Storing RS4 for the winter

[BigRick]

Ok, I know quattro is meant to be driven in the snow... but a quattro of that magnitude deserves a better treatment (at least for the first year)

So, anyone has advices on the proper prep for storage. Gaz stabilizer? Should it be stored on blocks... Any advice (and maybe the reason for doing it) will be appreciated.


Thanks in advance,

[Charles DLF]

are you joking or what???? Storing a four wheel drive beast for the winter :noshake: :noshake: :noshake: :noshake: :noshake:

[BigRick]

are you joking or what???? Storing a four wheel drive beast for the winter :noshake: :noshake: :noshake: :noshake: :noshake:

That's my choice! and I think I was clear enough that this kind of car might deserve a nice warm hibernate period for at least the first year...

For all the others that might be tempted to give that kind of comments keep them for yourself.

All I want to know is if you have advice.

Thanks

[PetrolDave]

All I want to know is if you have advice.

I know you don't want to hear this .... but it has to be said.

No car benefits from being stored for a long period. The advice from ALL collectors is that cars should be driven regularly.

So the only advice I would give is to keep on driving it - it will be better for your RS4 in the long term.

[Mr Balsen]

rule is 20 minutes every 20 days.

cheers,
Frederic

[Audihead]

rule is 20 minutes every 20 days.

cheers,
Frederic


Good advice, but I would try to drive it more than that. Always keep a full tank of gas, no stabilizer. Also keep an eye on the battery, a lot of electical systems are working still even though the car isn't on.

[ott]

First good cleaning of course. If you wash the car, drive it afterwards to dry the brakes, otherwise pads may stick to discs. For same reason do not use handbrake, while storing.

Gas stabilizer is not needed and don't jack it up or something, cars are designed to stand on their own wheels. In order to avoid flat spots on tyres, move the car around after every 2-3 months.

Get automatic battery charger, then you have always full battery without danger of overcharging.

Put fresh oil in it and do not run the engine, if you are not able to take the car out for at least 15-20 minutes drive to get oil temperature up. Warming cold engine up while idling is never good idea and especially it's not good when car will be not driven afterwards. It leads to oil contamination because of moisture and gas deposits due to incomplete combustion during warm-up.

If possible, I would leave also windows bit open or somehow else ensure, that moisture will no build up in the cabin.

[BigRick]

Thanks to all.

I'll keep the baby in a nice warm garage with humidity level near 20%.

I only intend to store the car for about 3 months and I might drive it when temperature is really nice as you all recommend so afterall there's nothing special to be done.

Best regards everyone

[nene]

The car has to be driven period, Winter or otherwise. Not because of snow, too much or lack thereof. Drive it.

If you do happen to go out on snow, and I hope you got yourself some snow tires, make sure you wash her afterwards, if you have the available means.

If you have a Ferrari or some other exotic, I'd say store it.
Even my convertibles I take them out of the garage in the Winter if I know it is a clear week, and non-rainy day. I hate to leave them there all Winter long.

Drive it. Your RS4 is no princess. Simply a high maintenance chick!

[MR USER]

If you care of your car like that I wonder wha you do with wine!!! ;)
I will try to avoid using mine especially in nasty wether where they start throwing all sorts of chemicals to prevent icing... that really hurts!!! but when the wether is good... I'll make sure there will be enough grunt to wake the whole town!

Does any of you konw what poduct to use on the chassis and how to use them to protect the car?

[BigRick]

If you care of your car like that I wonder wha you do with wine!!! ;)
I will try to avoid using mine especially in nasty wether where they start throwing all sorts of chemicals to prevent icing... that really hurts!!! but when the wether is good... I'll make sure there will be enough grunt to wake the whole town!

Does any of you konw what poduct to use on the chassis and how to use them to protect the car?

Yup, I do care about the car... :rs4addict

Maybe some of the people answering don't have or know about how bad winter is out here. It's not like we have a inch of snow once in a while it's more like 12-18 inches of snow + freezing rain + slush (you know that brown ugly residu :( ) we have piles of that... and to get rid of that, they tend to throw sand, gravel, salt and chemicals on the roads here.
So, no way I'll drive the car on a daily basis with that kind shit on the road. That's probably why there's a big market for cars that were never driven during winter...

