So you’re about to leave for your holiday, all your bags are packed and ready to go (Yes, that was a Leaving On A Jetplane reference. #sorrynotsorry), you’ve got your itinerary and your neighbour to agree to do a little bit of house-sitting for you — is there anything else you’re forgetting? You might want to check your car.

Keep your car safe while you’re out of town

Some people think that they can just leave their car at home during a holiday and that would be the end of it. That isn’t necessarily true. Car theft isn’t the only troublesome thing that can happen to your car. Imagine coming home, happy but incredibly tired from your trip, only to find a dented and filthy car in your garage. Just the thought of it is a buzzkill, isn’t it?

The good news is there are a few things you can do to make sure that your car is in the tip-top shape you left it:

1. Take down all of the tools and other items on shelves near your car. You never really know when a rat or a possum could suddenly get in your garage to cause mischief. Better be safe and just put away everything that could possibly drop and damage your car while you’re away.
2. Pump your tyres to their maximum pressure. Think about it, your car’s going to be sitting in the same position for a week or two. Would you really want to go home to a car with flat spots?
3. If your car is parked in an inclined space, chock your wheels. Even if your brakes are in good condition, you still don’t want to leave anything to chance. Just place a block against one (or all if that makes you feel better) of the wheels.
4. Leave off the cables in your handbrake. This is just to make sure that the cables are still stretchy and in good condition whenever you get back.
5. Leave your tank close to empty if you own a petrol car. Over some time, the volatility of petrol degrades and if you drive a car filled with low quality gas, it may run poorly or just not run at all. Just leave enough for you to drive to the nearest petrol station so you can fill it up with fresh petrol when you get back from your trip.
6. On the other hand, it’s okay to fill your tank up to the brim if you own a diesel car. Unlike petrol, diesel is designed to stay in the same quality for extended periods of time.
7. Load up your car battery. Trust me on this.0 Have you ever tried to start a car with a discharged battery? It’s not fun.
8. In the words of Mr. Miyagi “Wax on. Wax off”. Make sure that your car is shining, shimmering, splendid (brownie points for whoever can guess where that reference is from) before you leave. Please do take the time to wash, wax, polish, and cover up your car. This way, dust won’t stick to it and your car looks spanking new when you come home to it.

If your neighbours agreed to check in on your house once in a while, you might want to ask him or her to check in on your car as well. Just be sure you give them a really nice pot pie and souvenirs when you get back home. If you don’t want to go through all of this trouble, then you might want to consider booking a secure airport parking spot. That way, you know that your car will be safe during your travels, and you can even have it washed and polished while it’s there. Less worries and hassle, and more fun for you. Good luck!