There are always situations in which you may need storage facilities for your car. For many people, they may find that they simply do not drive enough to have a car at their home. Other people may be going out of the country for a short period of time and want to ensure their car is safe while they are gone. While others may have an issue with space at their current home and simply do not have the room to store another vehicle. Whatever the reason, there are options to help alleviate this problem and still ensure that your car is safe and sound.

Did you know that RV and boat storage can also be used for cars? This comes as a surprise to many people. However, there are many people who store their cars within our RV and boat storage areas here at Smart Self Storage. Most people are going to be parking their cars into the RV parking spots for safe keeping at one of our three facilities. These facilities are located at Chino Hills Self Storage, Harbour Point Self Storage, and Green Valley Road Self Storage. Whatever your reason for wanting to store your car, we can help.

Tips for Storing Your Car

While there may be people who simply drive up and park their car under our outdoor RV storage areas, this is not always the best idea. There are several things that you need to do in order to get the car ready when you are storing this, even if you only plan to let the car sit for a few weeks. Here are a few tips that you are going to want to keep in mind that are going to help keep your car in tip-top shape!

1. Be sure to wash the car. Why should you wash a car that you are going to be putting in storage? This is a common question. However, through washing this you are getting off any dirt, debris and animal droppings that may be on the car. Do you realize that when these types of elements are on your vehicle for a long period of time, they can actual damage the clear coating and paint of a vehicle? If you are going to be storing this car, be sure that these are removed ASAP.
2. Give the car a good waxing! While your car may be safe from the elements thanks to the storage facility, you are still going to want to wax your car before you decide to store it. Waxing helps to keep the clear coat shiny and strong, which protects the paint underneath. You wouldn't dream of putting up a car without washing and waxing this if the car was a collectible, so treat your everyday car with the same respect.
3. Consider a cover for your car! When most people think of a car cover they think of those that are custom made to fit the car like a second skin. While this type of cover can be an option, you can also find those generic covers that are meant to fit numerous makes and models. Find a cover that you can afford and use this. It just adds another layer of protection to the car!
4. Don't forget tire covers! Many times, a car cover is not going to cover the wheels of a car, thus you may need to purchase wheel covers along with the car cover. Wheel covers just add another layer of protection to your car that can give you peace of mind! (Tire covers are especially popular with our RV storage customers. Want to learn more about storing your RV? Check out our recent blog post offering TIps For RV Storage.)

Maintenance Tips for Storing Your Car

There are several maintenance tips that you are going to want to follow when storing your car. These maintenance tips are meant to help ensure that you come back to a car that is fully functional.

1. Check the fluid levels. Be sure that you are checking the engine oil, transmission and brake oils before you store your car. Add these where appropriate so you know that once you do come to get your car, you can take off without hesitation.
2. Be sure that the tires are properly inflated. And under-inflated tire on a vehicle when left to sit can mean returning to a flat tire. Therefore, double-check these. Many people who are going to park their car for a long period of time decide to remove the tires and simply sit their car on jacks. This is an option if you feel that it would be best. You can then store the tires in a storage unit on the same site, or many people put these into the trunk of their car or the bed of their truck, covered for protection.
3. Try to avoid parking the car with the parking brake engaged. Why? Over an extended period of time with the parking brake engaged, this can cause damage. If you feel that a parking brake is a must, consider wheel blocks behind the back tires instead. This way, your car will not be moving at all.

Even with these maintenance tips in hand, you are still going to want to start your car and drive it from time to time. This is especially true for the tires. This can prevent flat spots in the tires, which will result in purchasing a new set of tires once you start driving the car routinely.

Our facility can be a great option for those who simply are out of room at their home. However, we want to emphasize that these are outdoor RV parking spots in which cars are stored. Therefore, you will need to prepare your car for the elements to avoid any damage. If you utilize these tips that we have provided, you know your car is going to be in running order once you drive this or take it out of storage. However, the majority of customers simply use our storage as their garage away from home!

About the Author: Lark Begin is the president of Profit Parrot Marketing; an SEO marketing, content and social media company in the Ottawa area. Lark is well established in the realm of digital marketing and is dedicated to helping multiple professional local and international websites and brands grow an online presence and succeed.