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parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:55 am
by dustyMini
Hi,

Im parking up my mini for 6 months.

97 cooper - she is going good. its going in the shed with a cover. I was wondering should i get my dad to turn it over ever week and let it run for a while or just leave it and give it a good service when i get back?

Is there anything i can coat the mini with - the parents house is on the west coast beside the sea?

I know KMG said to me once about something i can cover it with but i forgot what he said.

Mike

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:58 pm
by keith
in no particular order of importance:

pull the plugs out, squirt lots of engine oil down the bores
make sure the coolant in the rad is up to normal strength and level
if you can, take the weight off the tyres by propping up the subframes with blocks (wood, breeze...etc.)
spray wd40 or other oil/wax round the engine bay.
make sure the car is clean and give it a good waxing.
leave it in neutral with the handbrake off
put some rodent poison around the place: i had lots of trouble with a mouse eating wiring.
crack open the windows an inch or so.
take the battery out and charge it every month

im sure others here will add to this!

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:43 am
by dustyMini
Hi Keith thanks for the info.

would you say making it this way is better than getting my dad to turn it over once a week for half hour and bringing it for a small spin or best just keep it parked up?

Mike

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:39 pm
by keith
well its not really the same thing;
IMHO keeping the car running and in use is the best way to protect it. *but* if you dont have that option and you have to lay it up, the suggestions i made will help minimise the effects of time and tide.

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:50 pm
by dustyMini
ok great thanks for the info much appriciated. - mike

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:44 pm
by mmurfee
hi mike have not seen you since the economy run, hope we can meet up again when u have that car out of storage take care.

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:10 pm
by keith
found this on the net: many thanks to an uncredited author, and to miniresource:

http://web.archive.org/web/200701090344 ... torage.php

Re: parking a mini for 6 months

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:44 pm
by StanO'Toole
Clutch