Storing your car while you're away on holiday

Are you planning a trip over the break? During your travel preparations, don’t forget to think about your car. Letting your car sit idle for a month, motionless, under hot conditions, is not good for the car battery or its interior. Before leaving for holidays, consider placing your car in a storage unit.

A storage unit protects your car and provides 4 main benefits.                          

• A storage unit will prevent your interior from fading: When your car sits motionless in the parking lot under a blazing sun or hot temperature, the vinyl may crack and the exterior paint and interior furniture will fade. Some of the less visible damages that can be caused to your car by the heat are rusting of the body panels and damage to the stereo system. An unlubricated engine will suffer the most along with your tires due to the extreme climate exposure.
• A storage unit will prevent your engine from clogging: A long term parked car is volatile to corrosion and dust, which can clog the engine. Starting your car after a long time may result into a puff of black smoke.  You will probably need to change your gas and oil or flush your engine to revive your car. However this is an expensive recovery that can be avoided by putting your car in a closed, climate controlled storage unit.
• A storage unit will prevent your batter from dying: Just like a bear during the winter, a motionless car falls into hibernation resulting in a flat battery. Coming back from a vacation, you will find that your car does not have the nutrients it requires to run or start. Avoid push starting your car's  battery by placing it in a storage unit that will run the battery when needed. 
• A storage unit provides convenient service: You can drive the car to the storage unit yourself or have it picked up and dropped off. For a little extra you can have your car picked up and dropped off to and from the airport.

Tip: When storing your car don’t forget to change the oil, the filters, and the coolant and refill the tank. Ask the storage unit whether they have a fuel stabilizer, if not you might want to invest in one yourself in order to prevent damage to the engine and the fuel line.

It’s not rare for people to stop driving for a prolonged period of time. You may be waiting for a visa, or renewing your license, or you are just taking a vacation. In either case you may need to store your car.