Your classic car is an investment of money, time, and love. Whether it’s a showpiece in your private garage, a feature for the local or national auto show, or your daily driver, you want your car to maintain its value. Here are a few ways to ensure that your classic car retains its value over the years.
Maintain the value of classic car – Don’t Make Modifications
When you love a car, you want to ensure she has the best of everything. It’s tempting to make modifications to your classic car but don’t. Modifications you make to your classic car will reduce its value and can even impact the classification of your car. Even for a daily driver, you want to limit your modifications to safety features primarily. Remember, the goal of a classic car is to feature and highlight the car’s historical features and beauty. Don’t dilute that with modern comforts the car doesn’t need.
Keep Up on Regular Maintenance
Stay on top of the regular maintenance of your vehicle, whether you’re driving it every day or only taking it to shows, don’t pay attention to the classic car’s most basic needs. Make sure you stay on top of general maintenance like oil changes, tire rotations, and other systems maintenance. Also, listen out for signs of trouble. Any unusual knocks, hums, scrapes, or whines should be addressed immediately before they become expensive repairs.
While replacing original parts when damaged can be more expensive, do so as much as possible. Remember, you’re not making modifications when you repair your vehicle or replace parts. Pay attention to the replacement parts and if you’re working with a shop, make sure they specialize in repairs for classic cars.
Keep Your Classic Car Clean, Inside and Out
Keep your classic car clean, and don’t let dirt and dust build up. If your classic car is a daily driver, regular cleanings are essential to keep regular road grime from damaging your paint. However, even a showroom car needs regular care. Eve and even build up can cause problems over the long run. Importantly, don’t remember a coat of wax after giving the car a nice wash (and be sure to rinse away all soap residue and gently dry your car).
Maintain the value of classic car – Store Your Classic Car Properly
Whether your classic car is destined for the auto show or is your daily driver, it’s best to keep your vehicle in a closed garage. This is especially the case when you live in extreme weather environments with very hot, very cold, or very rainy weather. Extreme cold can cause mechanical problems, while too much sun will dull your paint job.
If you can’t keep your vehicle in a garage, make sure you have a vehicle cover that will help protect your vehicle from weather and humidity. It’s also essential if your car stays outdoors to clean it a little more often, to give it that extra protection against dirt buildup, and check for weather damage.
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If you have classic car maintenance needs or want a tune-up for your modern vehicle, contact us to schedule an appointment.
