Enjoying your classic car experience does not start and end with buying the car and driving around town. Utilizing a classic car entails much more, such as maintaining the car.
For starters, classic cars get their appeal from their unique designs that no longer flood the automobile market. This also implies that these car parts -–engines and accessories— are harder to obtain and, on most occasions, costly. Therefore, you always want to ensure that your classic car is in top-notch shape because, like everything that gets older —be it cars, animals, or people— requires a bit more care and attention. Therefore, after getting your desired classic car from notable vintage car dealers like Dyler, use these tips to keep your classic cars in the best condition.
Tips to Maintain Your Classic Car
1. Regular Checkups
Just as your body needs regular checkups to ensure that its “engines” are working perfectly, you must ensure that you take your car to its “doctor” for regular checkups —the “doctor” being a qualified and certified mechanic.
Getting your vintage car regularly maintained assures you of the car’s optimal performance. It also prevents your car from developing complications from the simple adjustments it may need. On your own, you can also ensure that the car’s fluids are adequate. This would include oil, water, and brake fluid, which all work together to avoid overheating.
2. Waxing and Cleaning the Classic Car
A classic car’s beauty shines when properly cleaned and waxed. Therefore, you should wash your car regularly. This helps remove elements such as salt, grime, and other types of impurities that may cause damage to the vehicle.
Further, after washing the car, give the car a good waxing session. This will make the car’s color stand out. However, waxing should be done once every six months. Also, the car’s interior should not be left out of the cleaning. Ensure that you vacuum the interior regularly to prevent dampness and the build-up of dirt.
3. Monitor Your Pump Brakes
When revving your car or driving down the road, you want onlookers to be impressed at the smooth running of the car and the engine’s sound —especially in cases where the vehicle has a loud engine. Therefore, ensure that the pump brakes are always in good condition. This will stop the brakes from screeching. Take the car for a drive down the block and monitor the pump brakes. Where you need professional help, get a certified mechanic to examine the vehicle. Finally, the brake fluid should be replaced once a year.
4. Take the Vintage Car for a Drive
Vintage car protectors are usually known for their overprotective nature, not wanting the car to see the light of day –literally. However, contrary to such practice, removing your classic car from the garage will help keep the vehicle in top shape. You may go for car expositions or take it on a long, carefree drive down the expressway. Just drive it! This way, you can also observe if there are any issues with the vehicle.
5. Store the Vintage Car Properly
This is one essential tip in ensuring your vintage car’s optimal performance. Of course, you want to ensure that the lustrous shine and appearance of the car are not lost due to corrosion and rust.
Therefore, whenever you are not hitting the road, you must store the vintage car in an appropriate storage facility or garage. If you live in a very hot, cold, humid, or wet area, you need to invest in a garage. Direct sunlight affects the car’s paint, while humidity fosters rust.
Whenever you are considering an indoor space for your garage, you need to be sure that the space is:
1. Dry
2. Ventilated
3. Well-insulated
4. Temperature-regulated.
Car professionals recommend storing your classic car in a heated garage, as it is easy to maintain the vehicle in a controlled environment. On the other hand, when you are left with no choice but to store the car outside, you must consider a few things. For instance, avoid storing the car on a gravel or sand surface, as it will foster moisture and humidity. Also, you must ensure the surface has a sound drainage system preventing water from gathering under the car.
6. Keep it Original
Finally, if you want to truly enjoy the feel of your vintage car and enjoy the value it brings, you may avoid any glaring modifications. Its uniqueness is in its antiquity. You may be tempted to alter certain parts of the car, but always remember that you decrease the car’s value by doing so. This is quite important for collectors interested in reselling such vehicles.
Further, before repairing your classic car, it’s best to conduct in-depth research on how best to obtain the original stock parts of your car’s model. “Original stock parts” refer to the highly recommended and suitable parts of your car’s model that’ll replace the faulty original parts. If you replace your vintage car parts with modern parts, you drastically drop the car’s value.
Conclusion
Religiously maintaining your classic car is the only way to truly enjoy the antique nature of the car. Indeed, older versions of automobiles require more attention and care, but with the sense of taste and exoticness that classic cars bring, maintaining such a car is worth the effort. But the first step to maintaining a classic car is to get the classic car. Therefore, Dyler is here to assist you in making that decision to enjoy the finer things of life; automobiles.
