Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 13:50:20 -0800
Reply-To: JJ <kelandjj@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: JJ <kelandjj@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Winter Storage delimma (rather long, but worth it!)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I'm glad this got brought up. I, too, live in the
Minneapolis area and have been in a quandry about
storing my van.
I've got an '85 Westy in excellent condition with no
rust that I bought from a fellow in the Detriot area
last April. He had only used it for camping and kept
in his garage the rest of the time, starting it up
every few weeks. Fast forward to now: here we are in
November and I live in an apartment bldg in
Minneapolis. Does the Westy sit out on the street for
the winter? I cetainly don't want to drive it on
salted roads!
I decided to store it for the winter. After looking
in the paper and calling many ads for storage
facilities (I still have the numbers, Alli, if you're
interested), and after reading all the archived
messages on winter storage from the Vanagon list over
the last 4-5 years, I was left in the following
prediciment:
I don't have the time, resources, or know-how to do
all the things suggested for storing a van for the
winter. Besides the fact that, if you do rent a
storage facility, there's no way they'd let you spend
several days out there taking care of things like
these:
- put the van up on blocks to save the suspension and
tires
- Slacken ALL of the valve adjusting screws or remove
the rocker arms to close the valves
- Tape securely across the ventilation intake (behind
the grill) with duct tape, and do the same with the
exit vents (behind the rear side windows onlate
models)
- Tape securely across exhaust exit with duct tape
- coat tires and rubber parts with glycerin
- check the ethelyne glycol content of your antifreeze
(the ability of your antifreeze to stay in liquid form
in subzero temps...(with that big eyedropper thing)
proir to storage
- lube everything that moves
- take the van to a anti-rust place for spraying (I
hve since been informed that these "anti-rust" places
don't do any good anyway...)
BUT, I had figured out that, in addition to starting
up the van every couple of weeks and letting run until
the heater blows hot air, I would be able to do these
things:
- Change the oil
- Fill gas tank and add 'Stabil'
- Remove the battery
- Remove all the removeable cushions
- Leave the fridge, water tank, cabinets, etc. cracked
open
- Leave a few windows slightly open
- Release the handbrake
- Run the motor at a HIGH rev without an air filter,
and spray a fogging lubricant into the intake until
the motor chokes off. This will lubricate all of the
intake components, coating them with a sticky gel.
Replace the air filter, and tape across the intake
securely with duct tape.
Pretty much all of these storage places are set up
such that once you park your vehicle, you can't get to
it until next April. In other words, once it's in, it
ain't gettin' out until the spring. (My VW mechanic
says they "stack 'em like cord wood..", referring to
how they park the vehicles in these facilities.)
Several of the proprietors were willing to at least
let me come in and start up the van occasionally, but
very few. And, this is not to mention the fact that
most of these storage places are at least 1/2 hour
from the city and not convenient by any means.
During this time, I also figured out that I may need
to access the van and actually use it over the winter.
I'm in an acoustic-rock duo whose only only other car
is a Geo. We need the van to haul our PA and
equipment occasionally. So, a winter starage facility
was pretty much out of the question.
My next move was to try and find a garage to rent here
in the city. I figured, although more expensive (most
of the winter storage places were around $150 for the
season, and garages are usually around $50/month), a
garage would be the perfect solution. The van would
be out of the elements, yet accessible and convenient.
Well... little did I know I was in for another
delimma: all the garages I tried were too short!
I've checked on at least 4 or 5 so far, and every time
the door itself is about 2" too short to fit a Westy
with a pop-top! ARRGH! :( Now, I always ask first if
the door has a 7' clearance -- most don't, and the
ones that do (usually underground garages in apt
bldgs) are $75/month, and some are $90/month! Sorry,
but I can't afford that.
So, to make a long story even longer, I am right back
where I started. No storage space and no garage.
Should I spend the money I would have spent on rent
for one of those really nice van covers in the Bus
Depot? Maybe... but I'm concerned about putting one
of those on the Westy while it sits on the street.
Will it stick out like a sore thumb to cops who think
it's been left there for the winter? (I've already
gotten one written warning about moving my "abandoned"
vehicle within 48 hours...)
I am totally at a loss. My last resort, out of
desparation, was to have my sister, who lived in the
Twin Cities area for almost 10 years, to email all her
friends here and ask them if they have a 7' garage
they'd be willing to rent. Haven't heard a thing
back...
So... if anyone from the list has any ideas, I'd love
to hear them.
Alli - if you're okay with leaving your van someplace
for the next 6 months and having no access to it, than
there are tons of places out of the city where you can
do so. As I said, most are around $150 for the
season, aren't heated, but are covered (it's inside
storage) and very dry. The only thing is: it's
getting pretty late in the year and a lot of places
want to have all the vehicles in their facility by the
first of November. Let me know if you want some phone
numbers...
Thanks to all who have read this far. I've been
meaning to write about my troubles for a few weeks
now, so thanks to Alli for the impetus.
JJ
'85 Westy
--- Alli Dahlin <treetop_84@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> It looks like winter is finally upon us all in
> Minnesota, and I better get
> moving on storing my Westy. This is the first
> winter having her, so I have
> some questions.
>
> What all needs to be done before storing her- fluids
> drained/changed, etc.
>
> Heated or unheated storage garage? Does it need to
> be inside, or are those
> outdoor RV/boat storage areas OK?
>
> Also, does anyone in the Minneapolis area recommend
> a storage facility?
>
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