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Our Christmas survival guide

 

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By Beth Judd, 19th December 2016

 

'Tis the season to prevent your car from freezing... our survival guide!

Don’t let the cold stop you from having fun driving this festive season.

 

 

Here's' a few tips to ensure your car is fully protected during the cold winter months:

    • Use a battery conditioner to keep your car’s battery in good order & ready to go.

 

    • It is a great idea to fill your tank with fuel before storing your car. It’s the oldest trick in the book & for good reason. A full tank of fuel prevents condensation corroding the inside of the tank. If you can't get your classic to the patrol station why not use a good old 'Jerry' can?

 

    • New oil is essential, if the oil turns acidic your car’s engine won’t run efficiently. We highly recommend the use of Dynolite Oils.

 

    • Clean your car inside & out, think of it as spring cleaning in winter. Both the interior & exterior are extremely vulnerable during the winter months & need a regular spruce up to prevent grime & muck infiltrating nooks & crannies which can lead to corrosion & rust. See our full range of Meguiar's car care cleaning products.

 

    • Keep the car covered & in a dry area, try to use a car cover with a breathable material such as poly-cotton, polyester or plypropylene as plastic can cause excess moisture which can cause damage. See our full range of Classic Additions indoor & outdoor car covers.

 

    • Don’t leave the handbrake on as the brakes can seize, instead we recommend you use our low rise ramps to keep your car in place.

 

Our Christmas survival guide

 

    • Use it or lose it! Not using your car during the winter is the worst thing you could do! We recommend you take it out for a decent run at least once a month & a short journey to bring the engine to full operating temperature once a week.
      That way there is less chance of a flat battery or seized brakes which are just two common issues with cars that spend a long time laying up during the cooler winter months. We believe just revving the engine once in a while is not enough to warm the engine up throroughly, plus there's nothing better than a blast through the country lanes on a crisp winter's day!

 

“Even fitting winter tyres will give you up to 50% better braking performance in winter conditions."

 

  • Leaving your car unused can do more harm than running it through the winter. If left the damage to your car can be costly to repair, plus it could be seriously dangerous when it is put back in to use after months of being kept in storage.

 

Our Christmas survival guide

 

So these were our tips if you are storing your car this winter, but if you are driving home for Christmas in your classic car here are our tips for surviving the busy roads:

 

    • If you’re going out on slippery roads this winter, checking the tyres making sure they are at the correct tyre pressure & have a good amount of tread is essential. The legal tyre tread depth is 1.6mm but we recommend that 4mm for winter conditions.

 

    • Even fitting winter tyres will give you up to 50% better braking performance in winter conditions compared to standard tyres.

 

    • Top up washer fluid & replace worn wiper blades to help clear your screen. If you’ve been in a car during winter you'll know that even if it’s not raining you'll still get sprayed with salty grit off the roads & good visibility during winter is essential.

 

    • A common issue with classic cars is a misted up screen – make it a thing of the past by fitting one of our heated windscreens & have clear vision in seconds*.
      *Timings may vary.

 

    • Pack an emergency kit consisting of a heated blanket, large bottle of water, snacks, a portable phone charger & a map. These are just some of the things you will regret not packing if you break down on the roads this winter!

 

  • LED bulbs are much brighter than the traditional bulbs - upgrade your classic's lights to see & be seen!

 

The most important thing to remember is to keep enjoying your classic car even in the colder months & not to forget about it until spring. If you treat it nicely during the winter months then it will pay off come the summer months!

 

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