How to keep car in storage while going off to college?

[mosaud1998]

I will be going to the city after the spring semester is over (5/19/2021) at my local community college. I am not sure if by the fall of next year classes will still remain online or be on campus. But, I am not going to be driving back and forth from the city to my house because it's almost an hour drive and 60 miles one-way trip. It's going to cost too much for me to drive back and forth plus, I don't want to drive back and forth to the city every day and risk missing a class. So, the BMW will be sitting at home in the garage for a week. My plan is to come home every weekend to see my family and probably drive the BMW around for maybe 20 miles round trip (or maybe drive it around the block??). But the week it sits, how should I go about storing it? Would a car cover be necessary even though it is going to be sitting in the garage? What about the battery, fluids, etc?

 

[BHopkins]

Since it will only be sitting a week at a time, there isn't a lot of items that need attention. Beyond all the items that should be addressed for any car during winter conditions, the battery is the one item that will need special attention.

Get yourself a trickle charger. One that has detachable leads that are permanently mounted to your battery terminals. CTEK is probably the most respected brand followed by NOKO. Keep the trickle charger connected to your battery when you are not driving the car.

Beyond that, just make sure your fluids are in good shape, particularly the coolant and windshield washer fluid. Make sure they are both ready for freezing temperatures.

Your weekly drive should preferably be at least 30 minutes so any condensation in the motor oil and gear lube can fully evaporate. I'm sure if I have forgotten anything, someone else will chime in. But that should do it.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I don’t think it will hurt sitting a week at a time maybe have a family member start it or drive it around. Make sure the gas gets used up too don’t want it to go bad sitting.

 

[Leo99]

I wouldn't do anything special for a week or two storage. My daily commute to work is over 60 miles one way. Enjoying wfh during the covid shutdown. As far as the battery goes, you'll find out if you have a parasitic draw and need to deal with that.

 

[mosaud1998]

I don’t think it will hurt sitting a week at a time maybe have a family member start it or drive it around. Make sure the gas gets used up too don’t want it to go bad sitting.

I could have the gas tank almost empty before I go off to the city. There's a gas station about 5 min away from me.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I could have the gas tank almost empty before I go off to the city. There's a gas station about 5 min away from me.

That’s great.

 

[TmanP]

Sitting for a week should be nothing at all for a car. (And if the battery can't make it a week, I'd replace it anyway.) I'd guess many of the cars in the lot/garage at colleges sit for easily that long without being thought of at all. I know I have some friends who only drive home for breaks, so their cars go several weeks plus without being run. Given that your BMW will be indoors, I'd say your weekly drive would be sufficient (honestly, every two weeks would be fine). But when I did drive it, I'd drive it for 20-30 minutes; around the block is likely worse than doing nothing. You shouldn't need fuel stabilizer unless your gas is lasting many months. Otherwise, nothing else comes to mind. Honestly, what you described is much like what many people are doing with their cars during COVID/while working from home.

 

[mosaud1998]

Since it will only be sitting a week at a time, there isn't a lot of items that need attention. Beyond all the items that should be addressed for any car during winter conditions, the battery is the one item that will need special attention.

Get yourself a trickle charger. One that has detachable leads that are permanently mounted to your battery terminals. CTEK is probably the most respected brand followed by NOKO. Keep the trickle charger connected to your battery when you are not driving the car.

Beyond that, just make sure your fluids are in good shape, particularly the coolant and windshield washer fluid. Make sure they are both ready for freezing temperatures.

Your weekly drive should preferably be at least 30 minutes so any condensation in the motor oil and gear lube can fully evaporate. I'm sure if I have forgotten anything, someone else will chime in. But that should do it.

I do have this trickle charger https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Maintainer-Portable-Motorcycle-Batteries/dp/B07CZ7KWP3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=PZXWW5EYQH06&dchild=1&keywords=trickle+charger&qid=1607292070&refinements=p_89:LEICESTERCN&rnid=2528832011&s=automotive&sprefix=trickle+,aps,198&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFRUzYxUDZPN1c3T0ImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTEwMjUxNjAyTVhVOERJVzRGNUxJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NzIyNDkyS1RaOFczRjQ4UlRRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Yeah, I'll either have my mom drive it to the grocery store whenever she needs things if I don't drive it when I come over the weekend or when I do come over the weekend, I can just drive it over to the next city nearby. I could change the oil before I go out. I mean, the cars been sitting for 2-3 weeks because I quit my job (A few of my employees tested positive for covid so I just quit). I did drive the car 14 miles round trip to get covid tested last week. Other than that, I do start the car for 5 min once a week.

