|
Tips for successfully garaging your car for the winter:
For those of us who live in harsh winter climates, the snow, ice and road salt that we have to deal with forces many of us to garage our babies for the winter. But, there’s more to proper vehicle storage than simply parking it and forgetting it. By following a few simple tips, you can ensure your ride will emerge fully preserved in the spring. Clean it up before you put your car away: This one’s obvious. Any dirt you leave on your car will be even tougher to remove if you let it sit for months and months. Do the work ahead of time, and perform a thorough top-to-bottom detailing. Start with a good wash and follow that up with a healthy coat of wax. Use metal polish to shine up and protect any chrome or stainless trim. Degrease engine compartments and doorjambs and clean the wheels and tires. Finally, don’t forget to dress and protect interior surfaces and condition leather seats (if applicable).  Perform any routine maintenance and top off the gas: Don’t put off that brake job until spring. You’ll just be pissed off when you waste a beautiful spring Saturday doing it later. Plus, it’s a good idea to go ahead and change the oil and top off all of your other fluid – including the gas. Doing so leaves less room for air, which makes it less likely that moisture will accumulate in the tank. Find a clean, dry place: Generally speaking, the dryer the location you can find, the better. Try to find a garage with a full concrete floor (rather than dirt or gravel). Reason being, concrete is much better at blocking out moisture. Next, clear away as much of the clutter as possible. Mice and other varmint are attracted to relatively warm and unoccupied spaces (like garages), and they love hiding behind and building nests out of your junk. And, trust me, you don’t want these guys around your car. When they get bored they do nasty things like chew through wires, use your car as their own personal toilet and worst case die and decompose somewhere inside your car where you can’t find them. 
Use a quality car cover: Once you’ve gone though all the steps above, the last thing you need to do is select a vehicle cover. For a relatively dry garage, a simple “over the top” car cover should do the trick. However, if you are concerned that moisture might be an issue, a full cover like this drive-in car capsule may be a better alternative.
|
Related Articles Past Articles: Presta's New CCS Foam Pads Run Cooler
Have story ideas? Please email them to Mitch Langford
|
©2010 Presta Products