Going Abroad? How to Prepare Your Car For Long Periods Without Use

Summer is the time to travel. The time to get out of your town, state, or even your country. Sometimes traveling means leaving your precious car behind. If you leave your car for long periods of time without use, it could damage your car. Be smart and take care of your car before you take off!

When you return home after your trip, don't worry if your vehicle is less than perfect. At Wrench, we perform high quality, convenient auto repair services for many car owners across the country. Trust us and book your appointment. We will get your car running in it's best condition before you know it.

How to Properly Store Your Car For Long Periods

• Keep it inside
  It is best to keep your car inside if it is going to be stored for long periods of time. This will protect your car from extreme weather changes and more. However, if that is not an option for you, you can also store it outside if you put a cover over it. This will at least protect the body and the paint from leaves, dirt, and other harmful objects that might not get washed of for a long time.
• Wash it
  Before you store your car, you want to make sure it is nice and clean, inside and out. You want to make sure the interior stays warm and dry to prevent mold. For the exterior, you want to clean off any dirt or bird poop before you store it because it could damage the paint.
• Change The Oil
  It is a good idea to change the oil before you store your car because old, dirty oil can damage your car over time. Even if you aren't due for an oil change, it better to be safe than sorry.
• Fill The Gas Tank
  Although you might not think to fill up your gas tank if you won't be using your vehicle for a long period of time, you should! If you are gone for over a month, you could also get a fuel stabilizer. It will keep out extra moisture and keep your fuel tank dry to prevent damage.
• Have Someone Drive it
  If you are gone for a really long time and you have friends at home, we recommend that you try to find someone to drive your car for you. This will charge the battery while you are gone. They should drive your car about every 2 weeks for about 15 minutes. Super short drives will drain your battery even more so make sure they are driving for a little longer.
• Don't Use The Parking Brake
  When you leave your car, make sure the parking brake isn't on. If you leave the parking brake on for too long, it can get frozen, especially if your car is outside during the winter, or it can get jammed. Instead, find a flat place to park your car so you won't have to worry about the parking brake.
• Check The Tire Pressure
  If you leave your car with low tire pressure, you can get flat spots in your tires. This will ruin your tires, so before you leave, make sure the tire pressure isn't too low or too high.
• Cover Any Openings
  Cover any openings to your car to prevent and rodents or bugs from sneaking into your car. For example, block your exhaust pipe, or if you have a broken window, get it covered. You can also surround your car with rat or bug traps to stop them from getting into your car.

If you follow all of these suggestions, your car should be in pretty good condition when you return home, however there is a general risk of storing your car for long periods of time. So if you return and something isn't working quite right, book an appointment with Wrench.