Leaving car for up to 3 years =( what should I do to it?

[madbouncy]

Well I'm slowly getting closer to having to leave my car sit outside for a long time. I might be able to have it with me sooner than that, hopefully after like say two months, but it depends if I'm still in the U.S or if they decide to deploy me to some random place, like Korea, wouldn't mind going to germany though. Since the car will be left outside and the winters can get kind of harsh near chicago, I'm worried about what it'll be like when I get back to it. Maybe once I have some income from the army I can afford to put it in storage. The only stuff I can think of is to disconnect the battery, top off all the fluids and put it on some blocks to keep the tires off the ground. Though I wasn't sure about gas. Should I run it till empty or leave some in there? I know when I get back I'll change all the fluids and everything before driving it, but I don't want to come back and find out that 80% of the hoses on the car have broken.

[DaConfusion]

Depending on the place you go to the Army might be able to ship your car there or offer storage soloutions. I know in Korea only the "special" people are allowed to have POV's. If you are a reserve contact your unit admin. I know when you PCS a base they ship your vehicle for free. Also keep an eye out in stars and stripes they sell skylines real cheap in japan! I wish the army had a base in that area. Maybe you could work out a deal with someone leaving japan to ship some or all of a skyline to the usa.

[madbouncy]

I'm not too much into getting a skyline. I mean it be great to have but I could never get use to having a LHD vehicle. I can barely drive a RHD stick and my right hand is my good hand. Plus the stock s13 is fast enough for me as it is, anything faster and I'll kill myself. I need more practice before I'd trust myself with anything that powerful. I'll be active so I'm hoping they'll pay to ship it there, usually when they transfer you I guess you get a set amount of time to move everything over, but that might just be if you're living off base. There's two military stations in japan, I don't remember what they have, I know marines and navy can go there, thought army could too but I can't really say unless I ask the recruiter. My biggest worry about the car is that my mom might try and drive it. I still apologize to my car for her test driving it when I was looking at it to buy.

[underground57]

OMG man, you could bring over a Skyline for MEEE! Haha, actually if you did you could always sell it on ebay or something and it would totally pay for all the parts you need for your upgrades. You never know, you might even change your mind by the time you get out.

I don't know how the army operates in that regard, but I'd say ask a recruiter if having your car shipped over is even worth it (registering it and general upkeep...). It might be cheaper to throw it in storage or something (or make your mom promise not to drive it). Heck, it might even be cheaper to just get a new one when you're over there.

As for your question on what to do if you leave it here, do basically everything you've said. I would assume leaving some gas would be better than emptying the tank so it doesn't dry up. The hoses would probably be ok, but the worse case scenereo is that you have to change them when you get back. You're already going to be changing fluids and stuff, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

By the way, aren't there a couple guys on here that are over in Japan for the army?

[amolao]

Hooahh!!

Army!? you are going to Germany or Korea, If going to Germany yes take your car (for free) but if you are young insurance is going to be expensive, if going to Korea you will not be able to take it. The chances of getting Japan are almost zero. We have very few troops over there right now. Good luck and enjoy your tour.

Click on my signature, and check my homepage for all the info you need....

carry on soldier!!

[DaConfusion]

If I get deployed, does the Army offer storeage options for free in TX? Since my AIT was long they were allowing POV's so thats why I know about free shipping out of domestic bases. But yeah my friend in Korea said only high ranking officials have POV's.

.Also they sell silvia's in stars and stripes, why not get a stock sr20det car hehe. Im just kidding, its a hassle and customs would chop it in half I bet. If I could I would just buy the car and make it "non operational" and then swap the motor into my 240 here. But too bad Iraq isnt anywhere near Japan

Go Army! Good luck in the sand box to anyone that is going!

[justmerging]

Also, If you decide to store it leave the gas at about 1/4 tank. Then add fuel stabilizer to the tank. I do the same thing when I get deployed. It just stops the gas in the tank from turning back into crud. It's probably best to leave the car with someone but if your like me you don't trust anyone else with your ride. Good luck and God speed.

Oh yeah, us Marines get to go to Japan all the time. all we have to do is ask lol =)

[amolao]

I have been in 20 years and never heard of free storage options, unless you are going in a short tour from the states overseas and let you park your car in the motor pool or designated area

In AIT they will allow you to have a car, if you get deployed or PCS'ed , you are going to either be able to take your car or not....

