No matter the reason for putting a car in long-term storage, there are several things that you'll need to do to ensure that it remains in good condition while it's not being driven. Here, you'll find a few tips to help you prepare the vehicle for several weeks or months of storage.
1. Prepare the Fluids
One imperative step in preparing the vehicle for long-term storage is to prepare the fluids. Change the oil, top of the gas tank, and add a fuel stabilizer to the tank before checking the anti-freeze, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid. You don't want to leave anything empty or overused in the car for several weeks.
Fuel stabilizer in the gas tank will prevent the fuel from gelling up and clogging up the entire system when you start the car again. Topping off the tank will prevent corrosion inside the tank. Leaving dirty fluids in the car that's parked for several weeks will allow all of the sediment in the fluids to settle. When you start the car again, the sediment will get kicked up and spread through the lines and components of the vehicle causing a whole lot of trouble for you later.
2. Clean it Up
It might seem silly to wash the car inside and out before parking it for a while, but it will help to prevent corrosion on the body and undercarriage and keep stains from setting in the interior. Take the car to a carwash so that you can wash the undercarriage easily.
3. Prevent Rodent and Insect Damage
Rodents and insects love to move into parked cars. Years ago, most people would load socks with mothballs and place them inside and out of the vehicle. This is effective, but getting the smell of the mothballs to go away can be very challenging.
Rather than using the mothballs, get some cotton balls and load them up with peppermint oil. The peppermint oil will keep rodents and bugs away without filling the vehicle with the awful smells of mothballs.
4. Put it on Jack Stands
To protect your tires from forming flat-spots, put the car on jack stands while it's being stored. You can take the tires off of the vehicle, or simply use jack stands that will raise the car high enough to get the tires off of the ground. This will save you the expense of replacing the tires when you start driving the car again.
These tips will help to protect your vehicle from unnecessary damage while it's being stored. Contact local vehicle storage services to learn more.