 

[mosaud1998]

I do have this trickle charger https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Maintainer-Portable-Motorcycle-Batteries/dp/B07CZ7KWP3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=PZXWW5EYQH06&dchild=1&keywords=trickle+charger&qid=1607292070&refinements=p_89:LEICESTERCN&rnid=2528832011&s=automotive&sprefix=trickle+,aps,198&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFRUzYxUDZPN1c3T0ImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTEwMjUxNjAyTVhVOERJVzRGNUxJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NzIyNDkyS1RaOFczRjQ4UlRRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Yeah, I'll either have my mom drive it to the grocery store whenever she needs things if I don't drive it when I come over the weekend or when I do come over the weekend, I can just drive it over to the next city nearby.

 

[BHopkins]

Sounds like you are set.

Under normal summer conditions, a battery setting for a week at a time is no big deal. But combine Chicago winter conditions with the parasitic draw of a BMW (I'm assuming it's a newer model. Not from the '80's or earlier?), it will be smart to keep it on the trickle charger. Especially if the battery is a few years old.

 

[mosaud1998]

Sounds like you are set.

Under normal summer conditions, a battery setting for a week at a time is no big deal. But combine Chicago winter conditions with the parasitic draw of a BMW (I'm assuming it's a newer model. Not from the '80's or earlier?), it will be smart to keep it on the trickle charger. Especially if the battery is a few years old.

Yeah, it's a 2009. Either way, the cars been sitting for a while because of covid. I've probably driven a max of 1k miles during the pandemic. Other than starting the car once a week, I've done nothing special.

 

[ABN_CBT_ENGR]

I could have the gas tank almost empty before I go off to the city.

You might want to rethink that- that air space collects condensation which turns to water and it will not get good circulation inside a building. You might be better keeping it topped off.

 

[Leo99]

I could have the gas tank almost empty before I go off to the city. There's a gas station about 5 min away from me.

I'd fill my tank before letting it sit. Less head space in the tank. Less O2 to react with.

 

[mosaud1998]

You might want to rethink that- that air space collects condensation which turns to water and it will not get good circulation inside a building. You might be better keeping it topped off.

Didn't think of that lol

 

[dadto2]

I don't think you need to do anything. For 6 years I had a "beater" car for a daily driver, and my truck was only used when I needed to do truck stuff. This was once per week in the summer, and once every 2-3 weeks in the winter. I did nothing special, just parked it. I would worry about the battery drain if you were taking about a month or two of sitting, and I wouldn't worry about the gas unless it was sitting for six months or so. Just keep the tank topped off, you'll be just fine.

 

[atikovi]

But the week it sits, how should I go about storing it?

A car not driven for a week is not being stored. It's being parked. Nothing to do unless you won't drive it for 6 months or a year besides throw a charger on the battery. I've got cars stored over 5 years and the only thing I've done is remove the battery and use it in something else or sell it.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

A week is not really a problem for most modern cars, in the beginning of the pandamic i didnt use my 2005 325i for over 3 months. Even without putting any special care in to it before or after storage it fired right up first time like it had ran the day before.

If youre going 3 months or longer i would start to take some measures.

 

[mosaud1998]

A week is not really a problem for most modern cars, in the beginning of the pandamic i didnt use my 2005 325i for over 3 months. Even without putting any special care in to it before or after storage it fired right up first time like it had ran the day before.

If youre going 3 months or longer i would start to take some measures.

I don’t think I’ll go 3 months or longer without driving it. Max would maybe be a month

 

[mk378]

Starting for 5 minutes or driving around the block does more harm than good. Make a trip that gets it fully warmed up and beyond.

Don't drive just to charge up the battery, use a battery charger. On older models disconnecting the battery while parked is practical. A battery can sit unattended for a few months disconnected from the car system. Newer cars are likely to have disturbances in the computers from disconnecting the battery though.

 

[demarpaint]

Letting a car sit a week at a time is nothing to worry about. In fact for me it is a normal occurrence for my van or Wrangler to sit for a week or more at a time, without starting or driving them. They are maintained exactly the same as a vehicle I drive daily. Starting them and idling them or driving a short distance is not a good idea. It will cause more harm than good.