THE host of Wheeler Dealers has revealed the four key checks owners of classic cars must carry out before winter hits.
Mike Brewer, 59, who co-presents the Discovery Channel’s show with Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestly, said owners need to start doing regular checks in November to avoid issues cropping up in the spring.
GettyThe popular TV star has shared his advice on how to look after classic cars during the cold winter months[/caption]
The popular TV show sees vintage vehicles restored to their former glory and sold in the hope of making a tidy profit.
Brewer said that vintage car owners should never leave their cars in the garage unattended throughout the autumn and winter in order to avoid having to fork out for potentially pricey repairs.
Brewer told Express.co.uk: “If I don’t drive them frequently and regularly they don’t like it, they start to leak, they start to decay, the rubbers don’t like it. It’s simple things.
“If you’ve got a classic car, now’s the time to talk about this coming into winter.
“Lots of people will take their classic cars and tuck them away in the garage and forget about them until the spring.”
He advised owners should sit in their beloved car once a month and start it up, letting the engine warm up to normal running temperature and then let it cool down.
Brewer also said the doors needed to regularly opened and shut, because the rubber seals need to compress in order for them to remain supple.
If they aren’t opened and shut regularly, they can dry out and decay.
His third piece of advice was to roll the car forward five inches before rolling it back 10 inches – this rolls the tyres around so you don’t “square” the tyres.
He also advised to put your foot on the brake pedal and put your foot on the clutch pedal and switch the lights on and off.
Classic cars can “suffer” from the cold winter months without getting regular attention, according to the experts at insurance company Carole Nash.
Fluids in the car, like oil and antifreeze can thicken in the cold temperatures which then could cause “multiple internal issues”.
Batteries can also seize up due to the freezing temperatures and tyre pressures can also fluctuate when they’re not being used.
Previously, the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs has warned that petrol-ethanol mixtures, like E10 fuel, should also be drained and replaced as the solution can cause corrosion.
By carrying out regular maintenance checks this can limit any problems with keeping a classic car stored away over the winter.
Brewer’s words of wisdom come just days after he announced he was selling his own classic car – an ultra-rare 1968 Chevrolet for £60,000.
Previously, he had offered a £5,000 reward for his Ford Fiesta Mk1 that went missing in June.
The still-missing Fiesta was specially built to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Wheeler Dealers show, as well as the end of the iconic Ford hatchback- which came off the production earlier this year.
A trailer being used to store and transport the classic motor was stolen from the car park of the hotel where the TV star was staying the night before he was going to unveil it on his show.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Brewer explained: “We were hoping to celebrate two milestones in fact on this episode of Wheeler Dealers.
“One being that we’ve now came up to our 20th year of Wheeler Dealers and we are so excited to be celebrating 20 years we thought we’d do a special build of a very special car.”
Marc added that the team also embarked on the build as Ford are set to discontinue their Fiesta model cars.
He told fans: “Many of you will know that, they are ending it next year and it’s a crying shame, it’s such an iconic car so we thought we would build a very special version of that car.”
DiscoveryMike Brewer and Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley present the popular Discovery car show[/caption]