if you're going to have it parked on cement it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to put a layer of cardboard under it either.

 

I live in Chicago-ish, and when I had my 94 Z it was a daily driver. I was scared to death to come to a complete stop at a stop sign in the city. The streets were pitched to the curb, and no matter how I did it, taking off would send my rear end toward the parked cars. Another time I was working and it snowed like 8", I was totally stuck, I had the tires spinning 130mph trying to get out, eventually I did, but it took a while. Carry a snow shovel. I would park it. Maybe drive it occasionally when it is nice out. If you do park it, make sure to get your insurance company to change you to storage insurance.

 

haha yeah that sounds familiar. My mom's put her 2000 Camaro in the ditch twice, so she stores it now. I only drove my Camaro in the winter if the roads were clear and there was absolutely no chance of precipitation.

 

jeez, i guess storing it is my option, the streets are so narrow around here, Id rather not chance it. storage here we go!

 

I live in MI and have not driven my summer cars in the winter for 15 years. I put stabilizer in the full tank and drive it for about 20 miles, clean everything and put the cover on it and leave it in the garage with a battery tender. I DON'T recommend starting it at all because it will never get warmed up properly unless you drive it. You will end up with moisture in the exhaust and it will rust and the oil will not get hot enough. It has worked well for my 86 Porsche turbo and 02 Z28. In the spring drive it and then change oil and do normal service then light them up one time to get the old heart pumping.

 

15 years? man sounds like he knows what hes talkin!
thank you.

 

By all means! My Z's here in the South with me, but I have a Vette at my home up North. It doesn't leave the garage in the summer when it's raining, god forbid when it's cold, much less salty. ('01 Rag w/ 9K miles)



1. Stabilizer in a FULL tank of gas (read directions, you want it all thru the system, not just in the tank). Gas tanks will condensate inside the tank with temperature changes, full minimizes condensation surfaces.
2. Don't remove battery, get a trickle charger (+/- 2 amp) and leave it on the battery (if you do remove the battery, don't every store it on a concrete floor and it still needs to be on a trickle charger).
3. I'd clean and put a good conditioner on the leather if you have a leather interior.
4. I'd clean and put a good preservative on the vinyl or cloth top if it's a rag.
5. A good hand carnuba wax job will make spring clean-up a breeze!
6. If you're going to cover it, make sure it's a quality "breathable" car cover, no blue tarps, etc.
7. Make sure your anti-freeze is up to par and that you have a winter formula solvent in your windshield washer fluid reservoir.
8. I'd slightly over inflate all tires as the pressure will decrease when cold an over time.
9. If it gets really cold where you are, a small wattage light bulb, carefully placed so as not to burn or melt anything, under the hood, or in the cabin, will keep the compartment warm. We do this a lot in boats up North.
10. When you pull it out in the Spring, wash it, get the oil changed and enjoy!

As a final thought, I did have a problem one winter with a field mouse/mice building a nest up in the engine compartment. Fortunately he/she/them couldn't get into the cabin and didn't chew up anything under the hood, but I have heard of that happening. You might also want to put pieces of fiberglass screen over the exhausts held in place with a tie or rubberband. Cleaning the nest out from under the hood was easy, from inside the exhaust system would have been impossible. Set out some bait poison from Home Depot, the mice/rats love it and it keeps them DEAD.

Ditto the insurance comment above, IF they will do it. I decided not to do it because it has been know to "sneak" out on a really pretty day, when there was no salt powder lingering around on the roads. lol