530D Lee

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My car is going to be put away for about 5 months, the car in question is a BMW E60 530D.

It will be securely locked away in my garage attached to the house, what should I do to store it?

The car will be fully detailed and waxed prior to storage, I am looking to buy some 3m polythene sheets to cover it/or similar.

Would you disconnect the battery?

luigi524td

My check list:

1. Add a fuel stabilizer to your tank - diesel fuel has a way of getting funky when stored
2. Be sure your oil service has been completed recently - nice to have fresh oil when you're ready to return the car to the road
3. Attach an automatic battery tender - it's only a few months so even if you disconnect the battery it should be attached to an automatic battery tender to stay fresh,
4. Prevent rodent or insect infestation by plugging exhaust and air intake with steel wool
5. DO NOT COVER THE CAR WITH PLASTIC!! Instead buy a good cloth car cover- even a universal one will protect the finish and allow moisture to wick away. - clean and protect the interior with a good quality leather and plastic protectorant
6. Over-Inflate your tires slightly + 5-10 psi to reduce flat spotting
7. If it's i a safe garage, lower windows very very slightly to allow some air flow, allow window gaskets to relax, but not permit creatures to crawl in
8. Put your key fobs in a safe place where you won't forget where they are!
9. Do not ask someone to start and run the car every now and then - that will do more harm than good during such a short storage.

Persian_535i

^ I couldn't have said it better myself. The battery dying during that 5 months would be my main concern.

theXman

Very useful list, indeed.

Gilgorm

Excellent list. I would add that you should fill the tank to prevent any condensation on the inside of the tank.

luigi524td

Thanks - Since it was new I've kept my '98 Z3 Roadster tucked away during the winter months and have some experience at this!
Good suggestion about the fuel level - but frankly the tank in my car is usually kept 'full' ... in the OP's case it's more so because diesel doesn't produce any significant 'vapor' to reduce condensation formation.

530D Lee

Thanks Luigi, top list there.

luigi524td

You're welcome! Or, if you like, I could pop over to the other side of the pond and keep the dustbunnies from collecting on your car