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What should I do to prepare my car for winter storage?

At the end of the month I will put my Mazda MX5 in an outside carcoon for the winter months. Have you any tips on tasks that should be done before and during storage in the winter months?

Asked on 9 October 2017 by

Answered by Keith Moody
Ideally, you should take your car out during the winter to keep things moving and prevent tyre flat spots. Before you lay it up, make sure all the fluid levels are topped up - especially the coolant. While you may not be using the car, it's important to help prevent corrosions. You could also invest in a trickle charger to keep the battery in good nick. Don't leave the handbrake on otherwise the brakes will seize. You could also consider using an additive in the fuel tank to stop the fuel going off. Modern fuels contain ethanol, which can be harmful to many a classic's components - the damage is done when the car is not used and the ethanol starts to become separated.
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