good motoring
Mothballing your car

it came as a rather unpleasant surprise a couple of weeks ago. Global warming was here. Most of North India was experiencing 45° plus temperature. If it is hard on people, it is equally hard on your car. If you drive it every day, it is cleaned, dusted, the A/C is on, fresh air circulates and the interior stays in good shape.

If you go abroad for a few months, your car will have to face the rigours of this extreme heat plus the humidity that comes with the monsoon. Depending how and where you park the car, there can be damage to the car. The exterior is high-quality paint, so the damage can be minimal. The interior is your concern.

With the ambient temperature in the 40° plus, you cannot park the car in the garage and forget it. The closed garage will heat up, so will the car. The car interior could get to 60 to-70°. It will warp the plastic and the rubber bits. They were just not designed to put up with such heat over a prolonged period. It is like putting your car into an oven. The first thing to do after you have decided where to park the car, is lower at least two windows just a couple of millimetres. As the air in the car heats up, it has an escape vent. If you have leather upholstery it will prevent fungus.

Give the car a complete exterior wash, especially underneath because on Indian roads one drives over everything from cow dung to human excreta to gulab jamun! These are magnets for ants, rats and cockroaches.

Vacuum the interior and dry clean it. If you have children, potato chips, peanuts and maybe a half-eaten pizza is somewhere in the car. Amazing how rats will sniff out and attack anything edible, including your upholstery.

The car should be parked on level ground so that the weight is evenly distributed on tyres and suspension. If the parking is for two to three months, jack it up. Tyres may develop "flat spots" if parked for long.

If it is a year or more that you changed the brake fluid, change it. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and during the monsoon will absorb moisture and lose viscosity. This means unreliable brakes.

Topping up coolant will prevent rust. Fill up the fuel tank also. A half tank will have air which could be moist. It will affect the quality of petrol or diesel.

Remove the rubber floor mats. Put them in the trunk. Any moisture trapped in the carpets will dry out.

A squirt of lubricant prevents rust and keeps the door hinges and locks in perfect working order. Is your insurance policy valid till you get back? Do not leave the hand brake on. For sure, it will jam. Put a brick in front and rear of one wheel so it can’t move in any direction and leave the hand brake off.

If the car is going to be parked outdoors, drape it with a specially made cover. These covers are water proof, stain proof and have vents for the hot air to escape.

Finally, before you lock your car and put it away for a few months, spray your wife’s favourite perfume on fabric upholstery and the carpets. Remeber to disconnect the battery to rule out any chance of a short circuit in case the rats eat the wires. Happy Motoring !

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