Thoughts on long term storage?

[NJBob]

Anyone long-term store a Maverick?

I currently drive my Maverick maybe once a week or every two weeks, depending on the need. It sits mostly in a garage on a battery tender really until warmer weather happens when it’ll get more regular use.

I originally intended to daily the Maverick but after trying a few times commuting in the Maverick, I realized it’ll get trashed in short order and it’s a high insurance risk at the moment. Everyone in my family really loves this truck so I want to keep it a long time. I daily an old Mustang that I like but at the same time, am tired of it but I can write it off easily vs the Maverick where I have my doubts that insurance will be kind as in NJ they are petitioning to raise rates. Where I drive to, I have maybe a 50/50 shot if the other driver has insurance and very often, they’ll just drive off because traffic enforcement is basically nonexistent in that area anymore.

Rant over so would it be worth buying some wheel rollers to get the tires up off the ground, maybe dumping stabil in it, etc?

Or simply try to get it out once a month or so to circulate fluids until it’s used for warmer weather or long trips?

It’s still garaged but I’m only familiar with winterizing or long term storage with classic cars that ran on non-ethanol gas, which were fairly easily to let sit for a long time without complaints. Not sure if the same could apply to the Maverick. Any input appreciated and no moving is not an option on the table just yet lol.

I'd like to know where you buy non ethanol gas in NJ. NW NJ here.

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[Ozarkbeard]

Don't know about there, but here in NW Ark., there are some stations that only sell 100% ethanol-free real gas. Many other places' Premium grade is real gas. Walmart is one example here.

 

[Edge Haley]

Anyone long-term store a Maverick?

I currently drive my Maverick maybe once a week or every two weeks, depending on the need. It sits mostly in a garage on a battery tender really until warmer weather happens when it’ll get more regular use.

I originally intended to daily the Maverick but after trying a few times commuting in the Maverick, I realized it’ll get trashed in short order and it’s a high insurance risk at the moment. Everyone in my family really loves this truck so I want to keep it a long time. I daily an old Mustang that I like but at the same time, am tired of it but I can write it off easily vs the Maverick where I have my doubts that insurance will be kind as in NJ they are petitioning to raise rates. Where I drive to, I have maybe a 50/50 shot if the other driver has insurance and very often, they’ll just drive off because traffic enforcement is basically nonexistent in that area anymore.

Rant over so would it be worth buying some wheel rollers to get the tires up off the ground, maybe dumping stabil in it, etc?

Or simply try to get it out once a month or so to circulate fluids until it’s used for warmer weather or long trips?

It’s still garaged but I’m only familiar with winterizing or long term storage with classic cars that ran on non-ethanol gas, which were fairly easily to let sit for a long time without complaints. Not sure if the same could apply to the Maverick. Any input appreciated and no moving is not an option on the table just yet lol.

Wife is not a big driver in her Honda......so at least I called my insurance company and changed her annual mileage to 1,200 miles a year...cutting her insurance premiums in half...and submit a photo of her odometer each year with her renewed license tag receipt.

Have had several collector cars, currently have a 1949 Porsche 356 and have it insured with a $2,000 deductible...since is NEVER driven. Most insurance companies have special insurance plans for limited driven vehicles. Any car sitting without being driven is prone to electrical, weather-striping, mold and mechanical issues, but mostly leaving OLD gasoline in the tank.

 

[14mustangNJ]

I'd like to know where you buy non ethanol gas in NJ. NW NJ here.

I don’t think you can unless ATCO gas stations near the former drag strip have it possibly but I haven’t been there so I’m not sure.

Those classic vehicles I had (mostly F body Trans AMs and Camaros, one modified Grand Marquis coupe) were stored in upstate PA with non-Ethanol gas but that was more than 10 years ago when I lived in PA and a friend owned property on the NY border that had tons of vehicle storage. I think the last place I was able to get non-ethanol recently was a small independent gas station near Syracuse, NY on a trip to Canada last year. And the Maverick definitely liked non-ethanol 93, wish I could get it in Jersey!

