Winter storage - How am I preparing my MX-5 for hibernation?
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- Subscribe so that I can buy a lav microphone and improve my audio for you! :) These are the points that I think are worth looking at for winter storage and details on how I am storing my mk3 MX-5 this winter.
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Soft top cleaning kit I use: amzn.to/2KVvYiB
Soft top cleaning brush I use: amzn.to/393XB0S
CTEK Trickle Charger: amzn.to/2O2MqPh
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0:00 Intro
3:00 Interior
3:35 Brakes
4:16 Battery
5:29 Moisture
6:08 Storage environment
7:56 Fuel
8:30 Indoor Covers
8:48 Tyres
9:59 Reminder
10:16 SORN
10:55 Outro
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Sorn. Save a few quid if you are not using the car over winter months . Tell your insurance company they will be fine . Don’t cancel insurance . What happens if the car is damaged whilst on the drive or in the garage . Like a fire ! I have just fitted Vredstein Quatrac all season tyres to my MX5 . Really impressed in the summer weather we are having at the moment . Will let you know how they do over winter ❄️ in due course
I have a "half cover" that is secured in place by the boot lid and held firm against the car body via magnets and Velcro strips around the wing mirrors. Whenever it's dry I go for a drive with the top down, regardless of the temperature outside. Having a full width wind-difuser makes a huge difference to keeping the interior temp more comfortable. With heated seat, turning the temp dial and fan upto max, I'm comfortable enough to go out top-down when outside temp is near freezing.
All good points. I keep mine covered in unheated Garage will run a fan if dampness is is present and keep moth balls in pan under car to discourage critters. Happy Zooming.
Been toying with the idea of garaging mine over the winter. This helped loads, thank you!
Thanks for that. Some useful advice and reassures me I'm doing the right thing. I keep my car taxed and insured as there can be dry sunny days in winter then I can give the car a run out.
Your house looks like you have been doing some work. Like your light fittings.
Have a good Christmas.
Just joined the Mazda MX5 community and have found your channel. Loving the videos, keep up the great work.
P.S. I'll be driving mine over the winter...but only when it's dry!
Thanks for the info. I just bought a 2010 MX5 {NC} as a weekend/fun car. I too have another car also more comfortable and I needed to store the miata for the winter. I don't have a garage so it will be sitting on the driveway. The video did remind me what to do. The only thing I see wrong is that I'm a java man myself. May the winds be at your back. ☕
Great video again, always really look forward to when these come out. Been enjoying the Insta content too!
Thanks mate 👌☕️
Great video... ps. Love your tree
My Sep 2021 Sports Venture MX5 is safe in a dry and well ventilated garage.
To add a touch of luxury, its got a genuine Porsche 911 Carrera 4 cover over it,
I hibernate my 2006 mk3 for six months of the year in my well ventilated garage and have done for the last four winters, by well ventilated I mean the gaps in the up and over door and frequent entry front or rear of the garage. I simply wash the car, have about one third of a tank of petrol in it and I add a stabiliser, I drive it in, hand brake off and as it's an auto I just leave it in park, I fit my CTEC battery conditioner and that's it, I start it a few times over the six months on good days. When spring arrives (1st April for me, pay six months road tax only) I back it out, give it a wash, check tyre pressures, oil, and stuff, tax it and ready to go, no problems at all. I do have another car for the colder months.
Interesting topic Dom. My NC is now in a rented lockup garage. I washed and waxed it first, wiped the engine bay down, cleaned the interior so nothing should fester. I took off all the wheels and cleaned the rims so they look like new, sealed the paint with Soft 99 Fusso Coat polymer polish (dirt and water seal) then remounted them. In the lockup garage I hook up the battery to an intelligent battery charger (I have three - two Optimates - one original and a "4" Canbus, and a CTEK MXS 5.0). These chargers cost less than a new car battery and lead-acid batteries like to be kept near full charge or they deteriorate too quickly. So it saves money in the long run. I store it with a decent amount of petrol in the tank, so there should be no chance for rust. Then I lock the car and cover it with a soft cloth dust cover. Tyre pressures are perhaps a tad over recommended but nothing crazy. Then I check on it every couple of weeks, make sure nothing is happening that shouldn't. It's just had a service so everything else should be OK. That's it. Springtime will see new wipers and 2 new tyres to match the 2 new ones I had to get for vehicle inspection. I'm tempted to fit coilovers next year too. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Thanks for the comment Rob, sounds like you’re pretty well covered for storage there! How long do you put it away for? I know the Swiss winters make the UK ones look a bit.. weak.. 😂
@@CarThought It's our second bout of snow now with snow & sleet falling as I write. No fun in an MX-5 on summer tyres, so I'm glad she's tucked up & dry. It starts getting nice again in March, so all of November to end of February for certain. But if there's a nice weekend forecast in December/January it's no sweat to get her out for a few days.
