Lost my Licence! - How to store my car?

[Wheeler88]

Hi,

Over the last couple of months I have had a few seizures. Last week I attended an appointment with a neurologist to which I was diagnosed with epilepsy and told I was no longer able to drive until I can go a year without having another seizure!

I was gutted by this news as I have recently bought a Civic Type R (54 plate) which is my pride and joy! I have only been able to drive her for about 8 weeks and now have no licence frown

As I saved up and waited for a great example of this car, I don't want to sell her. However, I have no idea how to store a car for a year +. Could you guys give any advice on how best to store a car for a long duration without it being driven? I want to prevent anything detrimental happening to my car.

If anybody also has epilepsy and drives, could you give me an insight into your experiences? I am 25 and love cars/driving so this news has really knocked me for 6. I feel like a huge part of me has been taken away weeping especially as I am normally fit and well with no previous history of seizures.

Thanks in advance,

Ash

[GS88]

Hi Ash, sorry to hear. If you don't mind paying and want peace of mind, I would recommend professional car storage.

I used Cumbria Car Storage a few years back for my old DC2:

http://www.cumbriacarstorage.co.uk/

Fantastic service from Neil and I would definitely use him again.

[Inverness]

Sorry to hear your news. As GS88 has recommended you could try Plans Motorsport at Dunsfold near Guildford, they stored one of my cars for 3 months a few years back.

HTH

GS88 said:

Hi Ash, sorry to hear. If you don't mind paying and want peace of mind, I would recommend professional car storage.

I used Cumbria Car Storage a few years back for my old DC2:

http://www.cumbriacarstorage.co.uk/

Fantastic service from Neil and I would definitely use him again.

[Riknos]

Is it a premier edition? Or is it in Cosmic Grey?

If the answer is no to both questions, then I would suggest selling it personally.

I know we're all car lovers here, but you've only had it 8 weeks, so you've not grown THAT attached to it.

1 year is a lot of time for a car to be sat, depreciating / costing you money in storage, plus a service, MOT, and any other costs.

If/when you can drive in 12 months time, a 54 plate with 61k on the clocks shouldn't cost you near £5500, unless it's super minty mint (or premier) so you will actually be saving yourself money.

Just do the maths, as much as I love my cars, to me personally it seems like a waste of money on your behalf.

Sorry to hear about the seizures and temp ban!

[Russellely]

I reckon the guy didn't buy the civic for future value! Store inside nice and dry, or outside under a decent breathable cover, disconnect battery. Put silica moisture absorbing stuff inside car. Send off any tax left for refund, declare sorn and tell insurance it's off road and your situation and get it insured appropriately. I used to work away on cruise ships for long periods and did the store outside option. I wish you a speedy recovery and that you get back behind the wheel soon.

Edited by Russellely on Tuesday 14th January 20:32

[GS88]

I'd imagine an EP3 would only depreciate a little within a year.

Storage facilities tend to have some kind of insurance in place. OP can cancel his insurance completely and declare SORN - this could help towards storage costs.

[Mastodon2]

Honestly I'd just sell it if possible. It's only been 8 weeks, you can't be that attached to it, and there are plenty of good EP3s out there. Save yourself some money, take a responsibility off your mind for a year.

[Stuart0688]

I am 25, and was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago. Like yourself, I lost my driving license for a year, this is totally standard for this diagnosis.

At the time, I had a 2005 Civic SE. I ended up keeping the car, parked it in my parents garage and my dad took it for a drive every few weeks just to keep it ticking over. I just added him to my insurance. It's not worth selling your car if you want to continue driving in a year's time

Make sure you push your doctor/consultant to get on medication. My medication is Keppra 250mg (4 per day)

Also find out what triggers the seizures (tiredness for me). That way you can actively avoid triggering them, and keep your license intact. There's a a lot written on DVLA website about the rules, worth having a read.

Good luck

Stuart

[Wheeler88]

Stuart0688 said:

I am 25, and was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago. Like yourself, I lost my driving license for a year, this is totally standard for this diagnosis.

At the time, I had a 2005 Civic SE. I ended up keeping the car, parked it in my parents garage and my dad took it for a drive every few weeks just to keep it ticking over. I just added him to my insurance. It's not worth selling your car if you want to continue driving in a year's time

Make sure you push your doctor/consultant to get on medication. My medication is Keppra 250mg (4 per day)

Also find out what triggers the seizures (tiredness for me). That way you can actively avoid triggering them, and keep your license intact. There's a a lot written on DVLA website about the rules, worth having a read.

Good luck

Stuart

Thanks for this Stuart. In the nicest possible way, it makes me feel a bit better knowing I'm not the only person in the world that has gone through this (obviously I know this was not the case).

I have already started my medication (Lamotriine 25mg x 1 tablet a day) so will keep my fingers crossed. The only thing I worry about is that if after 11 months I have another one, I have to go back to the start and have to go another 12 months!!

With regards to my car, I am putting it in storage for the year. It is all atmospherically controlled and they start it up once a month and roll it to stop the tyres flat spotting etc. It works out at £25 a week which is a lot less than I was spending on petrol so will work out roughly the same over the course of the year...plus I can keep my no-claims going to build that up still.

Thanks for the advice mate,

Ash