I've decided that I'm gonna moth ball the Z until the Summer months get closer.

 

Is there anything I need to do before turning out the lights for a few months?

 

Anything I need to take into account? Shouldn't be too much of a problem, was off the road for nine months or so at SE so it should be used to it! LOL

Maby dont leave the handbrake up (i might be worng and i dont know if this applies) but i left a handbrake up on one of my cars for about 4 months and it had litterally locked itself up, no way in hell were we going to loosen it.

Oh and let the interior air abit id imagine.

Cuase if it gets sondensastion in it youll ruin the inside.

 

 

Maby dont leave the handbrake up (i might be worng and i dont know if this applies) but i left a handbrake up on one of my cars for about 4 months and it had litterally locked itself up, no way in hell were we going to loosen it.

Oh and let the interior air abit id imagine.

Cuase if it gets condensastion in it youll ruin the inside.

 

 

Use axle stands to get the tyres off the ground - no flat spots that way.

For the short time your takin it off the road thats all you need to do. for really long periods its worth putting the car on axle stands and pressing back the pistons in the brake calipers as well.

Paul

Well you're gonna need it off the ground to get those discs and pads etc sorted out. Not to mention the egorst and all the other goodies you have to do. You can't leave those until later or it'll be off the road this summer too !!!

Park it round mine for a while - I'll look after it for you ...

Youve only just got it back on the road!

It pays to store it in a dry garage and give it an airing once a month to prevent the interior going mouldy.

Try starting it up regularly to get the fluids running thru the engine to prevent corrosion and seizing as well.

If youre thinking of a long term layup it can pay you to jack it up off the road wheels..handbrake off, and also drain the petrol off, to prevent crappy rust imbued petrol being sucked thru the system on start-up.

 

[This message has been edited by Banzai (edited 09-01-2002).]

Thanks for ALL the replies guys...much appreciated as always

speaking from experience (we have 3 cars standing atm, 1 not been used for 18 months, one for 20, and one for 4 years). All I can really say is to start it every now and then primarily to keep the battery charged to keep all systems go (like you will want to keep the alarm going and things like that(or i suppose you could just remove the battery and disconnect some vital engine connections (like the coil packs or the ECU connectors) to stop theft). Also make sure you let some air in regularly, otherwise you will end up with a swimming pool, especially so with the T roof and all, our modeo and xantia are bad enough they constantly have condensation on the inside of the windows and that sort of thing would be bad in ur pride n joy .

 

Actually thinking about it ignore my statement about deliberate sabotage cos tbh if they wanted to nick it they would put a battery on it and the immobiliser would stop them from starting it and if they *really* wanted it away they would take it.

If you are going to start it occasionally, make sure it gets fully warmed up because otherwise you just get loads of condensation in the engine and do more harm than good.