How to prepare a car for storage in Dubai
18 jobs, in the order they fall due. Tick them off here or print the page.
Before you book
The week before
At drop-off
When you come back
The tyre argument: makers disagree
Flat spots form when a tyre carries a parked car's weight for months. How much extra air helps depends on who you ask.
+0 bar
Keep placard pressure. Over-inflating will not help and can make it worse.
+0.2 bar
About 0.2 bar over, and never past the tyre's maximum.
+0.69 bar
10 psi over, which is about 0.69 bar. A US motoring club's advice.
Storage operators lean towards hardware. Approved Storage, Safe My Car's top plan, Car Safe's Premium plan and Unit03 (AED 800 on longer stays) offer cradles or cushions, and ZS Car Storage and Dragon Racing mention tyre mats. Unit03 also raises pressures for storage, with no figure given.
Michelin adds a warning that fits Dubai: tyres should not be stored loaded and over-inflated while subjected to heat. Continental's storage guidance suggests moving the car every month if the tyres carry its weight. If you can't settle it, follow your car's handbook and your tyre maker, not this page.
Wheels, roof boxes and child seats
A summer set of wheels or a roof box doesn't need a car bay. An air-conditioned unit in Al Quoz does the job from AED 330 a month for a 15 sq ft cube, at Vachi Storage's published rate with VAT included. Check the size against what you have before you book.
Questions owners ask
Should I disconnect the battery for storage?
A maintenance charger is the usual advice, because it keeps the battery charged rather than only slowing the drain. Some modern cars lose settings when disconnected, so check your handbook. Vachi Storage includes battery charging and four engine starts a month in its plan, and several other Dubai operators fit a conditioner or trickle charger.
Should I leave the handbrake on?
This site has no sourced Dubai-specific rule on it, so follow your car maker's guidance. Tell the operator what you want, since they may need to move the car.
How long can a car sit without being driven?
No single limit exists. As a planning point, Banner says an AGM battery stored at 40 °C loses about half its capacity in four months, and Continental suggests moving a car monthly when the tyres carry its weight.