How to keep the value of your vintage vehicle
Ensuring your classic car maintains its value is a time-consuming labour of love. But, if you are
prepared to invest the time, care and attention required, you can make sure your classic car does
not depreciate in value over the years and in many cases you will be adding value to the car as it gets
older. Below are just a few of the key factors to consider when maintaining your classic.
However, classic cars are not meant to be kept locked away in garages all their lives and the fact is
accidents do happen. To make sure you can have your vehicle repaired if the worst happens, classic
car insurance is available. You can often find the best classic car insurance online and it is worth
doing a search for a car insurance group list so that you can find out which group your classic car falls
into.
Here are our three top classic car maintenance tips:
The Battery
Without a working, well-maintained battery, your vintage car will be little more than an attractive
ornament. Part of the joy and the magic of owning a vintage car is the knowledge that, after all
its long years, the car will still function as it did when it was brand new and a healthy battery is
fundamental to this. Owning a good quality battery charger will enable you to keep the battery
fully charged throughout its life. If your battery performs poorly after a long period without use, it
could be sulphated. Traction chargers are designed to recover sulphated batteries and restore their
capacity, avoiding the need to claim a new battery on your classic car insurance policy.
Prevent overheating
A number of simple routine checks and replacements can keep your vintage car from overheating
as it gets older. All belts and hoses should be checked for cracks or leakage when you change the
car’s oil. The radiator should be kept clear of dirt and build-up and the radiator washer cap replaced
every few years. Overheating may be caused by a faulty thermostat failing to release coolant into
the system and this component should be checked regularly, along with the head gasket. A blown
head gasket will leak coolant into your engine oil. Though they might be covered by car insurance uk drivers are nevertheless
advised to make these regular checks to avoid ending up stood by a steaming classic vehicle at the
side of the road.
Paintwork
Keeping your classic car’s paintwork in good condition is vital to maintaining its value. Repairing
paintwork might not be cheap but the cost incurred is often more than reflected in the car’s
inherent value. Over the years, your car’s paintwork may begin to dull due to oxidisation. To revive
the paintwork, use polish in the first instance and a chemical cleaner if the paintwork fails to
respond to polish. As a last resort, try rubbing compound to apply an aggressive treatment to the
paintwork to remove the unwanted, dull paint. To protect the paintwork, regularly wax your car
using a paint sealant or carnauba car wax.
