If you're going to be gone on vacation for more than a few weeks, there are some additional issues that come up with car maintenance and storage. Here are some things to consider
Car Storage Options
Leaving your car outside for months on end isn't a great idea. First of all, if you leave it in the same spot outside of your house, it's an easy cue to thieves that no one's home. It leaves both your car and your house more vulnerable to theft. But it's also a bad idea for the car itself, since it will be left vulnerable to the elements.
Assuming you don't have a discrete garage of your own to store the car in, there are a couple of options. Some parking garages have monthly flat fees for parking, which means that you could easily store your car long-term for a reasonable price. Long-term parking lots with paid security are a great idea too; they may be a little bit more expensive, but the lot is responsible for looking after your car. Sometimes, you can find a great deal on renting out someone's extra garage space on a monthly basis as a budget option.
Keep in Mind the Costs of Maintenance
Before you leave, there are things that you should do to maintain your vehicle. First of all, give it a thorough wash. Any debris that is left on the car for months can eat away at the paint job. The other thing to do is to get an auto repair technician to change the oil. Impurities in the oil will potentially damage the engine as it sits. Finally, top off your gas tank before you leave. It's much better for gasoline to sit unused in the tank than for water to collect in the tank and mess with your fuel composition.
Keep in mind that, when you come back from your long trip, there will probably be some things that you need to do before you can safely drive the vehicle. The 12 volt battery will likely be drained from your trip, so you might want to get it checked out and possibly replaced at an auto repair center that handles car batteries. An option to prevent this on the front-end would be to get a trickle charger that provides enough charge to the battery to keep it from completely dying while you're away.
For more information, talk to a company like Joy Automotive Products Inc.
Share27 July 2017
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