Just a couple of sample:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/media/ice_storm1998.jpg
http://p.vtourist.com/1924110-Ice_Steps-Quebec.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/56/110718724_1168706ef4.jpg?v=0
And here's the summum: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xzj3xiDqLSY (Ok it's not always like that)


That said from what most people are telling the car should be taken out once a month or so and driven enough to make it warm. That's something possible and that's what I'll do. And if I understand correctly the "in between" periods don't require any special care other than a good wash which is also fine.

[MR USER]

That is some serious snow! RS4 in summer dogs and sledge in winter?

[fx2]

The winters here are at least the same, if not even worse. IMHO the salt, sand etc. is overrated, if you take good care for your car. I have driven the scooby for 4,5 years and from color it still looks like new. Planning to drive the RS4 in the same fashion, also the break-in period will be winter, it's not a luxury car but rather a car for every situation :)

[rks838]

OK, first of all, we all know those pictures are from Siberia. Second, there is an even bigger market for cars that still run, which your car will not be doing after 3 months of storage.

My dad is from Buffalo, NY, where they also dump tons of crap on the roads to try to amend all the crap that falls from the sky. Everybody there goes to the super-heavy-duty car wash at least once a week - they have jets that come out of the floor to wash the underside of the car, the part most vulnerable to damage - and that is enough. My uncle just sold his 2001 M5 that he drives all winter - it looks and runs perfectly, and all he did was follow the once-a-week rule. If you have these carwashes in Montreal, make use of them, and soak in the joy of driving your RS4 past the SUVs that everyone else feels are mandatory in the winter.

(Sorry about those comments...just kidding!...they were too tempting to pass up.)

[BigRick]

OK, first of all, we all know those pictures are from Siberia. Second, there is an even bigger market for cars that still run, which your car will not be doing after 3 months of storage.

My dad is from Buffalo, NY, where they also dump tons of crap on the roads to try to amend all the crap that falls from the sky. Everybody there goes to the super-heavy-duty car wash at least once a week - they have jets that come out of the floor to wash the underside of the car, the part most vulnerable to damage - and that is enough. My uncle just sold his 2001 M5 that he drives all winter - it looks and runs perfectly, and all he did was follow the once-a-week rule. If you have these carwashes in Montreal, make use of them, and soak in the joy of driving your RS4 past the SUVs that everyone else feels are mandatory in the winter.

(Sorry about those comments...just kidding!...they were too tempting to pass up.)

BTW these pictures are from Montreal QC not from Siberia. This is really the kind of snow we get every year and if it was only for snow I wouldn't be storing the car. But we also get freezing rain and temperature below -35C and in these cases they drop small gravel on the road... then it's not a question of washing the car, it's a question of repainting the car!

So, I think I got the point of most of you... Most of you think a RS4 should be driven during the winter... fair enough. I'll drive the car once in a while and have it washed carefully (as recommended by most of you) but I won't be going around with my baby on a daily basis for sure.

Here's what I'll be doing:
1) Drive the car once every 10 to 15 days (during a nice clear day)
2) Have it wash thoroughly after the drive
3) Store it back in the garage (warm and dry condition)
4) Repeat

I'll be doing this for a couple of months and than back to daily driving... this will just make the thing even better when spring arrives! :dig:

[Julz RS4]

It's obvious the RS4 as all Audi quattro cars are excellent to evolve in Nordic winter. If our winter were only of snow, that would be ok, but the winter here in Quebec is really disgusting as you have very well described. Thus, I understand at 100% why you would like to store your car for the winter. Just to give you an idea, I have a friend who work for Audi Lauzon (Laval) and he told me that 80% of the RS4 sold to their customer are stored for the winter. Personally I always had a car for the winter and another for the summer. :burnout:

[BigRick]

It's obvious the RS4 as all Audi quattro cars are excellent to evolve in Nordic winter. If our winter were only of snow, that would be ok, but the winter here in Quebec is really disgusting as you have very well described. Thus, I understand at 100% why you would like to store your car for the winter. Just to give you an idea, I have a friend who work for Audi Lauzon (Laval) and he told me that 80% of the RS4 sold to their customer are stored for the winter. Personally I always had a car for the winter and another for the summer. :burnout:

Thanks, Finally someone who understands me! I was starting to think that I was crazy. :cheers: Way to go, one for the summer and one for the winter.

Cheers,

[IulianUM]

BigRick don´t feel bad , it is your car and we all care our cars almost to the extreme , so do what you think is best .:thumb:
This is the place for people crazy about Rs cars .:rs4kiss: