Summertime and the cruisin’ is easy; so, take that convertible out of long term car storage and roll! What, no convertible in storage? Maybe Aunt Betty’s old Mercedes? She always says it needs to be driven: its been in stored away since she stopped driving two years ago. Take Aunt Betty and the car for a Sunday afternoon drive. Before you roll, review the following checklist.
Prepping for long term car storage of more than a year, or two, or three!
- Schedule an oil change and fluid top off before placing your car in the garage
- Top off the gas tank and add a gas preservative, so the gas doesn’t break down or gather moisture while stationary
- Wash and wax your car prior to putting on the car cover. This keeps road debris from dulling your paint and protects against rust, corrosion and dust
- Pull that battery cable off – this helps guard against corrosion at the post
- Consider pulling your car up on jack stands while in the garage. Tires can develop flat spots from sitting in the same position for an extended period.
About now, you’re getting that, oh no, I didn’t do ALL those things feeling! No worries, missing a couple of items in this checklist isn’t the end of the world and well, there’s always next year to get it right. What more? Read here…
Leaving long term car storage …the How.
Okay, let’s get back to that summer cruz’in we’re all looking forward to and what we need to do before we take that bad boy out in the hill country.
My guys over at German Car Specialist recommend the following, so let’s get started:
- Let’s start with taking it down off the jack stands. Before you do, check the tires, the brakes, etc. After all, you have her up on stands anyway, best to make sure nothing was affected by storage.
- Once she’s back on the ground, continue the visual inspection. Check under the hood: are all the fluid levels still okay? Evaporation could affect some fluids. What about the belts and hoses; are any showing any signs of wear or need for tightening?
- Reconnect those battery cables and gently start the engine. Be sure to let the car sit and idle for about 20 minutes or so. This allows the fluids to begin flowing through the engine to lubricate all moving parts.
- Consider having your mechanic do a little once over just to make sure everything is operating the way it should.
- Final step, wash off the long-term car storage dust and grime that is sure to have settled on the body.
No time to read, but want more info on getting that vintage beauty working again? Give my friends at German Car Specialists in San Antonio a call at 210-399-1172. Keep on enjoying that “Summer Cruisin’”, after all, that’s what a great car is for!