Why Long-Term Outdoor Storage for Your Vehicle Is a Bad Idea

November 20, 2014
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It’s not uncommon for a vehicle to go unused for a decent amount of time, for various reasons. Maybe it’s due to a license suspension, temporary relocation, or the availability of another car, your car could be left unused for months, or even years.

Many people leave their unused car sitting in their driveway for the duration of its break. Leaving a car in the driveway when it’s regularly used is no problem, so it should be fine to leave it there for the long-term, right? Wrong.

Storing a car outdoors for the long-term is not good for the car, and can lead to some pretty serious damage. Take a look at the possible problems below.

The Consequences of Storing Your Vehicle Outdoors

  • The First Impression – There are some problems you might expect, and that you’ll notice right away: cracking vinyl of the dashboard and seats, faded exterior paint, rusting on the body panels, and discoloring of the interior.
  • Bigger Problems – It’s possible the rubber on the tires as completely broken down from exposure. The brake pads may fall apart as soon as the car is in motion again, which is not something you want to find out the hard way.
  • Fixing the Problem – The unlubricated engine is likely the worst off of all. The corrosive process may have set in as the car has been sitting unused. A quick trip to the garage for maintenance and some fluid changing should be enough to save it.
  • Winter Damage – Wintertime can also be harmful to your vehicle, in different ways. The magnesium chloride, road salts, sand, and the other muck from streets and driveways has a way of latching onto a car and creating a thick layer of sediment. If this is left unchecked, it can find its way into every nook and cranny of the vehicle and cause corrosion.



    • If you need to store your car for a long period of time, your best bet is to store it inside. Fortunately, there are car storage facilities that are designed just for this purpose. The benefits of self storage units for vehicle storage far outweigh storing in outside. Self storage units keep vehicles safe and dry, and protected from the elements. Don’t put your car at risk by storing it outside, when there are plenty of car storage units that can keep it safe. To see more, read this.