There are countless reasons why you could be leaving your car for long periods of time. Maybe you are putting away a summer car during the winter months, or maybe you are heading out of town for an extended vacation. Whatever the reason may be, you will want to make sure that you are preparing your car to be stored safely.
How to Store Your Car Safely for Long Periods of Time
It’s safe to say that leaving your car parked on the street or in your driveway is not the best way to properly store your car. If you fail to properly prep your car for storage, you could come back home to a vehicle with a dead battery, rotten tires, and a rat’s nest nestled underneath the hood. Thankfully, there are some preventative measures you can take to avoid damage to your car.
Here are some essentials to help you prepare your car for storage. These tips will help you preserve the life of your engine and ensure that your car starts up again when you return to it.
1) Keep your car covered.
We love the sun, but unfortunately, leaving a car in a space where sunlight could constantly bare down on the paint job (a garage with windows) could leave lasting effects that you won’t be fond of. Keeping it covered even in a space that doesn’t have sunlight is a good idea. This cover will help protect the finish from scratches and any garage mishaps.
If you do not have a personal garage, consider searching for affordable accommodation at a public storage facility. If you absolutely have to leave your car outdoors, getting a waterproof car cover will help decrease the chances of damage by keeping the car clean and dry.
2) Deep clean your car.
This may seem like a natural thing to do when you are preparing your car for storage, and it's a great practice for keeping your car in good, lasting condition. It may seem like a waste if you’re going to put the car away for several months, but deep cleaning the car is an easy step that shouldn’t be avoided.
Stains from water or bird droppings can potentially damage the paint if left for long periods of time. Make sure to detail the rims of the wheels and the undersides of your fenders to get rid of road debris like tar, grease, and mud. If you have time, adding a layer of wax is a great addition.
3) Fill it up.
Make sure to top off your tank before storing the car for long periods of time. This is not necessarily important if you are only leaving the car for a week or two. If you are going to be gone for more than thirty days, make sure to top it off in order to prevent moisture from accumulating within the fuel tank.
You should also purchase a fuel stabilizer to keep ethanol buildup at bay and to protect your engine from rust and varnish. This fuel stabilizer will help protect your car and prevent the fuel from deteriorating for up to twelve months.
4) Don’t use your parking brake.
Normally, you would think it is a good idea to utilize the parking brake. That’s what it’s there for, right? For parking.
In this instance of storing a car, you don’t want to use the parking brake because your brake pads could fuse together with the rotors if they are left for too long. Instead, purchase a tire stopper to prevent the car from moving.
5) Inflate your tires.
Before you go, make sure that your tires are inflated to the correct tire pressure recommended for the car. If the car is left for too long, the weight of the car could press down on the tires to create a flat spot. This happens faster to cars in the cold and in vehicles that have low-profile tires.
If your car is in storage for more than thirty days, you may consider taking the tires off completely and storing the car on a jack stand instead.
6) Find a professional auto repair shop.
What if something unforeseen happens to your car while you’re away? Maybe you took all the precautions, but something still happened while you were gone. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and we can’t prevent everything.
If something happens to your car while it’s in storage visit First Aid Collision, located in Asheville, NC. We are happy to help with any auto body repair work our customers need throughout western North Carolina.
With our certified technicians, we ensure that you get the repairs you need to be done right the first time. Schedule your appointment for a free estimate on everything from car door dings to major damage.