Clean it inside and out, pump up the tyres, look after the battery, and sort out tax and insurance before the car comes off the road. If you’re thinking of storing it with us, give us a call on 0800 2545585 first, and we’ll tell you straight away what we can do. We store cars and motorbikes at Chipping Norton only, and our page on vehicle storage at Chipping Norton explains how it works.
Getting the car ready
The RAC’s checklist for laying up a car covers the essentials:
- Clean the car, inside and out.
- Inflate the tyres. The RAC suggests inflating them to the maximum recommended pressure before you leave the car, which may help save them from damage, as tyres lose pressure over time and can develop flat spots.
- Look after the battery. The RAC suggests disconnecting it or using a trickle charger. Our units don’t have power sockets, so there’s nothing to run a trickle charger from in a unit.
- Leave the parking brake off. The RAC advises against using it over a long lay-up, because it can seize.
- Use a cover. The RAC recommends a UV-resistant car cover.
- Change the fluids, which is also on the RAC’s list.
Your car’s handbook, or your garage, can tell you anything specific to your model.
Tax, SORN and insurance
If you want to stop taxing and insuring the car while it’s off the road, GOV.UK says you need to make a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification). You’ll automatically get a refund of vehicle tax for any full months left. A car with a SORN can only be driven on a public road to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment, so plan how it will get to wherever it’s being kept before you make one.
If you keep the car taxed and insured instead, it’s worth telling your insurer where it’s being kept.
Getting it back on the road
When the car comes out, the RAC suggests checking it for damage, rust or mould, then the lights, battery, fluids, tyre pressures and condition, and the brakes, before you drive.
Storing a motorbike?
A motorbike can be stored with us once the fuel and oil are drained and the battery is out. Our guide to storing a car, van or motorbike explains how. A unit is for storage only, so any servicing is best done before the bike or car is put away. For how much room the car will need, see what size of storage unit a car needs.
For a car, call us on 0800 2545585 or email hello@wigwamstorage.co.uk, and we’ll talk it through with you.
Related questions
- Can I store a car, van or motorbike with Wigwam?
- Can I work on my car or bike inside a storage unit?
- Do storage units have electricity or plug sockets?
- How do I store a motorbike over the winter?
Further reading