Hibernation anyone?

[HMC]

My short attention span means anything laid up gets sold, I like to remind myself of why I own a vehicle and go out and drive it on a whim. But thats just me.

[captain_70s]

My Dolly 1300 is sat in my parent's garage, it's sort of hibernating due to the fact it's rather broken and the MOT ran out a week ago.

The 1850HL was on the road last winter and I used it as my daily motor, hence why it's been off the road since February due to having holes in places it shouldn't and brake and fuel pipes that piss everywhere.

The 1500HL is in a location somewhere, it's vanished from it's usual scrap yard parking spot and I've been trying not to think about it ever since I agreed to buy it with money I don't really have.

The Civic is the only car that's currently on the road, mostly because it's the only one that isn't shit because Dad chose it on my behalf...

 

There's no point in running something old that you want to keep up here over winter, my 1300 rusted while it was sat in a dry garage over last winter with a fresh coat of wax on it purely due to being so near the sea. My attempts at rust proofing the 1850 in places you'd expect it to rust just meant it rusted in stupid fucking places like the middle of the doors and roof AND in the usual places, I swear BL built their cars out of tinfoil...

 

Don't have any current pictures but here is the Dolly in the garage LAST winter before I crashed it wrecking the rear panel, bumper and bootlid and also before the rear wheel arches started separating from the rest of the bodywork.

 

[lisbon_road]

Planning to put my daily Mk3 Astra into hibernation if I can get my WBOD Astra fixed, but time is difficult as I am also repairing the Zafira that has been in an accident.

 

It is seriously weird to do this locking them away but I do think it is worth it.

 

I rarely admit to my friends - just a case of 'just using this one for a while before I sell it on'.  Which is true anyway......

[mat_the_cat]

I wonder if today is the last time I'll use the Stellar this year? Not seen a gritter yet this year although they usually start late October/early November. It's so damp around here that we rarely get dry gritted roads - just a greasy, salty film. Prep will consist of pumping the tyres up more, upping the screenwash concentration (to avoid cracking the tank), battery on maintenance change, and some fuel stabiliser in the tank.

 

Last year I used the van a few times in the winter, but gave it a fresh coat of old engine oil over the underside beforehand.

[Vin]

The 45CL outside the garage it is currently hibernating in. I go and turn the engine every fortnight or so, but it won't come out now until the Spring...The 750L next to it, I do use during the winter, weekends mainly. It's scruffy, has doors full of filler, but the underneath is solid and lathered in waxoyl/dinitrol etc. Passed another MOT during the week, no advisories... :-D

 

[Uncle Jimmy]

Hibernation is for small furry things. Nowt better than a roar about in an old motor on a chilly leafless Sunday morning. Even better if the motor is large, noisy and consumes much petroleum.

[Split_Pin]

The Astra is sorned again until March. Nil preparation as when I laid it up for 2 years after my son was born it just started right up. However I am fortunate to have a very cosy and dry integral garage.

 

The wee Corsa is ready for winter again. Antifreeze was changed last year so thats ok, oil is due next month, a few areas of slight underbody corrosion were treated by my local garage in August and 2 cans of Dinitrol cavity wax were pumped into every orifice. Tyres are all legal however the 2 Yoko S drives on the back are old and the Barum/Wanli widowmaker on the front are less than satisfactory. It needs a new rear axle, dampers and springs as all are corroded. I have all the bits there but I think Ill squeeze a few more months of motoring from them bedore submitting the car for repair. Im not bothered a great deal about these parts being rusty as they are pretty much service items. Happy motoring!

[beko1987]

Thats a good shout mat the cat, i need to get some screenwash, we both have water in our tanks. Must get some oil too, havent got any and the meriva will need a drink soon. I dont have that issue as mine doesnt use a drop

[beko1987]

The Astra is sorned again until March. Nil preparation as when I laid it up for 2 years after my son was born it just started right up. However I am fortunate to have a very cosy and dry integral garage.

 

The wee Corsa is ready for winter again. Antifreeze was changed last year so thats ok, oil is due next month, a few areas of slight underbody corrosion were treated by my local garage in August and 2 cans of Dinitrol cavity wax were pumped into every orifice. Tyres are all legal however the 2 Yoko S drives on the back are old and the Barum/Wanli widowmaker on the front are less than satisfactory. It needs a new rear axle, dampers and springs as all are corroded. I have all the bits there but I think Ill squeeze a few more months of motoring from them bedore submitting the car for repair. Im not bothered a great deal about these parts being rusty as they are pretty much service items. Happy motoring!

Sounds like they will wait until spring when the salt has gone!

[Rusty Pelican]

This will semi hybernate although it will get driven around the block every few weeks to keep it going

 

 

This generally gets used all year , the car not the wife

 

 

This lives out all year and gets hammered , covered in mud , abused but has a great heater

 

 

This is a recent purchase - its living outside and although it runs and is legal hasnt really been on the road for the last 28 years - feck knows what im going to do but getting it reliable would be a good start 

 

[groovylee]

Toe dipper.

I will protest this point on the grounds that i'm doing it for the bike, not for me

 

that said, it'll probably come back out of the garage after a good service and coating of acf50.  I just don't have the time to do the work now, due to trying to prep the green ranger. (insert other suitable summer biker, whingy whining excuses here lol)

 

Lee

[Partridge]

The Sterling will be garaged for the winter. I'll still be taking it out, but there will be somewhere that I can wash the salt off before putting it away and it will be out of the way of snow, and it should take the edge off the damp.

[chaseracer]

Ah-ha!

 

So this new push bike... it's a motivational tool?

 

 

This - plus a relatively inexpensive midlife crisis (50 in December!) loosely wrapped in a genuine attempt to shed some timber and get a bit fitter.  Also, to give me somewhere secure to store the bikes, the Dyane's going to have to go on the drive under a decent cover.

 

Domestic Management still can't quite get over this last point.

[Jikovron]

a weekly jet wash keeps mine in reasonable fettle through winter, I suspect that if the night dew formation is kept agitated and ultimately evapourated on the motorway it seems to keep the corrosion fairly benign

 

it has had a few bits and bobs of welding though so its not been foolproof

[andrew e]

The Honda has probally one more cut and a winter clean up and oiling (likely leave it full of super unleaded) and the Audi might come out for a Christmas thrashing (and also be left half full of super unleaded) and possibly a pre hibernation wax. Sitting on the ctek charger at present ready for action.

 

[Crusty Sills]

Today I have had the Beetle out and cleaned the inside of all of the wheel arches.

Now all covered over in the garage not so much to keep him warm and cosy but more that the other half loves to through shit in the garage without a second thought to the paint work on the car!!

He will come out at the first sign of a lovely bright dry day.

 

 

The Audi can live outside fine although I really need to waterproof the roof before it gets to far into winter.