Surprise - I'm going to be putting my baby to bed for the winter in November, and have a question on routine maintenance. Car has all of 2400 miles (!) - new synthetic was put in at 1100 miles when I got the car 1 1/2 years ago. I plan to have oil/filter changed, and also have the brake system bled. Question - is there a need to have the cooling system flushed? It's never been done. Or can it be considered a "closed" system that wouldn't require it at this point? If not now, when should I have it done? Thanks!!

 

Suggest you bleed the brakes in the spring. If the car will not be driven at all this winter, I would also put in either a conventional, lightweight oil or at minimum, a seal conditioner and run the car to full operating temp before shutting it down for the winter. Coolant should be changed about every 3 - 4 years.

 

Your coolant should be fine.

I'd also recommend adding 10lbs of pressure to each tire to help prevent flat spots and use a Porsche battery maintainer.

Do a search. There is a lot of good info on this topic out there.

 

Phil, you know you're opening the door for Tim and Dell right?

 

Sounds like it never came out of hibernation from last winter...agree with all above comments.

 

Beside above and of course cleaning the car inside and outside, I'd further treat the rubber sealings, keep the windows a little open and beside increasing the tire pressure also move the car some inches evey couple of weeks.

 

Oh yeah, here we go!!

 

Great - thanks, Ray. That's pretty much what I thought and what I plan to do. I'm planning on putting in Mobil 1 0-40 and also filling the tank (and adding Stabil to it).

 

Oh yeah..when I put mine away I also cover it with Dustop and then bag it.

Jacket
Bag

It keeps critters out.

 

<shakes head>

So, did you reach 100 miles for the year?

The poor car doesn't know that Groundhog Day even passed - it spent so much time sleeping that it made Rip van Winkle look like an all night party animal.

Phil - check the RTR forum, I posted hibernation instructnios there sometime last October.

 

Averaging 650 miles per year (almost)! Additional miles will depend on whether I see my shadow when I take it out.

 

It's funny, my tolerance for increased probabilty of rain increases through september, october and november as I try to squeeze in more driving days before the car goes away. I was so annoyed last year when I put the car away in November and the weather stayed good until january.

 

Phil, I fixed your post for you. Now it sounds much better.

 

<sigh> < Tim shakes his head very s-l-o-w-l-y and thinks to himself "Man, Phil is really a piece of work! >

What do you mean put her away?!?!?!? You first have to take her OUT of hibernation in order to be able to put her back into hibernation.

Stop!! JUST STOP!!!!! You're killing me here!!!! There is no way you drove 650 miles going up and down your driveway!

OK, seriously, here is your hibernation check list:

1. Full tank of gas, with Stabil - CHECK
2. 10 PSI in the tires to reduce flat spotting - CHECK
3. Fresh fill of Mobile 10W-40 - CHECK
4. Activate the "little green 3/4 circle (speedo icon with arrow) gage" (a.k.a. Cruse Control) so the car actually thinks it is going somewhere during the winter - PRICELESS

 

Whatta ya mean "putting it away for the winter"?????

I didn't realize it came out for the spring, summer, or fall