Most car owners at some time or another find themselves in possession of a vehicle that they do not currently use, but do not want to sell. Whether you’ve started a new job in the city and find yourself preferring to take public transport rather than battle through peak hour traffic, or taken a short term contract interstate, there are a few things to consider before placing your car in storage.
Storing a vehicle for long periods of time can result in unavoidable problems, no matter how well prepared it is beforehand. Components can corrode, deteriorate, and seize up from lack of use, and often there’s little that can be done to prevent it. Yet, while it is impossible to guarantee the perfect working order a car placed in long-term storage, you should thoroughly prep your vehicle beforehand in order to minimise the risk of long-term damage.
Here are some tips for preparing your car for long-term storage:
Before the Storage Yard
- Thoroughly clean the vehicle inside and out and make sure it is properly dried out
- Have the vehicle serviced before storing it for any time greater than one month
- Fill the fuel tank to prevent condensation
- Inflate tyres to approximately 30 kpa above recommended pressure
- The body should be cleaned and polished and chrome work should be sprayed with a protective spray
- Ensure that the body/chassis rust proofing is in good condition
Where to Store
We advise that your vehicle is stored in an enclosed, secure garage. Somewhere out of the elements, where wind, rain, dust and debris cannot harm it. We also recommend that you place the car on a stand and leave it uncovered when storing it for period in excess of one month. It is particularly important to avoid car covers in areas where the vehicle will be exposed to wind, as moving car covers will wear through the paint on panel edges and corners.
Cars are meant to be driven, not left idle, and they need extra care the longer they’re stored. But if you prepare your vehicle thoroughly pre storage, and leave it in a safe and secure enclosed garage, it will be well looked after.