Storing a 2003 Honda S2000 for several months

hints for storage for several months

Several months, like 3? Nothing much. You might need to charge the battery when you return, and check the fluids and tire pressure.

Cars might sit on a lot that long, Have you let i sit before say for a couple of weeks? if so what is your experience then? A battery maintainer, not a tricke charger might be nice but for 2 to 3 months rusted rotors would be your biggest possible issue imhop.

Add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and fill the gas tank.

Disconnect/remove the battery.

Connect a battery maintainer/charger to the battery. Otherwise expect to replace it.

Place stainless steel pot scrubbers in the exhaust pipes and in the intake before the air filter. Critters can’t chew thru stainless steel. So they can’t build nests.

Place a note on the steering wheel to remind you to remove the pot scrubbers from the exhaust/intake.

Place drier sheets in the interior to keep critters out.

That should do it.

Tester

(Uh, oh… another really short sentence fragment post.:thinking:)

Randy, are you here? Please come back and take part in the discussion (New Topic) you created.

Please define “several.”

I have lots of experience with parking several cars for months at a time over a period of many roads.

In addition to some of the comments, I like to change the engine oil & filter just prior to storage and make sure the vehicle was brought up to a good warm “operating temperature,” (driving several miles should do it… on DRY roads) prior to parking it.

Don’t start it cold, run it a bit, without bringing it up to full operating temperature and then park it and don’t put it up after driving on wet/damp roads.

For more specific hints, please explain your climate conditions or better yet, tell us what part of the country you are parking in. We have guys from all over, standing by.

CSA :sunglasses:

My friends at the convertible top maker, Haartz have told me what may seem obvious, but a convertible should be stored with the top up and secured.

Suspend auto insurance except comprehensive. Money better spent elsewhere while you’re away.

You can leave the battery alone. Might need a jump or charge when you return, but probably not, unless it is on death’s door when you leave.

No offence, but I don’t agree with that. If the vehicle is at a storage facility and something happens to damage vehicle the storage does not have insurance to cover it. If at home not sure if homeowners policy will cover vehicle.

No offense taken. You wouldn’t need collision insurance, medical coverage, or any insurance that applies solely to risks incurred while driving. Your insurance agent could help you decide what works in your particular situation.

I have suspended insurance a few times when I had a car parked for, say, half a year. The insurance company provided a red hang tag to attach to the steering wheel, warning of non-coverage. Of course insurance companies won’t suspend parts of your coverage on a day by day basis, but a longer continuous period of non-driving may be something your company can handle.

If you do that with an S2000 with the factory radio, you will need the security code to allow the radio to work again. Read your owners manual, there is a phone number inside that you can call to get your security code for your radio. Or the dealer can get it for you.

Same thing happens if you leave the battery in the vehicle for several months, and it goes dead from non-use.

Tester

An S2000 will only go weak (11.5 volts or so) after 3 months. Not enough to kill the radio. I had one and parked over the winter months for several years. The current drain while parked is pretty low.

But the OP needs to know, either way, that they need to get that code.

Comprehensive will cover mishaps in a storage facility or in your own garage. It’s for stuff like trees falling on the car, the garage catching fire, etc.

When I ran a self storage facility we had a third party insurance firm that sold coverage but it was basically worthless. That is why we told people storing vehicles and boats to contact their own insurance agent.
Not sure if you can get comprehensive without full coverage.

How did you prevent the battery from sulfating?

http://www.batteryminders.com/avoid-battery-sulfation/

Tester

I can report that you can get comprehensive without full coverage from State Farm, anyway. In fact they will strongly encourage you to do it if you forget to ask when you drop liability/medical on a summer car.

I used an Optima spiral cell AGM battery. Almost - un- killable.

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This is from the link I provided.

All lead-acid storage batteries will develop sulfate during their life time. This includes the new sealed “dry” such as Optima, Odyssey, Exide and Interstate branded AGM-spiral-wound types.

Wanna try again?

Tester

I’ll buy Optima batteries anytime they fit one of my cars. I owned that S2000 as a 3rd (and later 4th car) for 8 years with the Optima Yellowtop battery I bought new in 2008 and sold with the car in 2016. I jumped the battery several times while it was parked for extended periods. Some as long as 5 months. It worked perfectly, hot or cold, even though it was quite small by normal car battery standards.

When I moved to Florida, I asked a tow truck driver what batteries work last the longest in the heat. His answer about the Optima was that you can’t kill them. Anecdotal, just like my experience, but based on many calls to jump or tow.

Sure all lead-acid batteries sulfate. Agree with that. I just never found that point with the Optima after a very long time.

And BTW, only Optima (Johnson Controls) have the spiral cells. Everyone else uses flat-plate-AGM designs.

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I read up on Optima batteries, impressive. But are they worth the price???