 

[14mustangNJ]

Wife is not a big driver in her Honda......so at least I called my insurance company and changed her annual mileage to 1,200 miles a year...cutting her insurance premiums in half...and submit a photo of her odometer each year with her renewed license tag receipt.

Have had several collector cars, currently have a 1949 Porsche 356 and have it insured with a $2,000 deductible...since is NEVER driven. Most insurance companies have special insurance plans for limited driven vehicles. Any car sitting without being driven is prone to electrical, weather-striping, mold and mechanical issues, but mostly leaving OLD gasoline in the tank.

With the Honda, is your wife on her own policy or a joint policy? It may be my insurance agent being lazy as I tried that twice to lower the annual mileage and the best I was told is they can set some vehicles as primary or pleasure, which is like a $2 difference between either selection, 7500 miles a year vs 15k a year I believe. I also got a ton of pushback on trying to lower premiums based on mileage due to bundled discounts.

Definitely appreciate the input as I’ll have to push my insurance agent again anyway especially as it looks like I’m in store for a rate hike living in NJ. Also, definitely aware of the mold, electrical and other issues that pop up, ran into some of those issues storing classic/old cars before so there is probably no way I can store a Maverick for a year or longer, just a few months at a time at the longest.

 

[NJBob]

I don’t think you can unless ATCO gas stations near the former drag strip have it possibly but I haven’t been there so I’m not sure.

Those classic vehicles I had (mostly F body Trans AMs and Camaros, one modified Grand Marquis coupe) were stored in upstate PA with non-Ethanol gas but that was more than 10 years ago when I lived in PA and a friend owned property on the NY border that had tons of vehicle storage. I think the last place I was able to get non-ethanol recently was a small independent gas station near Syracuse, NY on a trip to Canada last year. And the Maverick definitely liked non-ethanol 93, wish I could get it in Jersey!

Been thinking aviation gas think it's 100 octane low lead. Used to be a sunoco station on rt 46 in Roxbury that sold racing gas.

 

[Tim d]

Anyone long-term store a Maverick?

I currently drive my Maverick maybe once a week or every two weeks, depending on the need. It sits mostly in a garage on a battery tender really until warmer weather happens when it’ll get more regular use.

I originally intended to daily the Maverick but after trying a few times commuting in the Maverick, I realized it’ll get trashed in short order and it’s a high insurance risk at the moment. Everyone in my family really loves this truck so I want to keep it a long time. I daily an old Mustang that I like but at the same time, am tired of it but I can write it off easily vs the Maverick where I have my doubts that insurance will be kind as in NJ they are petitioning to raise rates. Where I drive to, I have maybe a 50/50 shot if the other driver has insurance and very often, they’ll just drive off because traffic enforcement is basically nonexistent in that area anymore.

Rant over so would it be worth buying some wheel rollers to get the tires up off the ground, maybe dumping stabil in it, etc?

Or simply try to get it out once a month or so to circulate fluids until it’s used for warmer weather or long trips?

It’s still garaged but I’m only familiar with winterizing or long term storage with classic cars that ran on non-ethanol gas, which were fairly easily to let sit for a long time without complaints. Not sure if the same could apply to the Maverick. Any input appreciated and no moving is not an option on the table just yet lol.

I have a 52 year old cuda I've owned for 34 years. I take the battery out for 5-6 months of winter storage and push it forward and back a cpl times a year in our polebarn,that's it.tires wear pattern is fine.i will be replacing those old tires finally this spring.

 

[mdsalemi]

I do have an old car, a 1969 Mercedes that I've had 25 year experience in storing for the winter. I never used a battery tender as the car was not stored in an occupied place, and the thought of a potential issue because of an unattended battery tender scared me. Since the car was stored from late October until May, if it concerned me, I would have simply removed the battery or disconnected it. Neither concerned me however, and I got about 7 years out of each battery, about as long as one can expect from any battery under any conditions. So, I never really understood the battery tender thing.

In your case, where you use your Maverick 2-4 times a month, the need for a battery tender is non-existent.

Sta-Bil 360 or non-ethanol gas, and keeping your tank full may make some sense but may be overkill if you do actually use the car periodically.

