The Best Practices for Storing Your Car in a Storage Unit
When you own a car or recreational vehicle that doesn’t see much road time, there’s a need to protect your vehicle from the elements between usage to preserve its beauty and mechanical sanctity. For those who have an on-premises garage at home, it’s as simple as rolling up the door, making a little room, and parking your car safely out of the way. However, if you don’t have a garage of your own, or if your garage isn’t large enough to accommodate RV storage, at-home storage may not be possible. In those cases, your next best option is to find a facility that offers the best car storage or best RV storage in Metairie, LA, to serve as a temporary home for your cherished vehicle.
Storing your car in a storage unit isn’t as easy as simply pulling your car in and putting it in park, however. In fact, there are several best practices that you should perform to ensure your car remains in pristine condition between periods of use. Keep reading to discover some of these best practices so that you can implement them into your long-term storage plan for your vehicle.
Park It Clean
Parking a car that’s covered with dust and grime simply doesn’t make sense, especially if it’s a cherished collectible show car or recreational vehicle. Therefore, the first task to check off your prestorage checklist is to give your vehicle a thorough cleaning. That means more than just washing and waxing the outside of your vehicle to preserve the finish, but also includes cleaning the interior. You don’t want anything to attract unwanted visitors, such as insects, while your vehicle is in storage, so make sure that it’s spotless inside and out before parking it in a storage unit.
Cover It Up
Once you’ve cleaned your car, you want it to stay that way in storage. While the interior should be fine, it’s a good idea to cover your car while it’s in storage to protect the finish. That will keep dust, dirt, and debris from accumulating on the paint and trim while it’s being stored.
Charge It Up
As your vehicle sits in storage, there’s a good chance that the battery will discharge slowly and lose its ability to start your car when the time comes. Few things are more frustrating than hopping in the car, turning the key, and hearing nothing but silence. There are a couple of ways that you can preserve the charge on your battery while your car is in storage. First, you can remove the battery from the car once you put it in storage, then keep it on a float charger at home. Or, you can take a charger to the car periodically to top off the battery. Finally, you can simply start the car once every few weeks and let it run for 5 or 10 minutes to make sure the battery remains full.
Give the Brake a Break
Another best practice that many vehicle owners forget is that they shouldn’t apply the emergency brake once the car is placed in storage. If the brake and brake pads remain in contact with one another for extended periods, they could fuse and cause significant problems when you attempt to drive the vehicle again. Instead, use a wheel chock to prevent the vehicle from rolling while it’s being stored.
Change the Fluids
It’s a good idea to get an oil change before storing your car if you plan to leave it idle for more than a month. Dirty oil can cause problems in your engine by leaving deposits and damaging seals. Make sure that you have clean oil before storing your car, and go the extra mile to top off all critical fluids before putting it in a storage unit.
If you’re considering the use of a car or RV storage space in Metairie, LA, for your vehicle storage needs, make sure that you implement these best practices to ensure your car remains in pristine condition when not in use. To learn more tips for storing your car or RV in a storage unit, contact Affordable Self Storage at (504) 833-1717. We also offer FREE 24/7 access and don’t require you to purchase insurance through our company.
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Affordable Self Storage
1015 Central Ave Metairie, LA 70001 | Phone: 
(504) 833-1717 | Fax: (504) 831-4840
(504) 833-1717 | Fax: (504) 831-4840