Hey fellow G enthusiasts, turns out I'll be in Europe for about 4.5 months and have to store my car under a carport (albeit a nice one.)
This is my first time leaving a car alone for that long, besides a good detail and covering it, what else should I do?

I've heard that tires will develop flat spots, but others also said that they'll go away in about 1/4 mile of driving. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for all the input, I've never had to leave a car for this long before.

 

Drain gas (or use a fuel stabilizer if draining not's possible)
Use battery tender
Raise car on jack stands
Remove tires/wheels
Store tires/wheels on their side w/o stacking if possible

And if it were me I'd replace all fluids when you get back. Probably not necessary but it would make me very comfortable to know she's going back into driving all clean and new.

 

Thanks for the info, I was planning on having one of my parents maybe take it out and drive it for the day every few weeks or so.

I had considered storing on jack stands. But doesn't that damage suspension components?

And in terms of fluid, I planned on changing everything upon my return anyways

 

I store motorcycles for people for 5-6 months every winter. It's not as complicated as it seems.

Change the oil if you haven't done your yearly change yet.

Go fill up the gas to full and pour stabilizer in the tank using the stabilizing guide on the back of the bottle. Do this at the gas station, so the mixed fuel will make it into your injectors and fuel lines on the way home.

Pump up tires to a bit above recommended PSI, like 40 this winter. Flat spots were common with Bias Ply tires in 1972, but this is 2016 and your radials will hold up fine!

Since the car will be in a car port - remove the battery and put it on a battery tender on cold concrete at home. Leave it plugged in!

If you can afford it, put a cover on the whole car (if your association allows it).

Don't replace any other fluids as it a waste of money. Again, this is 2016 fluids don't fail that quickly!

Have a fun trip.

 

Change oil
Fill tank
Over inflate tires to 40lbs
Give keys to someone you trust to use the vehicle weekly with a few dollars to keep the tank full.

Telcoman

 

Driving the car when on storage is worse for it then if it sat the whole time. If the vehicle is ran for short trips only, it doesn't charge the battery and builds up carbon.

 

Alright. Thanks for all the info so far, I was tempted to just leave the car and give the keys to my parents, and although I know they would take care of it, it wouldn't be at the same level that I do, so atm I'm just gonna do a bunch of prep work and cover it and park it.

 

^this.


If someone can take it out for a 20+ mile or so drive once a week, that would be great. Idling it is not enough to keep the battery properly charged or get the oil up to proper temp. They need to take it out, up on the highway, and drive it around and get it nice and hot.

If they can't do that and can only do a short trip or idle it, then don't start it at all. Pull the battery, bring it inside, and put it on a trickle charger.

Fill the tires to max pressure and they should be fine.

4 months is nothing really. I've stored cars for 2-3 years at a time (longest is 7) and it's not that complicated really.

 

Are you in an area that gets snow during winter? That may change things a bit vs not having snow. Here in FL where we don't get real winters, 4months during winter is not much. The biggest thing is probably the battery and changing fluids.

All the advice posted are good. I do recommend a car cover since that is a cheap investment and can be re-used in the future.

 

I live in Northern California (the valley area) so we get a bit of rain and some 40 degree days but that's about it tbh. It'll be under a roof + a car cover. So I'm pretty sure it'll be in good shape

 

well, it will be nice for your parents to drive it every now and then to keep all the fluids moving around.

 

No, it really won't. Old wives' tale.

Just do as recommended. Cars can sit still for quite a long time.

You will build up carbon with all of these pointless starts.

 

Yup. And most often a short drive after it's been sitting can hurt more than help.


Unless they take it out for 1-2 hours and take It for a blast down the freeway and get all the fluids nice and toasty, it's best to just let it sit on a trickle charger.

 

Some cars have been around for a long time



Telcoman

 

Nice telco. Building a '32 chopped top coupe right now in my garage!