Leaving car in The Villages

[FFlank]

As a relatively new snowbird, I'll be leaving for the summer soon and leaving my car and golf cart behind in the garage. I've been told that I should poor some stuff into the golf cart's gas tank, pump up the tires and maybe put some cardboard under the tires for the summer.

Should I be doing anything similar for the car? I'll be gone from June to probably November, and both vehicles will be on a battery tender.

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom, and may I say that my first few months as a Villager have been a blast!

[Bill14564]

I have a mat under the car and golf cart so cardboard wasn’t needed.

We left our cart for up to six months and the only thing I did was disconnect the battery. I use the 87 octane car gas and never bothered with any additive.

[tophcfa]

As a relatively new snowbird, I'll be leaving for the summer soon and leaving my car and golf cart behind in the garage. I've been told that I should poor some stuff into the golf cart's gas tank, pump up the tires and maybe put some cardboard under the tires for the summer.

Should I be doing anything similar for the car? I'll be gone from June to probably November, and both vehicles will be on a battery tender.

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom, and may I say that my first few months as a Villager have been a blast!

Best thing to do is run both gas tanks to very close to empty and then fill them with ethanol free gas (WaWa is a good place to get the gas). I wouldn’t worry about the tires, except for checking the PSI and adding air if necessary when you return. It’s not as good as ethanol free gas, but you could add a quality fuel stabilizer (Marine grade sta-bil or star tron) to both fuel tanks, but be sure to run both engines for a little while after adding the stabilizer so it circulates through the fuel delivery system. Also, it’s a good idea to leave both tanks full. There is little to no room for condensation to form inside a full tank in the hot and humid summertime Florida air. Safe travels.

[Michael G.]

. Also, it’s a good idea to leave both tanks full. There is little to no room for condensation to form inside a full tank in the hot and humid summertime Florida air. Safe travels.

Wouldn't that gas expand in our Florida heat??

[npwalters]

Best thing to do is run both gas tanks to very close to empty and then fill them with ethanol free gas (WaWa is a good place to get the gas). I wouldn’t worry about the tires, except for checking the PSI and adding air if necessary when you return. It’s not as good as ethanol free gas, but you could add a quality fuel stabilizer (Marine grade sta-bil or star tron) to both fuel tanks, but be sure to run both engines for a little while after adding the stabilizer so it circulates through the fuel delivery system. Also, it’s a good idea to leave both tanks full. There is little to no room for condensation to form inside a full tank in the hot and humid summertime Florida air. Safe travels.

What he said....good advice.

[Papa_lecki]

I fill my golf cart tank and add the fuel additive.

[Arctic Fox]

I'll be gone from June to probably November, and both vehicles will be on a battery tender.

The batteryMinders on our golf carts don't reset after a power outage, so you might want to have someone check on them occasionally

[tophcfa]

The batteryMinders on our golf carts don't reset after a power outage, so you might want to have someone check on them occasionally

Been using battery tenders for a very long time and never had that happen despite many power outages.

[JMintzer]

Been using battery tenders for a very long time and never had that happen despite many power outages.

Same here...

[FFlank]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I really appreciate it.

[Kelevision]

I’m not a snowbird but was unable to drive my car for nearly a year and when I finally pulled it out of the garage one tire had gone flat and sort of melted. Just fyi.

[nhkim]

I have my car and cart on a battery tender during the summer, and they start right up when I return. Then I have my annual lube-oil-filter for my car and my tune-up for my cart, and they pump up my somewhat soft tires, and I'm good to go.

My golf cart has a pad under it that came with the cart. My car doesn't have anything underneath it.

I always have both tanks full when I leave, but that's because I return during hurricane season and don't want to be stranded in the event of a long power outage. I never thought about water getting in the tank.

[USOTR]

Prior to moving to the Villages we use to travel with an RV for months at a time every year. Run your tank very low, then Run ethanol free gas in your car and Village Kart before you depart, and keep a battery tinder on both. I also placed some moth balls on the engines to keep rodents and bug away from my vehicles.

People laving for years, normally jack the vehicle in the air to keep the tires off the ground and suspension from damage. But leaving for less than six months, I have not found this to be an issue.

[McClendons]

Fill tank with fuel, preferably ethanol free, and add correct amount of Stabil Marine grade fuel additive. Then ru or drive cart a few miles to circulate. The Stabil is NOT just for water, but also to avoid the fuel breaking down. Fuel has a relatively short life, then slowly bwgins forming a varnish type substance that will clog internal components. Stabil is cheap, and a must (there are a couple of other brands as well like Sea Foam, but Stabil is everywhere). Trickle chareger is needed, and a mat is nice as well.

[Cbriggi]

One more thing to add for your golf cart storage. There is a fuel shutoff valve on the top of many if not all gas tanks. Turn it to the off position. If there is a leak (we had the float bowl stick open a few weeks ago) it will prevent siphoned fuel from running out.
Put a note in the cart to turn it back on when you return!

[JohnnyT]

As a relatively new snowbird, I'll be leaving for the summer soon and leaving my car and golf cart behind in the garage. I've been told that I should poor some stuff into the golf cart's gas tank, pump up the tires and maybe put some cardboard under the tires for the summer.