It all depends where you get stationed.....most of the time you will have wheels if not the ARMY will provided them for you.... as in walking everywhere you go....

[Paragon]

In Japan, you've got Marines, Navy, and Air Force personnel. Anywhere the Marines go, the Navy follows. I haven't been over there myself, but I've heard a lot of stories about the cars over there. I know that there's a driver in one of the circuits that was stationed in Japan, and that's where he learned how to drive. Not sure of who it is though, I don't remember his name. He drives a S15 if I recall correctly.

BTW, good to see another Marine on here. Semper Fi.

[hashiriya13]

His name is ernie fixmer and he did learn in Okinawa japan. I myself am going to OKi in Jan. for 3 years. my car is stored at home in illinios now. As for as the marines go they will store it in a storage facility free of charge in LA on the west coast but not sure about the rest of the branchs.

Oh and about storing it. fill the tank ad some stabul, disconect the battery get a good cover and put it on blocks if you can. That should do it. Oh and if you can get some dessicant bags(soaks up moisture) put some inside.

[bcar240]

I would definatly try to at least store it indoors if they don't take care of it for free. Depending on where you left it, it might not still be there in 3 years...

[Eikon]

If you are going to store it for that long.. I would take few extra precautions.

Seal off the tail pipe, intake piping, etc... Make sure the cabin is sealed off fully (firewall, etc..) Put mouse traps and such in the engine bay...

I have had some problems with animals in single winter's of storing vehicles.. Imagine how much fun they can have in 3 years. I've heard stories of mice hollowing out entire back seats and making a nest in the winter... then dying in the heat and making the most God-awful smell that will never really go away.

Cars and critters don't mix!

[drifter_for_life06]

only thing i can think of is what has been said, id look into military shipping, i think its free or at least cheaper for us isnt it? a marine friend of mine shipped a 4wheelers from PA to Fla. but i dont know if he paid anything

[fiznat]

I would try to get a friend to start it and drive it around a little every month or so.

If that's not an option, be really careful about fuel-- the gas will most certanly go bad (it does even after a couple months), so try to run it dry as much as possible, release fuel pressure, and then either siphon out or add fuel stabilizer to whatever is left.

Disconnect your battery of course, and maybe think about using some sort of conditioner on the hoses, lines and whatnot. Its REALLY bad for a car to just sit undriven for that long so yeah the best option is still to have someone drive it, but if you cant definetly do this and all the things people said above ^^

Good luck overseas man!

[drifter_for_life06]

conditioner on the hoses? what do you mean?

[madbouncy]

Anywhere the Marines go, the Navy follows.

I'm pretty sure you mean, anywhere the Navy goes the Marines follow because the Marines sure as hell don't walk to foreign countries, they hitch a ride =)

Yeah I'll talk to my recruiter when I get back to that area or if I get bored enough to call him. If I go overseas I'm just leaving the car here, he said the only places I can really get stationed is Germany and Korea (mos = 13M yay me.) What is the stars and stripes? Don't think I've ever heard of it before. All I've done is basic so I don't really have much military knowledge, I don't ship out till June 1st so I have plenty of time.

Thanks for the info guys, I should be able to get most of that stuff done for it, I'll definitly try and make the car as air tight as possible. I don't know anybody near my house, my mom just moved there so I don't really have anybody that can take it out. Unless you plan on living with your parents for another three years underground? I figure if I get sent to somewhere in the U.S I'll get my car there, even if I have to tow it to the base. But most tours I thought were a year so I didn't know how much I would be home for that when I could visit my car and make it happy. Hopefully mice will leave my car alone because my cat's seem to enjoy sleeping on top of it so much. I wonder if they make like giant vacuum bags...

[amolao]

conditioner on the hoses? what do you mean?

You want to use vinyl or rubber protectant on hoses,etc to keep them from cracking.....

[amolao]

What is the stars and stripes?

Is an overseas english "military" newspaper, is been around since WW2, I think.....they is a european version and pacific...if want to stay up to date with the news on the states this is what you will be reading......

[madbouncy]

Cool thanks, it all makes sense now. Yeah never being overseas I wouldn't have heard of that. Plus most of the guys I talk to are heavy on domestics so they wouldn't really tell me about being able to buy japanese cars cheap from there. El Camino driving bastards... (Sorry I just personally think it's an ugly car/truck hybrid thingy and my recruiter does drive on)