rosegachaga
Administrator
This are possible ways you can store your car if you travelling for a long period or else the car won`t be in use for a long given period
1. Clean the garage where the car is stored. If possible, remove all cans, bottles, junk, paper etc out of it. Sweep the floor. This is to get rid of rats, which may have already settled in your garage and to get rid of the dust and dirt. Never park the car outside, unless you have absolutely no choice.
2. Wash and vaccum the car once. To remove dirt which may damage the paint if it stays on the body for too long. Vaccuming will remove any dirt in the car, particularly food particles which may start smelling and attract insects.
3. Get a trickle charger and connect to the battery. If its an old car (without an ECU), you don't need to do this. You can just disconnect the battery terminals. If you can't do this, make sure the battery is fully charged and its good enough to hold a charge.
4. If possible, remove the tires and place the car on jack-stands or old tyres. If a tire loses all air in it, it might become permanently damaged. You may have to replace the tire(s). This will also remove the strain on the suspension. However, if you are storing the car for just a month or two, you don't need to do this.
5. Keep the handbrake OFF. If you keep it on, you will definitely get a brake bind. Place bricks behind the tires (if you didn't remove them) to prevent the car from moving.
7. Block the air inlet and exhaust pipe. This will prevent rats or other creatures going in to the car.
8. Use a good quality breatheable car cover if you have one, otherwise leave it uncovered.
9. For a relatively old car, apply some lithium grease (not petroleum grease) on door hinges and similar mechanisms. This is also optional.
You don't need to do most of these things if you can start and move the car for a short distance, at least once a week.
1. Clean the garage where the car is stored. If possible, remove all cans, bottles, junk, paper etc out of it. Sweep the floor. This is to get rid of rats, which may have already settled in your garage and to get rid of the dust and dirt. Never park the car outside, unless you have absolutely no choice.
2. Wash and vaccum the car once. To remove dirt which may damage the paint if it stays on the body for too long. Vaccuming will remove any dirt in the car, particularly food particles which may start smelling and attract insects.
3. Get a trickle charger and connect to the battery. If its an old car (without an ECU), you don't need to do this. You can just disconnect the battery terminals. If you can't do this, make sure the battery is fully charged and its good enough to hold a charge.
4. If possible, remove the tires and place the car on jack-stands or old tyres. If a tire loses all air in it, it might become permanently damaged. You may have to replace the tire(s). This will also remove the strain on the suspension. However, if you are storing the car for just a month or two, you don't need to do this.
5. Keep the handbrake OFF. If you keep it on, you will definitely get a brake bind. Place bricks behind the tires (if you didn't remove them) to prevent the car from moving.
7. Block the air inlet and exhaust pipe. This will prevent rats or other creatures going in to the car.
8. Use a good quality breatheable car cover if you have one, otherwise leave it uncovered.
9. For a relatively old car, apply some lithium grease (not petroleum grease) on door hinges and similar mechanisms. This is also optional.
You don't need to do most of these things if you can start and move the car for a short distance, at least once a week.
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