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Long-term car storing. Should I worry about anything?

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Micheld7

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2008 Touareg V8
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So I'm traveling and I'll be gone for about 5 months. I live in an apartment and I don't feel comfortable leaving my car in the parking lot for 5 months, especially during the summer in the sun and heat outside. So I'm keeping it in a garage in a storage facility. It won't be started at all in the 5 months until i'm back. I will disconnect the battery before I leave. Fuel tank is half full. Two weeks ago, I took an 18h trip to Washington DC and back. Oil & filter were changed the day before the trip.
Should I worry about anything on/about the car? Any parts or system going bad? Any advice or suggestions are appreciated. Thank you
 
#2 ·
Put Fuel Stabilizer in it. If you can put in non-ethanol as the last tank, it would stop any separation possibilities. If not available, make sure your fuel stabilizer says it works with ethanol.

I would personally hook the battery to a CTek 4.3 and leave it connected if I had power. If not, unhook the negative battery cable as the backup plan.
 
#3 ·
Yes, every component of the car will degrade in that 5 months, probably more than if you'd drive it daily. Rust will inevitably set in on every component that's prone to rusting and is not directly covered in oil or fluid when the car is standing. Rubber and plastic seals and fittings that were otherwise lubricated by oil or diesel will start to dry out and start to shrink. Both the oil and the fuel will degrade and separate. The fuel might not contain the proper additives for the time of the year (and its ambient temperatures) in 6 months from now, and you might have trouble starting the car because of that.

This all doesn't mean that you're looking forward to a catastrophic failure or something, but letting the car stand still for half a year will definitely do no good to it, and it might develop some problems later on, or develop them earlier (especially with the seals and hoses) than if you'd have kept it in daily use. I also suggest that you change the oil again asap after you've returned, and that you fill up the tank with fresh fuel from the station even before you try to start it. It might also take some time until you can actually do that, if you've the slightest leak in the fuel system.
 
Discussion starter · #4 · (Edited)
Gnits said:
Yes, every component of the car will degrade in that 5 months, probably more than if you'd drive it daily. Rust will inevitably set in on every component that's prone to rusting and is not directly covered in oil or fluid when the car is standing. Rubber and plastic seals and fittings that were otherwise lubricated by oil or diesel will start to dry out and start to shrink. Both the oil and the fuel will degrade and separate. The fuel might not contain the proper additives for the time of the year (and its ambient temperatures) in 6 months from now, and you might have trouble starting the car because of that.

This all doesn't mean that you're looking forward to a catastrophic failure or something, but letting the car stand still for half a year will definitely do no good to it, and it might develop some problems later on, or develop them earlier (especially with the seals and hoses) than if you'd have kept it in daily use. I also suggest that you change the oil again asap after you've returned, and that you fill up the tank with fresh fuel from the station even before you try to start it. It might also take some time until you can actually do that, if you've the slightest leak in the fuel system.
Click to expand...
?This is not sounding good. Now I'm worried. I can get a friend to start it and take for a drive at least once a week
 
#7 ·
5 months is not going to be the end all for the Treg. if you can put a trickle charge good enough, you can buy a solar one if it is possible to install it where ever you park. The only thing I would advise you is, once you start it, don’t rev it right away. if you can turn the engine few times without starting it, that would be even better, it would allow some oil to flow. Don’t worry about a thing.

i do this all the time with my classic Mercedes, when i park it for the winters. And so far it has never failed me.
 
#8 ·
I'd wash it, wax it, dress the door seals, fill it, put fuel stabilizer in it and drive it for five minutes, hyper inflate the tires, park it, attach a battery tender and hope for the best. Buy a car cover for it and go enjoy yourself for five months. Keep it insured. All will be well when you return.
 
#9 ·
Careful if the facility is not closed, sealed. You might find some beasts in the engine or they might chew those intake hoses :) I move mine once a moth for around 50km. Been running fine since I bought it back in 2017. If it will be sitting for 6 months fuel will need to be renewed and you will have some misfires with the fuel left in the system. Happened to mine (V6 3.2) but the misfires disappeared as soon as new fuel was added.
 
#10 ·
I want to make you feel a little better. You do have a diesel right?. Well I have a long history of storing cars and boats, for like 30yrs. Diesel is unaffected by 5mos of storage, you may want to put some diesel stabilizer to make you feel more comfortable. Is this garage a closed facility?, If it is just go to a hardware store and place mouse bait in the engine compartment and in the car itself. Biggest issue is the battery condition,If it is over 5yrs,I would get a new one if you can't keep it charged. Disconnect the Neg side to prevent draining.

I have an Alfa Romeo 1978 with 17,000 miles. It starts every spring when I start it up .,No mice or rodents,no fuel issue etc. Put it away in good condition and it should be fine. BTW I like to store my vehicles and boats with a full tank.
 
#11 ·
5 months is nothing, don't worry about it to much. I would add though that you should get some peppermint oil and dump it all around the engine bay, door sills, etc maybe even some in the interior. Make the truck reak of it. Mice, rats etc hate the smell of peppermint oil. It does need to be reapplied every now and then though...
 
#12 ·
I've posted elsewhere on the site about my 2016 TDI being parked for much longer than I'd anticipated. To disconnect the negative terminal, must that be done under the driver's seat? I assume it does, but wondered if it can be disconnected in an easier to reach location. If not, since I may need to store this again, any chance to re-install the batter cut off switch that the units were shipped with? TIA. BTW, I use moth balls around the tires and in the engine compartment to hopefully keep rodents away from my bay.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
tadpole said:
I want to make you feel a little better. You do have a diesel right?. Well I have a long history of storing cars and boats, for like 30yrs. Diesel is unaffected by 5mos of storage, you may want to put some diesel stabilizer to make you feel more comfortable. Is this garage a closed facility?, If it is just go to a hardware store and place mouse bait in the engine compartment and in the car itself. Biggest issue is the battery condition,If it is over 5yrs,I would get a new one if you can't keep it charged. Disconnect the Neg side to prevent draining.

I have an Alfa Romeo 1978 with 17,000 miles. It starts every spring when I start it up .,No mice or rodents,no fuel issue etc. Put it away in good condition and it should be fine. BTW I like to store my vehicles and boats with a full tank.
Click to expand...
Its not a diesel. The battery is about 1 year and a half year old now. Yes it is a closed facility like this
236443
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
Thank you all
I got it in there and a friend will be starting it and taking it for a drive once a week. I was very worried at first, but from your experiences, there is not much to worry about.
 
#16 ·
Wow you guys are really petrified of rodents :love: :unsure:. It's a Treg, it can handle it. Don't worry about a thing, most you will have to call a tow service to jump start-Little inconvenient but do able.
 
#17 ·
if you're worried about rodents, having the friend drive the car is a good idea.

If you're going to let it sit: always do so with a full tank of gas. temp changes lead to condensation which leads to water mixing with fuel (more sensitive in diesel vehicles). Also ethanol based fuels don't have a great shelf life (unlike diesel for example that is stable for longer w/o any treatments/addatives) so I'd consider a fuel stabilizer.

My TDI sits for 6 months at a time, has for a couple years: fuel tank full, trickle charger on battery, race ramps to prevent flat spots, washed and covered (in a garage). Not concerned about rodents, otherwise I'd take some additional precautions (plenty of good reading if you search google, and some suggestions above)

good luck!
 
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