Here you can send the number plates back to the local Dept of Transport authority and that will automatically 'hibernate' your insurance and road tax too. As with everything, the exact details vary from canton to canton (in Canton Zurich I could bring the plates to the local post office but my current canton doesn't do this). You can also use the same plates on two vehicles as long as you arrange this with the local DoT. Then you only pay the more expensive road tax of the two. You still have to insure them of course. I think I'll have to go this route as soon as I'm retired. The tax for the 2-litre MX-5 and my 2-litre turbo Skoda estate is identical - based (in this canton) just on engine displacement.
I also have a half-cover that I religiously use when parked outside. It stops all kind of bird droppings and other undesirable muck from sullying my cloth soft top. I had the soft-top cleaned then impregnated professionally to keep it looking good. All the best, Rob
Good vid
A nice central heated garage for my toy ref a trickle charger I use an optimate 4 I also disengage the hand break all this is done after I give the car a full interest and external detailing on the worn and insurance I agree if you have no plans to use the car then worn it but it only saves you a few £ as if the sun dose pop out you can just use it on insurance it’s a no brainier just keep it insured as if anything happens like a scrote has a go then you are covered assuming you are fully comp
Great video, all very useful tips. I've had the problem of the handbrake sticking on a few times and it is a bit worrying when the car suddenly lurches backwards lol
Frightening isn’t it! 😂
I wouldn't SORN even if I had 2 cars because the one in use might not start or have a problem. As a one car (mx5) owner all I do in winter is carry out the usual battery, oil, antifreeze, tyre , lights, wipers & wiper fluid checks, fit the detachable hardtop, turn the heating up and drive. :-).
Yes totally understand this mentality! Glad you’re enjoying it, I must say a cold winters morning with the roof down is very satisfying!
I have heated seats and prht... perfect 👌 winter motor
It takes seconds to un-sorn the car. Just go on gov.uk "sorn a vehicle" and bash in the V5C number and the number plate. It's instant.
What’s the best way to stop covers getting nicked? I trap a bit of my half cover under the bonnet but it’s not ideal.
I think it’s going to depend on where you live.. if someone wants to pinch it they’ll be able to pinch it I think..! Have you ever had one stolen?
MX-5 hibernates for the winter.
Do you recommend hood up or down? My MX5 will be stored over the winter in an (unheated) garage.
Up, keeps it taught. Leaving it down it’ll get creases. Designed to spend most of its life up. Just how I used to store mine in the later years, unheated garage is better than outside 👍
Would have enjoyed a cat litter and tights demo just because it seems so odd. Wasn't it just last year that you and a friend dressed as Santa and elf?
My NC sits in the garage during cold weather and I take it for a ride every couple of weeks.
Happy Holidays!
Hahaha yes I would have liked to have seen that too..! Maybe when I hit 5000 subscribers? 😂
@@CarThought ... so, since my post of 5 days ago, my NC has begun to experience battery issues. Apparently I've not driven it often enough consistently enough since the pandemic began. Trickle charger on order.
@@cs2360 Disconnect the terminal or remove the battery indoors.
How does everyone deal with the sheer level of condensation that occurs in these MX-5s!? Mine is rampant with condensation. It takes ages to clear as well. Gets all over the windscreen and roof. To the point where water is dripping off the roof! Is there a special trick to managing this? I’ve checked the roof seals and cleared the drains in the summer. Some of the condensation even gets under the floor mats inside.
Sounds like you may have a leak mate. Never experienced it that badly when I used to store mine outside.
I do go over some condensation tips in this video though.
Sounds like your rear drains are blocked and wetting your carpets , shouldn't have that much condensation.
@@CarThought Thanks for replying so quickly to me. Yes I think a leak is likely to be the case now. The condensation is clearly excessive and beyond what normal owners contend with. I have felt some dampness on the floor and upon looking outside the car, there is a lot of gunk/mud around the wipers going under the panels around the wipers. Looks like the drivers side of the front cowl is leaking. I did the passengers side this summer when the car was leaking badly but didn’t get round to preemptively doing the drivers side in the summer. Had it planned for this summer but it seems to be leaking early which is a shame.
@@davidclarke1731 Hi Dave, thanks for your reply. I’ve tried to unblock the drains but I can’t see the trombone cleaner wire exit the drains under the car and I’m afraid to push them further down the hole incase they get stuck in the hole. It’s another thing I want to do in the summer so I can sneak under the car without getting wet and muddy.
