I will be leaving for basic training for the U.S. Army in June 2008 and will be doing a 4 year enlistment. What do you all think I should do in order to protect my truck as much as possible while I am gone? I do not have access to a garage for it to sit in so that is out of the question. I already have a heavy cover made for it so it will be under that. What else should I do as far as detailing is concerned? The cover will be removed once or so a week for my mother to run it to keep all the fluids going and may be used rarely for trips to the dump, so it will not be sitting for 4 years straight.

 

put some Sta-Bil in the tank so the gas dosent go bad. also simply removing the battery cables will be good, but if your mother is starting it once a week you will be fine.

after spending 7 years in the army i can tell you this...
Basic training is a game, dont quit and you will pass with flying colors. always remember its just a mind game, and a physical challenge. Keep your mouth shut unless someone asks you something and pay extreme attention to detail. once you get to your unit (after about a week in a holding platoon sometimes) you will be assigned to a permanent duty station able to go get your truck and bring it back to your unit. Unless of course you get sent to iraq, then most units will store their PoV's(privately owned vehicles) in a motor pool or fenced in area on base. so at best your looking at your truck sitting at home for about 8 weeks, unless you picked infantry which is 13 weeks, and then added airborne, another 2-3 weeks(sometimes theres a hold after training). best case 8 weeks, worst case 16 weeks. if you opted for ranger school then figure on almost a year total before you see a permenant assignment.

good luck!

(P.S. the gas chamber sucks, but everyone has to do it. just do what they say and you will be fine and you can laugh about it later. Just ignore the fact that you cant see and theres a 3 foot snot trail comming out of your nose LOL)

 

I would either make sure the weight is off the suspension or have someone take her for a spin every few days.

Good usual detail, some fuel stabilizer may be a good idea.
Get the oil changed and top off all fluids. Check air in the tires etc..
I guess take care of everything you would prepping it for summer or winter.
Also a list of all your prefered products used on the vehicle as well, instructions for mom on oil preferences stuff like that.

Thank you for your service and cover your a$$.

 

11 bravo with intentions of airborne and ranger school

 

Have someone drive it once a week to keep all the seals (motor, tranny, rearend) lubricated. Have them drive it around for about 30 minutes, make sure it's up to full operating temp to get rid of any condensation.

 

Do a full detail job on it, change the oil and filter. Have it driven once a week for 30 minutes as already said, do NOT put the cover back on if the truck is wet. Ask your mom to wash it occasionally and fill the gas tank when it gets down to 1/2 tank. Go get an oil change once a year.

 

What will your MOS (Job)? Where are you going to basic, and school at?

After your done with school, unless you are going combat arms and going to the middle east, then you will need a vehicle, and you could send for yours.

 

Ranger School will be in Columbus GA not bad

 

Oopps, missed that part. So Fort Benning, GA first then. It's looks like you won't be stateside for a while if your going pure airborne infantry.

 

maybe another option is to sell the truck. four years is along time to have someone else to care for it while you are away...is it just a vehicle or is it been around. even when you are home on leave every now and again you could rent a car alot cheaper than to keep this one around, insurance and to keep registration, and or inspection current....to maintain it....the list goes on. in four years with some saved money you could possibly pay cash for a 2012 truck.

if you carry a note put that money away each month like you were paying on this truck plus the insurance that you will not be buying, and new quality car cover...depending on you climate you may need a new one every two years.

if no note, put the money away from the sell of the truck and money for insurance...

either way in 4 years you will have a stack of cash, not a 4 year old truck that could have lots of problems from just sitting....cooling systems do not like to sit, a/c systems do not like to sit (o ring seals like to dry rot) belts, tires, brakes, battery,on and on....i think that selling would be the best option for you.

 

That's a great idea. My brother is Special Forces, and he ended up in the Philippines. He sold his Explorer here, ended up with a Renault in Germany, and sold that when he was told he was going to the Philippines.

Now he owns a Ford Everest in the PI, and loves it so much he is trying to bring it back stateside when his time is up. Though I hear now he wants to stay there!

So this may be your chance to really enjoy different vehicles in different places.

 

I just got the truck 2 months ago and still owe about 19.5k on it. I have not signed the contract yet but if I stick with a 4 year I guess it will get sold

 

Would a storage rental place be out of the question? Have a few friends that use them for special cars. Some are even climate controled with filtered air.

 

at most your truck will sit for about a year if your going 11B1P unless you opted for ranger school right off, you can ALLWAYS do it later. Going to ranger school is a double edged sword, it will fast track you to E-5 but it sucks going through the training. many people claim it to be the hardest training in the army(i didnt think so (SERE was wayy worse). your most likely going to get sent to FT. Bragg, and youre almost guranteed to get into the 82nd, almost everyone who goes airborne does. I can tell you this, DO NOT BUY A CAR IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC (thats where bragg is) the dealers there and, everyone for that matter knows how to read your check stub(LES) better than you do. and theyre gonna screw you. if you bought a truck at home KEEP IT. if youre worried about it sitting let your mom drive it to work now and then or something. one other tip that will seriously help you when you get to bragg, stay out of some of the "asian" style bars on bragg Blvd. theyre not bars theyre illegal whorehouses. Youre better off at the many strip clubs anyways(last i knew there were like 8 or so strip clubs in fayetteville).

 

Yep, just enjoy it until June and sell it.
'Going into the military' is a good selling point.
If your young enough for Basic then you're probably getting nailed on auto insurance anyway.
Once you've sold the truck, start an allotment that equals what the truck payment and ins totaled.
Then when your situation is POV friendly, you'll have a fi****l of cash and won't be at the mercy of the salesman or the bank.