Editing Winter storage (section)

=Mechanicals=

==Battery==

All cars will gradually discharge their battery over time and do not like being kept without charge in low temperatures. The Elise is particularly susceptible to discharging it's battery and will generally do so within a few weeks if not used. This combined with the low temperatures can reduce the batteries total capacity, sometimes to the point where it will need replacing.

To avoid this you can:
* If you have an electrical supply in the garage then a battery conditioner such as the [http://www.eliseparts.com/products/show/37/244/battery-chargerconditioner/ AccuMate] or [http://www.elise-shop.com/ctek-xs08-battery-charger-elise-exige-340r-vx220-all-models-p-129.html CTEK]. These devices monitor the battery level and keep it fully charged, but deactivate when not needed to avoid damaging the battery.
* If the car is being kept outside then [http://www.eliseparts.com/products/show/37/270/solar-trickle-charger/ Solar Trickle Chargers] are available and can be used by placing the charger on the dashboard and plugging in the cigarette lighter.
* Disconnect the battery by loosening and lifting up the connector from the batteries positive terminal. This will prevent the alarm and immobiliser from operating and draining the battery. The battery may still however lose charge due to low temperatures.
* Remove the battery and store indoors. This allows you to keep the battery in the warm and recharge it before refitting. Relatively easy to do with S2's where the battery is stored in the boot, but much less convenient in S1's.

==Brakes==

If left unused for prolonged periods of time the brake pads and discs can bind together.

To avoid this, ensure the brakes are dry and leave the car parked in gear with the handbrake off and chocks under the wheels to keep the car in position. These can be picked up quite cheaply from places like Halfords.

You may want to just rocked the car backwards and forwards a bit every couple of days for the first week or two to ensure the pads don't bind to the discs.

Do not spray the brake discs with WD40, while this may prevent them from rusting and the pads from sticking it will also render the brakes useless when you next need them and will likely necessitate a change of brake pads and discs.

==Engine==

Spray over the engine with WD40 or a similar silicone spray to inhibit corrosion and reduce the likelihood of water building up in places such as the spark plugs and distributor cap.

You may also wish to mark the engine coolant level in the bottle in the engine bay so you can check it hasn't dropped significantly before returning the car to the road.

Avoid the temptation to start the car while it is in storage. The engine oil will take time to come up to temperature and build pressure, and unless you're going to run the car fully up to temperature you will get condensation forming which will mix with the oil and do more harm than good.

==Fuel==

There is conflicting advice with regards to fuel levels. Some advice says to brim the tank to reduce the air space and cover the interior walls of the tank which are susceptible to internal rusting. *Requires further information*

Fuel tank of a Lotus is steel so it is best to fill it up to the brim to prevent corrosion. It is good to add petrol stabilizer to delay the inevitable (read label before use). It will also promote a good start when good weather returns. A large quantity of petrol will age slower than small amount. Before start it's best to add fresh (new) high quality petrol.

==Tyres==

Inflate the tyres to 44psi (= 3bar) to reduce "flatspotting" and if possible, roll the car occasionally to a different tread patch.