Your classic car is one of your biggest and most important investments. It’s not only your car, but also years of hard-earned money spent and hours of rebuilding, repairs, and work in the garage put into making it look just right. It is your pride and joy.
Now that you have gotten your dream ride into pristine condition and showcased it at all the car shows you can, it’s time to make sure it is properly stored and protected.
Whether you are storing your car for the winter, or just until the next car show, here are 7 important tips to follow to keep your car at its best while in storage.
Always Fill Your Tank With Fresh Gas
While it’s often said you should drain your gas tank when storing your car, this is not true. Draining your gas tank exposes the bare metal within your car’s tank and fuel system to moisture in the air. This exposure can cause rust, corrosion and possibly dry gaskets and leaks.
Storing your car with a full tank of gas with the tank 95% filled with fresh fuel, and 5% with a quality fuel stabilizer can keep your gas fresh for up to a year of storage, without the worry of gummed-up fuel lines, rust or corrosion.
Change Your Oil and Transmission Fluid
Before storing your car, it is essential to apply fresh engine oil and transmission fluid. Doing this can help fight against the chemicals and particles that can accumulate in the engine’s oil and transmission fluid while it’s in storage. These particles are broken down during combustion while driving, and can become trapped in the fluids, and even break down the engine’s oil while a car is being stored.
Lubricate Door Locks and Hood Latches
To keep your door handles and locks from locking up during storage, apply a dry lubricant (such as graphite-based cable-lube or Dri-Slide) before putting it in storage.
Protect Your Car Battery
While not being used for extended periods of time, batteries can slowly use their charge. To extend your car’s battery life, you can either remove the battery entirely from the vehicle or disconnect the cables so that no charge is being pulled from the battery. Another option is to attach a battery tender that automatically recharges your battery when it is needed.
Keep Tires Out of Sunlight
Even if your car is stored away, there is the possibility that it can be exposed to sunlight through a window, which can cause the rubber of your tires to crack, split, or completely fail if it is continuously exposed to ultraviolet light. Sunlight can also take a toll on your car’s exterior paint if it isn’t covered from those UV rays.
Have the car detailed & prepped before storage
It’s important to store a clean and waxed car, no matter how silly it may seem. During storage, dust and debris on the car can damage the exterior paint. Interior debris and crumbs can attract pests and create odors within the car. To avoid these issues, it’s best to give your car a good cleaning and wax the exterior.
Keep it lifted
While the garage is certainly the best option for your auto storage, we know there are many other uses you have for your garage. In order to ensure your hot rod is out of potential harm and optimize your garage space, use an automotive lift for your long-term storage needs. Storing your classic car with a lift will also make for easy upkeep if you need to perform any maintenance tasks while it’s in storage.
Here at Advantage Lifts, we have an auto lift to suit every vehicle and every garage — residential or commercial. Browse our incredible advantage car lifts to find the one that best suits your needs.
Keep your classic car in pristine condition by following these essential storage tips, and order your car lift today to help keep your car in good shape and optimize your garage space.
