How to Maintain the Resell Value of Your Vintage Car

Classic cars are highly valuable and saleable items. This is why a lot of people invest money in purchasing muscle cars. While vintage vehicles are a good investment, they need extra care and maintenance so you can retain their market value.

Here are the best ways you can save maintain the market value of your car without spending too much time, resources, and money.

Double check the parts used

Classic cars that have original parts are more valuable as compared to those that only contain substitute parts. Car collectors tend to lose interest if they discover that the spare parts number doesn’t match.

Check the engine, rear axle, transmission and other major car parts. All these should have an original product code.  

If you hire a mechanic to restore your muscle car, you must ensure that he uses spare parts that match the model and make of the original parts.

Also, take note that while customizing your vehicle may look awesome, it’s better to retain its original appearance and engine parts. By maintaining the original look and feel of your vehicle, you can also resell it at a high price.

Expert tip:Having your car insured will greatly help it retain some of its resell value. Buyers love it when they learn that the vehicle that they will purchase is already insured. Though some insurance premiums are a little bit pricey, you can always spend less with the right classic car insurance provider – you just need to know where to look.

Pay attention to the small details

Buyers will immediately notice even the smallest imperfections. As such, you should pay attention to the small details of your vehicle such as the rubber lining of the windows, window wipers, door handles, trunks, and doors.

To maintain the rubber trims, you should apply water-based rubber and vinyl dressing. Wait for around 15 minutes before you clean and dry them with a towel. Do this maintenance procedure at least twice a month.

Sometimes, because of long exposure to the weather, rubber trims tend to fade quickly. To restore the pristine condition of the trims, you can follow the routine below:

• Wash the car with an appropriate cleaning solution.
• Apply trim restoring solution using a piece of microfiber cloth and wait at least 10 minutes for the solution to dry.
• Feel free to apply 2 to 3 layers to make the trim look darker and shinier. The solution can also serve as a protective layer on the trims.

If the rubber is heavily worn-out, you should replace them instead.

Replace bad tires as soon as you can

Driving on worn-out tires is extremely dangerous. Check the tire tread and determine if it’s above 2/32 to 4/32 of an inch. If the tire s look worn and bald, have them replaced right away.

Worn tires affect the cars gripping ability of the car. This becomes extremely dangerous when you drive on a wet or slippery road during rainy or snowy seasons.

Worn-out car tires are also highly susceptible to punctures. If any of the tires get punctured, your car might suffer from a major blow out. Ultimately, this may cause you to lose control of the auto.

It’s also crucial to have your bad tires changed because they may impact your auto’s fuel economy, braking and steering.  

While replacing tires may cost you a bit of money, it will totally spare you from other major issues such as life-threatening accidents and car damage.   

Keep the interiors clean and tidy

Most classic cars like these are equipped with the best interiors. To keep everything in good condition, take note of the following maintenance tips:

• Invest in quality seat covers so you can protect your seats from stains and other forms of damage.
• Protect the flooring with a clean mat or carpet. Don’t forget to clean the mat or carpet regularly.
• Place a small trash bin inside the car so you can discard paper, food wraps and whatnot the right way.
• Use the right cleaning solution for the seats, dashboard, car door lining and steering wheel.
• Perform a thorough auto detailing at least once a month to keep the interiors clean and organised.
• When cleaning the dashboard, it’s better to vacuum it first, most especially if there are a lot of hard to clean areas. After you clean the dashboard with a vacuum cleaner, you can apply a layer of cleaning solution.
• Spend time cleaning the air vents. These aren’t hard to clean if you have the proper equipment. You can use a long bristle brush and a can of compressed air.
• Keep the interior smelling nice and fresh. Otherwise, you might lose potential car buyers. There is a handful of air freshening products that you can purchase in the market.
• If you smoke inside the vehicle or travel with your pets, hang a deodoriser near the rear view mirror or place a cup filled with charcoal underneath one of the car seats.  

Invest in a good quality waxing service

By waxing your car, you can prevent the paint from fading and oxidizing quickly. It also helps your car look finely polished. After waxing the surface, you can expect to see a super shiny finish.

With regular car waxing, you can also protect your water spots most especially during the rainy seasons.

The waxing process is quite simple to do. You just need to apply a layer of wax on the car surface and let it harden. Once it’s hard enough, you can start buffing it off using a polisher or a towel.

Final words of wisdom

Performing car maintenance is not a hard task. You should try to schedule performing thorough car maintenance as regularly as you can.

It will help you retain the market value of your vehicle and get the best deal when you apply for a classic car insurance deal.

It’s crucial to have your classic car insured because it is required by the law. If you drive without car insurance for your muscle car, you may be penalised.

If you’re having a hard time finding a car insurance policy that fits your needs, you can check out BBC’s car insurance shopping guide. They have a ton of useful tips that you can use.

Speaking of tips, make sure to keep in mind the maintenance tips we provided above. While there are many ways you can use to succeed in the buy and sell business, maintaining your muscle car costs less money, time and resources.

Use these tips above and you can surely get the best deal for your vintage vehicle.