8 Tips For Taking Your Car Out of Winter Storage

Is your car locked safely away in a storage unit? There are not many months left to go until Summer is upon us again, which is great news for car lovers who have been keeping their pride and joy locked up in a secure storage unit all winter. As summer approaches, the time has come to start thinking about taking your car out of winter storage.

If you’re a car hobby enthusiast with a shiny, beautiful sports car, classic car or something else entirely, then brace yourselves, your ideal time of year is coming. Soon you’ll be whizzing along (at a sensible speed, of course) with the top down, through long windy country roads with a light breeze running through your hair. That’s the dream, and it’ll soon be your reality again. 

8-point checklist for how to take your car out of winter storage:

So start your engines (so to speak) and begin the preparations for taking your car out of winter storage. You can follow these simple steps below to help bring your summer ride out of winter storage quickly and effortlessly.

1. Check the car battery

You can run a few simple checks by questioning if there are any warning lights on the dashboard? Is the car slow to start? Has the battery swollen up due to the cold weather? Is there an odd smell, or are there any other electrical issues (such as windows not opening)? Make sure the connections are secure and there isn’t any corrosion.

2. Inspect the car wiring

Before setting off on long summer road trips, make sure you inspect any car wiring. Checking that there hasn’t been any rodent damage, cracks, or loose connections

3. Check the tyres

As part of your regular car maintenance, make sure to check your car tyre pressure. If needed, you can top up with air. It is also worth checking whether the tyre tread is intact and that there are no bulges or cracks.

4. Check the oil and other fluids

Make sure your oil level is normal. If it isn’t, get an oil change immediately. You can also take this opportunity to check the levels of other fluids in your vehicle such as windscreen washer fluid, topping this up as required.

5. Check the brakes and suspension

Before driving away, check your brakes are working correctly. You can also examine the brake pads and shock absorber. There is a simple ‘bounce test’ (push down on the front of the car, or visually inspect them) you can carry out to make sure the shocks are working.

6. Check the lights

Are all your vehicle lights operating correctly (most importantly your headlights, tail lights, indicators and reverse lights)? If you have a blown bulb, you can easily fix this before you set off.

7. Clear the exhaust pipe

Make sure the exhaust pipe is clear and that no small animals or debris has managed to find a home there for the winter. You want this passageway nice and clear before you start driving the vehicle again.

8. Air the interior

As your car could have been in car storage for a few months, you can also air out the interior and get rid of any musty smells.

Contact

If you’re interested in learning more about our domestic storage units and storage facilities, you can contact our team today by calling 01675 442 827 or through filling out our online enquiry form.