Vehicle Storage Tips and Tricks: How to Keep Your Ride Safe and Sound Maple Leaf Self Storage

If you’re going away for a while, consider vehicle storage as a means of protecting your ride. It can be your car, truck, trailer, boat or RV. Perhaps you own all these items.

Storing your vehicle off site while traveling can deter thieves. They watch houses to see who’s away. A car in a home garage that has no recent activity is like catnip to a crook.

Perhaps it’s a seasonal issue. For instance, if you have a vehicle that’s only driven during the dryer months, it’s unnecessarily taking up space at home the rest of the year.

Maybe you have a guest coming to stay who needs a parking spot more than you require your own second vehicle. Whatever reason you must store your car, boat, trailer or RV, here are some tips to ensure you do it right.

Since outdoor storage is much more economical, we’ll focus on that solution.

Clean Your Vehicle Before Storage

This seems like a no-brainer, but busy people sometimes neglect to do this right. It’s not complicated but it is essential.

Make the Exterior Glisten!

Grit and other pollutants on the outside need to be removed so they don’t embed themselves permanently in the paint. After it’s spotless, wax your car so rust is less likely to form.

Get that Interior Sparkling!

Cleaning the inside will stop must and mold from developing while you’re away. This includes a total decluttering and removal of any non-essential items. Make sure the cleansers you’re using are appropriate for the materials being cleaned.

Do Some Basic Vehicular Maintenance

This will help ensure your car doesn’t degrade mechanically while in storage. Also, it’ll operate nicely when you retrieve it. These fixes are graded for complexity.

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Easy: Fill Your Tires

This can reduce flat spots developing on your tire treads as your car isn’t being used.

Medium: Change Your Vehicle’s Oil and Filter

Impurities in the oil can damage your engine if your automobile is unused for an extended length of time. Do this before driving to the storage facility to ensure fresh fluids circulate in your car properly. The new filter will keep your oil clean and the vehicle running smooth upon departure.

Advanced: Grease Suspension and Steering

Dirt and water can form around these areas in an unused vehicle, hindering performance. Luckily, handymen on YouTube can show you how to grease your suspension or steering.

If these solutions are too hands-on for you, your local auto mechanic can help. It shouldn’t be an expensive job.

What to Do at the Storage Site

Lock It Up

While security at the site should be reliable, it’s up to you to ensure that no one except you can get into your vehicle. Lock the doors and fasten the windows tight.

Cover Your Vehicle with Breathable Fabric

Many vehicles won’t have the fitted material required to do this properly. But if you have it, then use it for added protection from the elements.