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      04-15-2011, 08:45 PM   #1
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Wont be driving car for a year. Prep?

Hey all,

My company is sending me from Chicago to Australia for a year. So my car will basically sit in my garage for a year. What kind of prep is recommended?

Should I put it up on jack stands so the tires don't get flat spots?

Should I cover it?
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      04-15-2011, 08:47 PM   #2
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cover will help with dust, and yes put your car on jack stands, fill up the tank.

cover any holes so no animals or anything can get it and make nest.

i would cry if i had to leave my car. there should be more tips coming along.
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      04-15-2011, 08:52 PM   #3
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Sell it. Start over when you get back. Congrats on the job. Expat in au is good times.
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      04-15-2011, 08:55 PM   #4
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I'm not sure but shouldn't you add Sta-Bil to the gas and put the battery on a trickle charger as well?
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      04-15-2011, 08:56 PM   #5
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Battery tender.
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      04-15-2011, 08:59 PM   #6
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oh wow, never even thought of sta-bil and trickle charger. All great ideas.
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      04-15-2011, 09:03 PM   #7
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1)Fill tank to avoid moisture.
2)Add fuel stabilizer.
3)Check coolant to be sure it has correct mixture incase it gets cold.
4)I dont like to put cars on jacks, to many issues arrise with possibility of falling off and suspension issues. I suggest getting el-cheap-o tires and let the car sit naturally.
5)Get a car cover
6)I use to plug my exaust and intake when I left a vehicle in the barn so mice and squirrels wouldnt nest inside.
7)Fabreeze or air freshener or baking soda for the inside of the car.
8)remove negative terminal off battery. If its not being driven, no need for trickle charger. You will prob want to charge it when you return though.
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      04-15-2011, 09:11 PM   #8
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I think for just a year, why not have a friend use it once a month or two to keep it charged and running normal? Unless you want to cancel insurance, but you need Comprehensive regardless. (Fire-Flood-Theft).

There are plenty of us guys here on the great lakes chicago thread that would be happy to make sure it stays in good order. Its only a year. Start and drive it every 8-10 weeks.
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      04-15-2011, 09:12 PM   #9
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A great checklist for storing a car is here:

http://www.porschenet.com/winter.html

I've stored my Porsche using this checklist for 6 months without any issues at all. Some tips would be using a maintainer over a trickle charger since it's a more clever system, making sure you replace some of your fluids prior to storage, maxing out your tire pressure, and adding the fuel stabilizer prior to filling your tank. Full cover would also help.

Good luck with the job!
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      04-15-2011, 09:13 PM   #10
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Can you remove our batteries without consequence?

Clean clean everything.

Putting a fuel stabilizer/octane booster in the tank and running for ten minutes is a good idea. Have a plan to drain that fuel when you get back and add fresh again.

Get an oil change. depending how fresh your fluids already are.

But honestly, a year is a long time. I would make arrangements to sell it before leaving. Too much to worry about for a year
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      04-15-2011, 09:16 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jntar View Post
1)Fill tank to avoid moisture.
2)Add fuel stabilizer.
3)Check coolant to be sure it has correct mixture incase it gets cold.
4)I dont like to put cars on jacks, to many issues arrise with possibility of falling off and suspension issues. I suggest getting el-cheap-o tires and let the car sit naturally.
5)Get a car cover
6)I use to plug my exaust and intake when I left a vehicle in the barn so mice and squirrels wouldnt nest inside.
7)Fabreeze or air freshener or baking soda for the inside of the car.
8)remove negative terminal off battery. If its not being driven, no need for trickle charger. You will prob want to charge it when you return though.
Great list
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      04-15-2011, 09:45 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RaceBlood View Post
I think for just a year, why not have a friend use it once a month or two to keep it charged and running normal? Unless you want to cancel insurance, but you need Comprehensive regardless. (Fire-Flood-Theft).

There are plenty of us guys here on the great lakes chicago thread that would be happy to make sure it stays in good order. Its only a year. Start and drive it every 8-10 weeks.
+1 on the having a friend use it once in a while... Letting everything get up to temperature by running the car for a few miles every few weeks will go a LONG way in preventing all sorts of problems.
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      04-15-2011, 11:11 PM   #13
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^ Too risky...
I agree with TotalBlackout sell it..too much to worry about.
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      04-15-2011, 11:24 PM   #14
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I only say this because if it happened to me, I'd be sad. My pops has 911 Porsche that he bought new, but maybe puts 300 miles on it a year ( i know, don't ask). He basically let it sit for about a year, and rats got in and completed destroyed the wiring harness. $9000 bill from Porsche later, the problem was fixed.

So +1 to sell or to have a buddy drive it often.
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      04-15-2011, 11:31 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jlomb436 View Post
I only say this because if it happened to me, I'd be sad. My pops has 911 Porsche that he bought new, but maybe puts 300 miles on it a year ( i know, don't ask). He basically let it sit for about a year, and rats got in and completed destroyed the wiring harness. $9000 bill from Porsche later, the problem was fixed.

So +1 to sell or to have a buddy drive it often.
Ouch, that's awful! Did he check it at all during that year? The longest I've ever had my 911 stored is about 7 months and I checked on it once every month or so just to see if anything had taken residence. I also blocked all of the exhaust vents, etc., with a material that is for that purpose. Car was stored in an off-site storage facility that probably has its fair share of rats, too.

Still, selling the car might be the easiest option out of them all. +1 to selling it, here. Storage can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you're in a different country for that time!
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      04-15-2011, 11:44 PM   #16
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if you really want to keep the car, i would let family/very very close friend drive it for a little bit once every week. trust me, unless they have ferrari's, they will not mind it.

not long, just few miles per week should do the job. (10-15 is a good distance.) gas is on them.

best solution? sell it for a good price, keep the money, save some good money on top of it by the time you come back from AUS, get a better car! (F30 may be?)
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      04-15-2011, 11:50 PM   #17
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where in chicago? Let me know if you want me to drive it and stuff haha
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      04-16-2011, 01:42 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by briandev View Post
Ouch, that's awful! Did he check it at all during that year? The longest I've ever had my 911 stored is about 7 months and I checked on it once every month or so just to see if anything had taken residence. I also blocked all of the exhaust vents, etc., with a material that is for that purpose. Car was stored in an off-site storage facility that probably has its fair share of rats, too.

Still, selling the car might be the easiest option out of them all. +1 to selling it, here. Storage can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you're in a different country for that time!
Yea, I'm pretty sure he took no preventative measures other then a trickle charger. However, that's a bill I simply couldn't afford to foot.
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      04-16-2011, 01:51 AM   #19
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sell it, and after 1 year buy another one. you're gonna let the car value depreciate over 1 year without using it, why not just sell it for $$$ and u could buy one next year with less $
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      04-16-2011, 02:15 AM   #20
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I followed generally the same recipe (except for the stands/ tire portion).

I'll let you know how the resurrection goes in about two months

I have seen one BMW in Afghanistan over that past 10+ months. Can't wait to drive my 335!!!
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      04-16-2011, 02:30 AM   #21
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put in the storage
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      04-16-2011, 01:47 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bumere90 View Post
^ Too risky...
I agree with TotalBlackout sell it..too much to worry about.
My thought exactly. It's going to sit there am depreciate for a year without you even getting to enjoy it. And you have to worry about it too. Sell it for what it's worth now and start again in a year. Buy one a year from now that is less that what you sell yours for now.
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