Car storage - what to do? 6months to 5 yrs

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

User avatar
Hunchkipper
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston Upon Thames

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:19 am

Thinking of storing my E30 convertible again (1990 - 70k miles - 1 prior owner). This time for 6 months up to 5 yrs (10yrs last time) What should I do to enable easy start when she's brought out of hibernation - other than drain fuel and let tyres down to maybe 20psi?
Any thoughts? : :roll:
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:24 am

6 months won't be an issue, but 5 years will take its toll on a car that's that old.

If you're certain it's going to be years, I'd:

1) drain the fuel
2) replace the oil beforehand with a good synthetic
3) jack the car up and store it on jackstands to take the pressure off the wheels, but don't put the tyres in the air
4) keep the handbrake off
5) possibly take out the spark plugs, lightly oil the screw threads then refit
6) seal up every possible opening to the interior to prevent mice infestations

and before restarting, examine every single rubber hose and replace as necessary. That's the part that will perish over time, and there's very little you can do about it.
bab-91
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7174
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Northern Ireland

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:27 am

Dehumidifier or carcoon
Leave windows partially open
Slacken auxiliary drive belts
Lift the vehicle onto blocks or stands to raise the wheels clear of the ground and unstress the tyres
The Internet - It has proven to be worthless, and is nothing but a repository for perverts.

IG - bab91
Automaton
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 453
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:00 pm
Location: India

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:28 am

Maneesh

1986 E30 M10 316 Manual Schwarz Chromie
1982 E28 M20 520i Henna Rot - Project
1988 E32 M70 750iL Schwarz - MASSIVE Project

1991 W201 190e Automatic Schwarz - Sold
1991 W201 190e Automatic Silver AMG Tribute - Sold
1993 E36 M40 316i Manual Brillantrot (RIP: rotting in peace)

Join other Carb Fanatics: E30 316 Carb - The Faithfuls https://www.facebook.com/groups/444263742439145/
maggspower
Turbo Farmer Tractor Driver
Posts: 2376
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Nowhere near South Wales, ok butt

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:34 am

Doing some bird?
polsta
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 10322
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: portsmouth

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:46 pm

for a 5 year storage, id probably remove the inner sill/under door trims, lift up the carpets of floor pans and prop something under there to let it have ventelation, all boot carpet at home in the loft

also a proper rust inspection and treat before hand, using fertan :D , on any bits, block the sill drainage slits and sporay fertan in the sills, and sunroof drainage, inside the doors, rear inner arches behind door cards and pocket/wells there, inside the sides of boot rear inner arches, and also waxoyl afterwards, although them measures should be done to all e30s regardless for prevetative measures, would be very beneficial to do to a long term storage car
pacerpete
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 18165
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Iver heath. South bucks.

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:59 pm

Sell it now. Any potential capital appreciation will more than likely be swallowed by the cost of storage and the refurbishment needed when it is next exhumed.
johnono
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 4677
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: land of the vikings

Post Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:25 pm

maggspower wrote:Doing some bird?
8O

winkeye
GDBN
E30 Zone Camper
E30 Zone Camper
Posts: 1415
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Copenhagen

Post Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:59 pm

Prison, matey .... You back ??
Image

I deserve 6 of the best ...
johnono
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 4677
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: land of the vikings

Post Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:43 pm

GDBN wrote:Prison, matey .... You back ??
Who me ? Yeps :cool: