Climate controlled storage

[Charles P.]

This is a basic question that has probably been covered before but my search didn't find any specific matches so I apologize if I am covering old ground.

After owning 3 Corvettes in my youth, at age 67, I am considering purchase of a 1996 convertable. The car is low mileage, pretty good shape and it's intended use is a driver and something to allow me to participate in local NCRS events. I live in Michigan (Detroit area) and the house garage space is already claimed by other vehicles. Obviously, I do not want to keep the '96 outside, particularly in winter so I need to look at a storage unit. What I am wondering is how important is climate controlled over non-climate controlled. Obviously the former would be the ideal but I am on a fairly tight budget; this Corvette is a "bucket list" purchase due to impending medical problems. The storage facility defines "climate controlled" as max 90 degrees and minimum somewhere above 32 degrees. My understanding (from someone else who uses that company) is that the larger, outside access non-climate units (10X20) stay pretty well within that range most of the time.

Let me say I have an excellent car cover and I would plan on at least starting the car and perhaps a short drive (weather permitting) once a week throughout the winter and adhering to whatever other storage recommendations with regard to battery, etc., there are.

So..... given that, can I save a few dollars and take the non-climate unit?

Thanks for any input
Charles

[Michael W.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

Charles-

There should plenty of discussion on this topic under 'winter storage'. The ideal envionment would be to have both stable temperature and low humidity, each to minimize any condensation and corrosion. To this end, do NOT start the engine just for the sake of starting it. Take the car out and drive it if you just want to drive it- but the car will not benefit from it in any way.

Do not put the car on blocks with the wheels hanging. Fill the gas tank, wash the car, change the oil and filter. Use fuel system stabilizer if you like, I've never bothered. If there is electric power available, attach a battery tender (not a trickle charger) and let it slumber in peace till spring. If there is no power, bring the battery home with you and keep the tender attached.

[Paul J.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

Charles,

The primary reason for storing a car in a climate controlled garage is to prevent condensation in the engine and on metal parts. The temperatures are not as important as the humidity and the atmospheric pressure. You're probably familiar with the term "dew point", which is the temperature at a specific pressure that water changes state, from gas to liquid. You'll see this on your drink glass (if you use ice). You can get the same protection as a climate controlled garage by operating a dehumidifier, or otherwise controlling the humidity.

In my opinion, from what you've described I do not believe that you would get any benefit from a climate controlled facility. As long as the car is in a garage it should be fine. I would be careful about using a cover because they will cause "rash", as well as grind dirt into the finish if the car is not clean when the cover is used.

Finally, starting a car to let it warm up or otherwise idle without driving it far a while is one of the worst things that you can do. Ever noticed the water coming out of the tailpipe of a car that was just started? This is condensate, just like what I discussed above. If you're not going to drive the car for a respectable distance, it is better not to start it. Just leave it alone.

Paul

[Harry S.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

This morning I tucked my 2006 away for the winter. It's in a local heated garage with about 30 other cars. It has a full tank of hightest (no additive), washed, two covers and a battery tender. I change the oil in the spring. It's been fine for the last 6 years doing this.

[Duke W.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

Storage temperature is not that critical although it's best to keep it below 70F, if possible, since the rate or organic material degradation increases exponentially with temperature. Winter storage rarely results in excess temperature.

The REALLY IMPORTANT issue is humidity. Relative humidity should be kept in the range of 30-40 percent and not to exceed 50 percent.

Condensation can be a problem in some parts of the country where a late winter or early spring warm spell is followed by a cold front that rapidly drops temperatures to below the dew point, and condensation can form, even inside.

Winter humidity can usually be kept low just by modest heating because for a given absolute humidity, relative humidity decreases as temperature increases. Also, the colder the air the less water vapor it can hold, so if the outside dew point is about 30 F, increasing inside temperature to about 50-55 will reduce relative humiditiy to below 50 percent, and if the dew point is 0F, about 40F will keep relative humidity below 50 percent.

