# how do you maintain ur skyline during winter?



## EPRacing (Jul 3, 2007)

Just want some information on how people look after their car during winter.

As I have give the baby a good bath earlier last week and a nice good drive before I took it away.

Now the car wont be moving for the next few month, I just want to know how people look after it during this few months.

Do you disconnect the battery and not start it for the next few months??

Do you start it once a week to keep things moving??

do you disconnect anything to keep things in good nick??

just want your thoughts really.


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## markpriorgts-t (May 23, 2004)

interested in this aswell as ive took mine off the road last week

I disconnected the battery


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## GTR33-MP (Dec 29, 2004)

Disconnect the battery and raise the tyre pressure to try any avoid any flat spots developing from standing still & cover the car to protect from dust etc.

Had my last car off the road for 6months so used axle stands to raise.

I don't see the benefit of regularly starting other than to maintain battery charge if not disconnected.


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## GOGS 2 (Jun 21, 2009)

ive gave my car a good polish just before the bad weather started and i use a solar powerd battery charger it definetally helps keep the battery charged.

i start the car up every couple of weeks move the car backwards and forwards to free of the brakes and get the car up to full temperature. oil about 80c before i switch it off and i leave the car in gear i dont use the hand brake if the cars going to be siting for a while


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## EPRacing (Jul 3, 2007)

thanks for the advise.  I cant disconnect the battery as it will sets the alarm to go crazy!!
GOGS Solar power battery charger hmmmm....interesting but the car is in the garage so I guess its a bit point less for me. 

I thought about sticking a jump pack in the boot and connect to the battery but I dunno how much benefit it will make in stopping the battery run flat.


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## Jimbostir (Dec 2, 2008)

I try to use mine through the winter.
I always blast the salt out of the arches. 
You can get an optimizer for the battery. (Leave it plugged in)


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## dan-hipgrave (Nov 22, 2008)

- Park up inside
- Battery charger on
- Car cover on
- Forget I own a GTR until March

Works for me


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## AlexH (Aug 17, 2008)

i have just had mine detailed and will be putting it in the garage when it gets back for the long winter months.
i basicaly put it in the garage leave the handbrake OFF
chock the wheels so it doesnt move

forget i own a GTR till march, then i usualy find i have to buy a new battery but this is no biggie as they are no more than £40 from my local factors
then i give it a good going over, oils and fluids check and if any look suspiciouse i will change them
then i will usually do about 1000miles and break something and it will be off the road all summer getting fixed then it goes back in the garage over winter....................

GTR's are like a high maintinance girlfriend, love to hate them but you just cant be without it


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## tonigmr2 (Sep 12, 2002)

Normally I would drive mine on dry sunny days of which there are very few in winter...but this year I've decided to sorn it and put it to bed until at least Jan end. Just bought a GTR car cover from the club, so it'll get a wash and covered, handbrake off and battery on trickle.


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## LozGT (Dec 8, 2005)

I coulod never park it up and forget about it. with the GTR I couldn't bear not to drive it - it was my only car anyway. However, I made sure to give it a good clean every time I took it out. It sounds a little excessive but after driving a few minutes spent with a bucket and sponge to clean the sills and arches kept mine free of rust for nearly ten years (the strut tops went first!). Mechanically I made sure to service regularly (oil & filter change every 3000 miles) and warm it up gently. After 75000 additional miles the car was still running very sweetly, still on orginal turbos and driving like the day I bought it in 2001.


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## GavGTR (Jan 12, 2004)

dan-hipgrave said:


> - Park up inside
> - Battery charger on
> - Car cover on
> - Forget I own a GTR until March
> ...


X2 :wavey:


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## Min-e (Sep 23, 2009)

If you're storing your car outside for a long period of time, is the cover available in the club shop still sufficient (Lightweight Breathable) or is another type of cover such as a Heavy-duty Waterproof cover required? Sorry to hijack the topic but I was just curious as I'm in the same boat as the OP, although mine will be outside for the next month(s) and wondered if the club shop cover is "enough?"

Most cars put into storage have their tyres pumped up to 50psi, and a good trickle charger if you don't already own one is an Accumate:

AccuMate 6V & 12V Battery Maintenance System

It is a trickle charger and monitors your battery's condition constantly. Well worth the money!


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## gtrsmiles (Mar 10, 2008)

Yep, mine went off the road on Saturday, (first day of snow for us) Took it out Thursday night, good long blast round (3/4 tank) loving the cold temps. Good clean / jet wash underneath / arches / ect, dry, garage, trickle charger on, moisture trap in boot and in passenger foot well, in neutral no hand break, doorstops behind / in front of wheels, massive cover over, see you in April! Order oil and filter for oil change weekend before back on road, check golf is ok for the winter, £200 a month fuel saving should get me some cams, fuel pump, injectors and remap in April!


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## Mook (Mar 20, 2007)

Drive it. 
Christmas day I'll do 150 miles

Boxing day will do 150 miles

So long as there ain't snow on the ground every GTR deserves a good ragging

Mook


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## GTR Cook (Apr 22, 2008)

Drive it, when the weather isn't too bad.


