Not using your car for a long time? Here are a few tips to store your car better

Whether it is the busy lives you are leading or the daily nuisance caused by the traffic, you may have not felt the need to start your car, leaving it unused for weeks or months. Take the pandemic-induced lockdown for instance. For a year or so, your car may not have moved from the spot, it was parked a year ago.

This inactivity of one of your most prized possessions, your automobile might leave you worried about its maintenance and safety. Lack of proper car storage can cause some unnecessary wear and tear to your vehicle, leaving you with regret and adding up to your monthly bills.

However, you can avoid these unwarranted costs and take charge of your vehicle storage by following these simple suggestions:

Protect it with a cover

One of the best ways to offer protection to your car is to park it indoors. By parking it indoors, you can avoid exposing your car to sunlight and bad weather. If you don’t have a garage, we suggest you should try to look for a car storage facility around you.

On the other hand, if you are unable to park it inside, put it under a car cover. The car cover is bound to offer extra protection from dust along with wear and tear. However, if you are parking your car indoors, there is no need to put over a cover as it might catch moisture under humid conditions found in the Indian subcontinent.

Put a hold on putting a handbrake on

After a ride back from the supermarket or office, you are about to exit your car and you pull up the handbrake and lock it! Of course, it comes as a reflex. However, if you are looking to store your car for a longer period of time, i.e. leaving a car unused for a year, you might want to hold your thought of putting a handbrake on.

When your handbrake is engaged for a long period of time, it can cause the brake pads to get stuck to the discs or the drums. If you are looking to store your car, this may not be a good idea as your brake pads getting stuck may lead to increased wear and tear. So what’s the alternative?

You could simply use a piece of wood or brick to prevent it from rolling or you could just leave the car in first gear. As simple as that!

Maintain the battery

Just like not charging your phone could cause the battery to run out of power, leaving your car battery unattended is bound to lose its charge. A prevalent problem in unused cars, it is always advisable to remove the battery if you are planning to store your vehicle for a long time.

To avoid corrosion in the meantime, you should apply petroleum jelly to either end of the battery. Moreover, if you are planning on removing the battery, it is recommended to keep it in a cool and dry place away from the sunlight.

If this seems like too much effort, you could just start your car every two weeks and allow your vehicle to breathe out in the open, every now and then.

Fill The Fuel Tank

When you are planning for the storage of cars, it is only natural for you to believe that you could avoid filling your fuel tank. After all, this seems like a great idea to save some bucks amid the rising petrol and diesel prices.

However, a fuel tank empty for more than 30 days could result in the collection of moisture, eventually resulting in rusting of the tank. Furthermore, to add an extra layer of care, you can also buy fuel additives that would prevent the fuel from deteriorating.

Look out for flat spots

One of the overlooked concerns for vehicle storage is flat spots. When your car is stored for a longer duration of time, specific spots of your vehicles’ tyres bear the entire weight of the car. While you may be able to get rid of these flat spots by just taking your car out for a drive, sometimes these spots may result in permanent damage, and the tyres might have to be replaced.

By resting your car on jacks you can avoid the pressure your tyres would have to bear when your car is in storage for a long time.

Clean your interiors

A basic tip towards ensuring your car doesn’t look like a deserted one straight out of an apocalypse movie is keeping it clean. Before you bid farewell to your automobile and place it under car storage, thoroughly check and clean your interiors.

Look out for food crumbs, spillage, or any garbage and remove it from the car. A study shows that 51% of the drivers drop food and other perishable remains inside their cars, allowing bacterial and viral cultures to develop unchecked.

And so, take a moment to clean out all the seats and dashboard and get rid of unnecessary things. Use a car freshener to maintain hygiene.

When you are keeping your vehicle stored away for a long period of time, it is a good idea to change the oil and filters. Used oil often consists of moisture, metal fillings, and other corrosive substances which can cause corrosion in several vital parts.

Furthermore, once you change the oils, it is recommended that you drive the vehicle for a few minutes or so to ensure the circulation of the fluid throughout various parts of the vehicle.

Talking about taking efforts to maintain your car, we at Auto Best Emperio understand the sentimental value that comes with an automobile. Right from romantic long drives to spending quality time with your family, cars are an integral part of our day-to-day lives.

With the growing pre-owned cars market, you may need a reliable business that understands your needs. And so, we serve nothing but the best in business. From the latest model to pre-owned luxury cars, Auto Best Emperio personally assures quality, and only upon satisfaction, do we provide you with the ideal car.