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Classic cars aren’t always reliable starters, as any experienced owner will know. In fact, sometimes you can find that a car will start one day without any problem and then a week later you turn the key and… nothing. However, before you reach for the jump leads, as you would do on a more modern car, just hold on – or you could potentially have a fire on your hands.

In a column in The Telegraph, classic car enthusiast Nick Comfort attempted a “normal jump-start” on a DB7 using his BMW 730i, only for a fire to break out causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to his beloved Aston.

Nick says the experience taught him the importance of “adequate jump leads, the correct procedure and the potential for damage to both cars”. It also teaches the rest of us just why having adequate classic car insurance in place is so important – it’s impossible to foresee all the risks to you and your classic.

Did he do something wrong?

In many ways, Nick was unfortunate, as he usually kept his Aston’s 12-volt battery powered with a trickle charger – but on this occasion he was without his device. Alas, after a 200-mile run the previous day, his Aston’s battery was flat, so without a great deal of thought, he grabbed his “heavy duty” jump leads.

“It didn't start, but flames and acrid smoke shot from its boot toward the BMW as the leads' coating melted, scattering gobbets of flaming plastic,” he explained. His immediate thoughts were about the potential for a fire, with a paint store on one side of the garage and a heating boiler and shed full of dry firewood on the other.

Thankfully, his quick action in killing the DB7’s ignition and the jump-lead connection, before driving the BMW clear, meant that he managed to limit any damage done.

Upon inspection of the jump leads, the patrolman on the scene assured the classic car owner that the connection was sound. So, what was it that caused the issue?

How should you jump-start a classic car?

The patrolman explained that the leads, while looking sound enough from the outside, had aluminium cores which couldn’t handle the amps generated by a modern alternator. Also, because the Aston’s battery was completely drained, the hefty charge-up generated by the BMW was too much – it was belting out the amps to charge it up.

But, with a few differences, he could have avoided the incidence altogether.

How to jump-start a classic car safely

• Observe the condition of the jump leads and both batteries, looking for signs of rust, corrosion or damage. If you spot any of these, you shouldn’t attempt a jump start as it could prove dangerous.
• If everything looks OK, connect everything without the cars started and allow the battery to “acclimatise”.
• When jump-starting a classic car, you need to make sure you’re dealing with the same wiring polarities, as many of them have positive earths.
• Check the voltage of each car’s battery – you shouldn’t attempt to jump start a vehicle if there is a great disparity between the batteries.
• If you’re happy that everything is as it should be, run the engine of the working car and switch it off after 10 minutes. Then disconnect the leads and attempt to start the car with the flat battery – you don’t want to overload it with charge.

Should you consider a trickle charger?

It doesn’t take much for a classic car’s battery to go flat, with everything from the alarms to the lights drawing on the power. And before you know it, you’re getting nothing when you turn the key, especially if you’ve put your car into hibernation in the cold winter months.

No owner wants to keep having to get the jump leads out – especially after hearing what can go wrong when you don’t do it perfectly. The alternative is to ensure that you keep your battery topped up using a trickle charger, also referred to as a smart charger. It could prove to be one of the best purchases you ever make.

The latest trickle chargers don’t just fire any old amperage to the flat battery – they can electronically test the cells to check how much electricity they should supply, then provide just the right number of amps. Some models can even work out if your battery is past its sell-by date and can bring dead cells back to life by gently running through cycles of different amp supply.

Once your battery is full of charge, a trickle charge can be left connected without worry of over supply of electricity. Then, before you want to take a drive in your classic, simply unplug it and away you go, without any problems whatsoever.

Trickle chargers are usually cheaper than buying a new battery, so it makes a lot of economic sense to buy one. Plus, they reduce the probability of you having to claim on your classic car insurance for an unexpected incidence.

Protect your investment with classic car insurance

As we’ve seen in this article, classic cars can be more unpredictable than modern motors, but then again, isn’t that why we love them? Classic car insurance can help you get back on the road whenever things go awry.

Lancaster Insurance is trusted by classic car owners all over the UK, providing cover for over 96,000 classic and retro vehicles – even ones that are hard to insure. Whether you’ve got an MG, Audi, Lancia, Lotus, or anything in between, we can find insurance that will help you enjoy your classic to the full.

Like you, the team at Lancaster is passionate about classic cars and we know the kinds of benefits classic owners appreciate, including discounts for club members and limited mileage. We can also offer two-year agreed valuations, historic rally cover, salvage retention and 90 days protection when you’re travelling in the EU. 

Any claims will be dealt with as quickly as possible by our 24-hour, UK-based call centre so you can get back on the road with the minimum of fuss.

Get a quote for classic car insurance today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.