[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by cryptex

Dear Bhpians, I need to leave my car parked for the next 6 months.

Most important question is where will you park it? Is it your private covered parking or open or public/on-road?

If it is your covered private parking, jack your car up onto cement blocks and store all 4 tyres in the boot. Grease the hubs well and leave it.

If it is open parking, consider covering it as well. Pay your security guard extra and/or enlist neighbours to keep an eye on it.

If it is public/on-road parking, just buy the old tyres and hope for the best!

[cryptex]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Most important question is where will you park it? Is it your private covered parking or open or public/on-road?

If it is your covered private parking, jack your car up onto cement blocks and store all 4 tyres in the boot. Grease the hubs well and leave it.

If it is open parking, consider covering it as well. Pay your security guard extra and/or enlist neighbours to keep an eye on it.

If it is public/on-road parking, just buy the old tyres and hope for the best!

Thank you! It is a covered parking spot in a society. Good idea, will pay the guard extra to check on the car once in a while.
I did some reading up last night. Was thinking of using bricks to jack it up and some planks to support the wheels and suspension system. Would you rather suggest I remove the wheels and store them away? Could the blocks crack and crash?

Cheers!

[TRAUMASURG]

Originally Posted by cryptex

Thank you! It is a covered parking spot in a society. Good idea, will pay the guard extra to check on the car once in a while.
I did some reading up last night. Was thinking of using bricks to jack it up and some planks to support the wheels and suspension system. Would you rather suggest I remove the wheels and store them away? Could the blocks crack and crash?

Cheers!

This is my routine for storage of car for 6-9 months.

1. find a closed garage if you can. may be try renting it, never know you might find someone willing to rent a garage space.
2. fill up the gas / diesel tank.
3.change oil and filter.
4.wash, thoroughly clean the inside of the car and apply a coat of wax.
5.put the car in the desired place.
6. inflate the tires for additional 6-8 PSI than recommended after the car has been parked for at least a day so as to have a base line(cold tire pressure value).
7. If your car port or garage place has an electrical outlet plug in a battery maintainer which charges and maintain battery proper voltage, alternative option take battery out and store at home and may be plug a battery tender to it.
8.closed all the windows and cover it
9. If you are concerned about ants and other pest ,check with local experts as i haven't had this problem over the past 20 years.
10. once hibernation is done and ready to use the car, uncover it, remove the battery tender, check the battery voltage if you have if not no problem, just start the car, let it run till the car operating temperature is reach. make sure your lights and all accessories are off during the initial start. Before you drive off adjust your tire pressures and drive slowly for the first few kms not reviving the engine.
11. Hope this works.
Best of luck.

[cryptex]

Originally Posted by TRAUMASURG

This is my routine for storage of car for 6-9 months.

1. find a closed garage if you can. may be try renting it, never know you might find someone willing to rent a garage space.
2. fill up the gas / diesel tank.
3.change oil and filter.
4.wash, thoroughly clean the inside of the car and apply a coat of wax.
5.put the car in the desired place.
6. inflate the tires for additional 6-8 PSI than recommended after the car has been parked for at least a day so as to have a base line(cold tire pressure value).
7. If your car port or garage place has an electrical outlet plug in a battery maintainer which charges and maintain battery proper voltage, alternative option take battery out and store at home and may be plug a battery tender to it.
8.closed all the windows and cover it
9. If you are concerned about ants and other pest ,check with local experts as i haven't had this problem over the past 20 years.
10. once hibernation is done and ready to use the car, uncover it, remove the battery tender, check the battery voltage if you have if not no problem, just start the car, let it run till the car operating temperature is reach. make sure your lights and all accessories are off during the initial start. Before you drive off adjust your tire pressures and drive slowly for the first few kms not reviving the engine.
11. Hope this works.
Best of luck.

With all the suggestions here and on the internet, I just wanted to provide an update here-
1.I tried getting some old tubeless types but that didn't work. They soon developed cracks had to be discarded. Got my stock tyres back on. Maybe if tyres have tubes one can replace them with old/abused tyres.
2. Got the pressure in the tyres to be 3 psi higher than usual
3. Bought 15 feet of steel mesh from the market and sort of created an under cage for the car. Goodbye rodents and hopefully cockroaches
4. Double wraped the car- first in its dealer provided cover, and then used a Thar's cover as the skirt of that cover would also cover the tyres and protect them from exposure to sunlight.
5. Added yoga mats on the windscreen- I know and have broken panes playing cricket. A little padding would help
6. Disconnected the battery
7. Put some dessicant bags and cockroach repellent. Though I doubt if that will have any effect.
8. Polished the interior with wax
9. Two coats of Turtle hybrid ceramic and 1 layer of wax on the exterior.
10. Stored it my covered parking and paid the guard some money to keep an eye.
11. Will be asking a relative to use a foot pump to inflate the tyres a bit after 2 months.
12. I shall pray to god

Thanks everyone for helping

[Akshay6988]

Is it ok to park the car using hand brake on level surface for 2 3 days max ? Or should I park it in the gear ? My car is driven daily for about 15 kms, parked only over the weekend.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by Akshay6988

Is it ok to park the car using hand brake on level surface for 2 3 days max ? Or should I park it in the gear ? My car is driven daily for about 15 kms, parked only over the weekend.

