Using Your Car Through the Winter
Follow these 7 simple steps to keep your classic protected while using it through the winter:
Tip 1 - Visual Inspection
Grab a notebook and have a good look around, you could be surprised by what you ignored or missed during the busy summer months. Make a note of anything that stands out to you as unusual. Paint blisters, rust, damp, low or cracked tyres, anything that wasn’t there before. Have a good look at the windscreen too, any stone chips will need repairing before they develop into a crack.
Tip 2 - Preventative Fluid Maintenance
Don’t put it off, look after your water based systems now and do it before the freeze sets in. The cold weather has been the bane of many a car in the past with cracked blocks, popped core plugs and burst radiators; all unfortunate and potentially expensive results of poor maintenance. Check your antifreeze today! If you want the ultimate peace of mind, why not convert to waterless coolant! Remember to check your thermostat too as they often get stuck open or have been removed during the summer. Don’t forget to check the washer fluid too. Fresh screen wash contains anti freeze which when added in the right concentration, helps to protect the washer fluid reservoir, connecting hoses and washer jets from freezing.
Tip 3 - Physical Maintenance
Wiper blades and tyres take a beating during the colder months and it’s especially important to ensure these are in good condition and that tyres are at the recommended pressures. Wiper blades often freeze to the windscreen or have to scrape over frozen water during use, leading to fast wear and potentially a split blade. Why not carry a spare set in the boot of your car? Tyre pressures fall during cold temperatures, look in your owners handbook to get the manufacturers recommendation for winter tyre pressures and adjust them to suit on a regular basis, appropriate to the road conditions.
Tip 4 - Bodywork
Stone chips? Sadly, they’re a fact of life these days and a small stone chip in the summer can become an unsightly rust patch over the winter. A minute spent with a touch up paint brush in your hand can fix this before it becomes an issue. Check out our range of touch up paints. Once you’ve got the car painted up, you need to protect it from road dirt and grit salt. Why not add that extra layer of protection and finish off with a hard coat of wax. Don’t forget the underside of the vehicle too!
Tip 5 - Are you prepared for extreme weather?
The unpredictability of the worlds weather has caught us all out in the past, but there are things you can do to ensure you keep moving. Keeping a few simple essentials in the boot can often save the day!
Tip 6 - Creature Comforts
The winter doesn’t have to mean that you’re cold too. We have a universal heated seat element kit that can be fitted to any 12 volt, negative earth application. These are particularly useful in classic car applications where the standard heater is less than toasty!
Tip 7 - Storage
TThe winter doesn’t have to mean that you’re cold too. We have a universal heated seat element kit that can be fitted to any 12 volt, negative earth application. These are particularly useful in classic car applications where the standard heater is less than toasty!