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As a discerning classic car owner, you want to make sure your pride and joy is not going to come to any harm when you wrap it up for the colder months. Due to the age and condition of different components, older cars need some extra care to avoid corrosion and non-starting problems.

Putting your classic into ‘hibernation’ is well advised as it’ll help to protect it from the elements – but where’s best to store it? Not everyone has access to a secure garage, while those that do will be wondering whether to use it for their everyday car or vacate it for their classic.

So, let’s look at the storage options available to classic car owners and weigh up some of the pros and cons of each, remembering that where you store your vintage motor can have implications for your classic car policy premiums.

Brick garage

If you do have access to a brick garage, it’s a no-brainer – it’s the perfect place for your classic car to preside over the winter months, with the stable temperature and moisture-free environment meaning you don’t have to take too many precautions to compensate for the colder weather.

If you have a modern car that you use for day-to-day activities – saving your classic car for the weekend – but only space for one of them in your garage, give your vintage motor the preferential treatment.

Modern cars are much better equipped to deal with ice, snow, and rain. Car makers have helped make corrosion a thing of the past with better pre-production treatments, more use of aluminium, plastics and composites, plus smarter design.

Unfortunately, classic cars weren’t produced in the same way – but trying to keep your pride and joy free from corrosion is part of the challenge. Give yourself a better chance of keeping your classic rust-free by making use of a brick garage where possible.

Here are some tips for storing a classic car in a brick garage:

• Draught excluders can help plug any gaps under your garage door. This will help prevent condensation.
• Track the temperature of your garage with a thermometer. Considering covering your car with a breathable cover if temperatures start to plummet.
• Open the car windows a little so that air can flow through it.

Concrete/wooden carport

Some classic car owners go to the trouble of building a tailor-made concrete or wooden carport to house their vintage motor. A cheaper alternative to building a brick garage, a carport will protect your car from the worst of the elements.

Or perhaps you have a spare barn or outbuilding on your property, which could be repurposed into a makeshift garage? Again, this is better than just having your classic parked up outside, but you might still want to keep your car covered in case animals or damp get into it.

Remember, concrete carports don’t always have much air flowing through them, making it easier for mould and mildew to develop. To avoid a build-up of mould, you might want to have a couple of fans circulating some air in the space every week.

Outdoors

Not everybody has a ready-made garage or the budget to build a carport, which inevitably means storing their classic car outdoors.

However, this doesn’t mean that your vehicle will just succumb to the elements – but you will need to invest in some protective gear.

You can now buy protective covers which have been purpose-built for your type of car, offering all-round protection; make sure it is a close fit to prevent wind ‘rub’. If you’re struggling to find a cover that proves a snug fit, opt for one that’s a touch on the big side then peg it in place so that everything’s covered.

A good cover is not just a good source of protection for the winter months – it will also protect it from direct sunlight as well as bird droppings, tree sap and moisture.

If you can, elevate your car off the ground, as this will protect the tyres, wheels and undercarriage from rain and moisture.

A word of warning – standard tarpaulin won’t offer the same level of protection that a purpose-built car cover will. Tarps and other plastic sheeting won’t let the car breathe, which can result in condensation, mould and mildew.

If you have the space, you may want to invest in a gazebo which will keep your car relatively sheltered from the elements.

Before putting your car away

Once you’ve decided on where you’re going to stow your car away for the winter, spend a few hours ensuring it’s prepared for what’s to come.

Here are some quick tips on how to winter-proof your classic:

• Give your classic car a thorough chamois clean. A wash and wax will remove the grit, salt, dirt and grime from the bodywork, which can lead to rust if left to sit on your car over a period of time.
• Crack open the windows. So as your car doesn’t go ‘stale’, crack open a couple of windows and let a bit of air circulate.
• Unplug the battery. Disconnecting the battery will preserve its charge over the winter months.
• Look after the wipers and handbrake. To prevent your wiper blades going stiff in the cold weather, simply lift them off the windscreen. Take the handbrake off, too, as they are prone to seizing on older cars and use wheel chocks instead.

Finding the right classic car insurance

As we’re specialists here at Lancaster Insurance, we have access to classic car insurance and vintage car insurance schemes in the UK.

As a leading, reputable provider of classic car insurance for over 30 years, we are committed to offering our customers a wealth of experience and exceptional customer service.

We work with carefully selected underwriters to enable us to offer both comprehensive and bespoke insurance solutions, with our customers in mind.

Using our great experience and knowledge of the industry, we are able to quote for virtually every classic car available, even those models that are hard to insure.

To get a quote for your classic, call our team on 01480 484826 today.