If the driving, insurance and enforcement in NJ is as bad as you say, maybe you should only drive old clunkers?

 

[Edge Haley]

With the Honda, is your wife on her own policy or a joint policy? It may be my insurance agent being lazy as I tried that twice to lower the annual mileage and the best I was told is they can set some vehicles as primary or pleasure, which is like a $2 difference between either selection, 7500 miles a year vs 15k a year I believe. I also got a ton of pushback on trying to lower premiums based on mileage due to bundled discounts.

Definitely appreciate the input as I’ll have to push my insurance agent again anyway especially as it looks like I’m in store for a rate hike living in NJ. Also, definitely aware of the mold, electrical and other issues that pop up, ran into some of those issues storing classic/old cars before so there is probably no way I can store a Maverick for a year or longer, just a few months at a time at the longest.

Joint policy (3 auto's and home policy). Almost always save by having home & auto's under same policy). Looked up and my savings on wife's Honda was $160 every 6 months.
When approaching my Am. Family Life (Costco) Insurance I told them I was shopping for a new policy and might be making a change if they could not accommodate.) Wife's Honda is collision only, not full coverage. I doubt you'll get much of a brake on 7,500 miles a year. Most new vehicles with so many airbags, and fenders glued on, with no structural FRAME are prone to very expensive body damage.

 

[mdsalemi]

I'd like to know where you buy non ethanol gas in NJ. NW NJ here.

Very few places in NJ unfortunately.
You can look it up at https://www.pure-gas.org/

 

[14mustangNJ]

I do have an old car, a 1969 Mercedes that I've had 25 year experience in storing for the winter. I never used a battery tender as the car was not stored in an occupied place, and the thought of a potential issue because of an unattended battery tender scared me. Since the car was stored from late October until May, if it concerned me, I would have simply removed the battery or disconnected it. Neither concerned me however, and I got about 7 years out of each battery, about as long as one can expect from any battery under any conditions. So, I never really understood the battery tender thing.

In your case, where you use your Maverick 2-4 times a month, the need for a battery tender is non-existent.

Sta-Bil 360 or non-ethanol gas, and keeping your tank full may make some sense but may be overkill if you do actually use the car periodically.

If the driving, insurance and enforcement in NJ is as bad as you say, maybe you should only drive old clunkers?

Already set on the clunker, daily driving a 2014 Mustang I had for 7 years at the moment. Basically I’m running this car until it’s no longer legal to do so and it’s got a lot of life left (53k on it) so it should be ok for awhile.

The battery tender has helped keep my truck out of deep sleep mode as it’ll go into it in about a week of sitting. It’s annoying as it messes with the interior lighting, Ford pass and other settings so I have to use forscan to clear the deep sleep DTCs before driving it again. The truck doesn’t forget deep sleep mode and I’ve taken it on long trips and still the interior lights refused to work unless you cleared the codes lol. I agree though, tenders scare me a bit also as I’ve heard stories of them burning down garages and such, so I use mine sparingly to keep it charged enough to stay out of deep sleep mode periodically at my home garage.

 

[14mustangNJ]

Joint policy (3 auto's and home policy). Almost always save by having home & auto's under same policy). Looked up and my savings on wife's Honda was $160 every 6 months.
When approaching my Am. Family Life (Costco) Insurance I told them I was shopping for a new policy and might be making a change if they could not accommodate.) Wife's Honda is collision only, not full coverage. I doubt you'll get much of a brake on 7,500 miles a year. Most new vehicles with so many airbags, and fenders glued on, with no structural FRAME are prone to very expensive body damage.

Nice! And that’s good to hear it’s a joint combined policy (I have the same with my insure and homeowners as well. I’ll probably have to play the switch game as I’ve been with the same company since 2017 and they were fine until last year when both my property insurance and car insurance jumped for no reason other than “inflation” as noted in one document then they sent a few letters about raising rates in 2024 by petitioning the state.

Annoyingly I can’t access my policy online (Farmer’s), only my agent can but I’ll see what I can squeeze out of the policy for some savings, thanks again!

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