Pufftrees

Hey guys,

I am thinking of parking my CLS 55 in the garage while I try to sell it. I'm not expecting it to sell fast so let's just use 6 months as an example. I don't want to harm the car from letting it sit so I am looking for some basic advice. She has 135k miles so take that into account.

So, pardon my ignorance, are their some basic No-nos or "yes yes" to do in this situation? I was planning to probably take it for a little cruise maybe once a week, but other than that I am pretty clueless. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks

Ruthle55

unhook both batteries, make sure to change the oil after its been sitting for the new owner, and put the car on jackstands so you dont get flatspots in the tires. Also dryer sheets on the floors to keep mice away (maybe you dont have that problem)

Max.H

Never heard of unhooking bother batteries before. Sounds logical, i guess it wouldn't drain if its unplugged.

Or you can get a cheap batter tender to keep the batteries charged up while the car sits.

60nomad

I will make this very simple for you! If you are going to take it out once a week for a drive then DON'T DO ANYTHING! It will be fine...if you do not plan on taking it out for a month or so then get a battery tender for $40...DO NOT DISCONNECT BATTERIES!!!!!

Happy Turkey Day! Gobble f'in gobble!

Ruthle55

If my car was being stored for 6 months, I'd just disconnect both, pull them out, and charge them up when you're ready to pull the car out.

A.M.

I've heard disconnecting the batteries on these cars can cause all sort of electrical gremelins.

Batterie tender is the way to go. Last year I just let it die and trickled charged her back to life in the spring.

Leave little to no gas. Or a full tank with an added stabilizer.

PeterUbers

Do you need a trickle charger on both batteries? Two trickle chargers?

dchl21

word

AKnight55

I disconnect the main battery. Mine gets stored for 5 months or so.

djempirE55

A few tips...

1. Battery Tender. Keeps battery topped up.
2. Inflate tires to 50psi and/or roll your car on 4 think Styrofoam under tires - prevents flat spots
3. Roll windows down a smidge. Avoids window seals issues
4. Fill up tank. Eliminates potential condensation
5. Change oil immediately after hibernation
6. Leave baking soda carton in car. Prevents odors.
7. Add cedar moth ***** around tail pipes, under the hood. Discourages rodents from making a home in your car.
8. Don't start it unnecessarily.
9. Wash and wax it.
10. Get a cover!

AgSilver

I've been storing our E55 and other autos for 8 months every year with no issues whatsoever. For the storage period, a fuel stabilizer is added and the fuel tank is filled. The E55 is on jacks and a Schumacher battery maintainer is connected. A simple trickle charger will boil the battery if connected for even a few weeks. Batteries should be replaced every 3-4 years depending on the operational environment. The AUX battery (BS-14) only charges when the engine is operating (thanks Yacht Master) and provides auxiliary power to the SBS. It also provides full 12V power the the engine electronics during the starting sequence which takes them off the main buss.

djempirE55

I agree with adding fuel stabilizer but I never ever heard of a intelligent trickle charger "boiling" a battery. I've had the pleasure of storing Porsche, Maserati and Ferrari's and never had a battery go bad due to a trickle charger. On the contrary, Not having a trickle charger will consume a battery in less than a month, even soon on the cars I mentioned above.

AgSilver

I believe I did say "simple trickle charger"

djempirE55

What's a "simple trickle charger"?

A.M.

Some of them do not go into "maintenance mode" once the battery is full.

A.M.

Same.

The building I'm in has an issue with us using a trickle charger for Extended periods.

Last year some guy kept pulling the plug even if it had only been a day. Jerko.

djempirE55

Why would you do that???? Doing so taxes the battery cells. Besides, it's counterintuitive to let it die and trickle it back when an intelligent trickle charger is meant to keep it topped up at maximum capacity. Unless of course you don't have an automatic shutoff trickle charger.

Max.H

What a jerk!! I would have some words with him if he did that to me. Potentially costing me a lot of money and tampering with my car is cause for some reactive measures.

PeterUbers

So I didn't read a specific response :

What about trickle charging the second battery

A.M.

This is what I explained to the board of the building. No logic for grumpy old men in this situation.

AgSilver

Always charging at whatever amps it's rated at. In other words, it never shuts off unlike smart chargers (Battery Tender/Schumacher) which monitor the status of the battery and only charge when necessary.

I have actually gone for as long as 4 years of storage (My C4 12 cylinder) and the engine fired instantly.

AgSilver

If the Aux battery is in good condition (has not sulfated) it requires no attention as it is normally offline. If the main battery fails at anytime the Aux battery is there to provide emergency power to the SBC system.