10 Things You MUST Do If Your Car Is Going Into Storage

As much as car enthusiasts love to drive their pride and joy, sometimes it becomes a necessity to put a car in long-term storage. Whether you own a classic car that needs sheltering from the elements over the winter months, a project car in need of work, or a Honda Civic you are planning to sell, there are many reasons why you might need to mothball your vehicle for a few months or more.

There are several things you will need to think about if you want to keep your car in good condition during a long period of inactivity, from pest control to fuel to theft prevention. Here are ten tips to help prepare a car for long-term storage, so you can keep your vehicle in top condition even when it’s off the road.

Civic Sedan

Model

Civic

Segment

Sedan

Base MSRP

$23,950

1

Choose The Safest Spot To Park Your Car

When getting ready to put your car in storage for a long period of time, the first step is finding a safe location to keep it. The best option, if you have access to one, is a garage: locked, secure and protected from the elements, it’s the ideal vehicle storage solution.

If you don’t have a garage of your own, but still need a spot to keep your car safe for a few months, you can look into renting one; there are even some dedicated companies that offer temporary storage services. If a garage or other indoor storage space is not a viable option, a car cover is a must to protect your vehicle from the elements (more on that later).

2

Give Your Car A Deep Clean

Before your car gets parked in its designated spot, it’s a good idea to deep clean it inside and out. Cleaning the outside of the car ensures the paintwork is kept in good condition during the storage period, reducing the risk of rusting and damage. Cleaning the interior, meanwhile, reduces the risk of staining on your upholstery and deterioration of materials such as leather and plastic.

If you have some spare cash in your car maintenance budget, you might want to hire a professional, to save time and ensure the cleaning is done to high standards; however, if you’d prefer to go down the DIY route, you can check out this helpful guide on how to detail your car, giving you information about the tools you’ll need and step-by-step instructions.

3

Perform Routine Maintenance Tasks

If you want to avoid any nasty surprises when you retrieve your car at the end of the storage period, it’s crucial that you keep all its mechanical components in good shape with regular maintenance. Taking your car in for a routine service just before you store it away will help reduce the chance of any issues cropping up. If anything needs repairing or replacing, this is the time to do it.

This is also a good time to check the condition of your tires, since your car is going to spend a long time sitting on them (unless you have the means to lift it from the ground during storage, which is ideal as it helps avoid flat spots).

4

Check Your Car’s Fluids

One very important aspect of the pre-storage maintenance routine involves fluids: it is recommended to fill your tank before putting a car in storage, as it prevents condensation in the fuel tank and the formation of rust. Adding a fuel preservative will also stop the lines from becoming clogged.

It’s also recommended to perform an oil change, as old oil can damage the engine when a vehicle is left stationary for long periods of time. If you live in a climate where cold temperatures are a concern, topping up with antifreeze is also a good idea: letting the engine run for a few minutes before taking the car to its new temporary home will help circulate the fluid.

5

Use A Good Quality Car Cover

This part is recommended if you’ll be keeping your car in a garage, but absolutely crucial if you’ll be keeping it parked outside (such as in a residential parking lot). A car cover protects your vehicle from dirt, moisture, and damage to the paintwork. If the car is parked outside, it also protects from sunlight and UV damage.

You can pick up a car cover from most auto parts stores, or buy one online. If you want to add an extra layer of protection, you can also use seat covers to protect against dust and rim covers specifically to protect your wheels.

6

Invest In A Trickle Charger

One of the challenges of keeping a car parked for long periods is the risk of ending up with a dead battery. In past decades, it was commonplace to disconnect the battery when putting a car in storage for a long period of time, however in modern cars the onboard computer can be affected by leaving the battery disconnected for too long.

The best solution is to buy a device called a trickle charger; as the name suggests, the trickle charger provides a steady, continuous flow of power, which keeps the battery alive even when the car is not driven for long periods of time. You can pick up a trickle charger for under $100; a worthy investment to keep your vehicle’s battery in optimal health conditions.

7

Start The Car Every Few Weeks

Even if you are using a trickle charger to keep your battery alive and in good shape, it’s still a good idea to start your vehicle every few weeks. Running the engine for a few minutes while stationary is good enough for battery health purposes, but if it’s safe to do so (and legal- more on that later), taking the car out for a quick drive every once in a while is even better. This will help you spot any mechanical issues straight away, as well as having a beneficial effect on the tires by reducing the chance of flat spots forming.

8

Use Pest Control Measures…

Pest control is a very important part of car care; all sorts of critters, from bugs to rodents, are attracted to the sheltered, dark environment of your car’s engine bay, and may try to set up shop there causing all sorts of damage. This is especially a problem if your car is equipped with the infamous “rat magnet” soy-based wiring that caused such a stir in the automotive world a few years back: although the veracity of the angry customers’ claims is still not certain, the anecdotal evidence suggests there might be some degree of truth in them.

There is a large variety of sprays and devices available on the market to make your car less attractive to pests: some car manufacturers even sell dedicated “anti-marten” ultrasonic repellent devices in their accessories catalogue (although martens are most commonly found in Europe, the devices will work on other small furry creatures as well).

9

…And Anti-Theft Measures

Animals aren’t the only thing you have to worry about when leaving a car in storage for a long period of time. Car thieves may see your vehicle as an easy opportunity, and it’s important to take measures to deter them and prevent the worst from happening.

This could take the form of physical devices, such as a steering wheel lock or an aftermarket alarm. As car theft gets more sophisticated, however, so do theft prevention measures: you can also choose to have more elaborate devices installed, such as an OBD port lock, LoJack system, or kill switch, for increased peace of mind.

10

Keep Your Paperwork In Order

Once your car is clean, prepped, covered, and safely parked in its new temporary home, it’s time for the paperwork side of things. Most of the time, it’s just a case of double-checking that all your regular car paperwork, such as registration and insurance, is up-to-date. However, if you happen to live in California, there is an additional option called PNO (Planned Non-Operation) status: this allows you to cancel your car’s registration for a year, legally taking it off the road and saving you the expense of registration and insurance. You can apply for PNO status online through the DMV website.

Keep in mind if you apply for PNO status, you legally won’t be able to take your car out for a drive until it has been registered and insured again, so investing in a trickle charger to keep your battery alive is an even more essential step than usual.

Sources: DMV, Car Battery Market, YouStock, RedKiteDays