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Never a truer word spoken than when you have a cherished classic car. Particularly during the winter months when many amongst us take our classic cherishables off the road to avoid the British perishables!

However it’s not just a case of parking them in the garage until spring. Storing them in the right way ensures they will come out the other side ready to hit the road again and help you avoid costly repair bills. Not forgetting quality storage is also important to your insurance premium as it helps reduce the risk of accidental damage, vandalism and theft.
So check out these Winter Storage Tips from ClassicLine Insurance to get your car ready for the cold season:

1. Location, location, location

Make sure you spend time preparing your storage area in advance. The area must be dry and well ventilated. Sweep the floor to remove any traces of dust, dirt, insects or rodents, as the latter often like to make classic cars their home during winter. It’s good to place plastic sheeting or even old carpet on the floor where your classic will be stored. This will reduce the risk of moisture rising from the floor, which can cause rusting on the car’s underbelly, exhaust, and suspension.

2. Liquid refreshment

Fill your petrol tank to the brim in order to prevent moisture build up in the car’s fuel system. Also ensure the concentration of antifreeze mix in your radiator is 50:50 as coolant also serves as a corrosion inhibitor which helps prevent silt developing within the radiator and waterways. Silt build-up leads to overheating.

3. Clean up!

Clean both inside and out (underside too), ensuring the car is completely dry before giving the exterior a good wax-polish, leaving the wax on to help prevent paintwork deterioration. Polish any chrome and ensure any rust spots are sealed with rust protection sealant. Get some fresh grease into all of the fittings and change the oil to prevent any corrosion over the winter months.

4. Tyred out

As the car is going to be sitting for an extended period you need to elevate the car to take the load off the tyres and suspension components. This helps prevent the tyres from flat spotting.

5. Batteries not included

If you are not using a manufacturers trickle charging system it is not recommended to store a car for long periods of time with the battery connected most car owners coat the terminals with petroleum jelly and leave the battery disconnected. It can also be a good idea to remove the sparkplugs to help you prevent moisture getting trapped inside the cylinders and causing corrosion or rusting.

6. Go undercover

You can place opened boxes of baking soda inside your car to absorb moisture and it is not a bad idea to put an oily rag up the tailpipe to prevent any unwelcome animal guests. When covering up the entire vehicle, you need to use a good quality, breathable cover that allows any moisture that gets trapped between the bodywork and the cover, to escape. Try to avoid polyester fabrics as they have bad fluid resistance and easily trap heat and moisture.

7. The Paper Work

Ensure that you file a ‘Statutory Off Road Notice’ for your classic and contact a specialist insurance provider such as ClassicLine to let them know that your car will be laid up over the winter months. Switching from an ‘On Road’ policy to an ‘Off Road’ or ‘Laid Up’ policy your premium will reduce yet your pride and joy will still be protected against fire, theft and accidental damage.