When the last beautiful days of autumn come to an end, many classic cars are put into the garage to overwinter. What you should pay attention to so that your vehicle is in top shape again in spring.
More than 500,000 classic cars roll along Germany’s roads with H license plates for historic vehicles. In order to live a long life, “Oldies” need special care, especially when winter is just around the corner. The biggest danger: rust formation.
Attention, seasonal indicator: Under no circumstances exceed the specified period. Outside the seasonal period The vehicle may not be driven or parked in public spaces.
Preparing the classic car for the winter break
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Clean that inner space of the vehicle with a vacuum cleaner and a damp sponge or cloth. It is best to treat leather seats with a product that the vehicle manufacturer recommends in the operating instructions. Special leather care products usually contain substances that keep the leather supple.
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Take all the loose ones floor coverings out, including from the trunk. If you discover damp or musty areas, be sure to clarify the cause: rubber profiles on the top could have come loose or shifted or the sunroof drainage system may no longer be working properly. If you don’t act, there is a risk of mold forming.
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Frost protection Check and top up if necessary, change oil. Used oil promotes corrosion. A special protective oil is only necessary if there is a break of several years. Don’t let the engine run for a short period of time in winter – this increases wear and tear unnecessarily.
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If your vehicle doesn’t have one Plastic tank has, fill the tank. This will prevent rust from forming inside. If the vehicle is not in use for longer than a year, it may make sense to drain the fuel system.
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paint Check: Remains of bird droppings, insects or tree resin secretions are often difficult to detect. If left to act for a longer period of time, they can eat through to the metal sheet. That’s why a thorough car wash is important.
This is how the paintwork of a classic car can be cared for
First, eliminate the coarse dirt with plenty of water and a clean sponge. You can tackle coarse dirt with a splash of car shampoo in the water and at the same time protect your paintwork and hands. Better no household cleaner use! Important: if possible, do not stir up any settled dirt particles in the bucket! Rinse everything off with plenty of clean water.
Around the outer shell of the vehicle Shine To bring and protect optimally, one can polish to be required. However, for a well-maintained classic, a thorough cleaning is usually enough.
Be for sealing Hard waxes offered, which are best incorporated into the paint using an application sponge. A microfiber cloth ensures streak-free care results.
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Repair stone chip damage so that the body does not start to rust. You can repair small areas yourself with a touch-up pen: clean and touch up. Tip for prevention: Apply hard wax every now and then.
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Check especially for older models (from 1960) Underbody and wheel arches. If the protective layers show injuries, separation or signs of corrosion, repair them. Remove stuck-on dirt from rims with acid-free rim cleaner.
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Hang those battery regularly – about every two months – for a few hours to charge using the standard charger.
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Increase the air pressure in the tires to three bar to keep them in shape. It’s even better to jack up the car. This permanently relieves the load on tires and wheel suspension.
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Handbrake to not wear. The coverings could “stick”. Car window Open a gap for ventilation.
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Against that Dust A cotton cloth, such as a bed sheet or paletots from a vintage car dealer, helps. You should not use synthetic fiber materials or even plastic films because of their poor moisture permeability.
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By the way: If you have your car longer than seven years If you want to shut down the vehicle, your operating license will expire and the vehicle documents will be invalid. Re-admission then requires a full report.
Seasonal license plates save money and time
If you do this every year same shutdown period For example, from October 1st to April 30th, you should have a seasonal license plate issued by the road traffic office or registration office. This saves you the fees for registration and de-registration as well as trips to the authorities. After the last day of the month selected and printed on the license plate (for 03/10, October 31st), the vehicle may be used from November 1st no longer on public land stand or
drive.
A regular license plate offers you more flexibility. With a “temporary shutdown“, the period can be redesigned every year. This means that if November is mild and sunny, you can continue to use the classic car or convertible or bring the car out of hibernation in March. The pro-rata motor vehicle tax will be refunded, converted on a daily basis. Disadvantage: Fees are charged for each registration and deregistration, and going to the authorities takes time.
It is better to bring forward the main inspection and AU
If general inspections or maintenance work occur during the rest period, these must be carried out immediately after recommissioning. Particularly for vehicles with “temporary decommissioning”, it is advisable to carry out these checks before mothballing. At the Re-admission The vehicle documents will only be handed over to you by the authorities once the test evidence that still needs to be provided is available.
Even if one soon inspection is due, you should bring it forward. Because the specialist workshop can see at a glance what needs to be repaired anyway. A good address for this: the test centers.
Insurance: An interruption of up to six months counts (positively) on the way to a cheaper no-claims class. From seven months onwards, the SF class that existed at the start of decommissioning will be retained – at least that’s how many companies do it. The partially comprehensive insurance contract normally continues without any contributions during the rest period. Specifically, you should clarify this, as well as the proportional refund of premiums already paid, directly with your insurer.
Classic cars like it dry and airy
A is ideal for overwintering air-conditioned roomin which the temperature (approx. 15 degrees) and humidity (relative humidity of approx. 40 percent, measurable with the hygrometer) are maintained constantly – this largely prevents the formation of condensation.
Textiles, rubber and leather also feel quite comfortable in this environment. Avoid poorly ventilated and damp rooms. Some companies (ads in vintage car magazines) offer different options Air improvement solutions at. These include electric dehumidifiers (230 volts) and inflatable plastic covers that are either ventilated by fans or placed in containers with special dry granules from which the absorbed moisture can be removed in the household oven.
Moth out classic cars in spring
Insert battery
Reinstall the battery that was maintained with a “trickle charge” during the rest period. Around To avoid the risk of short circuitsplease note: First the clamp of the plus pole and then that of the minus pole is screwed on.
Check engine oil and coolant levels
A Look under the car Now it can’t hurt: Have leaks left telltale marks on the garage floor? You should quickly get to the bottom of the causes of the leaks and eliminate them immediately.
Tires
Even over months there should be no significant loss of air. In any case, a visibly flat tire still needs to be changed on the spot, otherwise you should go to the first trip anyway Air pressure tester lead at the gas station. If you increased the air pressure to avoid “flat spots” before storage, reduce it back to normal now.
Rear view mirror and glazing
Clean You mirrors and windows thoroughso that the first few meters in the spring sun don’t become a blind flight.
Engine start
If the technology was functional when mothballed, the engine will be replaced at the latest two to three starting attempts start an engine. “Continuing to organize” usually doesn’t help; in vehicles with catalytic converters this can even damage the catalytic converter. This requires troubleshooting, which may only be successful after towing it to a workshop. Manufacturers offer special fuel additives to combat deposits that have formed in the winter months or even over years. They are intended to break down residues in the carburettor, on valves, spark plugs and in the combustion chambers.
Attention: At the first braking the effect can be unexpected! Flash rust on brake discs and in brake drums must first be ground off.
