How to Prepare Your Car For Storage

Improper car storage can cause serious damage to your vehicle. Damp air can rust fuel systems and components, batteries may leak, tires deflate - a lot can go wrong unless you take a few steps to ensure proper car storage.Whether you are thinking about short-term or long-term (more than a few weeks) car storage, there are essential steps to take to protect your car from damage and deterioration.1. Choose the car storage facility that's right for your car. Outdoor storage for cars provides protection from vandalism, but not much protection from the elements. Indoor storage gives you extra security plus shelter from the sun and weather. Climate-controlled vehicle storage is often the best option for vintage cars. Be sure your indoor auto storage space is dry, to prevent rust caused by damp air. Tip: only use a car cover if you are storing your vehicle outdoors.2. Fill the gas tank completely. This is done to eliminate moisture that can accumulate in an empty or low tank and cause rusting. Include a fuel-stabilizing additive to stop oxidation of the gasoline - the stabilizer keeps the gasoline from becoming sticky while in storage.3. Change the oil and filter.4. Take care of your tires. If you are storing your car for a short time, inflate the tires to the correct pressure. For longer periods of vehicle storage, put the car up on jack stands to relieve the pressure of the car's weight on the tires. Consult your owner's manual or a mechanic about where to place the jack stands. Be sure to refer to your owner's manual if you are preparing for cold weather vehicle storage.5. Wash and wax your car. This includes the interior - take the time to vacuum crumbs of food. Remove dirty or damp carpets. Don't forget to wash under the car and clean the wheel wells. Removing dirt and moisture will prevent corrosion during auto storage.6. Disconnect the battery. Just disconnect the negative terminal and that's it. You don't want the battery's alarm to go off (it continues to run things like the car's clock). You will most likely need to replace the battery anyway, following long-term car storage.7. Release the parking brake. The brake pad could meld to the rotors during storage.The main point to remember about proper car storage: minimize moisture. Prevent rust and corrosion during storage. How to determine where to store your car? A vehicle storage facility that is clean and well-managed provides a safe haven from bad weather, bad guys, and bad bugs.Take a few steps before you put your car into storage so it will be in good running condition when you are ready to drive it again.