There are times when people must travel and may require a place to leave their vehicle. It can be extremely stressful to leave a car behind because you have to make sure it’s secure and functional.
This article introduces some locations where you can park your car in case you need to travel for a week or more. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Where Can I Park My Car For A Week?
Renting Car Storage:
The best thing to do in that situation is to rent car storage if you are leaving and don’t know where to park your car for a week. You can park your car in a warehouse, which is much safer and less expensive if you rent a car. There are a lot of car storage facilities close to your location, which you can search for online. Choose the car storage option that best suits your needs by comparing prices. It can be dangerous to leave your car in the driveway or garage because you never know who has been watching you. Finding storage facilities close to your home is the best choice so you won’t have to travel far to pick up your car when you get home. You’ll have more time because of it. Car storage facilities are typically very affordable and secure. They are the best place to leave your vehicle while traveling
Aerialport Parking:
The airport is another location where you can park your car for a week. You can leave your car in airport parking for up to a week in many places. You can decide which airport will make it possible for you to do that and fly through it. Due to the high level of security, airport parking is very safe, but parking costs can be a little high. Most people who travel for a week leave their cars at the airport because it is practical and efficient to do so. Another service provided by airports is long-term parking, which is designed for the convenience of passengers who are traveling for a week or longer. Long-term parking typically requires you to park far from the airport, but you end up saving a ton of money overall.
What About Two Weeks To A Few Months?
Before leaving your vehicle with any lot if you know you’ll be gone for a few weeks to a few months and can’t leave it at home, inquire about long-term rates. If you talk to them in advance about the prices, even those airport shuttle services have better offers for extended stays.
Leaving your car parked for an extended period of time close to a friend’s house might also be something you want to think twice about. Since vehicles are a small investment (if a declining one), you might not want to leave them so exposed as the likelihood of being towed or broken into increases with each additional day.
Vehicle Storage For Long-Term
When you’re on the road for more than a year, you’ll need a long-term storage option. You might be renting out your home or putting your belongings in storage, unlike short-term travelers, so leaving your car in the garage isn’t an option.
Contrary to popular belief, you actually have a variety of options for long-term vehicle storage, depending on your level of comfort, the value of your car, and the amount of money you want to spend.
Sell Now！
Selling your car could be the most straightforward solution. The best option might be to sell your car and buy a new one when you get back, especially if you’re planning to be gone for six months or longer and it’s still relatively new and losing value quickly.
Not only will you not lose any additional depreciation on it, but you will also be able to cancel the insurance (which may result in money back if you paid for the entire year in advance) and there won’t be any storage fees.
We made the choice this year to keep our small SUV and sell our car just before we left. We had paid off the car and didn’t anticipate needing two vehicles when we got back. Even though we adored that vehicle, it made more sense to keep the SUV because it was more reliable, had a longer lifespan, and could carry much more than the car. The car is also a very popular brand, so there are always plenty of them available in case we decide to buy another one in the future.
Unfortunately, those who lease their vehicles and owe more on them than the value of the vehicle can’t sell. There are still many options available for those who want to keep their car.
Cheap Storage For Car
Our cars were left at Micki’s parents’ house years ago. They had a large amount of land and lived outside the city. It wasn’t a problem to leave it there, and the fact that it didn’t cost us anything was a nice bonus. The issue was that they lived far from the airport, and we discovered that it would have been less expensive and hassle to simply store the car nearby the airport than to rent a car right before our flight and then again when we got back.
Additionally, mice were a problem. They lived in a very remote area, so each time we left a car on the farm, mice managed to get inside. Where you live, this might not be an issue, but in Canada, leaving a car on the grass for an extended period of time is asking for trouble. There are many items available that are intended to help keep mice out of a stored car, but we’ve tried many of them all in vain.
To that end, leaving your car anywhere with cheap or better yet, free parking—be it a farm, a big lot, or anywhere else—can be a great deal. This may be the most affordable choice if you have friends, family, or even know someone who knows someone who has access to a lot of lands.
Interior Storage
An alternative might be inside storage if you’re concerned about pests or the elements. It can be anything from renting out a garage to using large storage facilities that specialize in the service.
When looking into large complexes, we’ve found that the cost for interior storage is around twice the going rate for exterior storage. In some places, the temperature and security are constantly monitored, but not in others. Be sure to confirm this in advance and bear that in mind when contrasting them.
Personal garages for rent are popular, with owners choosing to make a few extra dollars rather than using the space themselves. On one of our trips, we successfully rented a private garage. The garage was not being properly monitored, so we persuaded some friends to check it once a week while we were away. The fact that we also kept our belongings in the same garage may have contributed to our increased anxiety. Despite the security issues, it was a wise decision because the cost of storing both was significantly lower than other alternatives. It wouldn’t have been an issue if the owner had resided close by.
