[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]

Originally Posted by 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!

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.]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

. 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]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

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]

Originally Posted by FFlank

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]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

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]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

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!