For owners of vintage and luxury sports cars, the arrival of fall is a heartbreaking time. It means the driving season is over and you’ll have to put your joy ride away. It may also be the case that you’re not ready to stow away your car for the season, but you’re going away for a long vacation and it needs a space to stay. Regardless of the reason for your time away from your car, you will need to put it in auto storage to ensure it remains safe and sound.
Unfortunately, you can’t just put your vehicle in a car storage facility and be done with it. It needs to be properly maintained and prepared for storage. Otherwise, an extended storage stay can negatively affect the integrity of the car. Here are some ways to prepare your car for being put into a storage facility.
4 Tips to Maintain Your Car While in Car Storage
1. Top Off All Liquids
Before you check in your luxury car for storage, make sure that you top off all of its fluid levels. This is to prevent corrosion, which can likely happen when you leave your car with low fluid levels. The evaporation and condensation that come with extreme temperature changes in storage facilities will cause serious issues down the line.
Therefore, top off all liquids, including fuel, engine coolant, anti-freeze, and anything else before putting your car in storage. While you’re at it, an oil change before storage is never a bad idea.
2. Get Your Car Detailed
Before you put your vehicle in a car storage facility, make sure it’s cleaned and waxed. This may seem counterintuitive step, but it’s not. Any dirt, dust, or debris that are left on the car’s exterior can scratch or damage the paint. Dirt and crumbs that are found inside the vehicle can attract unwanted critters and leave a nasty smell. A thorough car detail will ensure that your car is spic, span, and ready for storage.
In addition, you could also opt to have your vehicle waxed before storage for another layer of protection.
3. Check the Tires
It’s also important to check and maintain your tires before putting your car in storage. By inflating the tires to the maximum suggested PSI rating, you can prevent your car tires from developing flat spots. The last thing you want is to pick up your car from storage only to find out that the tires need to be replaced.
4. Choose the Right Car Storage Service
There are car storage services that will only store your car and that’s it. There are also storage solutions that will go the extra mile by ensuring that your car gets the attention it deserves while in storage.
A good high-end auto storage facility can perform these maintenance services so you don’t have to. Such services include battery maintenance, tire pressure checks, car starting, and many others.
Make sure that you choose a storage solution that best fits your needs and your car’s.
Peace of Mind for Car Owners
The benefits of putting your car in storage are hard to deny, especially if you own a vintage or luxury vehicle. With these pre-storage maintenance tips, you can have peace of mind as you check your car in for long-term storage.