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Possible job relocation outside of the USA. I have done some research on long term storage. The most time I have seen is 12-18 months. We would be gone at least three years. These are our vehicles:
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500, fully loaded and paid off
2015 Subaru Outback, fully loaded, note left 10K, could pay off.
3 years is a really long time to have a car just sit. You sure you don't want to just sell them?
Put it in a garage , an inch off the ground on jacks to get off the suspension/air under around the tires . Fog it? Something to keep mice away. Battery disconnected. what do you think? Not sure about the fuel. To top off to prevent moisture in the tank with plenty of stabil, or empty?
Put it up on jack stands under the frame and get some gas sta-bal and run it threw the engine for a few minutes. Fill the gas tank completly. Remove the battery, change the oil. Plan of possibly needing new break caliber or wheel cylinders and tires when you get back. I had gas stable in a moped for about 3 years before the gas started to not want to burn right but it still was ok.
That's the debate to sell or not. We traditionally keep our vehicles a long time. We bought these thinking we would have them until we retired in about 9 years.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I you like them, keep them.
My company stored my cars for each of my international assignments. Car storage place took care of maintaining them and running them 1/ month (Engine and tranny and steering) (and storing them up on blocks).
Fresh GAS will be a problem. For 'gassers' I use Marine grade Stabilizer, but its still an issue (Thus My Evil Diesels are much more 'storage friendly' )
Needs to be indoors / temp and humidity controlled, and yes, brake calipers and fluid system is not happy about sitting around for 3 yrs.
Possible job relocation outside of the USA. I have done some research on long term storage. The most time I have seen is 12-18 months. We would be gone at least three years. These are our vehicles:
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500, fully loaded and paid off
2015 Subaru Outback, fully loaded, note left 10K, could pay off.
Not enough information. I see the word possible.
You don't state where these would be stored. A climate controlled garage? Outside on dirt?
I wouldn't just dry store any vehicle that long. I would just sell them.
If keeping. You have all sorts of potential issues.
Mice getting into the all parts of vehicle. Mice in the heating ducts is virtually impossible to get odors out unless the entire heating/AC duct system is replaced. Never mind the wiring damage. Seats and other parts eaten up by rodents. Dry rot.
You would still need some sort of insurance. You would need good car covers. Ones that don't chafe the paint.
It won't hurt them to let them sit for 3 years. Use stabil in the gas. My concern would be rodents causing problems chewing on wiring etc. There is some spray that can be used for that. Check for nests in the engine compartment before starting them.
I live in a remote area and have tractors and trucks. Some of them sit for a very long time outside. Just started one last weekend that had not been started for 2 years and it started right up. Started a tractor recently that has been sitting for a year and it started quickly. Have another that I will start tomorrow and it has been sitting 9 months, or more. Normally just have to charge the battery, but the one I started last weekend did not need the battery charged.
Possible job relocation outside of the USA. I have done some research on long term storage. The most time I have seen is 12-18 months. We would be gone at least three years. These are our vehicles:
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500, fully loaded and paid off
2015 Subaru Outback, fully loaded, note left 10K, could pay off.
Thanks for the help,
Pioneer
I parked a car for ten years and just put it back on the road. If I had it to do again, I would do the same again because it is a relatively rare car.
But if I were looking at storing a (no offense) everyday production car, I wouldn't - especially if you don't want to spend weeks sorting out the little problems associated with "waking it up." I would sell it and buy something else later.
Look at it this way, if they are in good shape now, you can sell them for a good coin and put the money into an investment that will appreciate. Or, you can keep them while they not only rot, but also depreciate.
Possible job relocation outside of the USA. I have done some research on long term storage. The most time I have seen is 12-18 months. We would be gone at least three years. These are our vehicles:
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500, fully loaded and paid off
2015 Subaru Outback, fully loaded, note left 10K, could pay off.
Thanks for the help,
Pioneer
Another vote to sell these rather than store them for up to 3 years. Even if they are stored under perfect conditions and are just the way you left them when you come back (unlikely, but for purposes of discussion) - these are new enough to still depreciate pretty heavily just due to getting older.
Then you have storage costs - storage under perfect conditions is not going to be free.
Some cars like Corvettes (most if not all years) will go through a "value cycle" - they depreciate for something like 9 to 12 years, bottom out, then start to get more valuable. I don't see either of these cars doing that. I could be wrong of course.
If you really really like these two vehicles for whatever reason, I don't see either one being hard to find 3 years down the road. Unless you have a strong color preference, or just have to have "fully loaded" (so many cars anymore come pretty much loaded, you just pick a color and maybe engine/transmission options, AWD/4WD or not - you get air, ps pb etc. whether you want them or not)
You could arrange with a car lot or even a dealer so that you keep them to use until you are ready to ship out, then you leave with the dealer, who will sell them and forward the money to you. To avoid having to sell them yourself and then walk/Uber/taxi everywhere until you actually ship out.
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