Duke

[Paul L.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

We can see -25*F here at times so I would not consider outside storage. I have used this company for ~15 years. My car went in yesterday and I will not see it until April. Fresh fuel with gas stabilizer, an oil change, and a battery dis-connect keep it happy for 5-6 months. I can visit if I wish but no turning the key for liability reasons. I never visit.

*Edit* - BTW, $130.00/month. Well worth it to me.

http://www.boydvehicle.ca/index.htm

[Norm B.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

I agree with essentially everything that's already been said here. The actual temperature is not important so much as the moisture & humidity which is often caused by changes in the temperature. Stable temperature and low humidity is the key. My '63 goes into an unheated barn and has done so since about 1987. It's a bit drafty and I like it that way as that tends to keep it dry.

My routine for the last 25 years is, oil change, check the anti-freeze strength, full tank of gas, fuel stabilizer, park it on a piece of vapor barrier (Any moisture barrier will work), unhook the battery, leave it in gear with the emergency brake off, put the cover on it, one last pat on the hood for good luck, lock the barn door, then go home put the winter tires on the F-250 and tune up the snowblower.

1. Oil Change - You don't want all those nasty acids in the old oil sitting there over the winter.
2. Check the anti-freeze - I rarely have to add over the summer but you don't want to have accidentally forgotten to have anti-freeze in it.
3. Full tank of gas - Limits the amount of condensation you could get in the gas tank.
4. Fuel Stabilizer - Never bothered in the olden days but much of today's fuel only has about a 3 month shelf life.
5. Vapor Barrier - If you are on a concrete floor moisture can wick up out of it onto your frame, etc.
6. Unhook the battery - On a C2 the battery is not fun to remove so I leave it in. A good battery with a full charge will not freeze. A battery that dies after sitting in the car disconnected for 5 months or so is pretty much on its last legs anyway. I have only had to boost the car once in the Spring in the last 25 years and that was on a 7 year old battery.
7. Leave the emergency brake off - I have returned from vacation and have found siezed cables or rear brake shoes on some of our other vehicles that were left sitting with the emergency brake on.
8. Cover it & give it one last pat on the hood - C'mon now we all do that don't we?
9. Winter tires & snowblower - You are near Detroit, I am in Southern Ontario, no explanation needed.

Come spring I take off the cover, hook up the battery, and it starts right up on about the 4th. try.

[Charles P.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

My deep thanks to all who replied and for all the excellent advice. My last Corvette was a '67 427/435 but that was 45 years ago, actually back in 1967-68 (before someone ran a red light and T-boned me in '68) and although it was a wonderful car, it had not yet attained the legendary collector status it has today. In fact, back then, there really was no collector Corvette market (who knew?) and the 427 was just one more cool entry in the Detroit horsepower wars. Most people weren't buying Corvettes back then with the idea of keeping them for 50 years so you parked in a garage if available but didn't think much beyond a car cover if it wasn't.

Now, it's a different philospphy. I think what I am hearing is do not start the car just to start it and if I drive it, put some miles on it when I do. It will be difficult not to drive it on some fine winter day with the sun out due to the fact that medical problems have left me a limited amount of time (a couple of years at best) and so, if I really want to enjoy the experience of owning a Corvette again, I don't have the luxury of storing it untouched for 6 months. Yet I feel a responsibility to whomever will own the car after me not to do anything seriously detrimental. I appreciate the advice as I'm sure that as in medicine, an important rule of Corvette ownership is "First, do no harm."

The '96 I was loooking at was withdrawn from the market and so I will have to start my search all over but again, thank you all for your very constructive input. The sense of community that Corvette owners have is one of the things that make these cars so special.

Charles

[Bruce B.]

Re: Climate controlled storage

I agree with the problem being humidity.
Be careful during the winter or spring if you get a nice warm day after a cold spell.
DO NOT open the garage door or roll the car outside.
Going from a cold dry garage to a beautiful warm (high dew point) day will cause major condensation on the garage floor and on any COLD metal exposed to the warmth.
Been there, done that, long ago...