Written by: Madeline Blake
Date:

As you probably already know, there’s a quite difference between not using your car for a couple of days and not using it for more than six months. And if you’re thinking about storing your car for a longer period of time, you’ll have to prepare it carefully and thoroughly! Only by doing this you can be sure that your precious car will survive being inside the storage unit for a longer period of time. Since this is such an important matter, we’ve decided to help you. We’ve created a guide on how to prep your car for long-term storage. Read it carefully and you’ll learn the basics of storing like a pro. So, are you ready? Let’s learn all about storing a car!

The importance of preparing your car for long-term storage

Whether you want to store a couple of moving boxes or some of your most precious belongings, it’s necessary to prepare them properly for storing time. This is something that has to be done even after finding a reliable moving company that offers storage units of the finest quality. Remember, quality storage units will keep your items safe. However, if you don’t store the right way, even the most quality facility won’t be able to protect the items you’ve stored. Therefore, preparation is a crucial process of storing! The same goes for storing something as big and valuable as your car.

A black car

If you’re thinking about storing your car, learn how to do it like a pro!

Problems you could encounter if you don’t prep your car for long-term storage

Unfortunately, there are some problems you could encounter if you don’t prepare your motorcycle for storage (or your car) the right way. And, being informed about these potential problems and how to avoid them is crucial! Only some of these problems include:

  • Dead battery
  • Damaged engine
  • Damaged paint
  • Ruined tires and flat spots
  • A rat’s nest under the hood

As you can see, this is definitely something you don’t want to deal with. But, fear not! Our guide will help you preserve the life of your car’s engine and ensure that it will start when you return to it. With the help of our tips, your precious car will survive being stored for a longer period of time! Therefore, if you decide to check out some of the best places to live in Texas, your car will be ready for this adventure!

How to prep your car for long-term storage?

So, let’s finally teach you how to prep your car for long term storage! You’ll see that’s there’s nothing hard about this preparation. Therefore, make sure to follow each of the steps that you can read below. Here are the things you’ll need to take care of before storing your car!

Clean the car thoroughly

It might seem counterintuitive to clean something that’ll be stored away for more than six months, but this step shouldn’t be overlooked. Storing a car that’s dirty or covered in water stains for a longer period of time can damage the paint! You’ll need to get rid of grease, tar, and mud. And don’t forget to clean the interior of your car. This will keep the critters out!

Man washing his car after reading our guide on how to prep your car for long-term storage

For added protection and preventing corrosion, give the car a coat of wax after cleaning it.

Change the oil

People who want to store their car for a week or two can skip this step. However, if you’ll be storing your car for more than a month (and you will), it’s necessary to change the oil. Every auto mechanic can tell you that used engine oil has various contaminants that could damage the engine of your car. Therefore, change the oil in your car before storing it, but let the pros take care of this step.

Fill the tank

This is another important car storage tip. Since you want to prep your car for long-term storage, you’ll need to fill the tank with gas. Again, this is something that needs to be done when storing a vehicle for more than one month. By doing this, you’ll prevent moisture from accumulating inside the fuel tank of your car and the seals won’t dry out.

Keep it charged

As you probably already know, a battery that’s unattended will eventually lose its charge. This is why you should find the time to stop by your car and start it every two weeks and drive it periodically. By doing this you’ll maintain the battery’s charge and keep all of the car’s components adequately lubricated. However, we understand that some of you can’t afford to visit your storage unit so often. In case you’re one of them, there’s an easy solution to this problem. You can disconnect the negative battery cable but this could lead to losing the stereo presets, time and other settings. It’s not an ideal solution but it’ll work. Your car will be safely stored and you’ll be able to drive to the safest cities in Idaho whenever you want.

Prevent flat-spotting

It’s important to know that if you store the vehicle for too long, the tires could develop flat spots. Flat-spotting occurs at a faster rate in colder temperatures, so if you’re storing during the winter, don’t forget to check your tires regularly. You can prevent this from happening by taking the wheels off and placing the car on jack stands. In case you haven’t done this and the flat spots have shown up, you should take your car for a drive. In most cases, that one drive will bring the tires up to their normal operating temperature. And, it will help you get rid of flat spots. However, in more severe cases, these spots can become a permanent part of your tire. So, if this happens, you’ll have to replace it.

A car tire

Your tires could get flat spots if you don’t prep your car for storing the right way.

By following all of the steps from above, you’ll prep your car for long-term storage with no problems along the way. Therefore, make sure to write down all of them and make sure your care is being safely stored.