Beaver Island Michigan

When we first bought our cottage, we brought an old mini-van up, and Gordon would transport it to/from the airport and winterize it for us. For various reasons, we got rid of that vehicle and for the last several years have brought our "real" car back and forth on the boat.

We're shortly going to have a spare car again and would like to leave it here. But with Gordon no longer offering his service, I'm not sure how to handle it.

So, what's the best way to store and winterize the car, assuming we'll be flying to and from Welke Airport? Should we park the car there for the winter? Or, if we leave it at the cottage is there a way to get from the airport to the cottage? And what steps should we take to winterize the car so that it will hopefully start in spring?

Or, is someone else offering the winterizing service that Gordon used to?

Thanks!

I'd suggest parking it in your garage, disconnect the battery and put it on a trickle charger then add Stabil to the gas tank. yes, you'll need a ride to your place , but there's lots of options there.

If only we had a garage...

But good advice on the winterizing steps... that's about what I figured.

Maybe a car cover? I'd put the battery inside then. Got a basement where it doesn't freeze or keep the trickle charger on it.

I use a solar charger attached to the battery with the solar cell on the hood(about $60 at Menards) and put a can of Sea Foam in the gas tank. I leave it parked at the airport and have yet to have any issues.

That sounds like a great idea, Brendan! Thanks much!

I winter a car in a garage and have had mouse problems. Cured it by putting a bag of moth balls in the cab and one on the air cleaner under the hood. Not sure it's a problem if it sits outside. I leave the battery connected in the car and hook up a battery maintainer, that doubled the life of my battery. Leave half a tank of gas and add fresh on my first trip up without a problem.