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## kingsley (Aug 26, 2002)

Min-e said:


> Most cars put into storage have their tyres pumped up to 50psi, and a good trickle charger if you don't already own one is an Accumate:
> 
> AccuMate 6V & 12V Battery Maintenance System
> 
> It is a trickle charger and monitors your battery's condition constantly. Well worth the money!


Seconded - I've got an Accumate and it works a treat. Don't make the mistake of putting the battery on an ordinary car charger and leaving it connected else it'll boil the battery dry in time (I ruined a battery doing that which is what made my buy the Accumate).

When I start the car for the first time in a while, I disconnect the sensor plug from the front of the engine (the one that plugs in by the end of the exhaust cam) and crank for 15 seconds on the starter to let a bit of oil get round before I let it fire up.

Cheers,
Kingsley.


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## EPRacing (Jul 3, 2007)

As much as I love to drive the skyline in the winter but with 550bhp in the ice and snow its a bit risky as well as the amount to salt and freaking stone chip I get on the car is crazy. I already had a chip on my roof coming home from Japshow finale show a few months back it sort of p1ss me off a bit. As well as last week some one bump into my misses evo in tesco car park and broke the carbon splitter and left..  so it have put me off driving my baby at the moment.

well I just purchase a Accumate  now just need to wait for it to turn up.


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## edd_x2 (Jan 10, 2009)

Drive it all year round ! It's just a car at the end of the day .


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## GTRalex (Jan 21, 2005)

all i do is:

-polish
-cover
-put on axle stands
-remove wheels
-disconnect the battery


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## pupsi (Aug 29, 2006)

All i do is, use the bloody car, thats why i bought it. I didn't tie up all that money to molly coddle it.....They're meant to be driven.


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## *Shane* (Jul 21, 2009)

Stored in private lockup
Wash and waxed before been put away
Car cover on
Start the car once a week and leave it run until oil temps are up etc


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## GTRalex (Jan 21, 2005)

pupsi said:


> All i do is, use the bloody car, thats why i bought it. I didn't tie up all that money to molly coddle it.....They're meant to be driven.


And kept nice? What's the point in driving it in the rain snow etc with salt on the road if you have the use of another car.

Also if it's parked up a while might be a good idea to leave the handbrake off.


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## Alan (Jul 1, 2001)

Axle stands 
Full indoor cover
Hested Garage 
Handbrake off
Accumate plugged in 
Started and left to get to full temp including running through the box regularly
Parked up next to the bikes

My old Nissan Almera does the donkey work throughout the winter :wavey:


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## pupsi (Aug 29, 2006)

GTRalex said:


> And kept nice? What's the point in driving it in the rain snow etc with salt on the road if you have the use of another car.
> 
> Also if it's parked up a while might be a good idea to leave the handbrake off.


I disagree, drive it hard like its meant to be, in whatever weather, but maintained with no expense spared, regular underbody jet-washed over the winter months to expel any salt residue. I have 5 cars and they get used all year round.


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## GTR33-MP (Dec 29, 2004)

get your point but the main concern i have is risk of accidents/minor prangs increases in bad weather especially in snow/icy conditions..thats one of the reasons i take mine off the road as i don't want muppets sliding anywhere near me!


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## James GT-R (Aug 16, 2005)

Mine has been away since August, and as already said - I forget I own a GTR until March....

A good clean and polish before I put her away
Handbrake OFF
Start up maybe once a month allowing the car to get upto full temps
Then full service/checkover in March when she's back out


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## pupsi (Aug 29, 2006)

Know what you mean Dav, but hey thats what we pay insurance for, and at a premium at that.


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## Ruff McMuff (Aug 3, 2010)

i keep mine garaged all winter and just leave the handbrake off and batt disconnected.


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## Over the limit (May 14, 2009)

Drive as normal. (Excellent snow car, as long as its not too deep).


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## Chilli (Jul 16, 2007)

Professionally undersealed every November, waxed & detailed regularly, a quality jet wash after every long run, Tetrion Moisture mates x 3 (boot as Andy sais, both driver & passenger foot wells) 

CTEK Multi xs 3600 battery smart charger in the boot connected to the mains - Car cover off the shop & watch the weather by the day - soon as the snow melts & that ice goes - drive it!


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## EPRacing (Jul 3, 2007)

Im waiting for the snow to melt and a nice dry day to come out and take for a quick spin.  

From looking at the weather I dont think it will be any time soon...


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## JapFreak786 (Aug 29, 2003)

i've driven all of our Skyline's in the snow before,though this one is currently SORN'd as i don't get the time to drive it anyway,and i'm doing some interior changes so it's all getting stripped


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## EPRacing (Jul 3, 2007)

I drove the skyline last year when it was heavy snow and it was fun to drive and believe it or not it was quite good on the snow. had a bit of side way action as well. but that is before all the tune up and power increase.... since then its a bit of an animal on the road.   so I dont really want to risk it too much.


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## SPEED MERCHANT (Jun 5, 2006)

Chilli said:


> CTEK Multi xs 3600 battery smart charger in the boot connected to the mains - Car cover off the shop & watch the weather by the day - soon as the snow melts & that ice goes - drive it!


I know the club is trying to do a deal with CTEK for the chargers currently at a good discounted rate. I've had one for two years, they are just awesome :thumbsup:


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