What's this guy do for a living?
Do you SORN your car?
I use my mx5 all year round, daily driven sports car! Lol
You should keep it insure encase it get twoced.... but sorn means you can save months of money and it takes minutes to do online.
Keep mine on road during winter with a half cover only. I find you get less problems if you keep driving it regular ( brakes, battery etc )
This is a great idea. Although whoever TWOCed it would probably give it back when they found out how hard it rides 😂
Hi Dom, SORN is very easy all done online or by phone and you can even find a post office and re-tax will save you three months of tax then you will want to be driving the 5 again by the end of March, I think insurance is mandatory all year round though? I did garage and SORN mine last year but this year will keep using it as it is the power retractable hard top even though a have a daily too, the wife moaned too much she couldn't get to the chest freezer in the garage last year :(
Really like your videos. Just bought an mx5 myself be great to collab maybe sometime?
Thanks man, which one did you buy? Always open to suggestions! 👍
@@CarThought Mk 3 2006 what’s your insta I’ll message you for maybe new year video or something.
Do NOT put a cover on a car kept outside. Once did it on a Merc I owned and it destroyed the paintwork.
For whay it's worth, I put mine under a cover outside all winter last year and it got battered by the wind etc. Didn't get any noticeable scratches, though I'm not hugely anal about brilliant paintwork. It's a 14 year old car now anyway. The cover had no negative effect on the paint for me.
I SORN my car in winter, it saves me £26 per month. I like you have another car plus the use of the wifes car. Being retired and in lockdown we can`t go anywhere anyway.
Yeah, guess when you work it out monthly £26 isn’t bad! How long do you do it for?
Why cover it? Just because it's popular doesn't make it right - think it through! Popular? The Daily Mail is popular!
Yes, mine (a 2007 2.0 roadster) gets driven all year round. It's in its 14th year and I've had it from new and it still looks and goes like new. It lives on the drive (handbrake off - my drive is level so it's not going anywhere). My garage has my motorbikes in it and model live-steam locos.
Don't start it unless you are going to drive it - it WILL NOT reach operating temp unless you drive it so you'll get internal corrosion in the engine from the condensation running it cold causes, and oil dilution. if you are not going to drive it, get a CTEK. But.... all you describe seems like an awful lot of faff to NOT drive it. And you will miss out! Some of the best top-down days are In winter! DRIVE IT FFS! It's a fun car - don't drive it and you are missing that fun!
Haha very good point with the daily mail! Although as I said in the video I never had any adverse affects with the cover, and the consensus seems to be covering a vehicle outside has a benefit, even if it’s only a placebo.
Have to disagree with you on getting up to temperature though. After 15-20 minutes idling the coolant temp dial is almost at the mid point. Not sure on the oil as I don’t have a read out yet! Can’t say I’ve ever heard of crankcase dilution in an NC, the compression ratio seems too low of this to be a concern to me. Either way I’m averaging an oil change every 3.5K miles in mine at the moment so if there is any fuel in the oil it’s not there for long 😂
But it’s made out of Japanese steel! Not designed for UK salty winter roads. What’s the benefit of driving a weekend sports car through winter, unless you jet wash the underside after every journey.. it’ll just corrode faster!
I’m perfectly fine with missing out on 1 or 2 winter drives after the 2 holes I found in my sills last week! 😂 video coming soon! ☕️
@@CarThought It's not oil dilution through fuel, but through condensation from running a cold engine for a long period. The coolant temp will quickly rise to 'normal', but the oil will not get anything like up to working temp so won't boil-off the condensation, and you'll have water-diluted oil. Also, internal engine corrosion will occur again because the condensation will not boil off if the engine is cold (and it will be if not put under load by driving the car).
Also the Cat will stay cold unless the car is driven reasonably hard. This means it not only doesn't work as a cat, but it gets contaminated with exhaust products that usually get burned off when the car is running. Do this enough and it'll fail the next MOT on emissions. Modern cars are not designed for leaving running at idle. Start it, drive it. If you don't want to drive it don't start it, stick a CTEK on the battery (no need to disconnect the battery).
As for salty roads, I got mine Waxoyled by the garage that does my servicing, and the Waxoyl checked every year. 14 years on it's still fine.
Condensation where? Doesn’t make sense? Any water in the cylinders will turn to steam and go through the exhaust. Internal corrosion where?
Also oil doesn’t boil, it’s literally designed not to boil.. boiling point of a fully synthetic engine oil is around 300C. Oil couldn’t lubricate an engine if it was turning into a gas when hot
You are right about the Cats but that would take years of idling to fill the cats full on a petrol. Cat concern is much more of a problem on a diesel.