BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum 2017+ BMW 5 Series (G30) General Discussions How to park ma cahr

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      11-28-2021, 10:02 AM   #1
malpatti
Private First Class
56
Rep
145
Posts

Drives: 2021 540i xDrive
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Boston

iTrader: (0)

How to park ma cahr

Hi folks

Living in the Boston and need to travel overseas for 5 weeks. I have friends with a large yard (not at Harvard Yard) and I’m going to leave my brand new M550 on it for those 5 weeks. How can it survive the New England winter? Should I get a cover for it? Ask my friend to start it and roll the tires once a week to avoid getting flat spots?

Many thanks
Appreciate 1
paquet629.50
      11-28-2021, 10:16 AM   #2
NVRfollo
.
United_States
863
Rep
610
Posts

Drives: 2021 M550
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Northeast

iTrader: (0)

Minimize the amount of gas you have in the tank and add some gas preservative to keep the ethanol from gumming up
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 10:43 AM   #3
TacticalGunnarM550
Second Lieutenant
TacticalGunnarM550's Avatar
United_States
99
Rep
216
Posts

Drives: 2018 M550i; 2017 430i
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Upstate NY

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by malpatti View Post
Hi folks

Living in the Boston and need to travel overseas for 5 weeks. I have friends with a large yard (not at Harvard Yard) and I’m going to leave my brand new M550 on it for those 5 weeks. How can it survive the New England winter? Should I get a cover for it? Ask my friend to start it and roll the tires once a week to avoid getting flat spots?

Many thanks
You're not going to get flat spots from parking for 5 weeks, Especially in a yard. If you're parked on grass, you'll probably sink an inch or two since the ground isn't frozen here yet. A cover can't hurt it, you could also get boards to park the tires on.
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 12:25 PM   #4
Qsilver7
Major General
Qsilver7's Avatar
United_States
4342
Rep
7,359
Posts

Drives: F06 650ix GC / F15 X5 50i
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Indiana, USA

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by NVRfollo View Post
Minimize the amount of gas you have in the tank and add some gas preservative to keep the ethanol from gumming up
Minimize??? I thought filling the tank was the standard for storage. Premium fuel already has additives and I’m sure the stations in the New England area are already selling their winterized gas. A full tank minimizes the formation of condensation vs a tank low on fuel…especially if there’s ethanol in the fuel.
__________________
2015 F06 650ix Gran Coupe`(Moonstone/Cohiba Brown)| 2014 F15 X5 50i MSport (Space Gray/Mocha)

Become a BMW CCA member! Click HERE to join and feel free to use my BMW CCA member #191509 as a referral.
Appreciate 1
Joe-BMW337036.00
      11-28-2021, 12:28 PM   #5
jsf721
Captain
United_States
1096
Rep
855
Posts

Drives: 2019 540i X M Sport
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Long Island, NY

iTrader: (0)

5 weeks is no big deal for the tires. If you can plug in a battery tender wonderful. If not I think you should be ok. I’d leave the tank full.
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 12:29 PM   #6
TacticalGunnarM550
Second Lieutenant
TacticalGunnarM550's Avatar
United_States
99
Rep
216
Posts

Drives: 2018 M550i; 2017 430i
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Upstate NY

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsf721 View Post
5 weeks is no big deal for the tires. If you can plug in a battery tender wonderful. If not I think you should be ok. I’d leave the tank full.
Yeah definitely leave the tank full..there's gas stations in mass that sell ethanol free gas. That's all i put in my car.
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 12:32 PM   #7
TacticalGunnarM550
Second Lieutenant
TacticalGunnarM550's Avatar
United_States
99
Rep
216
Posts

Drives: 2018 M550i; 2017 430i
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Upstate NY

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by NVRfollo View Post
Minimize the amount of gas you have in the tank and add some gas preservative to keep the ethanol from gumming up
Go non-ethanol

https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=NY
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 01:59 PM   #8
HerkHealer
Lieutenant Colonel
HerkHealer's Avatar
1696
Rep
1,610
Posts

Drives: G30/M550
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Nashua NH

iTrader: (0)

20x10 Carport

Im getting one of these for my utility trailer. Looks quite solid and should hold up to snow without a problem.

