At last you have the car of your dreams and you spent large amounts of both time and money on restoring it and you now want to keep it in the same pristine condition. Unfortunately winter is coming and you do not want to drive it in now the weather is turning bad. So you have decided that you want to put your car into storage for the winter months and as cheaply as possible? Yet you also want to be able to get it back onto the road as soon as the weather is good again and find it in the same condition as when it went into storage?

Well hopefully the information contained within this article will help you to make an informed decision on the type of car storage you will use.

Indoor Storage Of course this is the best way for any one to go when looking for storage for their prized car and is the best option especially if you will be away for any extended period of time.

But because you don’t have a garage you are now looking for an alternative. Luckily there are many indoor storage facilities around which will gladly rent storage space that is big enough for a vehicle. If you can try and find a facility where they will run the engine on your car for you every month or two. However, you may find that they will charge you extra for this facility, but it will save you money in the long term as the vehicle will be ready for you to drive after a long lay over period.

When preparing your car for storage it is important that it is clean. Wait until you have a warm dry day and then completely wash and wax the car. Also make sure that you clean the underbody and around the wheel areas as well as any dirt left on the car holds moisture and when combined with air will result in result being allowed to grow.

Also thoroughly clean the car inside. Use either a shop/garage vacuum or a household one in order to get into all the nooks and crannies in your car (it is important to get rid of any dirt or crumbs etc., from the car prior to storage). Leaving such items in the car will only make it a place that small creatures (mice, rats) will be drawn to and make their home inside it.

If you can get the carpets thoroughly cleaned and do this before you do any thing else so that it gives them time to dry out before you put the car into storage.

Next take out the spark plugs and put some oil into the cylinders as this will prevent the cylinder walls, pistons and valves from rusting. You can use regular motor oil but a can of fogging oil from a marine supply store is a good alternative. Now you need to turn the engine by hand half a dozen times to make sure that the oil coats everything. Before you reinstall the spark plugs apply a little anti-seize to them.

Also make sure that the petrol (gas) tank is full as this will reduce the risk of how much water is available to be absorbed by the petrol (gas).

Now we come to the electrical system of your car. Remove the battery cables (negative cable first) and then lift out the battery from the engine. Next you need to wipe the batter down with a battery cleaner (this removes any moisture holding dirt or grease from it). Now you place the battery on a clean dry surface. Attach the battery to a trickle charger which will help preserve the battery’s charge. Also inspect the battery for any rust or corrosion.

You will then need to lubricate the hood latches, hinges and door hinges if you are able to check the brake fluid (flush it out and replace if necessary). Now you will need to check the coolant level (make sure there is enough to protect the cooling system from winter temperatures).

If you want to keep rodents and other small animals from chewing the ignition wires and other wiring in your car (place clean rags into the engine air intake, fresh air intake (under the windshield) and the exhaust. A good idea is to get a big box of mothballs and spread them around and under the car (this seems to keep undesirable elements away from the car).

As for the tyres they will after extended periods of time when not moving they will develop flat spots and the best way to prevent this is to put the car up on jacks.

Now remove the wiper blades as this will prevent them from becoming glued to the windshield.

Now you carried out all the necessary things about there is nothing left for you to do but to put it in to storage and lock up knowing you can enjoy it in the future?

Well I thought I seen it all in tonneau covers but now you can get a tonneau cover made from aluminum diamond tread plate. One thing you can be certain of, it won’t tear on you. These covers look pretty tough. They are made in polished aluminum, black or white painted finishes.

They are constructed with panels that fold up and lock in any open position. There is no need for a tailgate lock as when the panels are completely folded in the closed position, the last panel is made to come down over the tailgate. Once you lock the tonneau cover the tailgate cannot be opened. The hinges are made of aluminum and the hardware from stainless steel, keeping the tonneau cover rust proof.

For those of you who are looking for a tool box tonneau, Reds Beds have you covered. They seem to offer a tool box tonneau edition which accommodates a truck tool box. In addition to having a tonneau cover made from aluminum diamond tread plate this tonneau would look even tougher and give you a place to store tools and such.

Don’t have an aluminum truck tool box don’t fret here either as Reds Beds go all the way to offer you a tool box edition with a tool box combined. I guess this way you are assured the tool box will work with the tonneau cover.

You do have to wait a while longer for powder coat finishes but if that’s the look your going for I am quite sure you will be very happy with the finished product and the great new look you will add to your pickup truck. Whether you want the polished aluminum or the powder coat black or white, either way you go your going to have a great new look and an added look of toughness as well security for your cargo with the aluminum diamond tread plate tonneau cover by Reds Beds.

Extang are a leader in their field of manufacturing soft tonneau covers. They seem to be the manufacturer of the most different model soft covers on the market today. In my opinion they are still in business because they provide quality products at a reasonable price.

Extang produce everything you could want from roll up covers such as the low profile of their RT to snap up, velcro sealing system to folding lids as well as a hinged tonneau cover.

To briefly describe some of the products they have to offer I will start with their lowest price truck bed cover to their most expensive.

The Black Max is one lower price covers on the market today. It comes with a aluminum powder coated black frame and a snap up tarp which is adjustable for all seasons.

The Tuff tonneau III is the next in line price wise. This truck bed cover is a snapless lid that seals together using Extang’s J45 peel and seal system. They use a rotating tail rail that tightens up the tarp. This tarp also uses the spring loaded monster bows.

Next comes the Classic Platinum. This has an all aluminum frame which installs with clamps that are included. Extang boasts this cover to be made of an all-climate nylon and polymer tarp with stainless steel and brass snaps.

The Saber is next on the list which uses a peel-on design which attaches evenly to the entire frame to ensure the lowest possible fabric stress even during high speeds.

