tent (ok, not ‘literally’). His firm’s view is that damage caused on both paintwork and engineering components by humidity, dust, pollution and so on, are far less than the impact of damp and a lack of constant air circulation around the car, as long it gets regularly lightly washed, started & run over, and occasionally driven long enough to run the liquids where they need to be run. As a consequence, I opted against sealed garage doors and walls, preferring instead to let air circulate and any damp get aerated naturally. Apparently it seems to have worked. The auto journalist who recently did the pre-sale inspection for the auction house reckoned it was about as good as he’d seen based on original paintwork and carpets. But hey…opinions are like a****hikes, right? Everybody’s got one

 

[tom]

I knew my non-airtight garage was a good thing!

Re: starting vs driving, when I had my 355 I was of the 'start it and let it idle for 5mins before driving off' mindset. Now I think I'd rather everything was warming up quicker so I just start it, let the fast idle calm down, then drive off. Still takes the oil a good 10mins to get moderately warm.