Full tank of gas, definitely.

https://www.amazon.com/ADVANCE-OUTDO...42&sr=8-4&th=1
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 08:50 PM   #9
malpatti
Private First Class
56
Rep
145
Posts

Drives: 2021 540i xDrive
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Boston

iTrader: (0)

Thanks folks! So fill it up with ethanol free gas, add a cover, park on the grass and just in case see if my friend can start it once a week. Cheers!
Appreciate 0
      11-28-2021, 09:26 PM   #10
taskrov
Private
taskrov's Avatar
United_States
30
Rep
96
Posts

Drives: 2020 530ix Sport Line
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Philadelphia, PA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2020 BMW 530ix  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by malpatti View Post
Thanks folks! So fill it up with ethanol free gas, add a cover, park on the grass and just in case see if my friend can start it once a week. Cheers!
Hopefully there will not be strong wind, otherwise the legs of of the tent may scrape up your new car as the tent flies off. Also, ethanol is a pure chemical compound that will dissolve any condensation in the tank and cannot gum up. I would just park it and forget it. Five weeks is a very short time.
Appreciate 0
      11-29-2021, 06:37 AM   #11
Joe-BMW33
Major General
Joe-BMW33's Avatar
7036
Rep
6,513
Posts

Drives: '18 M550i|'21 X5|'03 540i
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Boston

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
2013 VW Tiguan  [0.00]
2015 Infiniti QX60  [0.00]
2021 BMW X5  [0.00]
2003 BMW 540i  [0.00]
2018 BMW M550  [10.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by malpatti View Post
Thanks folks! So fill it up with ethanol free gas, add a cover, park on the grass and just in case see if my friend can start it once a week. Cheers!
It will be fine, BUT, whatever you do, DO NOT use a car cover, especially outside. They cause more paint damage than they prevent. Dust and sediment WILL get underneath it and the cover will shift with wind, which basically will be sandpaper on the car.

Put a good coat of Gtechniq C2V3 on it. If you are near an outlet, throw a battery tinder on it.

Personally, I would find someone with a garage or someone willing to rent it to you. I live in Boston as well, plenty of garage options.
__________________
2018 M550ix|Carbon Black|Dinan Modifications|2003 540i|Jet Black|M-Sport|2021 X5 Mineral White
Prior BMW's: 1987 325e|1993 740i|1998 740il|2001 530i|2002 745li|2007 750li|2006 750li|2001 530i|2012 535xi|

Last edited by Joe-BMW33; 11-29-2021 at 06:43 AM..
Appreciate 1
Warp Ten627.00
      12-01-2021, 01:52 PM   #12
LuvMyE92
Occasionally frequent poster
LuvMyE92's Avatar
2994
Rep
2,742
Posts

Drives: CT5V-Blackwing
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: RTP NC, USA

iTrader: (0)

I concur - I would not use a car cover, and I wouldn't have the friend start the car. If he starts it and then drives a bit to charge up the battery, that's fine, but just starting and idling won't do much good and may do more harm. Trickle charger would be best, but since your car is still relatively new, it will likely survive sitting unused for 5 weeks.

And ditto on the full tank and preferably non-ethanol.

Really, 5 weeks is no big deal. 5 months, yes. 5 years, definitely.
__________________
Current inventory:
F22 & G05
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing w/3 pedals
Past: E24,E28(3),E34,E36,E37,E38(2),E39(4),E46,E89,E92 (obviously),F01,F06,F10,F30,F87,G12,G30(2),G82(2)
Appreciate 0
      12-02-2021, 10:45 PM   #13
guyincogntioo
New Member
United_States
10
Rep
25
Posts

Drives: '22 M550i | '21 X7 M50i
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Boston

iTrader: (0)

When I had to leave the country for an extended period of time I put the car in a large self-storage unit. Many offer some kind of discount, first month free, etc.. that works out really well if you only need it for a short period of time.
Appreciate 0
      12-04-2021, 12:50 AM   #14
raduron10
Private First Class
raduron10's Avatar
45
Rep
135
Posts

Drives: Bmw G30
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Italy

iTrader: (0)

Do not get a cover and don't stress to much, you have no reason to do that.
5 weeks is no big deal, you won't even notice when you get back.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:37 AM.




5post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST