For the short story, skip down to the last paragraph.

In three months I'll be flying off to start my gap year - volunteer teaching in South America! (www.marksprojecttrust.co.uk if anyone's interested)

While I'm out there, my car will be declared off the road (there's no one here to use it), so my question is... any advice for keeping her in good condition while I'm gone? Ideally I'd like to get back and only have to take care of paperwork and an MOT to get her back on the road.

So far the plan is to store it in a garage to keep it safe from the elements, up on axle stands to stop me getting flat spots on the tyres and with the wheels taken off to stop the suspension getting damaged (read this somewhere, can't recall where). Apart from that all I'm planning to do is leave the windows open a crack to stop it getting musty and stuffing in a few mothballs to keep insects at bay.

Apart from the above, what else can I do to make sure my car stays alive in my absence?

Thanks

That sounds good enough to me to be honest, give it a good clean, polish and wax of course and that should keep any moisture at bay from getting under the paintwork and causing rust bubbles

Have fun!

if its not a special car just sell it, save losing a years value, then buy another one when you get back

Thanks, Eklipze (btw, loving the BL/ind avatar - MCR all the way!)

Dave, I had considered this as an option, but at the moment I'd really like to keep the car to dodge the hassle of trying to sell it before I leave and buying a new one when I return, and because I've done a fair bit of work on it since I bought her last year.

To be honest a year isn't a long time, stick it in the garage take the battery off and it should be ok. Unless the tyres are low or have a slow puncture then they shouldnt flat spot in that time. Make sure the anti freeze is at the right ratio to prevent rusting and freezing, if it's a damp garage it might be better to close the windows and put something in the car like silica gel to absorbe the damp.

If you were laying it up for 3-4 years then you might want to think about the tyres and draining the fuel etc, but a year is no time at all

When you come back you are officially allowed to talk like this

No need to take the wheels of, just overinflate them to prevent flat spots.
Put some fuel stabilizer in the gas tank, and fill it completely.
Spray some light oil in the exhaust, and close it.
If possible, close the air inlet as well.
Take the battery out, and have it charged by someone regularly.
And the obvious, clean/wax the car inside and out very well before storing.
If possible, open a small window or something in the garage, to get the air flowing, and to protect from moisture build up.
Make sure there's fresh oil in the engine.

On the Norfolk Broads, the cruiser hire companies store their boats with large trays of salt in them. No reason why a bucket half filled with it shouldn't do the trick.

Leave the hand brake off as well

With it been sat for a year it could forwell seize - pain in the ass thats for sure

So either purchase or make some chocks for the wheels - just to prevent any movement if there was ever to be an earthfart in the country again

Ziggy