You take pride in caring for your classic car or luxury vehicle and want to protect it against the harsh winter months. Since you don't wish to subject your fine finish to salt and snow, placing your car into storage is the right course of action.
Here are the top tips you should know before storing your car for the winter.
Location
Unless you have a garage that you can use at home to store your car, you most likely will have to rent a space at a car storage facility. When choosing the right storage facility for you, look for one that has a concrete floor, earth floors breed moisture and that's the last thing your car needs. It doesn't have to be climate controlled but it does help with keeping out excess moisture.
Keep Fluids Topped Up
Before you store your car into the storage facility for the long months of winter, make sure all your fluids are topped up. This means, fill your gas tank and add a fuel stabilizer into it to prevent any air or water from damaging your tank and fuel line.
Then make sure your anti-freeze, windshield washer fluid and other fluids are topped up as well.
Check Your Engine Oil
While you are checking your car's fluids, take the time to check your engine oil too. If the oil is dirty, change it before you store it. If you plan to store your car for more than a year, then fogging the engine is a good idea, otherwise, it's unnecessary.
Wash The Car
When you have checked your fluids and engine oil, now is the time to wash and detail your car. Wash it thoroughly and make sure you get it as dry as you can, even if it means taking it for one last spin around the block to erase excess water. Then fully detail it to ensure there are no contaminants left on any surface. This will help to protect the paint and upholstery during storage.
General Checks
Before you store the car at the facility, make sure your tires are completely inflated to the maximum psi for your tires. This will help them prevent getting any flat spots during storage. Leave the car in neutral if you have a standard car, and automatics can be left in park with the parking break off.
It's not necessary but you can take your battery out of the car during storage to prevent leakage unless your vehicle requires it for the computer's memory. Finally, roll down the windows an inch or two to let air circulate and to prevent any moisture buildup.
Contact a facility, like Ship Creek Storage, for more help.