My daughter is going to college but is leaving her VW Jetta TDI behind. We won’t be using it, and it will be stored during a brutal Canadian Winter. Any storage tips?
I’d just change the oil, put in a healthy dose of diesel fuel conditioner, fill it up, drive it a few miles, and put it away. This assumes she’ll use it next spring. If 4 years of storage, I’d rather sell it.
As for the battery, any way to put a battery tender on it? You could remove it, too.
I had never heard of a battery tender. I just googled it. That’s really helpful. Thanks!
A few months is not long term. A few years is long term.
How long before your daughter wants to drive the car again?
Either way, the car would be better off if you used it periodically. Maybe once every few weeks, for at least 20-30 minutes.
I recommend removing the battery from any car during long term storage. Consider It makes stealing it a lot harder since the bad guys generally don't carry an assortment of batteries with them.
Don’t forget to cancel the collusion insurance now and start it back up before you start the car next spring.
The car is likely better off in the cold during the winter than been used or going south. Cold does not hurt a car, snow mixed with salt etc does the bad stuff.
Do add the diesel conditioner (WINTER blend). Not really needed if it is not going to be used until summer or put somewhere warm for a few days before trying to start it.
Either way, the car would be better off if you used it periodically. Maybe once every few weeks, for at least 20-30 minutes.
While I almost always agree with MC and usually when we disagree, I end up being wrong, I just don’t buy that run it idea under these conditions. In addition if you are going to run it you will need collision insurance and that is going to offset any advantage.
I’m getting some great info, guys. Thanks. I had never heard of a battery tender before (as opposed to a battery charger), and had no idea diesel conditioner came in different blends. Very helpful as he loves her car (somehow she named it “The Chief”).
True, but I’ve also read of issues with the various electronics (stereo, etc) forgetting their codes without a battery. If theft weren’t a worry, I’d use a tender.