Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 11:21
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - bluenun

I will be storing my car in a 20 x 8 foot container for 9-12 months.

Is there a way I can leave my car without the brakes being locked?

To get my ignition key out I have to put the car in Park and this locks the brakes.

Also I read it is best not to leave petrol in the tank, why is that?

Does every last drop need to come out?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 11:56
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - RT

P on an automatic doesn't lock the brakes - it locks the transmission - so just position it in the container, gearlever into P, engine off, remove ignition key, don't apply the handbrake, don't lock the doors.

That assumes the container isn't moving anywhere - if it was you'd need to strap the wheels down as well.

Petrol evaporates all the time - so over that period the tank/system will be covered in any chemical residue that doesn't evaporate as fast as petrol - that petrol vapour would still be in the container potentially, so there's a risk of explosion and/or fire.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 12:05
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - elekie&a/c doctor

I would be inclined to get the car up on axle stands if poss.This will prevent flat spots forming on the tyres from a prolonged period of non movement.hth

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 15:27
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - bluenun

I feel foolish for not knowing P locked the transmission and not the brakes, thanks for clearing that up.

I will run the petrol tank low before storing and try to syphon as much of the rest out as possible.

The container is staying put and I don't smoke but will be extra cautious when entering the container on my return.

I do have a set of heavy duty axle stands, it did not cross my mind that the tyres could get damaged from inactivity.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 15:39
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - mss1tw

I would put some dessicant packs in there too in case of condensation

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 15:49
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - craig-pd130

If you use a couple of layers of clingfilm over the neck of the fuel filler, then put the cap on over the clingfilm (or wrap it so it covers the neck and cap), it helps to stop any evaporation from the tank.

To be honest, modern cars are engineered not to pass fuel vapours into the atmosphere so I wouldn't worry too much about this.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 15:51
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Dwight Van Driver

Don't forget SORN

..but consider a special Insurance to cover only theft/fire.

dvd

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 16:22
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Bobbin Threadbare

Definitely lift it up - your tyres could go really weird if you don't! Disconnect the battery and if I were doing this, I'd scrub the car and do an antibacterial wipe-over so that no mould grows on the seals for the windows!

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 16:51
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - skidpan

Personally I would sell it and buy another in 12 months time. That way no storage costs, no insurance costs ( what happens if its gets stolen or fired in the crate) and no worries about SORN or will it work when you open up the crate. New battery is an almost 100% certainty.

Edited by skidpan on 20/12/2013 at 16:52

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 18:34
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - gordonbennet

The whole car, but especially the underside should be thoroughly hot water pressure cleaned before storage, if the car has been used during this period it will have a lovely coat of strong road salt solution on every surface, if left for 12 months that will do serious damage to any steel or aluminium part.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 19:00
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Collos25

Personally I would sell it and buy another in 12 months time. That way no storage costs, no insurance costs ( what happens if its gets stolen or fired in the crate) and no worries about SORN or will it work when you open up the crate. New battery is an almost 100% certainty.

The most sensible suggestion after all its hardly worth anything it will cost more to store it.

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Fri 20 Dec 2013 21:20
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - focussed

I cannot imagine a worse environment to store a car in for 12 months than a steel shipping container. Some containers are better than others but the basic uninsulated ones sweat with condensation inside in cold weather and are baking hot when the sun shines-I know, my own company had one round the back of the premises as a rough storage shed and it was horribly damp except when the sun shone. The car will be ruined in short order - sell it, don't store it

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 00:00
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Simon

If you really want to store it in this way my and want to make life as simple as you can then I would do this...

Run the fuel low-ish but not stupidly low. Fuel will stand for twelve months without too much of a problem, but having a low level in the tank will allow you to fill it up will good fuel as soon as you bring it back to life.

Rather than mess about with axle stands, over-inflate the tyres instead. Its not as good as the axle stands but is much simpler, safer and quicker. Again your tyres will take twelve months of standing without too many problems ic you do this.

Park it up, leave the handbrake off, then disconnect the battery. Maybe consider removing the battery, so that you can charge it up to full capacity before you try to start the car back up twelve months down the line.

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 00:14
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Avant

I agree - the only point in storing a car would be if the car were rare or a classic, which this doesn't seem to be.

If anything were to deteriorate during storage, you could find yourself spending more than the Focus is worth to repair it.

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 00:42
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - artill

Do you know anyone you can lend the car to, or who would look after it. If it could be driven once a week or more it is likely to be much better for it than sticking it in a box for a year.

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 14:28
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - bluenun

Thank-you for all the tips.

You are right the car is not worth much at all, but I am going to South Africa and the shipping fees are so high and there is an import tax too, even the shipping companies I contacted told me that SA is the most complicated place they ship to.

If I knew I was staying there for a few years I would sell the car. Actually I was giving it to my Mother but her partner wrote off their car last week and have just bought another car (a Focus).

I am also storing my possessions in the container and have been sorting the boxes out today and made sure my Focus fits in too.

It will cost me £1248 to store the possessions and car for 12 months, then I can decide what to do when I know if I am going to be living in SA or the UK.

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 15:49
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - Avant

Would it still cost £1,248 for a smaller container to store your possessions without the Focus? If (as I imagine) it would cost less, you could sell the Focus and pay for the storage with the proceeds; then save money in SA to buy a new car on your return.

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Sat 21 Dec 2013 21:23
Ford Focus Auto 2003 - Storing a car for 12 months - galileo

If any possessions are likely to suffer from damp, I'd check out your local self-storage outfits.

Sell the car and you could rent a sizable unit in a secure, air conditioned facility for much less than the £100 a month you plan to pay. (stepson rented an 8ft x 20ft x 8 ft high for £75/month)

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