I am studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain for the spring semester of college. I will be gone for at least 3.5 months, and my maxima will be stored outside in a parking lot.

Nobody in my family drives a stick shift and there isnt anyone that will be able to do anything more than starting the car and letting it idle or reving the engine.

What kind of preparations do I need to make before leaving, and what should I do when I get back to ensure no damage to the car. I will need an oil change soon, is it better to do it before I leave or when I get back? How much gas in the tank etc. ?

 

Probably not a good idea to store it outside for so long, if you can avoid it. Most places I just found via google say to find a dry garage. But, if you must store it outside, here are some tips:

http://searchwarp.com/swa18631.htm

Again, this site assumes you're storing inside. But, it's your car, do what you want.

 

I would put some sort of fuel stabilizer into the tank. other than that just make sure its in a safe area. i live in the mountains for the winter and often leave my car unstarted for a month plus. just on restart you might want to put alittle oil in.

 

i think overinflating the tires would help so you don't get flatspots, fuel stabilizer, a car cover would definitely be a plus for outdoor use. maybe remove the battery completely or at least unplug the + cable. i'm in the same boat as you. i'm headin back to school, but my dad has agreed to take it to work once a week or so.

 

You live in a snow area like I do. Make sure the drains for sunroof, for the cowling area, A/C box, etc. are open (no leaves or maple seeds, etc.) so any snow melt doesn't back up and find it's way into the interior. Definitely get a car cover to keep as much snow off these openings as possible. I would even consider cracking a window 1/4" so it can breathe, unless I could keep the humidity down.

Get a dish pan and several cans of humidity absorbent, put the dish pan on the floor on the pax side and put the opened humabsorb in the dishpan. This will keep moisture from condensing. Get the kind that is used for long term closet dehumidification. Silica gel won't work, it will be consumed in the first couple days and won't help after that.

I really agree with the posters who suggested changing the oil before you store it. I also agree with putting the rat poison near but not in the car. Rat poison in the car just attracts the critters so they can crawl into your fresh air system and die. Same with the air cleaner, this is a favorite place for mice. Check the air cleaner box before you start it when you return and don't be surprised to find a nest in there. Max the pressure in the tires, and remove the battery. Don't worry about starting it and idling it once a week, this will not get temperatures up in the engine or the exhaust enough to evaporate condensation from combustion. The condensate will form acid and rot your exhaust, and will pollute your oil. As you drive it the last time, fill the tank to capacity right after you have had a chance to drive it for about 30 minutes at highway speed just before you shut it down for the last time. This gets everything dried out. Moisture is your biggest enemy. Do everything you can to protect against it. Park it on pavement, not on gravel or grass. Too much moisture comes up out of the ground to condense and rot your underside.

When you come back, before you start it for the first time, pull the fuse for the fuel pump and remove the plugs. Squirt a teaspoon of motor oil in each cylinder. Then spin the motor with the starter for about 10 seconds before you put the plugs back in. This will get oil all over the cams, pressurize your bearings and lifters, and wipe down the cylinder walls. Put the plugs back in, replace the fuse and it will start like it always did before, without the rattle/clank noise of a dry engine and without the severe wear of dry bearings, empty lifters, etc.