4 Summer Car Storage Tips

Whether you're looking to put your vehicle into outdoor car storage, or you're trying to keep it well-maintained while not driving it because of the coronavirus lockdowns, there are some simple steps to follow to safeguard your ride while it's stored.

Follow these basics to prevent most forms of damage and you'll reduce the issues you have when you go to use it again. 

Protect the Tires

When storing your vehicle in summer car storage there are a few things you need to do to preserve your tires. Add an additional 10 to 15 PSI to the tires to help prevent flat spots. Also, consider jacking up your ride so no pressure is on the tires at all.

This helps you avoid the permanent damage that's done to your tires when sitting for too long. Just making these two simple changes will preserve your tires while your ride is in self-storage. 

Fill Up the Tank

One of the best things you can do for your car's fuel system is to fill up the tank when it sits for an extended period. This prevents rust formation due to condensation within the tank. Also, add in a fuel stabilizer to keep the fuel from going bad as it sits in the tank for months and months.

If you can it's good to run the engine occasionally as well to keep fuel moving through the lines and to help keep your gaskets from drying out within your vehicle's system. 

Care for Your Battery

During extended periods when you aren't driving your vehicle, it's common for the battery to die and to degrade as well. That's why it's important to care for it in one of several ways. If you can start up your ride at least once a month and let it run for 10 minutes or more that will help maintain your battery.

Your battery should be okay for the summer even if you can't start up your ride, but you should take the time to clean off the battery contacts to remove corrosion and tighten up the battery cables. Also, make sure you don't have any devices that are pulling power from your battery that are left on.

That means no lights, no chargers, no radios, or anything else. Even a low power device will kill your battery if left on for three months over summer. 

Change the Oil

Try and avoid parking your ride in self-storage or anywhere for a long period of time without changing the oil. If your vehicle sits around for an extended period with old oil you'll experience corrosion from all the contaminants in the oil. 

Follow these basic tips to keep your ride fresh and well-maintained throughout the quarantine or while it's kept in a Rock Safe self-storage unit. Just taking these few extra steps will help protect your vehicle so it's ready for many more years of service still.