Just give it a thorough cleaning, and maybe add in fuel stabilizer?
Winterizing the Spider
Well got it last week drove it for a couple of days and now rests in an indoor garage.
Will give a little wipe and apply Meguiere Ultimate paste wax.
It will be winterized for 4 to 5 months pending on spring weather.
What do you guys suggest I do more. TIA
Will give a little wipe and apply Meguiere Ultimate paste wax.
It will be winterized for 4 to 5 months pending on spring weather.
What do you guys suggest I do more. TIA
1 - 20 of 62 Posts
This is what I'm doing;
1. Filled the tank to just above half and took him out for ~30 mile higway run.
2. Washed him in the driveway including a good undercarriage spray down and backed him into the garage.
3. Put 50 psi in the tires to avoid flat spots
4. Will maintain the battery throughout the winter, charging when needed. (Don't like leaving on a battery tender all the time)
5. Running a small box fan on the low setting to prevent condensation.
6. Every 4-6 weeks, when the temps get to above freezing and the streets are relatively dry, I'll take him first to the gas station and add a gallon of fresh gas and then out for a 30 or so mile spin. The key is to get the engine to full operating temperature to burn off any moisture in the oil.
7. Full wash in the driveway along with undercarriage, then back into the garage.
Repeat the above when temps allow.
I'm uncomfortable with fuel additives including stabilizers in a modern car engine. Adding fresh gas throughout the winter will be more than enough to avoid fuel system issues. Adding the gallon or so of fresh gas before you head out on the highway run will allow the fresh gas to mix with the old and get run through the fuel system.
1. Filled the tank to just above half and took him out for ~30 mile higway run.
2. Washed him in the driveway including a good undercarriage spray down and backed him into the garage.
3. Put 50 psi in the tires to avoid flat spots
4. Will maintain the battery throughout the winter, charging when needed. (Don't like leaving on a battery tender all the time)
5. Running a small box fan on the low setting to prevent condensation.
6. Every 4-6 weeks, when the temps get to above freezing and the streets are relatively dry, I'll take him first to the gas station and add a gallon of fresh gas and then out for a 30 or so mile spin. The key is to get the engine to full operating temperature to burn off any moisture in the oil.
7. Full wash in the driveway along with undercarriage, then back into the garage.
Repeat the above when temps allow.
I'm uncomfortable with fuel additives including stabilizers in a modern car engine. Adding fresh gas throughout the winter will be more than enough to avoid fuel system issues. Adding the gallon or so of fresh gas before you head out on the highway run will allow the fresh gas to mix with the old and get run through the fuel system.
Adjust tire pressures to their maximum sidewall pressure.
Add fuel stabilizer.
Recommend running the vehicle about every two weeks. As i understand it, because of how the engine is designed, it will need to be started and run to get oil flow/pressure throughout all the engine or it will be very very very tough to get started when you eventually get to it.
Running it will also keep the battery up. If not run then disconnect the negative battery cable and make sure the battery charge is good a couple times through the winter, a battery that is allowed to freeze will guarantee that the battery will be junk in the spring. You could remove the two shipping fuses that would get rid of most of the parasitic drains on the battery instead of disconnecting the battery.
Add fuel stabilizer.
Recommend running the vehicle about every two weeks. As i understand it, because of how the engine is designed, it will need to be started and run to get oil flow/pressure throughout all the engine or it will be very very very tough to get started when you eventually get to it.
Running it will also keep the battery up. If not run then disconnect the negative battery cable and make sure the battery charge is good a couple times through the winter, a battery that is allowed to freeze will guarantee that the battery will be junk in the spring. You could remove the two shipping fuses that would get rid of most of the parasitic drains on the battery instead of disconnecting the battery.
The dealer added Nitrogen to my tires, so can if I add air it there goes the nitro when I bring it back to reg. pressure.
I plan to have a battery tender to maintain the battery. I'll add stabilizer to gas. In My Murano once a year I add SEAFOAM it cleans jets.
I plan to have a battery tender to maintain the battery. I'll add stabilizer to gas. In My Murano once a year I add SEAFOAM it cleans jets.
This car is way too new for there to be any point to run seafoam through it.
The stabilizer is good, after putting it in, run the car for 15 minutes and leave it. Battery tender is smart to keep it in good standings, tire pressures you can still bump up, it's really not that big of a deal. I've heard of people putting really plush carpet pieces under their tires too for good measure. Get a quality cover and you should be good to go. Maybe condition the leather as well to keep it moist and soft.
