After you restore a classic car, you’ll probably want to do your best to keep it in good condition. Fortunately keeping a classic car in good condition is easy with routine maintenance, cleanliness, and proper storage. A lot of our customers come in to our shop looking for auto body parts for their classic car restoration. We’ve heard a lot of stories, both good and bad about how our customers keep their restored classic car in good condition. Here are some of their best tips!

1.Protect it from the elements. A lot of damage that can happen to classic car is often caused by the weather. One of the easiest things you can do is apply wax every few months to protect the pain from dirt and weather. If you store the car outdoors, you’ll want to put a good quality car cover over it. The cover will protect from the sun, weather, and keep dust and dirt off of it. Above all, don’t drive your classic car in inclement weather!

2.Don’t skip out on regular maintenance. Classic cars need regular maintenance too. Maintenance can help you catch potential problems. It also shows potential buyers that the car was well taken care of. If you have a great looking paint job, it doesn’t help the problems under the hood.

3.Run it regularly. You might be tempted to not drive your classic car to keep it in shape but doing so can cause problems such as corroded batteries, stale gas, and flat tires. If you live somewhere that has bad winter weather, you’ll likely want to store it for that time. When you store it, be sure to take out the gas and battery which will prevent problems while the car isn’t being driven.

4.Drive your classic car carefully. Let it warm up properly and don’t drive it until it reaches a normal operating temperature. It also might be tempting to do some car show burn outs and drag racing but these can all cause some serious wear and tear to the vehicle.

5.Fix problems right away. Whether it is a chip in the paint or a mechanical issue, it’s better to fix a problem immediately. Delaying repairs can cause the problem to worsen and give you a higher bill and a longer repair time.