You can park it for couple of weeks safely while the handbrake is engaged. During monsoon, if you car has brake drums at the rear, there are chances of brakes getting jammed when parked for weeks together.

Long term parking is usually in months, not in weeks or days.

[bharatbits]

Dear folks,

I am in a similar situation. Please help.

I have a silver Linea Diesel that I bought new in Nov, 2016 and have been using it continuously till March 2021. Did about 63000 kms in 4 years 4 months of ownership. No problems except routine maintenance. It served me very well. I emigrated out of country in March 2021 and my Linea has been lying idle since March 2021. I have not taken any storage precautions as such because I was to come back to India for short visits in April or May 2021 but with the flight suspensions all plans went haywire. My dad drives a 2012 Ford Fiesta Diesel and is optimum for him. The Linea is long for him to maneuver. He is not a car lover and does not really put efforts to keep the car clean or scratch free.

The flight suspensions are temporary and once things normalise I will sure visit India once every 1 to 2 months at the very least. I moved to Dubai now and got used to driving petrol automatics on right side. It did take some effort and constant reminding myself to drive on right side especially on undivided roads. Now with this complete opposite driving styles in India and Dubai I don't want to make blunders or accidents in either country. Since I'll be staying in Dubai most of the time I plan to give up on driving in India (is this sensible?)

1. I am not willing to sell the car because of emotional attachment and moreover it is a very good car and can serve well for a long time to come.

2. Should I get a good chauffeur in his 50s and employ him permanently to drive both the Ford and Fiat? My dad is not keen on this at the moment but with age catching up and hard clutch on the Ford I am sure he will be ok with a chauffeur few months or a year down the line.

3. I don't have car loving relatives who can take care of the car.

4. I have ample covered parking space for both cars so that's not a concern.

Bottom line is I will be visiting India often and will have extensive travel when I visit and so I need a car when I am there.

Best suggestions please for my situation.

[CANPUSH]

I will be out of town for 2 months.

How do I store my Polo GTI?

I understand that I need to inflate tyres with 10% more pressure, say 35 psi. Fill up the tank to full petrol.

Do I need to disconnect battery?

Please guide.

TIA.

[Gansan]

^^ Two months is not a big issue. As you said, inflate the tyres by 3 psi more and fill up the fuel tank. Park securely and well covered. That is all. No need to disconnect the battery.

If possible, arrange for someone to start the car and drive it for half an hour once every week or ten days, it will be good but not a must. For two months.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

I will be out of town for 2 months.

2 months is nothing really. To add one more suggestion: do not apply the handbrakes. VAG cars have a useless habit of wheels locking up especially in rainy weather.

Park the car in the usual spot with gear + handbrake on, get down & place 2 bricks/chocks diagonally across car, i.e. front to back. Make sure they are firmly wedged & release the handbrake fully. Considering taking some anti-rodent steps too if your parking attracts them.

[sarav100]

I need to store my BS6 NA Creta petrol for about an year. I have very good and spacious custom covered parking constructed for it. I’ll be handing over the keys to my relative and he’ll start car once a month and take it for a spin once in a while.

I have doubts with regards to using Stabil Fuel Stabilizer. Has anyone in our community used this product and how good is it? Is this product safe for BS6 1500 naturally aspirated petrol engine and it’s associated parts?

Product reference: STA-BIL 22205 Fuel Stabilizer - 4 Fl oz. Amazon India link

[sarav100]

Originally Posted by sarav100

I need to store my BS6 NA Creta petrol for about an year. I have very good and spacious custom covered parking constructed for it. I’ll be handing over the keys to my relative and he’ll start car once a month and take it for a spin once in a while.

I have doubts with regards to using Stabil Fuel Stabilizer. Has anyone in our community used this product and how good is it? Is this product safe for BS6 1500 naturally aspirated petrol engine and it’s associated parts?

Product reference: STA-BIL 22205 Fuel Stabilizer - 4 Fl oz. Amazon India link

I went ahead with the Sta-Bil Fuel Stabilizer and received the following product:





Will update on its effectiveness in the future.