The stabilizer is good, after putting it in, run the car for 15 minutes and leave it. Battery tender is smart to keep it in good standings, tire pressures you can still bump up, it's really not that big of a deal. I've heard of people putting really plush carpet pieces under their tires too for good measure. Get a quality cover and you should be good to go. Maybe condition the leather as well to keep it moist and soft.
for those who might not know, FCA uses a non-sealed battery that does require checking water level in the battery occasionally. When a charger is used it is important to check the water level as even a trickle charger can possibly gas off some water. If you do need to add water to be sure to use DISTILLED water, not well, not tap, not normal bottled water. The minerals in water are your enemy to a long battery life.
Living in the north west of England, overnight freezing temperatures will continue through till the end of march, or later. In preparation for these conditions will most likely turn the heater up and the heated seats on. Otherwise motoring in the spider will continue as usual. Safe motoring to all.
Our hood, front fenders and trunk are aluminum but the doors and rear quarter panels are steel. Having owned two Mazda's and observing the newer models, rust is almost guaranteed to attack your rear quarters where they meet up with the rear bumper in about 5 years time. Mazda does the worst rust proofing on the planet.Living in the north west of England, overnight freezing temperatures will continue through till the end of march, or later. In preparation for these conditions will most likely turn the heater up and the heated seats on. Otherwise motoring in the spider will continue as usual. Safe motoring to all.
I plan to do a rust proof in Spring, even though I won't be using the Spider in winter.Our hood, front fenders and trunk are aluminum but the doors and rear quarter panels are steel. Having owned two Mazda's and observing the newer models, rust is almost guaranteed to attack your rear quarters where they meet up with the rear bumper in about 5 years time. Mazda does the worst rust proofing on the planet.
This makes me so sad for all of you...I will think of you all winter while I drive with my top down in sunny south Florida
Why not put winter tires and enjoy the car in the winter also?
I drove my MX5 throughout the cold winter of New Jersey and I going to do the same this winter with my 124 Abarth.
With winter tires, the car handles great even in bad winter conditions.
I drove my MX5 throughout the cold winter of New Jersey and I going to do the same this winter with my 124 Abarth.
With winter tires, the car handles great even in bad winter conditions.
I'm planning on changing the oil, pumping the tires to the max pressure listed, do one last coat of wax and then covering it for the winter. I disconnect the battery in my other Spider for the winter, but was not sure I wanted to do that to this one. I have a 98 BMW 3 series that gets put up for the winter too and I've always just run a battery tender on that one. Is there a difference in a sealed vs. non-sealed battery other than the caps? My understanding of batteries was that a maintenance free battery was akin to making a maintenance free car by gluing the hood shut. I've always been able to pry the caps off of the maintenance free batteries to add distilled water on occasion. I'll keep an eye on it none the less though.
I'd love to do that, but here in Indy, they use lots of salt and sodium chloride (if I recall the name correctly) on the roads. The stuff mixed with molassas or something that they spray on the roads is especially corrosive from what I understand. My other Spider is 47 years old and exists largely because it was not winter driven. My plan is to do the same with the new one.Why not put winter tires and enjoy the car in the winter also?
I drove my MX5 throughout the cold winter of New Jersey and I going to do the same this winter with my 124 Abarth.
With winter tires, the car handles great even in bad winter conditions.
Makes sense. I lease, so it doesn't matter to me. I can definitely understand you.
Look I am already having some conflicts between a full breed Japonese-Murano AWD and Italo-Jap RWD.Why not put winter tires and enjoy the car in the winter also?
I drove my MX5 throughout the cold winter of New Jersey and I going to do the same this winter with my 124 Abarth.
With winter tires, the car handles great even in bad winter conditions.
So Murano gets the luxury for winter and Spider gets the summer. end of story.
I feel so sorry for all of you. I've lived in snow-free Southern California all of my life. I got my 124 just three weeks ago. I can't imagine having to put it to bed for the winter. Hopefully Spring will come soon!
I have lake effect snow white envy of you. But, absence does make the heart grow fonder and the spring wake up call will yield a new excitement for me, like when you first got your spider, and a fresh set of plans and goals for the new driving season.I feel so sorry for all of you. I've lived in snow-free Southern California all of my life. I got my 124 just three weeks ago. I can't imagine having to put it to bed for the winter. Hopefully Spring will come soon!
I do wish I could drive all year long, but, when the time comes, anticipation of a new season does get new juices flowing.
Winter storage for us in the north is not necessarily a curse. It's time to plan a visit to the SW for Bondurant school to see "The Far Side".
1 - 20 of 62 Posts
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