What Should I Do To My Car Before I Store It for Winter?

You will need to take a few essential precautions if you own a classic car or are thinking about storing your vehicle for the wintertime. The goal is to do your best to prevent your car from breaking or developing severe problems as it sits. The following are some tips you can take if you want to store your car successfully and have only a minimal number of issues with it. 

1. Use a fuel stabilizer.

The first thing you should pay attention to is your gas. Gas will not stay fresh for very long. Thus, you need to use a fuel stabilizer for an extended period of time for car storage. Add these chemicals to your car before you put it away, and it will keep things fresh so that you can get on the road as quickly as possible. 

2. Lubricate your chassis. 

Take the time to lubricate your chassis before sitting your car in the garage or storage for an extended period. Any parts that you leave sitting for too long are subject to becoming dry and brittle. Brittleness can always cause breakage. Thus, it would be smart for you to take your car to a shop and have them do the lubrication job for you so that you can have peace of mind while your vehicle sits. 

3. Consider disconnecting your battery.

You can choose a handful of ways to handle your car’s battery when storing it. One thing you can do is disconnect it and put it in a safe room. You could also leave the battery connected. You may want to start your car once a week if you leave the battery connected. If not, it will most likely die as it sits. 

4. Ensure the antifreeze is good. 

Check your antifreeze to make sure you have the best kind in there for winter. A 50/50 mix is likely the best type of antifreeze for your vehicle. Run all the necessary antifreeze tests to ensure that the liquid won’t freeze on you. 

5. Change your oil. 

Do a quick oil change on your car before you park it for an extended period of time car storage. By changing the oil, you reassure yourself that your vehicle will be well taken care of over the next few months.

You won’t have to guess whether your vehicle has sludge or metal in the crankcase. You’ll know that you have clean contents in there, and your vehicle should run well when the time comes for you to start it up again. A typical oil change takes about 10 minutes, and you can do it yourself or take it to a reputable shop that can help you. 

Those are a few things you can do to ensure that your car is fine during its long-term auto storage. The goal is to have it in such good condition that it starts right up the next time you get ready to go somewhere. Using the tips mentioned above will most likely keep you in that good place. 

Categorised in: Auto Restoration

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