Should I be doing anything similar for the car? I'll be gone from June to probably November, and both vehicles will be on a battery tender.

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom, and may I say that my first few months as a Villager have been a blast!

I’m usually gone for 5 months & this is what I do with my car & cart.
Add fuel stabilizer to both tanks after filling both up and run them for a while.

Disconnect both batteries.

Golf cart has a mat under it.

I jack the car up and place 4 Jack stands underneath. Pretty inexpensive thru Harbor Freight for Jack & stands.

Jacking the car up is to eliminate tire flat spots that can happen.

[dewilson58]

I have a mat under the car and golf cart so cardboard wasn’t needed.

We left our cart for up to six months and the only thing I did was disconnect the battery. I use the 87 octane car gas and never bothered with any additive.

Agree.

Have left cart & an old classic car for months and months (short of a year) and did nothing by disconnect the battery. ALL GOOD. Maybe a low tire, but jus fill'r up.

[msilagy]

Probably not necessary but I would turn gas gauge off on my golf cart and run it till the lines were clear of gas. Add stabilizer and Deltran tender plus hook up

[MikeVillages]

I aways fill the gas tank & add some stabilize before north & with the car up north before going south. I always use the eternal free gas from wawa with the golf cart but probably regular gas with stabilize is ok.

I’ve been concerned about the tires but have not been a major issue with the car in the south but has been with the one up north. I’ll try using the matts, thanks.

[Johnsocat]

I add a gas stabilizer and let my insurance company know the car is in covered storage. Great discount!

[CybrSage]

I only use a battery pulse charger for my car (which also can act as a full blown charger) and not one for the golf car. The battery is used to little when the golf car is turned off. I never have issues with the tires after sitting for 6 months in the garages.
My only worry was with the pulse charger having an issue and starting a fire, so I bought a good one with short prevention and a fan in case the charger gets too hot. Worth the extre $10 for a good pulse charger.

[Tustin714]

I add a gas stabilizer and let my insurance company know the car is in covered storage. Great discount!

This is a good point -- I remove collision insurance (and if applicable, anything else related to actually driving it) and there is a decent discount.

[justjim]

We have a house watch person. Every two weeks takes golf carts for a ride and same with the car. I never had a problem with carts or car when returned. My best advice - If you are leaving TV for a month or two, get a house watch person. It could be a friend or neighbor or another person who does house watching on a part-time basis. Pay them for their services. From experience, “things”’can happen when you’re not present. House watching service has more than paid for itself.

[FFlank]

We have a house watch person. Every two weeks takes golf carts for a ride and same with the car. I never had a problem with carts or car when returned. My best advice - If you are leaving TV for a month or two, get a house watch person. It could be a friend or neighbor or another person who does house watching on a part-time basis. Pay them for their services. From experience, “things”’can happen when you’re not present. House watching service has more than paid for itself.

This is what I’ve ended up doing. Met with a house watch person this morning and I’ll have him drive the vehicles from time to time.

[kkingston57]

As a relatively new snowbird, I'll be leaving for the summer soon and leaving my car and golf cart behind in the garage. I've been told that I should poor some stuff into the golf cart's gas tank, pump up the tires and maybe put some cardboard under the tires for the summer.

Should I be doing anything similar for the car? I'll be gone from June to probably November, and both vehicles will be on a battery tender.

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom, and may I say that my first few months as a Villager have been a blast!

Gone 4 months last summer and did nothing. Car battery was dead but we were able to jump start it(2020 Acura MDX). 2020 Yamaha started without a problem. Both ran great and no issues afterwards

[Vernon Hud]

Don't worry about water in gas , that only happened when we had metal tanks, plastic ones don't sweat. Every year, I fill my tires with about 5 extra pounds of air, I put stabil in gas and leave. It has worked since 2007. I nwver used any special gas. Newer auto with all the electronics, be sure to put on a tender, if the battery goes dead, you will have a hell of a time resetting all the electronics.

[Buckeye Bill]

Heres my two cents, the use of battery tenders are the right thing to do and the use of Stabil is great. Fill both tanks and add stabil then run both engines. Don’t worry about the tires till you come back.
Have a great summer, see ya in the fall

[FFlank]

My thanks to everyone! Closed in January and looking forward to returning later this year. Everyone have a great summer!

[Tustin714]

Heres my two cents, the use of battery tenders are the right thing to do and the use of Stabil is great. Fill both tanks and add stabil then run both engines. Don’t worry about the tires till you come back.
Have a great summer, see ya in the fall

How much Stabil per gallon?

[MrLonzo]

This is a good point -- I remove collision insurance (and if applicable, anything else related to actually driving it) and there is a decent discount.

Does "anything else related to actually driving it" include liability? DId you keep only comprehensive?

[MrLonzo]

I have a hybrid. Any additional advice?

[Tustin714]

Does "anything else related to actually driving it" include liability? DId you keep only comprehensive?

I can't remember exactly what I removed, but I believe liability since I would be out of state the entire time. The remaining cost is pretty marginal with the discounts as I recall.

[dewilson58]

I have a hybrid. Any additional advice?

Check owner's manual or call a local dealer.