29/06/2018

What to do before you put your vehicle in storage

Maybe you’ve relocated and your new address is connected and convenient so you no longer use your car, or maybe you only used your car in Melbourne’s colder months anyway. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided you can’t leave your car to take up precious space in your garage or outside, unattended and exposed. If you’re looking to store your vehicle for a couple of months in winter, or longer, at Wilson Storage we have some easy to follow tips to prepare your car for storage.

Fix it

Either take your car to a mechanic or administer a health check in your garage — either way, it’s best to fix issues before, rather than after, storage. Check for oil leaks, rust and make sure that the brakes are in working condition. If there are any problems, these will only worsen with time. You don’t want to pick your car up only to find it won’t start or needs to go to the mechanics straight away.

Clean it

Much like fixing, cleaning only benefit you. Take your car to a professional to get rid of water stains or bird droppings, which can eat away at the paint job eventually. While you’re at it, ask them to give the interiors a thorough clean. Make sure they attend to all those hard to reach places, like underneath door handles and in the linings of the seats or the underside of the steering wheel. Add a steam clean service for the upholstery so when you pick up your car, it’ll feel brand new.

Maintenance

If you’re going to store your vehicle for longer than a month, it’s a wise idea to change the oil and top up the fuel. It’s common knowledge that engine oil has contaminants that, over time, could damage the engine if left unchanged. Leave your fuel tank full to prevent moisture from building up inside and seals from drying out.

Keep it charged

There’s nothing worse than using your car for the first time after a long holiday and hearing that clicking noise of the engine failing to start. Unattended batteries lose their charge over time. Many people will opt to start the car every two weeks and give it a five-minute drive to ‘wake up’ all the different parts — an action that is especially easy to do at Wilson Storage. We have 24/7 access to the storage solutions and over ten different locations — meaning you won’t have to travel far to check up on your car.

Brakes

On an ordinary day, you would use the handbrake when you stop your car. In storage, however, if you engage the handbrake, the brake pads will be in contact with the rotors for too long and may fuse together. Instead, leave the handbrake down and buy a tyre stopper to stop the car from rolling.

After completing these simple steps, you will be ready to store your vehicle in one of our storage solutions. Call Wilson Storage to get a quote and find out more about our unit sizes and options for extras, like undercover or open-air storage.