Do’s and Don’ts for Maintaining Your Classic Cars

Restoring a classic car back into its elegant shape is just the beginning of your hard work. In order to retain the value of the car and to keep it in proper shape, you need to engage in maintenance work.

Maintenance is the part that's most often overlooked by classic car owners. Some may think that cleaning and detailing a car is as simple as washing it and waxing away. The truth is, improper practices might lead to a degradation of your car. In order to avoid that, just read and keep in mind this very simple guide to maintaining your classic.

1. Do keep a schedule for maintenance work. You don't need to do it everyday, since it might take up a lot of time. Once a week will be fine for light maintenance like surface-cleaning the exterior, and twice or once a month for vacuuming, applying wax, polishing, and cleaning your engine.

2. Do wash your car first. If you apply polishers or wax on a dusted car, there's a good chance that you'll ruin the paint. Use great cleaning products that wash and catch dirt and dust, while still being pH-balanced.

3. Don't air-dry the classic car. If you air-dry the car, you will find yourself in a bigger mess than what you possibly have started with. Water-spots will form. Use cotton detailing cloths and wipe off the excess water. These cloths are non-abrasive, and could soak up water real good.

4. Don't use silicone-based protectants when cleaning the rubber and vinyl of the interior. Silicone-based protectants leave oily residues which serves as a magnet to dust. Use water-based protectants instead.

5. Do clean every inch of your interior, even the vents. Use a small brush specialized for cleaning the small parts of the car. Any other brush will just leave hairs behind, and could probably clog up a vent. And don't forget the floor mats--shake them off and vacuum-clean them.

6. Don't use polishers unless the paint won't shine even with all the cleaning. Polishers work by ‘scraping' off the surface paint, thus revealing a new layer. If you use it too often, the paint will thin down too much.

7. Do wax the car, especially after polishing. Wax protects your classic car's paint. What would be better is if you apply a paint sealant first, and apply car wax after. This will protect your car for a good two months at the least, and if your sealant is a good one, maybe even up to six months. (But of course, you still need to clean your car.)

8. Do clean your engine. Degrease the engine first with a good engine degreaser, and wash it using a specialized engine brush and cleaning formulations. Dry your engine afterwards, and apply wax and protectants.

9. Do clean the glass last. This is to avoid re-contaminating it when cleaning the other parts of the classic car. Look for cleaners which are free from ammonia. Household glass cleaners are a big no-no. They contain ammonia, which dries out leather, plastic, and vinyl. Not too good for the other parts of your car, or the glass itself especially if it's tinted.

10. Don't clean your car while it's still hot. Make sure that the engine is cool, and the paint has not been exposed in the sun for too long. Cleaning a hot car will only be more damaging.

11. And finally, do use a properly fitted car cover to protect it from weather effects and dust. An enclosed garage is not enough. Car covers will make your paint last longer, as well as keep dust and bugs away. It will save you much time, as you won't need to clean your car as frequently.

Maintenance is a lot of hard work, but it really pays off. Follow these simple maintenance tips for your classic car, and you will surely have a dazzlin' and shinin' ride.