If you find that you are not going to be using your car for a long time, you may look for a place to put. There are long term vehicle storage places all over the country that can help. There are some things you need to do to prepare your car for the time it will spend in a car storage facility.
- Make sure it is clean before you store it. This is something many people do not do with their vehicle when they want to put it in vehicle storage. If you have any bird excrement or other dirt on your car or truck, it can do damage to your paint job. If there are any water stains on your car, they can also do a lot of damage to your paint job. Your paint job id your vehicle’s first line of defense so you should do what you can to keep it in good shape. After you have your car cleaned, get it waxed as well.
- Fill your tank to the brim. When you leave your car in vehicle storage, the tank should be completely full. That may not seem like a big deal but moisture can creep its way into your tank and do damage. This is also a good way to protect your seals. You want to keep them from getting too dry and having a full tank of gas is one way to do that.
- Add some fuel stabilizer to the tank. Today’s gas has some ethanol in it, which is fine when you are driving your car but can pose some problems when the vehicle is in long term vehicle storage. The stabilizer can also protect your tank from varnish and gum build up and the formation of rust. If you plan to leave your car there for up to a year, this is one good way to protect your car.
- Maintain the charge of your car. All vehicles will end up with a dead battery if they are left unused for a long enough period of time. One way to avoid that is to get someone to go by and start your vehicle at least twice a month. In a perfect world, they will take out your car and drive it for around 15 minutes. This does more than just keep the battery charged. It also keeps everything running well. You can also disconnect your battery but you should know that this will impact other systems in your car. If you can afford it, you should look into devices to keep your battery from going dead.
- Leave the parking brake off. A lot of people engage their parking brake as a matter of habit. This is not something you should do if you are leaving your car in vehicle storage. While this is unlikely, there is a change the the brake pads can fuse with the rotors. If you are concerned about your car moving in storage a better bet is to get some tire stoppers.
- Have your tires checked and filled. It is always possible that when tires are left still for too long they can be subject to the development of flat spots. This is from the weight of the car pressing on the tires. Having a friend or relative come by and drive your car twice a month is one way to prevent this. If you plan to leave your car in vehicle storage for more than a month and no one can take your car out, you may want to take the wheels off.
- Do not let pests in. Even if you have your car in an outdoor storage or open air storage facility, your car or truck will look like a really nice place to hang out and they will want in. This is even more true in an enclosed storage spot. They really can do a lot of damage. Do what you can to cover any ways they can get in.
If you are able to follow these seven tips, you will have a better experience when you put your car or truck into a vehicle storage facility.
