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Storing the G8 GXP for 3 years...


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I'm headed to Japan in March for 3 years (Air Force) and my GXP will be put into storage while I'm gone. She currently has 57K miles on her and is completely stock (for now...) I've only owned her for about a year so I don't have any maintenance history on her since the 46K mile mark when I bought her.

Had I not received orders, I had planned to change plugs, wires and a few other small parts but since she's going to be stored I'm curious to know if I should bother at this time or wait until I get back.

Two big questions:

1. What should I do to prep her for 3 years of sitting? It will be a government storage facility and I have to drive the car 2 hours to the storage facility so advice about putting it on jackstands or something similar is not possible. I'm looking for more preventative maintenance type things to help keep her "ready to go" when I pick her up in 3 years.

2. What should I plan to do immediately after picking her up from storage in 3 years? I'm figuring an oil change, maybe an air filter and new tires since these need replaced soon anyway.

Also, if anyone is selling an M6 GXP in 3 years, let me know. I'd love to get a stick GXP and let the wife have the A6. You've got time to think about it... smile.gif.pagespeed.ce.xM_f3u022S.gif

Sadly, my GAGT (which I still love) will not be staying with us since I cannot afford to store her myself and leaving her with family just isn't a realistic option right now. I have a close friend that loves the GAGT and will be buying her so at least I know she'll be well taken care of (and maybe someday I can get her back...) I had hoped to keep the GAGT for many more years but if I gave up the GXP for a GAGT I think I'd regret it for much longer than I'll regret giving my GAGT a new home.

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I came in the AF as a 2E1X4 but they changed our job back in 2009 and now I'm a 3D1X2. I started out doing Security Systems, Television Systems and Photo Systems maintenance and now I'm a Network Infrastructure Technician. Of course, I've been working as a Unit Deployment Manager for the past year and a half and when I get to Japan I'll be doing Quality Assurance for Armed Forces Network television and radio sites. I've been wanting into AFN since '98 when I finished tech school and now that I'm nearing the end of my AF career I finally found an opening.


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Also, I looked a little into the website for the shipping/storage company and it says they do monthly maintenance on the car so all the minor stuff should be taken care of. I couldn't find a list of what "monthly maintenance" included but at least I know it's not just sitting in a crate the entire 3 years.


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I would forget getting new tires... they'll dry rot before you get back.. an oil and fuel stabilizer MAY help, otherwise, without pulling the battery and placing it on stands theres not just a lot to be done.. make sure she's super clean when you put it away


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Clean and wax, make sure it has a cover on it. Put lots of Stabil in the tank and top it off just before you park it. You may also want to put some sort of anti humidity things in the interior and trunk like "damp rid" or the like. You can get them at Lowe's and other places. Also some sort of rodent protection. You don't want to come home to a moldy GXP with a torn up interior from mice!


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  • 4 weeks later...

Well, both good/bad news. We're no longer headed to Japan so I don't have to sell my GAGT or store the GXP. Unfortunately, our house is in escrow now and we can't back out of the sale even though the military won't be moving us after all. Now I have to find a place for our family to live by the 25th of March. Life just keeps getting funner and funner-er!



Oh well, we trust in God and it will all be fine in the end. I'm just grateful we got cancelled before we sold the GAGT too.


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Yay and boo! Lol

All things aside did you want to go to Japan?

We were looking forward to it since it was a job position that I've been trying to get into for the past 15 years. It was an AFN job (military TV and radio service) and I was going to be the PACAF Quality Assurance guy for all their sites and new installs. Would have meant traveling around the Pacific theater a few times each year which would have been pretty cool. As it stands, I'm staying in Cali for now and since my unit already tagged another MSgt to replace me in the mobility office, I'll be getting a new job within our unit soon. No idea what I'll be doing but I look forward to the new challenges. Just have to find a place to move my wife and 3 kids quickly so that we don't wind up homeless at the end of March.

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Nope. They'll just tell me I took a gamble when I put my house up for sale prior to leaving and it's on me to figure it out. Basically, until you sign in at your new unit, they can change your orders even while you're on the airplane flying there. They warn you that nothing is certain until it's in the past.I knew the risks but I also couldn't afford to live in Japan while still paying for a house in Cali so I gambled and lost on this one. God will take care of it and we've got a couple houses that we're looking into. I'm just thankful that we still have one month to figure it out and it wasn't during the last week before we left.



This type of uncertainty is something military members deal with everyday. Sure, we have guaranteed paycheck but we could easily end up in a huge money drain like this situation. I'm fortunate that my house is worth more than the current market value around here so that I'm not taking a loss. When Congress talks about cutting our benefits they forget that we CAN'T sue our employer for lost income if plans change during a move. We are at the whims of the government and "you should have planned ahead" is a common excuse when we find ourselves out of money because of something they screwed up. If I worked for private company I could sue them for the money spent on their changed plans. Fortunately for me, I'm pretty resilient and I'll find a way to take care of my family even if it means renting a house half the size of what we currently own. I'd like to see any of our fine Congressman try to do that...


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