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Tips on Storing Your Car for a Long Time

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September 22, 2016

There are many reasons as to why you may need to store your car for an extended period. For instance, you may be storing it to prevent it from damage during the winter, as a result of a military deployment, when taking up a job overseas or just because you are going to have an extended honeymoon. It may be a 67 Mustang that your father used to drive, a family car that has a horde of memories or just your regular car that you are leaving behind. Regardless of the case, you need to ensure that the car is well prepared and stored.

If a car is not well stored, it may start deteriorating in its condition in as few as 30 days. As such, proper preparation for long-term storage and the use of an appropriate long-term vehicle storage facility will ensure that your car remains in good condition for an extended period. If you are looking for an appropriate way to store your car for an extended period, the following tips will help you have your car stored in the best way possible.

Preparing the Storage Facility

 

When looking forward to storing a car for a long period, you have to ensure that it is stored in a good place. As such, you should ensure that your garage is ready to keep the car safe, secure and in good condition for a long period. In this regard, your long-term car storage facility should be dry and dark. This will ensure that the car is not damaged by rust and or direct sunlight. The best storage facility, in this regard, should be clean, dry, have electricity and be secure. Again, you should ensure that rodents do not gain entry into the facility while you are away. These may also end up damaging the car when you are not around. In this regard, you need to seal all the openings that may be used by rodents to get into your garage.

Most importantly, you need to ensure that your garage door is in good working condition. This will not only keep the vehicle safe and secure but will also ensure that rodents do not gain entry into the garage via the door. In addition to cleaning and repairing your garage space, you should also have garage door professionals inspect, repair and maintain the door to ensure that it remains in working condition for the period you will be away. If you’d rather do this yourself, there’s plenty of helpful guides around to help you with the basics of garage door maintenance.

Preparing the Car for long-term Storage

 

In addition to cleaning, repairing and maintaining your garage, you also need to ensure that the car is ready to be stored for a long period. As such, you also need to prepare the car for long-term storage. Some of the important things you need to do, while preparing your car for long-term storage, include:

Checking the Various Fuel Systems

When leaving the car in storage for an extended period, you should change the various oils, including anti-freeze fluid, engine oil, tranny fluid, steering fluid and brake fluid. Additionally, you also need to have the oil filter changed prior to storing the vehicle.

Maintaining the Battery

If you will not be around the storage facility for a long period, it is advisable that you disconnect the battery from the car. Alternatively, you may leave the car battery connected to a battery maintainer. This will keep the battery in good condition and prevent corrosion by battery acid to other parts of the car while you are away.

Fuel Tank

It is advisable to leave the gas tank full of quality and fresh gas. When fresh, gasoline can stay in good condition for up to a year. Again, you should also ensure that the fuel remains at a stable temperature – preferably below80 degrees.

Tires and Brakes

These are other important car parts that need to be prepared prior to long-term car storage. In this regard, you should ensure that the tires have the appropriate tire pressure. Additionally, you may need to cover all the tires with plastic sheeting to prevent them from moisture degradation. When storing a car, you should also disengage the parking brake. When left in place for a long period, the brake pads could stick to the brake drum and cause brake problems in the future. Manual transmission cars should also be left with the gear in neutral position. You may use blocks on the tires to prevent the car from rolling.

Having ensured that all these long-term car storage conditions have been met, you should have the car thoroughly cleaned and dried. You should then park it in the prepared garage and lock the garage door. This way, your car will remain safe, secure and in good condition, for the period you will not be using it.

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