Top tips for safely storing your car long term

There are many reasons to store a car long term. Maintaining the condition of a classic car, keeping an exotic car safe, or waiting for a future-classic to achieve its investment potential, to name just a few.

Different sizes of container storage for hire are available to suit a wide range of cars – as long as you use a professional storage company. Before you store your car long term (longer than three months), however, make sure you don’t forget these key tips.

Clean it thoroughly

It’s important to give your car a thorough clean and polish before you lay it up. It may seem counter-intuitive, who is going to see it after all? But it’s essential, because dirt and grime can lead to corrosion taking hold, and cause ongoing issues with your paintwork.

Service the fluids

Petrol and diesel should be fine in the car for up to a year or so – any longer than that and they will start to degrade and may corrode through the tank. To offset this, brim the tank and invest in some special additives. A thorough oil and filter replacement is also advisable.

Mind the battery

If you regularly store your vehicle for extended periods of time, it might be worth having a battery isolator installed on the vehicle. This cuts off the battery, preventing it from going flat. Otherwise, you should use a battery tender – otherwise known as a trickle charger.

Consider the tyres

Leaving the car sitting in one place may lead to flat spots on the tyres. To offset this, you can jack the vehicle up, or invest in tyre saver blocks. Tyre saver blocks are grooved to keep the tyre off the floor. Make sure the tyres are properly inflated and checked prior to storage.

Keep handbrake off

It’s probably against your instinct to keep the handbrake off – it’s habit to put it on when you park. But, over long periods of time the handbrake can seize, meaning you can’t move the car when it’s time to take it out of storage. Also consider leaving one of the windows open slightly.

SentraRearQuarter by Digital Shotgun licensed under Creative Commons 4.0