Tips on How to Prepare Your Car for Storage in Melbourne
Going on a long holiday or an extended business trip means leaving your car unattended. That’s all good if you have an enclosed garage.
However, if your car is usually out in the open, leaving it there for months is not great. You will come back to a damaged and unusable car.
So, the best thing would be to store your car in car storage or shipping containers. To prepare, follow these car storage tips to make sure your car stays in top shape.
Shipping Containers Car Storage
Before looking at the tips, let’s learn what shipping container storage is. Shipping container storage is a modern alternative to traditional car storage.
Why rent a shipping container for a car? Two reasons, privacy and protection.
Instead of parking your car with hundreds of others, you will get a private storage space. Your car will be put inside a 20ft container, separate from other cars.
The container itself is waterproof, dustproof, and vermin-proof. So, your car won’t be exposed to the elements. Moreover, the container is impenetrable, so break-in attempts are prevented.
There is also a padlock and a padlock protector to secure the container door. Your car cannot be more safe than this.
Tips to Prepare Your Car for Storage
Before storage – traditional or shipping containers — your car needs to be prepped. If it is not prepared well, you will find these issues when you collect it;
- Dead battery
- Peeling paint
- Mould and stains
- Damaged engine because of old oil
- Rust
To prevent those, follow these five car storage tips.
1. Clean It Up
It may seem redundant for you to wash your car only to keep it indoors. However, cleaning your car is crucial to prevent peeling paint.
The outside of your car is exposed to the elements, like dust and bird droppings. They can chip the paint in the long run. Therefore, give your car a good hose and dry it well.
Don’t forget to clean the interior, as well. All cars have food scraps, water droplets, and other things inside. Left too long without cleaning, those scraps will turn into mould.
Once one area of the car is mouldy, your whole car will be covered in it. So, make sure your car is as clean as possible.
2. Put Protective Materials On Your Car
It is best to cover your car with a cover that can protect it from the elements. Make sure that the cover is water, dust, and vermin-proof.
If you store it in a shipping container, you will get furniture blankets as the car cover. These furniture blankets are waterproof, dustproof, and vermin-proof. It is shock absorbent, as well.
So, in the unlikely event something bumps into your car, there is no damage done. Plus, these blankets are given to you free of charge.
3. Take The Battery Out
It’s difficult for someone to take your car out for a ride after you put it in storage. So, to prevent the battery from discharging, take it out before storage.
If you don’t want to take it out, you can use a battery tender/maintainer. The device will charge your car battery intermittently to keep it running.
Whatever method you choose, refer to the car manuals as a precaution. You can find helpful tips and suggestions from it.
4. Drain and Replace the Oil
If you plan to store your car for longer than a month, change the old oil. Letting old oil sit too long will affect the engines. The contaminants in the oil will damage engine components.
Moreover, debris and dirt can clog the engine and make it malfunction. Therefore, change your oil right before storage.
Don’t forget to change the oil again after storage to prevent damage.
5. Fill the Tank
It is best to keep the tank full before your car goes to storage. A full tank prevents accumulating moisture inside the tank
However, you better fill the tank with an ethanol-free fuel blend. Another alternative is to use a fuel stabiliser. Ethanol buildup can cause rust in the engine, so make sure that the ethanol in your fuel is controlled.
6. Store the Tyres
Leaving the tyres on the ground can create non-removable flat spots. The best thing to do is to either jack the car up or remove the wheels altogether.
If you store it in a shipping container, the company will help you dismantle the tyres and tie them to the container walls. The temperature inside the container is cool, so there will be no damage to them.
Conclusion
You need to prepare your car before storage. This includes cleaning, changing the oil, taking out the battery, filling the fuel tank, and dismantling the tyres.
These are to prevent a dead battery, mould, and engine damage. With these precautions in place, the car will be in excellent condition when you collect it.
The car will be even more protected if you store it inside a shipping container. You will get a private car space, separate from other cars. The company will also provide car cover and tyre dismantling services.
Once you follow these tips, your car will definitely work as well as it is before storage!
