I'm in the militaryand going on a 6 month deployment. I have to leave my car in a praking lot on base here in Louisiana. Im going to have a friend start it up for 30 min or so and move it around so the tires dont get flat spots once a month. Im probably going to have it waxed before I go but the summer sun down here is terrible. Should I invest in a car cover and if so what is a good one that wont trap water and cause rust and also fit the fit?

 

Where in Louisiana you at dude?

 

NW louisiana

 

Ah alright so S-port area i'm guessing. I'd definitely get a cover for it if it isn't going to be parked in a covered area. I don't even want to know what our sun would do to the paint for six months. AS for what kind. I'm not sure as I haven't needed one but honda makes one for the fit. 2011 Honda Fit - Accessory Detail - Official Site

 

I can't speak for Louisiana but I parked my 1995 Infiniti G-20 (silver-colored) outside for 15 years and while it didn't look new after 15 years it still looked just fine.

Instead of just starting it and running it for a half-hour he'd be better off driving it around, as the battery will charge better at higher rpm (assuming you aren't canceling the insurance/registration). And from what I've heard, the battery may not stay charged for a full month- you might suggest he disconnect the battery.

 

ill take that into acount, i plan on having my insurace cut down to the bare min so ill probably have him start it every two weeks then.

 

Hey, I've been on deployment for over 1 year now. Simply just starting the engine and letting it run for 30 minutes isn't the best idea. The car needs to be driven around a bit. The engine and exhaust need to get hot to get rid of any condensation in the system. Otherwise you're going to cause more water to collect and you will have rust. The hydraulic fluid in the brake lines needs to be circulated through the system and you need to keep the rust off the rotors. Flat spots on the tires are not a big deal.

Change the oil and have the gas tank full with premium gas. Maybe even add some fuel stabilizer before you go so that you don't have condensation in your gas tank and the octane levels stay good.

Both times I went home for R&R my car ran like it did when I left. When I am finished with my tour I am going to have all of the fluids in the car flushed and replaced. At any rate 6 months isn't that long but I would say there is a good chance you're going to end up needing a battery even if you disconnect it. Try to find some kind of trickle charger for the battery. I think there might be some solar powered ones out there.

Good luck on your deployment!

 

i just got this car cover a couple months ago and ive been through a couple wind/rain storms since and its held up great! did budge one bit.. definitely worth it in my opinion, especially if your car is gonna be sitting for long periods of time

 

Good luck.. take care of her

 

i bought a OEM Honda car cover for my Fit before my last deployment in 2009 and it worked great. i washed and waxed the car before i left, and when i got back, it was just as i left it, even through the rain and tropical weather of Hawaii. definitely have the person taking care of your car drive it around the block to circulate fluids and charge up the battery. have a safe deployment.