As the temperatures drop, you’ll find it harder to drive with the windows down in your favorite truck or car. To protect your vehicle from the harsh weather, you’ll need to handle a few maintenance tasks before putting it in the storage unit. Use these three pointers to prepare your summer ride for a restful winter.

How to Prepare Your Vehicle for the Storage Unit

1. Start Off With a Deep Clean

Start off by washing, rinsing, and drying your vehicle’s exterior with a soft microfiber cloth. This will remove abrasive dirt and dust particles that could damage the paint while your car sits in storage. Inside the vehicle, vacuum the seats and carpets to prevent stains and odors. Finish up by conditioning any leather components, and waxing or polishing the auto body.

2. Check Under the Hood

Next, you’ll need to tend to your car’s fluids and electric components under the hood. Check the dipsticks in the oil reservoirs. If it seems sludgy, you’ll want to arrange for an oil change to prevent engine damage.

You may also want to change out the transmission fluid and refill a low coolant supply. Finally, clean off any residue around the battery ports, and disconnect the cables. Otherwise, your battery will exhaust its power while it sits in storage.

3. Protect the Tires

After months of sitting in place, your truck tires may flatten. Before you leave your vehicle in the storage unit, insert jack stands under all four corners, and raise the car off the ground slightly. If you don’t have jack stands, add a few extra pounds of air pressure to your tires and parking on top of the plywood.

If you’re searching for a reliable facility to store your summer toys this winter, reach out to Drive-In Self Storage in East Syracuse, NY. Thanks to their 26 surveillance cameras operating 24/7, you won’t have to worry about your car’s safety while you stay indoors. This facility offers a wide range of storage unit sizes that you can also use to keep recreational equipment. To learn more about their offerings, visit the website, or call (315) 656-4256 today.