Why you shouldn’t delay putting your vehicle into self-storage

Why you shouldn’t delay putting your vehicle into self-storage

Whether you’re a petrolhead with a need for speed or someone with a passion for restoring classic cars, the need for safe, secure, and accessible storage solutions is paramount.

Not all of us have adequate home storage to house our pride and joy. And let’s not forget that keeping vehicles in a home garage isn’t always the most practical solution. Your garage can be chocked full of items that could fall and damage vehicles!

Sometimes warm summer days or car shows are the only times of year to take to the open highway. You may even spend little time at home, instead travelling the UK or the world for business or just to see the world.

The bottom line is that there could be a million reasons why storing your vehicle at home isn’t necessarily the best option. The good news is that you can easily store that classic Jaguar E-Type, Ford Mustang, or even modern Ferrari Daytona SP3 in a self-storage facility. And there’s no need to delay storing it today.

Long-term vehicle self-storage: the essentials

If you can’t spare the garage space at home, feel a mite dubious about leaving your vehicle at the mercy of the elements, or want to safeguard it against thieves, long-term self-storage is a great idea.

You can easily store cars of all shapes and sizes in a vehicle-storage facility. You’ll have the peace of mind that one of your most treasured possessions will be safe and secure in a climate-controlled environment, complete with high-end security, including 24-hour manned security, CCTV, and alarms, 365 days a year.

You won’t have to worry about dampness, rust, or that you’ll wake up one morning to discover, much to your horror, that what you’ve worked so hard for or on has vanished!

An experienced vehicle self-storage service, like the one offered by Easy Access Storage, will be able to assign you the square footage you need within a climate-controlled environment to safeguard any vehicle you want to store.

But there are so many more reasons why you shouldn’t delay putting your vehicle into self-storage. Keep reading to learn more.

What to do before putting your vehicle in self-storage

There’s a big difference between not using your vehicle for a few days, or even weeks, and choosing to put it into storage for several months or longer.

Now, there are tonnes of vehicle maintenance tips. There are too many to get into here. And that’s not the purpose of this article. However, there are a handful of suggested tips you can follow that should ensure that you’ll be ready to hit the highway when you take it out of storage.

Keep your vehicle registration and insurance up to date

You don’t want your registration and insurance to expire while they’re in storage. If you’re planning to store your vehicle for the long haul, make a note or reminder of the date that your registration expires.

Before storing your vehicle, always confirm that your existing insurance policy covers its storage. And don’t forget to contact your insurance company to let them know that you’re storing the vehicle.

Lubricate the vehicle

Before storing the vehicle, be sure to oil the bonnet hinges, doors, boot, and any other part of the car that needs to be lubricated. Don’t forget that a vehicle has more moving parts than just the engine, so you’ll need to protect them.

You should use a graphite-based lubricant for locks and silicone or white lithium grease for the rubber on the doors and tyres. This will preserve the vehicle’s lifespan and save you money in the long run.

Clean the exterior.

Just because you’re storing your vehicle doesn’t mean that you should make sure that the exterior is spick and span. Tiny particles left on the paint, like bits of asphalt, can allow rust to set in. Wash, buff, and wax your car before storing it. Be sure to check the underside of the car and clean anything stuck to the bottom, as this is also prime real estate to trap moisture, which will increase the likelihood of rust.

Remove, or at least lift, the wiper blades. This allows them to retain their shape, preventing you from having to replace them at a later date.

Finally, remove any dust and debris, like leaves and pine needles, from the engine compartment and the area between the bonnet and the windscreen.

Clean the interior

Like the exterior, it’s important to clean the interior before storing your vehicle long-term. Throw away any trash, vacuum the seats and floor mats, and wash the inside of the windows.

Don’t use chemical surface protectants on leather, vinyl, and other fabrics because this could stain and cause excessive damage to the materials.

Cleaning the interior of your vehicle will help to prevent potential damage and bad odours.

Servicing

It’s a good idea to service your vehicle before putting it into storage. A good service will leave vehicles in optimal working condition, meaning that you’ll have no problem driving the vehicle from storage whenever you want to.

For starters, always make sure that your engine fluids are changed, topped up, and in good condition. If not, the vehicle might not even start after being in storage! This includes oil, coolant, transmission, and brake fluid.

Fill up the tank with diesel, gasoline, or electricity. A full tank of gasoline or diesel will leave less space for air to cause condensation or ice buildup. Electric vehicles will only lose between 2 and 3% of their charge if left stationary for a month.

Check belts, filters, hoses, and other engine components to make sure that they’re clean and in good working order.

Tyres and battery checks

The best practise is to deflate your tyres to 10 psi less than the recommended manufacturer pressure when storing vehicles. This will reduce tyre strain and avoid premature cracking. Remember to put your vehicle on jacks if you are storing it for more than 6 months. This will prevent flat spots.

Also, when sitting idle for long periods, car batteries can drain power, which will stop electronics from working. Charge your battery to full capacity prior to storage. If you’re planning to store your vehicle for more than 6 months, it’s best to disconnect the battery.

The benefits of putting your vehicle into storage

Whether you have a Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce Phantom 2, or Ford Capri, the benefits of putting that vehicle into storage are clear. However, in case you’re on the fence and unsure of whether you want to part ways with one of your favourite possessions, here’s a brief list of the benefits of putting your vehicle into storage.

Space saving

One of the most obvious benefits of putting your vehicle in storage is the space you’ll save. Whether your vehicle lives in the garage or on the driveway, it’s taking up space. Just think of all the things that you could use that space for!

Avoid expensive insurance hikes

The price of everything is going up. This includes insurance. By putting your vehicle into storage, you’ll be able to avoid having insurance costs burn a hole in your pocket for a vehicle that you don’t or sparingly use!

Additionally, if a lack of space has forced you to park on the road, you can choose to SORN (statutory off-road notification) your vehicle. This status indicates that you’ll be storing the vehicle for the long term and therefore won’t be responsible for paying road tax and vehicle insurance.

You’ll keep your vehicle in pristine condition

Storing a vehicle on your driveway, even in some garages, isn’t ideal for its condition in the long run. Anyone with a highly collectible car will, undoubtedly, want to keep it looking its best.

Put your vehicle—classic or otherwise—in a temperature-controlled environment, and it’ll remain clean and protected from bad weather.

Protect it from thieves

If you have a desirable car, the odds are that some unscrupulous individual may want to steal it. Some thieves are even bold enough to steal cars from driveways or garages.

Store your vehicle in a self-storage unit, and it’ll be protected by 24/7 security, both manned and remote.

Don’t delay putting your vehicle into self-storage

If you want to have peace of mind knowing that your pride and joy will be stored safely and securely, self-storage is the answer!

A quick phone call is all it takes. Easy Access Self-Storage has the facility and experience to store vehicles all year.

So, what are you waiting for?

Sources:

https://www.carsloth.com/advice/how-long-can-electric-car-sit-without-charging#:~:text=Most%20electric%20cars%20will%20only,temperatures%20to%20help%20preserve%20charge.