I am about to put my car under a tarp for 30 days. It will be in the Pennsylvania winter. How much gasoline should I leave in it?
Near full but not brim full…If you tarp it, make sure the tarp is held down tight and snug and can’t flap in the wind…Tarps sometimes can do more harm than good. I would disconnect the battery…(Just remove the negative cable) Check to be sure you don’t have an “anti-theft” radio before disconnecting the battery, or that you have the necessary code to unlock it when you reconnect the battery…
Car sitting 30 days in winter is common as it gets. Don’t think the gas matters much.
But it is beneficial to get in the closer-to-full than empty habit.
Why are you putting the car under a tarp? The tarp will likely do more damage than good. Leaving a car exposed for 30 days, even in winter, is not harmful to the car.
Forget the tarp.
Fill the gas tank. Not over-full, just full.
Your Civic should survive 30 days with no preparation whatsoever, assuming it’s been maintained correctly.
Tarps can collect moisture on the underside as well. Forget the tarp.
I suggest removing the battery and bring it inside, ideally with a battery tender on it. That will keep the battery in better condition and make it a lot harder to steal, as few thieves have a supply of batteries with them.
I agree loose the car cover.
Check your owner’s manual about the battery first. You may need to record some security codes before you disconnect the battery.
Agree; most new cars sit on the dealers lot for at least that length of time. Unless you park it in a neighborhood where vandals might damge your car, I would not recommend it. Just wash it.