Another option for inside storage is underground parking. The drawback is that few people make their parking spaces available for rent on online classifieds. Additionally, they may be more vulnerable to break-ins than the other options because they are often open to a lot of traffic.
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Problems When Parking Car A Week Or Longer
Weakened Battery
Coming back to a dead battery when you’ve parked your car for a week or more is probably the most typical issue. It’s possible that your battery failed due to natural battery self-discharge because it was already discharged. Over time, a parasitic draw from something like a dome light left on or by the increased demands of cold-weather starting can weaken the battery.
Driving your vehicle even a short distance every few days can keep the charge full. Connect a smart charger, such as the Battery Tender Junior, if you anticipate parking the car for an extended period of time. To keep your battery’s charge at a healthy level automatically, plug it into a garage outlet.
A healthy system should last for at least a couple of weeks, but if your battery is dead or if you keep finding it dead after you’ve been parked for a week or two, you may need to conduct some troubleshooting to find out if your battery or something else needs to be replaced. Additionally, keep in mind that lead acid batteries can suffer permanent damage if they are discharged below 80%, which is typically the point at which your car won’t start. If that occurs frequently, it might pass away.
AGM batteries, a different kind of battery, are designed to withstand more discharges without being harmed. They can be a nice upgrade, but they are more expensive and not a complete fix if you have other issues that are draining your battery.
Rusty Brakes
Brakes may become slightly rusted or even stuck after a week of being parked in wet conditions. To prevent this, move the car occasionally, or park it in a garage where it is shielded from the elements.
It’s probably just a little surface rust on the brakes if rust appears over a period of a few weeks. A slight grinding sound might be audible at first, but after a few stops, it usually stops. It’s unlikely to harm you permanently over such brief periods, so don’t be concerned.
I’ve seen a few instances, though, where the corrosion prevented the car from moving while the foot was off the brake in Drive in extremely wet or rainy conditions over a few weeks. I fixed that by giving it a little gas until the corrosion released (just be ready to control the car if it moves suddenly!), then worked through a few rounds of stopping until the brakes cleaned themselves up.
Stale Gas
Take some precautions to prevent possible engine problems like efficiency loss, rough running, or even non-starting if you go longer than two months between a full tank of gas fill-ups.
First, add a preservative to your gas tanks, such as Seafoam or Sta-Bil, if you anticipate leaving your car parked for an extended period of time. (The same holds true for gas kept in a can.) Purchase a bottle from the gas station or auto parts store in your area, then fill it up with the recommended amount of fuel. If you can, treat the gas before it goes bad because preservers cannot make stale gas fresh again.
Keep the tank fuller rather than letting it get too low by keeping it from running empty. In addition to lowering the risk of corrosion from condensation, this reduces the amount of oxygen that can degrade fuel in the tank. Additionally, keeping your tank full in case of emergencies like getting stranded in sweltering temperatures earns you extra safety points.
Flat-spotting Tires
Tire flat spots can form if a car is left parked for three months or more, especially if the tire pressure is low. Keep an eye out for this during the colder months in particular because lower temperatures cause tire pressure to decrease by approximately 1 PSI for every 10 degrees F.
In any case, now is a good time to check your tire pressure since low pressure can compromise driving safety and efficiency. Whenever you park your car for an extended period of time, move it around so it rests on various tire contact points. To avoid flat spots, slightly overinflate the tires (between 5 and 10 PSI), or raise the vehicle on jacks.
Pests
By gnawing through wires, contaminating the interior, or eating fabric, mice and other rodents can permanently harm (or at least demoralize) a vehicle. They often favor solitary, dark environments. If your car is kept in a garage that is frequently used, gets direct sunlight, or has lights that are turned on frequently, you can reduce the likelihood that mice will move in.
Remove any potential food sources that might attract rodents, then catch the pests with your preferred trap or bait. Keep the car uncovered, leave the hood and trunk open (unplug lights or fuses to prevent battery drain), and add steel wool to the tailpipes and air duct openings for added defense.
Let me conclude by listing some DIY pest control methods for cars that you should avoid using; perhaps this will save you some time and trial and error. There is disagreement about the efficacy of scented Bounce dryer sheets and bars of Irish Spring soap in the vehicle-storage community (especially among owners of classic cars and recreational vehicles). Although dryer sheets may have a scent that mice don’t like, it wears off after a week or two, making it a low-return investment. I wouldn’t buy that product either because I’ve personally witnessed mice gnawing away at pieces of Irish Spring bar soap.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with your belongings is one of the most difficult challenges you face when going on a long trip. Sometimes, in my opinion, people use their possessions as a justification to delay taking the epic vacation they’ve always wanted.
You should have some ideas on what to do with your car, which is one of your biggest possessions, after reading this article. You’ll need to make a decision about what to do with your car whether you sell your house and store your remaining possessions there or rent it out while you’re away. There is a solution for you, depending on who you are, how your car is doing, and your financial situation.
