If you`re going travelling for a long period of time and looking to keep your car somewhere long-term there are some things you should consider before you jet off. This can be a particularly problematic issue if you don`t have somewhere at your home you can leave your car where it is secured or if you are travelling somewhere where you will leave your car before moving on to another destination. Here is what you need to know about parking your car when you`re travelling.
Find A Secure Place To Park It
The most important thing to do when it comes to leaving your car somewhere while you`re travelling is ensuring that you can leave it somewhere covered and secured. If you don`t have somewhere at home or at a friend`s place where you can leave your car, you might consider renting a secure car spot where you can be confident that your car will be left in safe hands. You can use a community parking platform to rent a secure, covered parking space from someone who isn`t currently using it. Finding a place that is sheltered and has security can give you the peace of mind you need while on holiday.
Remove The Valuables From Your Car
When leaving your car long periods of time, even in a secure lot, it is important to remove any valuables you might have in there. This is the best preventative strategy when it comes to making sure no one breaks into your car. If you usually keep chargers, documents or any sort of tech devices in your car make sure to remove them, along with any clothes, shoes or bags you may have lying around your car. Before going, make sure to check your glove box any door compartments to ensure that you haven`t left anything behind. If you are still concerned about the prospect of someone breaking into your car, you could consider adding something like a steering wheel lock or a noticeable alarm light to deter any potential thieves. Visual cues such as these can help your car be less at risk when left alone for long periods of time.
Get Your Car Checked Before You Go
Just as you would get your car checked before going on a big road trip, it`s a good idea to get your car checked before leaving it parked for a long time. When you leave a car turned off for extended periods of times it can make small issues a lot worse and ensuring it is peak condition prevents the chance of you coming back to a car that won`t turn on. Make sure your battery is fully charged, that all the systems are functioning properly including the heating and air conditioning and that there are no structural issues. Getting any issues ironed out before you go gives you peace of mind that your car will survive being parked for a few weeks and you`ll be able to drive yourself home. It also ensures you don`t come home to more expensive problems you`ll have to fix.
Get Your Car Ready
In order to increase the chances of you returning to a working car, it is important to top off your fluids including your petrol and your wiper fluid, make sure your tires are inflated and change your oil. Ideally, you should leave your car with a full tank of petrol in order to prevent the tank from freezing. This can happen when it is left empty, or almost empty as it allows for residual moisture to build up and this can then freeze if your car is left somewhere cold. Getting petrol and inflating your tires before your park your car also ensures that you don`t have to worry about getting petrol or having deflated tires if you have a long drive ahead of you once you get back to your car.
Clean Your Car
It is a good idea to give your car a bit of a clean out before you leave it parked. Cleaning it out has many benefits. Not only do you get to return to a tidy car, but a car full of rubbish can catch the attention of someone wanting to break in. They might assume you won`t notice a missing iPad or charger because of the mess. Giving your car a thorough clean-out also means that any food or drink containers that might be lying around get thrown out, otherwise you could come back to a car that stinks of rotting food or month-old coffee! This is a particular risk if you leave your car parked in the heat.
