How do I prepare my Miata for Winter Storage?

1.        Run the car till thoroughly hot then drive into your storage area. This should ensure moisture is out of the exhaust system.

2.       Clean all painted surfaces, use touchup paint as needed, and wax the exterior and door jams, under the hood and trunk lid, and wheels.

3.       Flush with generous quantities of water: the undercarriage, behind inner front fender liners, inside rocker panels (being sure that all 8 drain slits are unblocked).

4.       Use a good rubber/vinyl cleaner-conditioner on all vinyl and on rubber gaskets, seals, and other rubber parts.

5.       Change oil and filter; do lube job. (Optional: Remove four spark plugs, squirt oil in cylinders, and turn engine over. This may be unnecessary with modern engine oils and their additives.)

6.       Check that engine coolant has 50-50 mixture, or that coolant is good for 35-below temperature.

7.       At least every second year change the clutch & brake fluid. Water in old fluid will lead to rust in clutch & brake lines & cylinders when they’re not operated for a long period of time.

8.       Lubricate door window channels and tracks with silicon (on power windows, keep silicon away from electrical contacts and use white lithium in the metal tracks).

9.       Fill gas tank as full as possible. Add a can of dry gas made for use with fuel injection. (Optional: Add fuel stabilizer to gas; some believe this is unnecessary for modern gasoline with its additives.)

10.    Stuff rags (steel wool or crumpled foil should foil rag-eating rodents) tightly into tailpipe and intake snorkel under hood in order to keep out rodents. Tape a note to the steering wheel that reminds you to unplug the pipes before trying to start the Miata.

11.    Get a small box of baking soda & leave it in the interior. It will absorb moisture.

12.    Remove the floor mats – Condensation can form underneath the mats

13.    Jack up car and store on blocks under the jack points; this takes weight off springs, shocks, and tires. (Alternative: Store car with at least 40 pounds of air in tires, to minimize flat spotting of tires and use pink Styrofoam blocks under the tires to spread the weight.)

14.    Transmission in neutral and parking brake off

15.    Battery

1.       Disconnect battery and store it where temperature is above freezing and NOT on a concrete floor. (Be sure to record the radio code, which you will need to re-enter when reconnecting battery.)

2.       An alternative approach, at least with indoor storage, is to leave battery in car and use a trickle charger set at 2 amps, approximately once each month. An even better approach is to use a timer on the charger, set weekly. Best of all is use of an automatic trickle charger which is attached to the battery, plugged in, and then forgotten.

3.       It does NOT work to start the car up weekly or monthly when it is in storage.

16.    Store car with convertible top up, to ensure that it is dry and does not mildew. Leave latches loose so gaskets not compressed

17.     Pop the hood & trunk lids – it isn’t necessary to open completely – just enough so that hood & trunk seals don’t take a set.

18.    Where mice are a problem, a few mothballs placed in the car will discourage the building of nests but be prepared to endure the smell for a while in the spring.

19.    Cover car with a soft breathable cover, to keep away sunlight and to keep dust off Miata.

20.    In choosing location for storage, remember that moisture, rodents, and direct sunlight are the enemies, to varying degrees in different parts of the country.

21.    Wait in agony for winter to end, then to restart, pull the fuel injector relay (under hood, on fender, N. American passenger side) and crank until you've got good and steady oil pressure -- about 8 psi on the gauge. This will take 45 seconds or so. Plug relay back in and away you go.