What's the minimum needed to keep my car in good shape?

July 16, 2010 1:05 PM

[Car Maintenance filter] What should my brother do to care for my car while I am in Japan?

I am moving to Japan for one year to work (at the end of the month). I have a 2003 Subaru Legacy station wagon with 74,000 miles. I bought it used and I owe just under $7,000 on it. I was planning to sell it and pay off the loan and then buy a used car when I came back to the USA. My older brother said that would be a mistake because I would lose money overall by going that route (the money I have already paid out on the loan as well as the future cost of buying another used car, including taxes).

He offered to store my car in his garage and to keep it in good condition while I am gone so that I can continue to pay off the loan. He is a responsible person and wants to help me out, but I don't think that he knows that much about cars. What does my brother need to do to keep my car in good condition? He has his own car so he will not be routinely driving mine -- just doing whatever minimum tasks that will be needed to keep it in shape. We both live in Maryland (so, winter might be an issue).

I have already looked at this thread and this thread, but I felt this was different because the car will be in storage most of the time, but not totally un-used.

Thank you!

posted by val5a to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)

For a year or less there really isn't much you should have to do to it at all. Put some sta-bil in the tank and top off the fuel (so there is not much empty space in the tank, therefore preventing moisture buildup that could lead to rusting). If your brother is amenable to it, have him take it for a not-too-short drive once every few months.. say 30min or more.. Anything more than that is probably unnecessary.
posted by mbatch at 1:09 PM on July 16, 2010

Make sure it's properly insured. For being stored along with any maintenance driving done to it. MD requires anything with a valid tag to be insured. Speak with your insurance company about an appropriate policy for it. And make sure the place in which it's being stored is also appropriately insured. Likewise your loan on it will require it. You'd be risking the loss of the vehicle and then still have the loan obligation.

And be sure your brother is on the same page regarding damages.

For a short time like a year, stored in a garage, there's not really a whole lot you'd have to do to it. Filling the tank and adding fuel stabilizer is a must. Moving it every few weeks will help avoid the tires getting a flat spot. Also, the storage area needs to be DRY. If it's too humid and dark you risk mold developing in the interior (esp leather seats). If the garage is damp then a dehumidifier would be a good idea.
posted by wkearney99 at 1:55 PM on July 16, 2010

You will need to either disconnect the battery or run it every few weeks (it can vary depending on car and battery condition). Here is what I would do:

Properly inflate tires to max inflation pressure on the tire sidewall
change the oil
fill up the gas tank and put in fuel stabilizer
disconnect and remove the battery to prevent any corrosion

and in a year when I got back
check tire pressures
buy new battery and install
start car and let it warm up slowly without revving until normal tempature is reached
enjoy car again
posted by bartonlong at 3:20 PM on July 16, 2010

Disconnecting the battery can make some radios' anti-theft systems cranky, though. (When they lose power they assume they've been removed from the car.)
posted by hattifattener at 7:18 PM on July 16, 2010

Thanks, everybody!
posted by val5a at 5:07 PM on July 18, 2010