The average person keeps a vehicle for about six years before kicking it to the curb and moving on to their next set of wheels. Unfortunately, this is often not out of a desire for a more modern vehicle, but because they believe their car is at the end of its useful life. If you’d rather not car swap so often, there are things you can do to make sure that your future automotive investments last until you are ready to say goodbye. Your garage can definitely help, but only if you put some time and effort into it. Here’s how!

What is the Secret to a Long Automotive Life?

Parking in a Garage Protects from Theft

For the most part, petty criminals are lazy. They look for convenient targets, such as unlocked cars. Parking your vehicle inside the garage means that vandals and thieves have to take things a bit further if they want to get to the prize inside. To be the most effective, you have to remember to close your garage and make sure it’s connected to your home security system.

Keep Your Garage Tidy and Organized

Even a small dent in the bumper can compromise your vehicle’s paint. When left out in the open, your car is at risk of being hit by everything from falling branches to overly enthusiastic doors being opened in cars parking next to you. Keep your car in the garage and you’ll reduce the chances of these unsightly — and costly — scuffs and scratches. The caveat here is that there has to be enough room in the garage to park your car unobstructed. If cleaning things out feels like a daunting task, look at buying a few organization accessories, like bike storage racks, overhead shelving, and places to hang toys and gardening tools.

Beware of rodent-inflicted damage to your vehicle. If you have a pest problem in your garage, rodents could chew through critical car parts like wires and hoses. If you see traces of mice or rats in your garage, bring in a rodent control company to eliminate the problem.

Another great strategy for dealing with a cluttered garage is to consider a storage unit for all the things you don’t need. That will free up some space, even if it’s just temporary so that you have some breathing room to get sorted. And with 131 storage facilities in the Los Angeles area, you have plenty to choose from!

Parking in the Garage Protects Your Engine

According to Car and Driver, extreme cold temperatures can thicken your engine oil and sludge things up. Further, moisture hanging out in the gas lines can turn into tiny ice crystals. Each of these can affect your motor and fuel system. Parking in the garage will help your vehicle warm up faster, which will result in less strain and better performance in cold weather. However, your garage will only help here if it’s insulated. You can boost your warming efforts by adding a space heater (can be purchased for around $50) to the garage to warm it up before you head out for the day. As a bonus, you can also keep things nice and toasty for those days when you want to poke around under the hood.

Having a Garage Gives You a Space to Perform Maintenance When It’s Cold

Cold weather doesn’t mean that things like oil changes and brake pads can wait. Now that your garage is organized, keep an automotive tool set handy so that you can upkeep your vehicle no matter what the temperature is outdoors. A few things you can do at home are to change the headlights, swap out the windshield wipers, and replace blown fuses. All of these are easy to DIY, and they can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Perhaps more importantly, by staying on top of your vehicle’s needs, you’ll keep it up and operational for the long haul.

Ultimately, your garage is your vehicle’s primary home. So make sure that it’s clean, organized, and has all of the tools you need to keep your investment safe.