How to Properly Store Your Volkswagen for Long-Term Parking Around Marion, IL

If you’re planning on storing your Volkswagen Jetta or Tiguan for a long period of time, preparation and ongoing maintenance will be key to ensuring your vehicle remains in good condition. Storing your Volkswagen long-term without careful planning can result in damage to your vehicle and its key components, including the battery and engine. However, you can avoid these problems by following professional advice on storing your car. Here at Volkswagen of Marion, we’ve put together some tips for long-term car storage to help you.

Preparing Your Volkswagen for Storage

The question of how to prepare your car for storage is almost as important as where to store it. Making the necessary preparations can make all the difference to preserving your vehicle’s top condition.

Cleaning and Covering

First off, it’s essential to thoroughly clean your Volkswagen inside and out. If you leave grime or dirt on the exterior during long-term storage, there’s a good chance it’ll develop into rust or wear off the paintwork. Cleaning the interior is also crucial, since you want to avoid things going moldy, causing unpleasant odors, or staining your vehicle’s upholstery. You may consider taking your car to a professional carwash before putting it into storage to ensure that all of these tasks are performed to a high standard.

Once your car is clean, you’ll want to use a high-quality cover to protect it from the surrounding environment. Over a long period of time, exposure to the outdoor elements or interior air and lighting in an indoor storage facility can result in wear and tear. High-quality protective materials, such as knitted polyester for indoor covers and polypropylene for outdoor covers, help guard against these dangers and stop your car getting covered in dust and debris.

Fluid and Battery Maintenance

Before putting your Volkswagen in storage, it’s a good idea to top up all fluids, including its engine oil. This step can help keep parts lubricated, so when you retrieve your vehicle from storage you can drive it right away. Also, one of the best car storage practices is to disconnect your battery before leaving your vehicle. This prevents it from gradually losing power over time, which could result in it being dead when you return to your vehicle. An alternative is to use a trickle charger, which slowly tops up your battery’s charge so it remains in good condition.

Choosing the Right Storage Location

Many car storage facilities near Marion, Illinois, offer long-term parking. To choose the right one for you, you’ll need to consider what your priorities are.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Storage Options

Indoor storage locations, such as a garage, are attractive because they provide protection from the elements and keep your car at a safe temperature. The drawbacks to indoor locations are that they tend to be more expensive and harder to find. You also have to be aware of the potential for dampness to develop if the air circulation is poor.

Outdoor locations have the advantage of being easy to find, as well as usually being cheaper than their indoor competitors. On the other hand, your vehicle will be exposed to seasonal weather, including the hot summer sun and winter rain and wind. A strong car cover can help combat many of these issues.

Security Considerations

No matter where you store your car, its security will be among the uppermost things in your mind. You can significantly reduce the risk of theft or vandalism by storing your vehicle in a location with a surveillance camera or an alarm. Gated-entry lots are great because they limit access to those who own vehicles stored at the location. You may also want to find a place with security guards for added protection.

In addition to a secure environment, you can take steps to make your own vehicle more secure. Steering-wheel locks and wheel locks can prevent would-be thieves from escaping with your vehicle. Additionally, you could install a security system on your car to alert you if it’s tampered with or broken into.

Maintaining Your Vehicle While in Storage

Even though you’re not driving your car on the road while it’s in storage, you’ll still need to perform certain maintenance tasks. If you’re putting your car into storage because you’ll be away for a while, you may want to ask a friend or family member to perform these tasks for you.

Regular Start-Ups

It’s important to start up your car’s engine and let it run for a while every few weeks or so. This practice keeps the components lubricated and moving, which can prevent damage and corrosion. It’s also quite an effective way to prevent your battery from dying. Vehicles that go long periods of time without starting up can often develop problems that will only become clear once you get back on the road, so following this simple procedure can prevent such nasty surprises further down the line.

Tire Pressure and Rotation

If your car always sits in exactly the same position for a long period of time, certain parts of your tires will be subjected to a lot of pressure. This can cause wear and tear that may result in you having to buy a new set of tires when you want to use your car again. You could even end up dealing with a flat tire if the air gradually escapes during storage and the weight of your vehicle is continually pushing down on a weak point in the tire.

The easiest way to deal with these issues is to regularly check your tires’ pressures, perhaps once a month, and rotate them. It may even be enough to move your car slightly so it’s not always sitting on the same part of the tires.

Get Professional Advice on Vehicle Storage at Volkswagen of Marion

As you can see, successfully putting your vehicle into storage involves some preparation and ongoing maintenance. However, we’re here to help. Our Volkswagen technicians have all the tools and know-how to service your vehicle before it goes into storage and provide you with tips on best practices. Relying on our professional advice will help you avoid the problems that arise with long-term vehicle storage, allowing you to retrieve your vehicle when you’re ready and find it in great condition. Feel free to contact us today to learn more and have your questions answered.

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