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Convertible Winter Storage Tips?


sean1991olds
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Its getting near that time in the north... Here is a list I compiled - I don't follow every step to the letter but it gives me an idea to go on.

 

Also -> Opinions, to latch the top or keep it up and un-latched??


1- Carwash/cleanup, remove faceplate's / LCD / OLED screens & paperwork.

2- Inflate tires to recommended tire pressure (or slightly higher) to help prevent flat spots.

3- Fuel stabilizer. Fill your tank at least half way, and add the corrected about of 'sta-bil' to your tank. Go for a short drive to help mix it into the gas good, and to get the stabilizer through the lines.

4- Add rodent defense & baking soda / desiccant to help with smells.

5- Park on boards. Don’t let your tires sit on cold concrete. Concrete will absorb the moisture out of the rubber and damage the tire. It’s not necessary to put your car on stands. Your car sits on your suspension for years on end, the few months over the winter isn’t going to have any impact. The only reason lifting the car is sometimes suggested is in place of parking on boards.

6- When you take your car out in the spring, make sure you change your oil. if the oil is due before you store it, change it then, but its only going to sit for 4 months its not going to hurt it having 2-3000km old oil in it.

7- Unlatch your top. Don't put it down, but unlatch it so it can relax. A lot of times people leave it latched for long periods of time and it stretches and dry rots. (any opinions here?)

8- Disconnect battery negative (or put on battery tender), and cover car.

 

 

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Galaxie500XL: I know, I kind of disagree with the leaving the top unlatched - I mean the top normally stays latched through the time its parked in the summer.. I'd love to see someone prove it.

 

Psych0matt: ha sometimes agree, K.I.S.S. and paralysis by analysis :P Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go.

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I've never done anything special for a car that doesn't get winter driven. The main thing I actively try to do is make sure when it starts getting cold to set and check mouse traps. Otherwise park it and forget it. And I'll throw a charger on. My dad has a solar tender he said I could have so I'll try that, I've always been slightly uneasy leaving a regular charger on it even with overcharg protection, but I've never had an issue

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Galaxie500XL: I know, I kind of disagree with the leaving the top unlatched - I mean the top normally stays latched through the time its parked in the summer.. I'd love to see someone prove it.

 

Psych0matt: ha sometimes agree, K.I.S.S. and paralysis by analysis :P Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go.

 

 

Actually, back in my LeBaron days, several people on a LeBaron forum I was on found out the hard way that leaving the top down for months at a time often meant it shrank, and wouldn't latch when spring came around.

 

Some were successful in latching them again after letting the car and top sit in the hot sun for several hours, and others damaged the top in the attempt to stretch it back.

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I left the top down on my vert for about 2 months without ever putting it up and it shrunk. It took a few hours in the sun to get it to stretch back out. I Dont know if it was just due to the circumstances though. I daily drove it to work everyday so it would sit in 70 to 80 degree sun then at night it would get in the 30s and 40s so it was stored down at constantly different temps. Instead of a typical midwest winter of 20* or less at all time

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  • 3 weeks later...

Move south! Mine was down for almost 20 years garaged before I owned it! It was fine..... Until my wife couldn't quite latch one side. That thing lifted on her on a bridge at 5 AM! Luckily the only thing I agree with from our current POTUS was cash for clunkers. I found a 91 near by to pull one off of!

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  • 1 year later...

 

4- Add rodent defense & baking soda / desiccant to help with smells.

 

 

One year I skipped the rodent defense during winter storage. Mice build a nest in the heating and air conditioning fan, and used the heat and AC ducts for passageways. That was over 5 years ago, and even after cleaning and disinfecting, there is still the faint scent of mouse urine when the heat/AC fan runs.

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One year I skipped the rodent defense during winter storage. Mice build a nest in the heating and air conditioning fan, and used the heat and AC ducts for passageways. That was over 5 years ago, and even after cleaning and disinfecting, there is still the faint scent of mouse urine when the heat/AC fan runs.

 

I put a box of Bounce Sheets in the front and back seat area of mine. I also placed Moth Balls around the perimeter of the car to keep the mice away. I covered it and put a trickle charger on the battery, although I start it up and run it for 5 to 10 min once a week. No problems so far.

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i park mine, with the tires on some pieces of plywood, cover the top with a piece of blanket or whatever I have handt toi keep the dust off it, add some stabilizer to the fuel, leave the top up and the windows down a bit. dryer sheets all over because I think the mice hate the smell and I've done the same thing with my motorhome and never had an issue. and I start it and let it run every now and then when it gets above freezing just to her it run.

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So its better to leave the top up vs top down? I think Ive had the top up on my Vert for a total of about 7 minutes the whole time Ive had it, except for one night it stayed outside. 

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Much better to leave the top up.  The material has a tendency to shrink...back in my LeBaron days, several people ran into issues with ever getting the top up again after it spent extended time down.

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Check out RAGG TOPP Protectant / Cleaner, it has UV protectant. I use the protectant myself.

 

So what's the top material?

There must be some product out there to treat it, keep it supple??

Like an Armorall or silicone etc.

 

UV rays can't be good for longevity.

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Its only been in there about 2 months, maybe 3 but I planned on getting a new top on there anyways. I`m probably going to wind up doing it myself as the few shops willing either want to much or are known to charge for high end tops but put on the cheap ones. I`d rather cut labor costs and get the best top available. 

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