How To Maintain Your Classic Or Antique Car In Winter
How To Maintain Your Classic Or Antique Car During Winter
At Higos, we understand your classic or antique car is more than just a vehicle that gets you from A to B. A classic or antique car can be a big part of your life; being your hobby, passion, or even a member of the family. Nonetheless in order to effectively preserve and protect the value of your vehicle during the winter season, it’s important to take proper precautions as the colder temperatures, wetter weather and salt gritted roads could cause damage to rare parts.
Classic & Antique Car Winter Maintenance Tips
By carrying out particular winter maintenance checks for your classic or antique car will help to keep your cherished vehicle in the best condition possible. We’ve put together a winter maintenance checklist for your classic or antique car, so you can keep on top of things over the season. These can include:
- Secure storage: Securely storing your car during the winter is vital to preserving it.
- Full service: Have the vehicle fully serviced, including oil and filter change, cooling system drained, cleaned and refilled, anti- freeze topped up and a coat of underseal applied.
- Wash & wax: Have your vehicle thoroughly washed, waxed and apply grease to chrome areas before storing to help prevent rust developing and seals and rubber parts deteriorate.
- Storage: Store your vehicle in a well – ventilated garage with a dehumidifier to help rust developing on the bodywork and wiring.
- Battery: Remove the vehicles battery and store off the floor.
- Jack stands: To help the preserve the vehicles suspension and prevent flat spots, place the vehicle on jack stands.
- Inflate Tyres: Pump the tyres to the maximum recommended air pressure to help reduce flat spotting.
- Handbrake: Use wheel chocks to stop your vehicle from rolling away rather than using the handbrake to help reduce brake pads from fusing and calipers from ceasing.
- Wipers: Lift wipers away from the glass will help reduce the rubber fusing with the glass.
- Rodents & pests: Block exhaust pipe with steel wool and close all air vents to help prevent rodents and other pests getting in. Check inside the bonnet and any other interiors for rodents and pests.
- Drive once a month: On a dry day and a salt free road, it's recommended to drive your vehicle once a month to help prevent mechanical deterioration.
- Window washer: Use either a premix window washer fluid or 50/50 of concentrated window washer fluid and distilled water to help prevent the fluid from freezing and grime building up.
- Car cover: Use a breathable cotton fabric cover to help protect any scratches happening to the paintwork.
- Windows: Have windows slightly open to provide ventilation to the vehicle to help reduce mould growth.
- Heating: Ensure your garage is heated between 10-18℃, this can be by central heating or a portable sensor heater. However its important to remember too much heat can lead to condensation.
Bespoke Motor Insurance
At Higos, we understand when you’re driving something a little more unusual, like a classic or antique car you need a specialist motor insurance policy to provide bespoke cover, specifically tailored to you. We have access to a number of specialist schemes enabling us to provide cover for your cherished vehicle. The experts in our team are car enthusiasts like you and we pride ourselves on getting to know you and your vehicle before finding the bespoke cover you need.
If the unexpected should happen, we have a friendly in-house claims team ready to provide a prompt and personal service.
If you’re interested in speaking to a chartered insurance broker for advice or a quotation for motor insurance get in contact with us at Higos. Alternatively fill out our online request a call-back form and a member from our specialist motor insurance team will call you back.