If you’ve just bought the car of your dreams then congratulations. Of course, if you want it to remain the car of your dreams for as long as possible then you need to take good care of it. And that means you probably can’t push it too hard on the open road or leave it sitting out in the cold weather on your driveway. It’s not good to do that with any car, but the damage is certainly worse for older vehicles. So, listen up, car owners. The suggestions listed below should help you to take good care of your vintage ride and keep it going for many years to come. There are also suggestions to help you enjoy your classic car and save a bit of money at the same time.
Restore your car.
First of all, you should restore your car. If you really want to relive the nostalgic days of your youth (or perhaps pretend you’re from a bygone era if your classic car is older than you) then you should aim to make it look brand new. Start off with the bodywork of your vehicle. Repainting your car is the key to giving it that fresh-off-the-factory-line aesthetic. You should also clean it from top to bottom, but that’s something you need to do on a regular basis (we’ll talk about it more, later on in the article).
As for the interior of your fresh ride, you should be aiming for comfort as well as a nice appearance. If you’re dealing with leather seats then you might even need to restitch them to get them back into shape. Dyeing them can also help to give them a bold and striking appearance, much like the external body of your car. Of course, the restoration process doesn’t have to be entirely accurate. This is your own car, after all. You can make amendments to customise your vehicle to your own preferences. We’ll discuss that in the next point.
Upgrade your car (in a practical sense).
Don’t worry – we’re not suggesting you add a spoiler to your beautiful classic vehicle. You can upgrade your vintage ride without ruining its aesthetic. You might simply want to consider modernising your vehicle if you’re going to use it frequently. Compared to most modern cars, classic cars that are 2 decades old (or older) are quite far behind in the technology department. You might want to consider installing a sound system so that your classic car still retains the aesthetic of its former self whilst having the functionality of a modern vehicle. Having the ability to connect your phone to the car stereo via Bluetooth is a nice little feature that could make it feel just a little more refreshing and quirky. Again, this doesn’t have to affect the appearance of your car. You could cover the sound system with the original dashboard so as to retain the vintage aesthetic that you love so dearly about your vehicle.
Store it in the right conditions.
Another important thing to remember is that you must store your classic car in the right conditions. You probably know this already – most classic car enthusiasts don’t need to be told to protect their precious vehicles. Keeping it locked away in a garage will ensure that it’s out of sight and away from the elements. But you also need to make sure that your garage is a suitable environment for your delicate machine. After all, dust and moisture in the air are things that can make your car dirty and rusty, respectively. A car cover can help to protect it from dust, but you should also get a dehumidifier for the room. A damp garage can lead to rust on the bodywork of your vehicle.
Clean it regularly.
If you want to keep your car in good shape then you need to clean it regularly. Ideally, you should do this before and after every drive. And if you leave your car in storage for an extended period of time then you should check in on it to clean it. Make sure you clean the external bodywork and the undercarriage to get any dirt, mud, or grime that might have collected there. You might also want to check out Autodeets for reviews on the best car waxes out there. Wax will give your car a shiny finish that keeps it looking new.
Perform general maintenance checks.
Additionally, you need to perform general maintenance checks on a regular basis to keep your classic car working well. Proper storage and cleaning will keep your car in good shape, but it’s smart to check that everything is working properly just to make sure that your vehicle is still roadworthy. You should do this before taking it out on the road. Check the brakes and the clutch to make sure that they’re not sticking. You should also check the oil levels and tyre pressure. If you’re leaving your classic car unused for a few weeks at a time then it’s very important to conduct regular maintenance checks.
Take it out for a spin.
With classic cars, you really do have to use them regularly if you want them to remain fully functional. Breakdowns and other mechanical faults are much more likely if you keep your car locked away for extended periods of time. You don’t have to use your classic vehicle every single day, but you should, at the very least, start the engine every couple of weeks. Even taking it out for a 5-minute drive every month is better than leaving it to gather dust. And, when you’re not driving it, you should be checking in on your classic car to make sure that it’s still in good shape. We’ve already discussed all of the maintenance checks you should carry out on your car to make sure that it’s working properly. The point is that driving your vehicle is good for it. You don’t want to push it too hard, but you don’t want to leave it unused either. Just take it out for a pleasant drive every now and then to keep it operating properly.
Sort out your insurance premium.
We’ve talked a lot about the manual labour involved with owning a classic car, but let’s talk about an aspect of owning a classic car that might not have been a major consideration for you: insurance. The type of insurance premium you need for your classic car all depends on your intended use for it. As we’ve discussed throughout this article, of course, using your car is essential to keeping it in good shape. That should play a big part in the type of quote you can expect to receive from insurers. Maybe you’ll just take your car out every few weeks or every month to keep it running smoothly. Maybe you’ll take it out every single day.
Additionally, you need to think about any intended changes you plan on making to your car. Are you going to make serious amendments to the engine? Are you going to make changes to your vehicle after taking insurance? These are the questions that you need to answer because these things matter to insurance providers. If there’s some sort of issue that requires insurance coverage but the provider feels that your car is different to the way it was specified in the contract then you might be looking at some unpleasant costs. It’s better to take your time to weigh up a plan for your car before you take out insurance. Hopefully, the advice in this article will have helped you to do just that.
“This car is soo sweet” Really? A rotten old fire bird that looks like it’s been hauled out of a lake after sitting at the bottom for 20 years, then dropped to rot in a weed for another 10? Like honestly? Nobody’s gonna buy that unless you sell it as a project car. Even if you do, I still find it funny how your trying to make people buy these shit cars that probably have more problems than they do miles.