This is how you pack the car away during a quarantine

So you’re not driving for at least three weeks, and that’s even with the very optimistic expectation that the “enhanced community quarantine” will end as previously announced on April 14.

In the meantime, you have a vehicle that’s just parked in the garage because you can’t really go nowhere.

First off, store it properly because a stuck engine is the least of your worries.

Is it okay to just leave it like that? Well, yes if it’s really only for three weeks. But if things make a turn for the worse, you better prep your vehicle for long-term storage.

And don’t think for a second that this is a doomsday scenario. As per Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, based on several modelling forecasts, if we don’t follow strict social distancing measures, we’d hit 70,000 to 75,000 cases of Covid-19 infections in just THREE MONTHS.

Hope for the best, but expect the worst, and this is how you do it with an idle vehicle.

Fill it up with gas before parking it for a long-term shutdown. This will prevent moisture from building up inside and causing the tank to rust and the seals from drying out. You should also consider buying a fuel stabilizer but that may pose a problem considering only stores with essentials items are open right now. A stabilizer prevents the gasoline from going bad and evaporating if stored for longer than three weeks.

While you’re at the pump, inflate the tires to the recommended tire pressure. Find those numbers by the driver-side door jamb. If you expect to park it longer than 30 days, consider jacking up the four sides of the vehicle and putting them on jack stands. This will prevent flat spots from developing as the vehicle presses down solely on one part of the tires for an extended amount of time.

Don’t use the parking brake. Since it’s going to be jacked up anyway, there’s no risk of it rolling away. But the real reason behind it is to prevent the brake pads from fusing to the rotors because they been firmly connected for so long.

If you know how to DIY an oil and filter change, that’d be great. Used oil has elements that will be harmful to the engine when left for a long time. Otherwise, bribe your friendly-neighborhood mechanic to do home service.

Disconnect the negative cable from its battery pole. Doing so resets the time and removes the radio presets but it will reduce the amount of electricity drained from the battery on a daily basis. If you have a trickle charger, better. This keeps your battery topped up while idle.

Wash (and wax) the outside and clean the cabin thoroughly after getting back from the pump station. You don’t want to leave pieces of food or cookie crumbs lying around because aside from damaging the upholstery, rodents and critters might get a sniff and use your car as its next living quarters.

Speaking of, cover any gaps like the exhaust pipe or air intake to prevent mice, roaches, and even lizards from crawling in.

Cover the car, preferably with the weatherproof type. This is especially good if your garage has open sides. This will protect the wax and the paint from the elements and damage while in storage.

When all this is over, you’re going to need to wake the vehicle up from its hibernation. Be kind and gentle as you do.

Remove all the covers, including the ones on the exhaust and air intake.

Look for holes and cracks on the belts and hoses and for animals that may have nested under the hood.

Replace the windshield wipers if the blades are cracked already to prevent glass damage.

Measure the tire pressure and inflate as necessary before putting them back on the vehicle and removing the jack stands.

Reconnect the negative cable of the battery.

Check all the vehicle fluids and top up as needed.

Start the engine, but don’t drive out just yet. Let the oil circulate through the engine. Pump the brakes while you wait.

Now that you’re ready to go, don’t peel out of the garage. Just gently roll out and drive smoothly for some 20 minutes. Listen and get a feel of the vehicle’s performance to see if there’s anything wrong.

If everything sounds and feels fine, then you’re good to go!