Garaging the CLK for Winter
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
CLK 63 AMG
Garaging the CLK for Winter
Temperatures are down and snow could be coming any time. I have planned only a few countermeasures for winter storage:
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 355
Likes: 2
2013 ML 550, CLK63 AMG, 2012 E350 4MATIC
Temperatures are down and snow could be coming any time. I have planned only a few countermeasures for winter storage:
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,185
Likes: 42
'15 T&C & '14 SL63
In 30 years of driving all I ever did to winter a vehicle was to run it almost out of gas so I could fill it first thing w/ a full tank of premium. Your coolant should already be less than 2 years old or else you're already risking your head gaskets and block.
I will be garaging it with the top up as I think it does a better job of keeping the fabric in the right shape.
Everything else basically takes care of itself.
I used to use stabil but really unless you're parking it for more than 6 months I don't think it's necessary.
And with the clk63, I intend to drive it all winter any time the roads are dry. It'll probably only sit for a month at the longest.
Although it's a special car, it's not a museum piece. I bought it to drive it.
I will be garaging it with the top up as I think it does a better job of keeping the fabric in the right shape.
Everything else basically takes care of itself.
I used to use stabil but really unless you're parking it for more than 6 months I don't think it's necessary.
And with the clk63, I intend to drive it all winter any time the roads are dry. It'll probably only sit for a month at the longest.
Although it's a special car, it's not a museum piece. I bought it to drive it.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
CLK 63 AMG
Thanks for the feedback guys. I too bought the car to drive but the ritual of maintenance and cleaning is part of the owner experience. I really don't mind that commitment, I just want to get it right the first time. Since I did not put the coolant in myself, I'll flush that system too.
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Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Canada
07 E63 + 07 CLK63CAB
Battery Maintainer for sure, I also did oil change on both cars as done every year around this cold time. No stabilizer as should be back on the road as soon as the road salt is washed away in the spring. Just wondering why remove the trunk liner?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
CLK 63 AMG
My garage is not climate controlled. I have read about the practice of trunk liner removal as a countermeasure to limit the effects of moisture. Perhaps its overkill on my part. I'm just trying to be thorough.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
CLK 63 AMG
I appreciate the insights. My intent behind leaving the car with a full tank is that with less surface area exposed inside the gas tank there would be less oxidation of the metal leading to deposits when I fill up in a few months.
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 26
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From: Canada Quebec eh
w209 clk55 amg
Just gonna jump in and bring this back up
Battery tender
full tank+ stabilizer
Do you guys jack it up and leave your car on blocks or not? I hear stories about the suspension sagging or tires getting bald spots.
Battery tender
full tank+ stabilizer
Do you guys jack it up and leave your car on blocks or not? I hear stories about the suspension sagging or tires getting bald spots.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 11
From: Manchester, CT
Not sure if the fuel stabil is necessary for a few months....couldn't hurt tho.
Flat spots will go away with driving usually. I don't think it is good to have the car on blocks or a 2 post lift where the suspension is just hanging under its own weight.
How long you putting the car away for the winter?
I def agree with a battery tender...I only put my CLK away for 3-4 months and if no tender then the battery definitely gets killed.
Just me 2 cents...
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 26
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From: Canada Quebec eh
w209 clk55 amg
Not sure if the fuel stabil is necessary for a few months....couldn't hurt tho.
Flat spots will go away with driving usually. I don't think it is good to have the car on blocks or a 2 post lift where the suspension is just hanging under its own weight.
How long you putting the car away for the winter?
I def agree with a battery tender...I only put my CLK away for 3-4 months and if no tender then the battery definitely gets killed.
Just me 2 cents...
Flat spots will go away with driving usually. I don't think it is good to have the car on blocks or a 2 post lift where the suspension is just hanging under its own weight.
How long you putting the car away for the winter?
I def agree with a battery tender...I only put my CLK away for 3-4 months and if no tender then the battery definitely gets killed.
Just me 2 cents...
Yeah the stabilizer doesn`t cost much so I rather be safe. Up here it gets cold and snowy a lot so I think I`ll store it in the next couple of weeks till around march (as of March 15 we are allowed to put away winter tires so I can legally drive as of march on all season/summers)
I`m reading and most people seem to just inflate their tires to the max psi and leave it... I think I`m gonna do that.
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Florida
2002 CLK 55 AMG cabriolet Eurocharged
Nice to see that some take care of the car when the salt and snow comes.
I have purchased some parts from the north that had some salt corrosion.
Lets Benz be happy
I have purchased some parts from the north that had some salt corrosion.
Lets Benz be happy
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 26
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From: Canada Quebec eh
w209 clk55 amg
Here in the Qc/Montreal region it's rare to see nice cars in the winter. The snow+salt just eats through steal (as well as giant potholes the size of craters). You really have to not give a damn about your car or be crazy to drive a nice car in the winter.
Naturally come November, everybody is looking for a beater for the winter and then we all sell it in the spring
Naturally come November, everybody is looking for a beater for the winter and then we all sell it in the spring
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,830
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From: NY & FL
MB’s of all kinds.
Temperatures are down and snow could be coming any time. I have planned only a few countermeasures for winter storage:
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
Wash/wax vac
Oil Change
Add fuel stabilizer
Tire Pressure increase
Removal of trunk liner
Do any other members have experience / suggestions about the do's and don'ts of winter storage? Opinions appreciated
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,427
Likes: 100
From: Florida
2002 CLK 55 AMG cabriolet Eurocharged
The only issue would be the oil. Hmmm
In a garage the ambient temperatures might swing quite a bit as temperatures change.
A quick start is not always a good idea either.
When temperature changes drastically condensate (moisture) accumulates. Moisture in the oil eats away at bearing babbit and unprotected aluminum. This applies to dino oil. I have never studied the synthetic oil that we use.
A quick start is worse than short trip driving. The CO is so high when the engine is cool that another type of acid is formed which normally takes a hard drive to burn off.
The best storage technique I can think of to keep the engine happy in the winter without starting, would be the addition of a block heater. wow what a run on.
A block heater would keep ambient temps from interfering with the acid building process.
my 2 cents
In a garage the ambient temperatures might swing quite a bit as temperatures change.
A quick start is not always a good idea either.
When temperature changes drastically condensate (moisture) accumulates. Moisture in the oil eats away at bearing babbit and unprotected aluminum. This applies to dino oil. I have never studied the synthetic oil that we use.
A quick start is worse than short trip driving. The CO is so high when the engine is cool that another type of acid is formed which normally takes a hard drive to burn off.
The best storage technique I can think of to keep the engine happy in the winter without starting, would be the addition of a block heater. wow what a run on.
A block heater would keep ambient temps from interfering with the acid building process.
my 2 cents
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,311
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From: Manchester, CT
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Canada Quebec eh
w209 clk55 amg
Well that's a bust for me.
Had my battery tender jr. hooked up since my last post... went away and sometime in December I disconnected it to start and move it, no problem here.
Today I went to do the same and the battery was dead as a fish and I know I saw the light green a couple of days ago. I had to boost it to get it running.
Did this happen to anybody else?
Had my battery tender jr. hooked up since my last post... went away and sometime in December I disconnected it to start and move it, no problem here.
Today I went to do the same and the battery was dead as a fish and I know I saw the light green a couple of days ago. I had to boost it to get it running.
Did this happen to anybody else?
