DIY: Storing your car for the winter (with pics)

[Absorber]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

Leave the doors unlocked without the alarm armed, to prevent extra strain on the battery.

Is it better for the battery to store the car unlocked? I thought keeping it unlocked would keep some stuff in the ECU running?

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by Absorber

Is it better for the battery to store the car unlocked? I thought keeping it unlocked would keep some stuff in the ECU running?

I've never heard of that before. The car should cut total power after a few minutes. Where did you hear otherwise?

[Absorber]

I don't know if I heard that anywhere. I guess I just assumed.

[RoshDawg]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

I've never heard of that before. The car should cut total power after a few minutes. Where did you hear otherwise?

I heard it from my service advisor. He recommended locking the car every night even in my own garage.

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Someone correct me if i am wrong, but I believe CTEK makes a DC plug accessory where you can plug the charger directly into the cars power outlet to avoid using a wall socket. Any power the charger uses to operate the CTEK is more than made up for with it charging the battery. If the M3 has a switched power outlet (i.e. it is off when the car is turned off) this won't work, but it is worth a shot to check and see if the power outlet is not switched.

Another option is just to remove the battery for the winter (or unplug the negative terminal).

The outlet in the armrest is not switched, not sure about the other ones. But I don't understand what you're saying, how would a DC plug solve anything? You still have to plug it into a wall outlet to get power. The DC accessory would just allow you to plug the charger in inside the car rather than under the hood or on the battery. Doesn't solve anything for people living in a condo with no access to a wall outlet.

[Rat3d ///M]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

The outlet in the armrest is not switched, not sure about the other ones. But I don't understand what you're saying, how would a DC plug solve anything? You still have to plug it into a wall outlet to get power. The DC accessory would just allow you to plug the charger in inside the car rather than under the hood or on the battery. Doesn't solve anything for people living in a condo with no access to a wall outlet.

I was under the impression CTEK sold an accessory that allowed you to run the charger from the cars power outlet, i.e. you can power it from the outlet and then in turn charge the battery using the CTEK. Upon looking on their site, turns out I may have read misinformation?

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I was under the impression CTEK sold an accessory that allowed you to run the charger from the cars power outlet, i.e. you can power it from the outlet and then in turn charge the battery using the CTEK. Upon looking on their site, turns out I may have read misinformation?

lol, I don't think that's how it works. What you're saying is that the CTEK would take electricity from the car battery, then use the electricity it took to charge the very same battery - meaning the battery would be charging itself.

Any charger you buy is going to need an external power source, whether that's a wall outlet or a solar panel or whatever else. If your garage doesn't have access to a wall outlet, the only thing you can really do is pull the battery and charge it inside or leave it in the car and hope for the best come spring time. I imagine it wouldn't be the best idea in terms of battery life to let it die and just plan on jump starting the car in the spring.

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I was under the impression CTEK sold an accessory that allowed you to run the charger from the cars power outlet, i.e. you can power it from the outlet and then in turn charge the battery using the CTEK. Upon looking on their site, turns out I may have read misinformation?

They also sell a fuelizer. You hook your exhaust up to your gas tank and never have to fill up again!

[Beemdog]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I was under the impression CTEK sold an accessory that allowed you to run the charger from the cars power outlet, i.e. you can power it from the outlet and then in turn charge the battery using the CTEK. Upon looking on their site, turns out I may have read misinformation?

On cars which have the internal +12V outlets active with the key off, you can sometimes use that port to trickle charge through (not charge _from_, obviously!).

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by RoshDawg

I heard it from my service advisor. He recommended locking the car every night even in my own garage.

I would say he's wrong, because the alarm has sensors on it that must be powered. When the car is unlocked those sensors are not armed and thus the car draws less power. I could be wrong, but that's how I see it happening. If you shut the car off and just sit in it for 5 minutes, you'll hear the car power down fully.

I also had a service advisor tell me he didn't realize my car was an M3...always be careful with the loonies they usually hire.

[TrevorM3]

talk about ocd.


i feel bad for people that actually have to put cars away for winter. lol

[Rat3d ///M]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

lol, I don't think that's how it works. What you're saying is that the CTEK would take electricity from the car battery, then use the electricity it took to charge the very same battery - meaning the battery would be charging itself.

I never said it made sense or was logical, I was just regurgitating the crap someone else on a forum posted. whatever, guess condo guy is SOL unless he removes the battery.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

talk about ocd.


i feel bad for people that actually have to put cars away for winter. lol

Mine is track only car so hibernate for a while. Don't like having it sit as even in summer I can't drive on the street or bed brakes or anything. Presents more challenges.

[Flying Ace]

What's winter?

[Nice Rumble]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

What's winter?

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

What's winter?

I'll post a pic once we get the 10 ft of snow that's supposed to be coming lol.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by Nice Rumble

Only white stuff I've seen here in SF is cocaine, and that is a lot of cocaine on those cars

[roastbeef]

i feel sorry for you guys that have to do this. this would be a huge bummer for me, but i'm sure it gives you something exciting to look forward to in the spring.

[1MOREMOD]

Drift practice in winter is fun also

[stevelp99]

Snow capped parking remind me of the fun I had living in New Hampshire with my old X5 4.4i and a good set of snow tires, but anything involving driving and snow is generally a nightmare in my opinion. Once I saw some poor soul trying to drive his E46 M3 in the snow with no snow tires, he didn't get far before ending up stuck on the side of the road. Living in south Texas does have this advantage that my M3 doesn't need to hibernate. But at the same time its a good feeling getting back into a car after not driving it for a period of time.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by stevelp99

Snow capped parking remind me of the fun I had living in New Hampshire with my old X5 4.4i and a good set of snow tires, but anything involving driving and snow is generally a nightmare in my opinion. Once I saw some poor soul trying to drive his E46 M3 in the snow with no snow tires, he didn't get far before ending up stuck on the side of the road. Living in south Texas does have this advantage that my M3 doesn't need to hibernate. But at the same time its a good feeling getting back into a car after not driving it for a period of time.

I too miss the snow. I use to live in Ohio and Virginia. I had a Evo 8 with snow tires for 6 winters. Very fun.

Wish I can get some of that white stuff this year. Got a X5 now.

[bstone801]

Did you really put rags in the exhaust pipes? The single life.