Are you planning to go on a long-term vacation? Well, in addition to booking flight tickets, reserving places of accommodation, and packing all essentials, which are outright necessary, you must also implement certain tips to take care of your existing possessions here, car being major among the lot. Starting from covering and charging it to preventing flat spots- there are many things to keep in mind. Well, for details, please buy some time and check out the points mentioned below.
- Cover
A garage or steel shed is believed to be the perfect place for vehicles because it tends to offer maximum protection against high temperature, fire, caustic chemicals, insect infestation, and other kinds of adverse environmental inconsistencies. Now if you have not yet installed the said structure and cannot do the same any time soon, make sure to invest in a weatherproof cover that could successfully block rain, snow, and harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of sun.
- Clean
It might appear highly counterintuitive to wash a car when you are actually not going to use it for months but this particular step is extremely easy and must not be neglected under any circumstance. Bird droppings or water stains when not cleaned immediately can damage the paint to a great extent. You should also add wax coating as well as try extracting the mud, tar, or grease from side of wheel and beneath fenders.
- Fill Tank
If you are thinking of leaving your car in the garage for a month or so, make sure to fill its tank with gas. Doing so would most surely prevent the accumulation of moisture inside, which can compel the seals to dry out quickly. You must also invest in a fuel stabilizer that does not allow gas to deteriorate for over a year and successfully protects the engine from ethanol, gum, rust, and varnish. Now isn’t that absolutely amazing?
- Change Oil
Oil must also be changed if a car would be staying completely unused for thirty days or more. Top-notch companies such as Ford mention this specific step in the manuals. It informs consumers that old engine oil develops a wide range of contaminants that can destroy a car gradually.
- Charge
A battery unattended is noted for having a series of disadvantages. Thus, arrange someone who can take your car out every week even if it is just for fifteen minutes for so. It will keep the engine along with other necessary components of a car exceptionally lubricated.
- No Flat Spots
The tires must be properly inflated. When a car is stationed for long at the same place, its tires could suffer from flat spots, and hamper overall vehicular performance. Sometimes just driving a car every once in a while could allow the tires to remain in their proper functioning condition.
Taking the tips specified above into consideration and executing them with utter precision would allow your car to remain spick and span for a prolonged period. When it comes to other items such as clothing, furniture, books, photographs, etc., consider taking a self-storage unit on rent. According to providers of public storage in Austin, it is necessary to opt for an affordable and spacious facility equipped with climate-controlled feature and a series of hi-tech security systems.