The tool box tonneau cover is a snap up lid with a leather grain black vinyl tarp. This tool box tonneau accepts a tool box between 18 and 21 inches deep. This is a no drill installation with and all aluminum frame and adjustable snaps to keep your tarp snug in different climates.

The RT and the RT Tool box models come at the same price. The RT low profile sits nearly flush to your truck bed. This cover rolls up quickly along with the bows to give you quick access to your truck bed. The RT has adjustable controls by the cab. It has a Velcro sealing system and secures your cargo with a locking rail. The tool box edition accepts a 20 inch tool box.

The next product they have to offer is a hinged tonneau called the Fulltilt. This one comes in both snap and snapless editions. The snapless is a few dollars more. This cover has hinges back by the cab and lifts up from behind on gas shocks. You can lift it up or roll it up or remove it without tools easily. This tonneau cover also comes in a tool box edition.

Another one Extang can be quite proud of is their Trifecta which is a folding tonneau cover. This truck bed cover folds up in sections from the back towards the cab giving you complete and easy access to your truck bed. This cover comes fully assembled and ready to mount on your truck.

The express model was designed to be just what the name implies, fast. Customers asked Extang in their reviews for fast and they gave them what they wanted. It rolls up or closed with integrated bows very quickly. The frame is a strong black anodized aluminum. The strong vinyl tarp seals with industrial strength Velcro.

If you are looking for a soft tonneau cover whether it is a roll-up, snap or snapless, hinged, folding or a tool box edition, Extang has you covered.

The Extang Fulltilt tonneau cover has had so many personal good reviews it is hard to top. So many people who had purchased this cover were so pleased, it is hard to believe. They loved the function ability of it. They were ecstatic that it lifts on hinges with the aid of gas shocks. Lots of people loved the ability of being able to roll it up to accommodate a high load. It is also very easy to remove the lid completely if one feels the need. Many were very pleased with the quality of the Fulltilt.

There were a few problems such as some people had to add extra weather stripping along the cab end or the tailgate end. Most said the instructions were easy to follow but some said throw the instructions away because they are useless. Lots of people said their cargo area stayed dry even through long drives in the rain at highway speeds. Some said their cargo area did receive some water in similar situations. I myself think that you should take the time to make sure you have adequate weather stripping, this could solve this problem.

Even with the few problems, people were very happy with their purchase. The quality, the price, the look and the gas mileage they gained, to mention a few of the positive things. Just a little heads up but some actually contacted Extang about some problems such as the gap between the cover and the tailgate and the Rep for Extang sent them something to remedy the problem. Those customers were quite happy with the service they received.

Let me give you a brief description of the cover with some of its features. The cover is hinged at the cab and equipped with gas shocks. You can order it with snaps or with “peel & seal” J-Channel tongue and groove closure. The Fulltilt has an aluminum frame with spring-loaded bows. You are able to roll the tarp up or use it on its hinges. This lid also comes available in a toolbox edition.

If you are looking for easy access to your truck bed with hinges and the capability to roll the tarp up, I give this Fulltilt tonneau cover by Extang both thumbs up for quality and service.

There are a few things that you should always look for if you are buying a used car. Here are the tips that you will need not to get a lemon.

1. Warranty Facts

You can sometimes get a car that is still under warranty. If this is the case, check with the warranty (perhaps call the number in the warranty book) to ask if there is anything that you need to do to keep the warranty when you buy the car. This often just involves sending out a letter with the purchase information to the dealership.

If you buy from a car dealership, you can often get warranties on used cars. If you want peace of mind when purchasing, consider this option for sure.

2. Warning Signs

If the odometer reading doesn’t match the wear and tear of the car, then you should definitely ask for some records.

If there is any vagueness about getting the service records for the car, you might want to walk away.

3. Getting a Good Price

Because the cost of new cars is going up, there is more of a demand for used cars. This means that some dealerships believe that they can take more money than the car is worth. There are a few things that you need to do to get a good price.

Do your research; check online and in used car guides (often available at the local library) to find out what the prices of cars listed online to sell are. If you are uncertain about buying a car online, then don’t. Often purchasing a car online means that it will come from a long distance, and as such, you will have to pay exorbitant shipping or delivery costs, which will not be worth the money that you are saving off the sticker price.

4. Making the Payments

Instead of getting a car loan from the dealership and paying the dealer or the seller monthly payments, consider taking out a loan from the bank. You will often get better interest (or financing, as it is called with cars) rates. Go to a bank or credit union before you go shopping for your car. Salespeople will try to talk you into going with the dealership’s rates; you will be better off if you already have your financing set up. Credit unions can sometimes offer even better rates than banks on loans and are an often-overlooked choice.

5. The Information to Get

In Ontario, and in some states, you can ask to get the used vehicle information package. This will have the details of the previous maintenance and ownership history of the car.

Always do a complete visual inspection of a car. Even if you are buying a car from the internet, buy one from your province or state so that you can go and check it out first. Alternatively, agree with the seller that you have the right to return the car for a full refund (including shipping) if it does not meet your standards.

6. What not to Trust

Don’t judge the use of a car by it’s brakes; a dealer can buy new brake pads for less than $10, which is often an easy fix for a car.

If a car has rear-door-hinges that are very worn, it might have been used as a taxi, and you should probably find another one. Check the roof of the car to see if there have been any holes filled in; this could have been a sign for a delivery vehicle. They also often have been used a lot.

Be careful if a car looks like it has been freshly painted. This could mean that it has been in an accident that is trying to be covered up.

7. And finally…

Buying a used car can be a great deal for you. You can save money on the car itself, and you can get a safe means to travel. Remember, the condition of the car is more important than if it has had multiple owners, or even the odometer reading. Good luck shopping!