Park car in garage for long term

i am leaving car in garage in FL and won’t be back until oct…6 months.

do i need a trickle charger $33.?

As you’re leaving it through the summer, and it’s going to get hot in there, it’s not a bad idea. That way when you come back, it’ll be charged and ready to go.

I would use a battery tender, rather than a charger, though. They’re designed to shut down the juice if the battery doesn’t require it. You can get them all over, including most boating places - which FL is full of.

The only other suggestion I have is to toss some fuel stabilizer in your last tank, and then put about 10 miles on it before you park (to get the stuff through all the lines). Necessary? Maybe not, but if something happens, and you don’t make it back down for the winter, then it’ll be far better off, and it’s worth the $5 or however much the stabilizer costs for the peace of mind.

You can always give it a good wash and wax, treat the interior if required, etc, but as it’s in a garage, I don’t think that’s really necessary.

Chase

I can add only one thing to Chase’s response.

I suggest removing the battery and put it on that battery tender in your basement, away from the garage. Since few thieves carry extra batteries of various sizes, it makes stealing the car far harder.

Also contact your insurance company. You may be able to get a sizable reduction for your insurance since it will not need collusion coverage if you are not going to be driving it.

Thought of that…no basement’s in FL. :slight_smile: And, I’d highly recommend NOT putting it inside the house, and leave it somewhere that has ventilation. The garage is really the only place for it, unless there’s some sort of attached shed or what have you with 110V power.

Insurance bit is good, though. Forgot about that. Hurricane season is just around the corner, too. Consider that when you talk to the insurance company.

Oh, and thanx for the Stars. :slight_smile:

Chase.

Six months is not a long time. If you do absolutely nothing for your car, it will still start and run well upon your return. You are likely to need a jump start or use a battery charger, but this is expected and trivial. Of course, all of the above suggestions are quite sound. Enjoy your summer.