[Red Rabbit]

Going to Afghanistan for a year in about a month or so. I will be gone six months then home for two weeks, then back for six months.

I need to store my car for a year, anyone ever done this before?

I figure I should unplug the battery. Any other recommendations?

It will be stored in a storage unit with my stuff.

Thanks,

RR

 

[Pesqueeb]

Let your girlfriend drive it while your gone.

 

[jekyll991]

A battery tender and some sta-bil in the fuel tank wouldn't hurt.

EDIT: Only the sta-bil goes in the fuel tank .

 

[jonKranked]

unless its collectible, sell it.

 

[insanitylevel9]

unless its collectible, sell it.

i agree probably easier then keeping it.

 

[Serial Midget]

Never store a depreciating asset.

 

[Nick]

1) have someone trustworthy drive it every once in a while
2) if it will sit that long getting it up on stands wouldn't be a bad idea

 

[RUFUS]

During all of my deployments I stored my car on the side of my grandmothers house with a car cover over it and a family member driving it around the block a few times or letting in run for a little bit.
I am assuming that you have USAA as well, so remember to call them all tell them that your car is in storage and to pay for storage insurance only. Also if you have credit cards or accounts with them, let them know that you are deploying and you will get the lowest deployment rate for one year.
Have fun over there. It is going to be hot!!! Keep safe.

 

[kickstand]

Just store it, when you get home put fresh fuel in it and go. This aint the 1970
s

 

[Red Rabbit]

I can't sell it because I'm upside down on the loan. looked into sta bil, thanks for the suggestions.

Brian

 

[jekyll991]

Shouldn't have too much to worry about. My 2000 celica GT-S sat for exactly one week prior to one year uncovered, nothing special in the tankm, and it started up and ran fine (with a battery boost of course..). Actually ran a little smoother than I remembered...

Lifting it off the ground probably isn't a bad idea, I'm pretty sure the flat spots in the tires will never smooth out.

 

[insanitylevel9]

Shouldn't have too much to worry about. My 2000 celica GT-S sat for exactly one week prior to one year uncovered, nothing special in the tankm, and it started up and ran fine (with a battery boost of course..). Actually ran a little smoother than I remembered...

Lifting it off the ground probably isn't a bad idea, I'm pretty sure the flat spots in the tires will never smooth out.

you could probably get away with leaving it doing nothing for sure, a perfect example of this is my friends old 3 something bmw. thing sat for 3 years rotting in his drive way, donated it last week and it turned over in like 3 cranks. it also had the fuel without ethanol in it so no water problem. i suggest if you have to keep it use stable marine, kills the ethanol so no water and does the same thing as regular stable.

 

[stoney]

1) have someone trustworthy drive it every once in a while
2) if it will sit that long getting it up on stands wouldn't be a bad idea

1) Sta-bilt in the gas (or get it really low before you leave and add gas before driving)

2) Disconnect the battery

3) Get it on stands and pull the wheels - Lifting prevents tire flat spots; wheels off reduces weight on suspension while lifted

4) Change you engine oil before you start driving it again. Like, immediately, at home. Do not drive it to get done. The oil will begin to pull moisture in.

5) If you have someone drive it around, they need to drive it for a while. On/off will only contribute to additional condensation in the engine.

6) Before you start driving, let it warm up (with the new oil) for a few mintues. You need to let the oil flow through the system.

7) Make sure your insurance will cover potential earthquake damage from the car falling off the jacks. Also try to store it in a garage.

I stored my car from August to late-Dec and it took a full gas tank of driving to get the moisture out of my engine/exhaust and get performance back again.

 

[DirtyMike]

A battery tender and some sta-bil in the fuel tank wouldn't hurt.

EDIT: Only the sta-bil goes in the fuel tank .

This, but add a motor fogging oil.

When you get back change the oil, flush the brakes, check all other fluids.



Otherwords, loan it to someone who will take care of it, or sell it

 

[dante]

Otherwords, loan it to someone who will take care of it, or sell it

If you're underwater on it, beg/borrow/steal the money to get out from underneath it. Why else would you pay $300+ per month for a car that's going to depreciate in your garage while you're away for a year?

Or if you have gap insurance, you could always just drive have an accident (completely unplanned and totally accidental, of course)...

 

[jimmydean]

Pay someone to steal it while your gone.

win/win

 

[buildyourown]

A year really isn't long for a newer cars. The flat spotting isn't an issue with radial tires. That's a holdover from bias-ply days. Sure, if I had a collectable that I was storing for YEARS, i'd do it, but otherwise, disconnect the battery and do an oil change. Gas will last a year, and a new car can handle a little old gas with no issues.

 

[IH8Rice]

A year really isn't long for a newer cars. The flat spotting isn't an issue with radial tires. That's a holdover from bias-ply days. Sure, if I had a collectable that I was storing for YEARS, i'd do it, but otherwise, disconnect the battery and do an oil change. Gas will last a year, and a new car can handle a little old gas with no issues.

i concur

 

[Red Rabbit]

Thanks, just found out I wont be leaving. Git bumped to a 179 in Qatar, then both were cancelled.

 

[Scrub]

Thanks, just found out I wont be leaving. Git bumped to a 179 in Qatar, then both were cancelled.

Store it anyways and see how long you can survive without it.

 

[Da Peach]

I want to know the place where you want the storage?

That's what she said

 

[kickstand]

I want to know the place where you want the storage?

me too, I was thinking of storing it in an offshore account, you know of anything like that?

yes, I know it's difficult to store my car in an offshore account, but I am interested.

 

[eaterofdog]

One of the reasons to have it started every few weeks is the oil slowly runs out of the top of the motor and after a month or two you will be starting it with a bone dry head.

 

[kazlx]

One of the reasons to have it started every few weeks is the oil slowly runs out of the top of the motor and after a month or two you will be starting it with a bone dry head.

That's no big deal. Just like firing a fresh motor. If you really care, just disconnect the coil and crank for 15 seconds or so.

 

[rockofullr]

America national sport is called baseballs. It very similar to our sport, shurik, where we take dogs, shoot them in a field and then have a party.

I want to know the place where you want the storage?

 

[jdcamb]

I have heard it can be done. I paid my Landlords son to move it if it needed it. He claimed to have started it monthly and when I got home it started right up no worse for the wear... I got insurance and plates and I'm running it to this day.

 

[eaterofdog]

That's no big deal. Just like firing a fresh motor. If you really care, just disconnect the coil and crank for 15 seconds or so.

New motors have light grease in the head. It's not dry.

It MIGHT be no big deal, or might destroy cam bearings. (edit: not immediately, the initial damage can cause rapid wear and a thousand miles later you got problems.)