If you’re interested in classic cars, you might find yourself always on the lookout for one of your dreams cars that you can get your hands on. But when you finally get it, it’s vital that you know how to best care for it, as this can be different than when you purchase any other new car. So if you’ve just found the classic car you want or if your grandparent who’s just moved into an assisted living facility has given you responsibility for their first car, here are three tips for caring for a classic car.
Don’t Just Let It Sit
With a classic car, you might be tempted not to drive it very often. Putting miles on the car might not be something that you want to do, and being out on the road always puts you in danger of potentially getting into a car accident. But if you just let a classic car sit, you could be doing more harm than good.
When any car isn’t driven often, the fluids can start to settle and other parts of the car can get dry and begin to crack. This is something you definitely want to avoid with a class car. So while you don’t necessarily have to take your classic car on a road trip to keep everything running smoothly, you should plan on taking it out on the road on a regular basis.
If this doesn’t sound like something you’re up to doing for whatever reason, you should at least start the car and let it run for a bit each week. Driving the car around will be more beneficial, but turning the car on and allowing it to warm up is going to be better than just letting it sit.
Conduct Regular Maintenance
Along with running the car and driving it on a regular basis, you should also ensure that the car is getting regular maintenance done on it as well.
Just like with other cars, classic cars need to get regular oil changes in order to maintain the integrity of the vehicle. Along with this, you’ll also want to do things like regularly rotate the tires, replace the spark plugs, change the air filter, and other basic maintenance tasks.
Park And Store It Correctly
As part of this maintenance, you’ll also want to take measures to protect the exterior of the car, too. This includes making sure your classic car is parked and stored correctly.
Ideally, you shouldn’t park or store your car out in the open air. Extreme temperatures can cause issues with the mechanical systems of the car as well as damage the paint and other exterior parts. Additionally, humidity outside can also cause your classic car to start rusting. So if you have access to a dry garage, this would be the best place to keep your classic car.
If you have a classic car you’re trying to care for, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know just what to do.