Winter storage tips please. - MBWorld.org Forums

Jun 14, 2015 | 09:30 AM

Soylent Green

Thread Starter

Junior Member

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 68

Likes: 1

From: Cleveland, Ohio

2005 AMG S55

Winter storage tips please.

As I anticipate putting my S55 in the garage for the winter I have some questions. Obviously I will change the oil and filter just before putting her to bed.

As far as the tires go should I put the car up on blocks and take all the weight off the wheels or not?

Should the car be supported on the control arms to keep load on the suspension or on the frame jacking points and have no weight on the suspension.

As for the battery should I remove it completely from the car or leave it in place and keep a battery tender on it.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions as this is my first MB car and I want to take care of it the right way.

Jun 14, 2015 | 10:20 AM

maw1124

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Joined: Apr 2009

Posts: 1,264

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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soylent Green

Mine stores in Michigan for winters, generally. People will have different opinions, but I just put a cover over it (in the garage) and start it every few weeks. Maybe while it's running I'll condition the interior leather and wipe down the wood or something, vacuum the mats, just for kicks. I do over-inflate the tires, but I save the service for the spring / summer (if and) when I bring it back out for seasonal trips. I add Chevron Techron to the last of whatever gas sat over the winter, and on the first longish drive (3 hours or more). The last couple of winters, I've started to put a battery tender on the car and start it less. These things are fairly sturdy (it's an S Class after all, not a Bentley), so they sit much better than, say the old 126 or 140 cars.

It seems that all of these [air or fluid] suspension cars were designed to hold pressure more or less over extended periods. Of course, after a few months or so, your car will most likely sag. The allroad has an air suspension that basically the same as the old Airmatic cars -- it may actually be the same components. I know the pump, for example, is the exact same one MB used. So you'll get some volumetric change due to temperature when it sits for weeks on end. But the systems pump right back up when you start the car. MB says this is normal operation, so I haven't worried about it as much as the internet might encourage one to.

Cheers,

maw

Last edited by maw1124; Jun 14, 2015 at 10:35 AM.