Car Storage: How to Store Your Car Properly

Do you have a convertible car that you love to drive during the summer, but are unable to drive during the winter? Car storage comes in handy for many reasons: whether you have a car you can only drive a few months of the year, you are going on an extended vacation, or you are moving and storing your car in the process. When deciding to store your car you want to be sure that you follow the checklist below to prevent any damage to your car in storage!

1. Clean the Whole Car

This may seem unnecessary because you are putting your car in storage, so why clean it, right? If you don’t clean the entire car, inside and out, you risk the chance of ruining the paint and interior. If there are any water stains and droppings on the car these can cause damage to the paint. Not cleaning the inside means there may be small crumbs or bits of food you haven’t seen drawing in different rodents and bugs to the car – no one wants this to happen! Be sure when you are cleaning you also remember to clean all grease and tar off the fender and wheels. When you put your car away in pristine condition you come back to a car in pristine condition!

2. Change the Oil

If you are storing your car for more than a month or two you want to change your oil. By changing your oil you prevent the possibility of used oil causing damage to your cars engine. Read the owner’s manual from your car to see how often your manufacturer recommends you change the oil in your car. Leaving oil in your car that is used can thicken and make it difficult for your car to start when you take it out of storage. 

3. Use Tire Jacks

After storing your car for long periods of time no one wants to come back to flat tires. You want to be sure that before storage you fill your tires to the pressure recommended and use tire jacks. By using tire jacks you prevent any flat spots on your tires. Sometimes flat spots can be taken out simply by carefully driving the car after storage; however, sometimes these spots become permanent. While this may take some extra time in the long run it can save you extra money on needing a new set of tires. 

4. Fill with Gas and Use a Stabilizer

Filling your car with gas before storing it will prevent the inside from rusting. To keep the gas from decay add a stabilizer to help prevent ethanol build up. A stabilizer will protect your engine from rust and gum as well. Check the stabilizer bottle to see how much you need for every few gallons of gas in the car before storage. 

5. Car Cover

Using a car cover will help to keep the car clean and prevent it from getting too dusty in storage. If you decide to store your car outdoors be sure you purchase a waterproof car cover. A car cover will help protect the paint and tires from being ruined as well. You’ve already cleaned the inside and outside of your car, so why not keep it clean with a car cover!

When storing your car you want to be sure you look for a climate controlled storage unit. Be sure during car storage you follow the 5 tips above and review your car manual to see any extra tips. Depending on the car you own each manufacturer may have different tips for car storage. If you need to store your car contact Albuquerque Self Storage! We have climate controlled units as well as outdoor storage for you.

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