Does A Garaged Vehicle “Live” Longer?

It’s A Slightly Complicated Question

The answer is yes, no, and it depends. If you aggregate averages across the world, were such a thing possible, then you would find the data skews toward “yes”. But that’s not necessarily going to be the case where you are locally. In Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana, garaging your car will likely extend its life. 

If you’re in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, or anywhere along “the rust belt”, this may not necessarily be the case. A lot of factors come into play here. For example, the moisture of the climate and corrosive qualities of road conditions can work together to erode vehicular stability and utility over the long-run. 

A dry environment that maintains an average temperature is going to be the best for your vehicle. The more your garage is sealed from the elements, the longer the vehicle will last. But if you just leave it alone and never check in on it, you’re going to have some issues. 

Factors To Consider

For example, if your “garage” is just a shed that isn’t fortified against the weather, it will act as a shelter for small woodland creatures and prairie vermin. Rats, mice, and moles look at your vehicle as a fine warm apartment. They’ll get in tires, they’ll chew through elements of the engine, they’ll hide under the carpet in the trunk—wherever they can find a spot, they’ll go. 

If you garage your vehicle and only drive it a few times out of the year, then components will fall into disarray as natural entropy takes over. Belts will lose elasticity and sag. Tires will begin to break down. Air will naturally escape through microscopic pores until you’ve got four rims with a ton of pressure pushing through the oil-based rubber. 

However, if by “garaging” you just mean parking your vehicle in a garage adjacent to your house, rather than outside, and you’re regularly using the vehicle, it will almost certainly last longer. The big question is: what kind of use are vehicles getting? Just leaving any piece of machinery alone in the dark will cause it to erode over time. 

Batteries have distilled water in reservoirs as a medium to maintain an electric charge. Water evaporates over time. Leave a car by itself for about a year, and half the tires go flat as the battery decides to quit working. But garage a car at night and drive it daily or weekly, and you’ll get a lot more use out of it.

Consider The Elements

Wind, rain, and sun won’t be beating down on a garaged vehicle. If you’re driving it regularly, it’s less likely to attract rodents and other wildlife. However if you’re storing a vehicle over the long term, you would do well to cover tires with protective sheets, cover the whole vehicle, and perhaps even “pickle” the engine.

With airplanes stored over the long-term, they “pickle” the engine. Basically, you get out all damaging fluids and components that will break down over time. Also, it’s a wise idea not to leave gasoline in the tank if you’re not going to drive a vehicle in a year or two’s time. The old gas settles to the bottom of the tank and it can damage the engine. 

Getting More Out Of Your Vehicle Through Proper Storage

Fuel doesn’t retain its effectiveness forever; as with all substances in a world governed by entropy, it breaks down. So if you’re not driving the vehicle regularly, but just storing it in a garage, in order to maintain its value, you’ll need to take measures to prepare it for long-term storage.  

To learn more about long-term storage and garaging your vehicle, as well as other important features of vehicular ownership and even a few sections of politics, humor, or both, be sure to check out our blog at Anybody’s Autos!