Most people think that to maintain a classic car, you have to keep it clean and nice behind the doors, but that’s not entirely true. Instead, it has to do with treating and preserving the car’s engine, driving it often, and keeping the fluids in good check.

Here are handy tips to help you take care of your collection and keep it protected:

1. Regular Checkups

Most classic car owners know a thing or two about car maintenance, and that’s awesome. But even if you prefer to look after the car on your own, you should still ask a qualified mechanic to check it on a regular basis.

That’ll ensure problems don’t recur down the road just because you overlooked simple repairs or adjustments that should have been made. Besides, professional mechanics know where to find the best car parts at competitive prices than anyone else.

2. Keep It Clean

Don’t allow dust or dirt to accumulate on your vintage car. Strive to keep it clean all the time, even when it’s parked. Dust and dirt can impair the car’s performance in addition to chipping its paint and contributing to rust.

After cleaning, rinse the car properly and use a soft rag or chamois to dry it accordingly. This eliminates residual soap scum and stops water marks from forming. You can add a coat of wax to improve the car’s appearance and add an extra layer of protection.

3. Keep It as Original as You Can

Original is usually a win if you’d like to preserve your car’s value. Repair parts whenever you can or look for a stock part. You’ll want to keep off modern parts in your classic car, as it might degrade the car’s value.

4. Pump the Breaks

If your classic car is attractive and properly maintained with a loud engine, it’ll obviously attract the attention of everyone. But, it’s important to ensure that the vehicle’s loud noise is from the engine rather than from the breaks squealing. To prevent that, you should keep the brakes in good condition; pump them from time to time.

5. Take It for Regular Rides

Typically, collectors are overprotective and some aren’t even willing to take their cars out of the garage. But collecting classic cars and not taking them out for a spin doesn’t make sense, does it?

Other than giving you the opportunity to drive the car and interact with fellow collectors at car expositions, a regular drive keeps the engine running correctly and ensures everything is fine with it.

To prevent the possibility of crashes and other road hazards that may damage your classic car, consider taking or upgrading your driving lessons.

6. Store It Properly

If you stay in an area with extreme weather: very humid, cold, hot or excess precipitation, you want to keep the car indoors. The sun can fade the car’s paint, the cold may lead to mechanical issues, and humidity can contribute to rust.

The wind may blow some objects to the car, leading to dents and scratches. Snow can cause freezing of the engine and list goes on. Besides parking your vintage car in the garage, you may also cover it, thus shielding it from any of these elements. Also – be sure to keep the battery charged up. A Battery Tender trickle charger is a great option for this.

Maintaining your classic car using the above tips not only lowers repair costs, but it also helps the maintain the value of your investment so you can see the value continue to climb.