Outside vehicle storage

neville48, Aug 4, 5:08am
Am about to store two vehicles in my paddock on the grass for a kuzzie for about a year. I thought about parking them on one of those blue warehouse covers to help stop rising damp and one over the top to keep out the rain. Any added advice or tips would be good to help stop rust deterioration, sun ,rain, weather etc.
kazbanz, Aug 4, 5:14am
heck I just don't in any way see that as a good idea. sitting in a feild to me just begs for a rusty/mouldy heap as insects/rats/mice etc as well as condensation etc. --sorry if that sounds nasty
neville48, Aug 4, 5:25am
Yep sounds nasty but is the only option right now, just at the back of my house, short grass !.
franko171, Aug 4, 5:28am
put it on blocks to keep tires of ground
kazbanz, Aug 4, 6:04am
If you apsolutely HAVE to store the car there.
1) get the wheels off the ground. as Franko said -up on blocks
2) store the car in neutral so from time to time you can spin the wheels.
3) don't put the park brake on
3) inside the car I'd put a couple of those moisture absorber things you can get for closets.
4)Make sure its had a good drive before being stored there
5) once its cooled down I'd put a plastic bag over the end of the exhaust pipe held there with a rubber band.
6) spraying that marine moisture repellant into any electrical connections under the bonnet wont do any harm.
7) disconnect the battery.
4)I'd be tempted to spray CRC onto the brake disks,-YES its oil but it will slow down the corrossion.
tuttyclan, Aug 4, 6:19am
And I wouldent bother with a warehouse cover on the car,thats just asking for 24/7 dampness.Just put a good coat of polish on it every month or two and open the car up at least once a week to air it out.
Make sure the registration is exempted for the whole 12 months and more if necessary or the car will be automatically deregistered at one year when its put back into service and a bill for outstanding registration as its continous now. (CVL)
neville48, Aug 4, 7:14am
Have heard of 1 cup of kerosine to 1 bucket of water and wash all over and dont wash it off, just let it dry off and this puts a protective coating all over plus kero down the nooks and krannies.any comments on this method !
quickstitch, Aug 4, 7:56am
if you can make a frame up to keep the cover off the car then it will be ok, otherwise the cover will be doing more harm than good.
cuda.340, Aug 4, 8:53am
after a year sitting in the elements you can guarantee you will get the ugly rust blisters. might just as well sell the cars now. ain't going to be worth much after the kaikuya has grown thru it.
dave653, Aug 4, 9:49pm
Ever heard of a 'carcoon'! Totally envelopes the car, moisture and rodent protection in one go. Or you could try one of those makeshift carports with a polythene floor laid down first.
doublek, Aug 4, 9:55pm
My BIL who lives on the Sunshine Coast for 10 months of the year, left his Falcon is a friend's paddock over there. Australia has the worst insect/vermin etc issues - when he got back, rats had somehow gotten inside the car, camped out and eaten part of his hoodlining. The spiders (forgot which kind, but poisonous) had also made a home under the dash. He took it to a mechanic who wasn't surprised, just said, Mate, you're lucky there were no snakes in there.
Sell the cars. Given deterioration and devaluation, there will never be a better time. If they are of any value (classic) then store them properly.
jubre, Aug 4, 11:20pm
Just remember if it is under plastic then it can also sweat in the summer months, leaving moisture trapped under the plastic.
trogedon, Aug 5, 12:07am
If the cars aren't rusty now (ie. the bodies are in good condition) there isn't likely to be rust on them just from sitting outside for a year. At least not on the topside anyway.
trogedon, Aug 5, 12:15am
In fact I kept my beloved VW Beetle on our lawn for 2 years + through the Auckland Winters (starting and moving it every couple of weeks or so) and it was fine with it.
purple666, Aug 5, 2:16am
Yes thats the trick, got a couple stored here on grass, they get started and taken for a quick spin up the road every month or 2 and they are fine.

I live in the country so no wof or reg worries
eagles9999, Aug 5, 3:11am
To posters #6, #8, and #10 I think he was palnning to lay some Warehouse tarps on the grass and park the car over them. Not use the car covers.
tigra, Aug 5, 3:14am
Yes but all the moisture in the grass over Winter will riseup as condensation and get into all the corners and crevices where the underseal never goes.Long term parking on grass never works unless you can move them regularly
directorylist, Aug 5, 3:59am
Unless they're over 40 years old :)

then its 2 years for the license to expire and no continious licensing
pdc1, Aug 5, 11:37am
What sort of cars are we talking about. A modern car will probably be no big deal. Don't what ever you do put a cheap warehouse cover over it. It will do more damage than good. Putting one underneath is a good idea.
Things like plugging the exhaust and air cleaner are good ideas too. There is all sorts of ways to protect them from being parked up outside, but you'll probably find with a modern car it won't be a big deal. Maybe a cover inside the windscreen/rear window will help interior. Brakes could be an issue, so it might be a good idea to change brake fluid before. Petrol is a debate, as petrol goes off, however an empty tank will attract condensation. Really need to know what the car is and the area that you are in. Obviously being parked next to the sea would change the scenario!
neville48, Aug 5, 8:17pm
Not near the sea, on a rise with pretty constant breeze so not much frost, 98 ford explorer and toyota fj40. Any comments on the kerosine and water trick please would be good. Yep, the blue cover to go under the cars on the ground.!over the top.dunno yet. The biggest problem due to circumstances is,zero budget.
kazbanz, Aug 5, 8:32pm
hey nevilleLookas needs must is how I see it.-you do what ya gotta do.
If you are not too worried about the grass then I'd probably put a sheet down-do the stuff I and others have suggested. -the on blocks bit is to stop the brakes from seizing up
gooddealz2, Aug 6, 12:31am
I take photo's of wrecks and old cars in paddocks etc all over the place.there's some good advice on here but the one thing I could add is to park them on top of some old bits of carpet.This keeps the moisture from the grass away.it's very effective.Keep them well polished too as someone else suggested.It's only an hour or two now and again.
tuttyclan, Aug 6, 1:46am
Another thing to do ask your friend to keep up the rego and wof and insurance and drive them at least once a week and keep a good coat of polish on them and you then should not have any problems with dampness,surface rust,seized brakes etc.After all you are storing your friends car,the least he can do is make the car legel to drive.The best storage is always inside but if you can drive them regulary it wont be as bad.
tuttyclan, Sep 13, 9:44pm