brad3285

Gents:

Since I live in frozen midwest, I made a prudent decision in November -- I parked the C63 in the garage and bought a 2000 Chevy Blazer to get me through this hellish winter.

Is there anything I should be doing for the garage queen other than starting her and running her for about 15 minutes once a week, and moving her back and forth a bit to ensure that there are no flat spot on the Michelin Pilot Sports?

Also, do I need to do anything special when I start using her again in a few months (oil change) etc., or can I just get in and go?

Any insight is appreciated.

Yuille36

Well, your already doing preventative measures now. How long are you planning on leaving the queen in the garage, until March? Then I would buy a 2 gallon gas can and put in fresh gas, once the gas in the tank started burning off. Especially if your going to let it sit for that long. You probably won't need a oil change, since you start that car, and let it run. The flat spots can be a pain, if your streets are clear of snow and dry, I would take it around the block to put a few miles on the suspension, and get fluids circulating like tranny, rear diff etc.

brad3285

Thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, the way things are going up here now, it looks like she will be lucky to get back out in March. Driving around in a POS winter beater sure makes you appreciate the beast.

Roswell

I'm doing the same with my beast... just start her up for few minutes once in a while, and you should be fine. This will help recharge the battery & run the fluid in the engine. No oil change is necessary unless your computer tells you to do it.

wawy

The first thing I do before I park mine for the Canadian winters is make sure the fuel tank is full. Once every week or two I start it and make sure the engine is brought up to operating temperature. I'll also drive it back or forward in the garage to engage the transmission a bit, and, as previously mentioned, to prevent flat spots on the tire. I know of some people that will add a fuel stabilizer also. I then have fun in my front wheel drive Chrysler for about 4 months before I bring out the AMG again...

black-clk500

I pretty much do the same thing others posted--I would say I only start it once every two weeks at the most.
I also make sure to bring it up to operating temp and I usually drive up and down the drive way a few times, if possible.
I've been doing this for about 12 years with various garage queens and I never seem to have any trouble with them come spring.

I don't see why you would need to do an oil change unless the car tells too.
If it makes you sleep better get an oil change, but as long as you start the car every couple of weeks the oil should be fine.

good luck--just make sure your garage is rodent free, they can make a mess!
I'm considering getting this bubble thing to put the car in, but no one seems to have any experience with them:
http://www.carcapsule.com/

Yuille36

I think that your all doing the right things, to preserve your AMG. The biggest thing, in my opinion is to get fluids moving, i.e. the tranny and rear differential, that just running the engine doesn't accomplish, as it needs to move. Starting the car up weekly will, can prevent vapor lock, charge the battery back to full strength etc. When I was young Corporal in the Marines, man that was sometime ago, I'm Retired now. Anyway, I would remove my battery out of my Mustang Cobra on a 6 month deployment. That eliminated the drain on the battery. I always filled the tank up with fresh gas, with the highest octane.

blackc230benzo

I keep mine parked during the winter as well and start it up every 5 days or so.
Roswell, aren't tempted to take it out with all of this recent warmer/dry weather? I took the c63 out of the garage on Christmas day for a drive and did a good wash right after to remove the little salt dust there was around the wheels. Best xmas gift I've had in a while haha.

Roswell

^^ It is tempted... but i have no insurance during the winter, so my driveway is the farther I can take her... hehehe!

black-clk500

Let's put storage into perspective--if it's only 3 to 4 months like most of us are talking about, many cars sit a dealerships without full tanks, stabile, started every week, etc., etc. and some can sit for up to a year like this.
So what we're doing is plenty for the time we're talking--honestly, you could just drive the car into the garage and call it quits and start it up come March/April--probably be fine. (maybe a dead battery)
So don't sweat it, unless you're crazy like me--part of the reason I wanted an ordered car as opposed to one off the lot--I didn't want mine sitting "unattended" for very long.

My .02