Helpful Advice for Keeping Your Exotic Car Safe During Winter

During the winter, most cars are susceptible to damage. With exotic vehicles, however, extra care needs to be taken. Exotic cars are an investment, so it is essential to take care of them. Many people have trouble keeping these luxury vehicles safe during the winter months because they don’t know these simple tips. Here are some great ideas that can help keep your car looking pristine all year long!

Protect Your Tires

Tires are, unfortunately, one of the more overlooked aspects of car care, which is fine when you are driving a regular vehicle. Luxurious cars are often paired with costly tires, so you should properly maintain the wheels during the winter. Some general rules to take into account include:

• It is always good to clean tires of dirt and brake dust before storing them for the winter.
• You should maintain tire pressure on stored vehicles.
• Flat spots can develop in tires if they are stored for a long time.

Regarding flat spots, you can avoid this by jacking your car a few inches off the ground. Another factor affecting your tires during winter is when snow enters your garage during heavy snowstorms and creates pools of water. Although you can ensure that you keep your garage clean, it is far easier to get some garage floor mats to contain snow. These mats work just as well to protect your tires from the elements as they do to protect your garage floor against oil spills, mud, and other things that can destroy your floor over time.

Replace Your Oil and Filters

While most average cars can survive pretty well without too much care, exotic vehicles need some extra love if you’re to keep them in good working order. This is true especially for classic cars, which can be challenging to maintain even in the summer. Therefore, it is wise to give her a change of oil and a nice new filter to match. You will be happy you did this when spring rolls around, and you want to take her out for a spin without too much hassle.

Look After Your Battery

Cold, damp weather and batteries go together like oil and water. In other words, you must care for your battery as well. You can opt to do this by either disconnecting it and taking it inside your house during winter or attaching a trickle charger to keep it topped up. What you do will depend heavily on the type of exotic vehicle you own.

• Classic car: You should disconnect the battery and keep it somewhere warm and dry.
• Modern supercar: This one’s a bit more tricky because of the sensitive electronics involved. It would be best to refer to your owner’s manual, but it is often safer to keep it attached and top it up throughout the cold season.

Turn Your Engine Every Now and Then

Although this has been a debate raging among car owners since time immemorial, the common consensus is that it is probably best to start your engine once in a while. This will keep the oils and lubricants moving around and stop them from pooling at the bottom of the sumps or lines. You should aim to do this at least once every four weeks and, if possible, move your car forwards and backward if you have the space. 

The movement will help the brakes remain smooth and stop them from sticking. Before doing this, always remember to remove the car cover and let it run until the engine reaches operating temperature. You should also be aware of opening your garage and allowing for ventilation. 

Before Storing Your Car, Wash and Wax It

Washing your car routinely and giving it a decent coat of wax is something you should be doing on a semi-regular basis anyway. Still, it takes on a significant role during cold winter months. While an automatic car wash might suffice during summer, you should really opt for a professional hand wash if you will be storing it away during winter. Automatic car washes cannot get into all of the nooks and crannies to get rid of the dirt.

Furthermore, you will need the wax to be applied by hand to get the best results. With a thorough wash and a decent layer of wax, your car should still be looking fabulous even after being stowed away for many months.

Clean the Interior 

Once the exterior has had a nice clean, polish, and waxing, you should turn your attention to the inside. Most luxury cars will have leather seating that is prone to cracking in cold weather.

Therefore, you should buy a leather moisturizer and apply it to the leather surfaces. You must also clean the inside of the glass and close all air vents. The last point is to keep out any bugs that might find their way into your car via the ducts. After a harsh winter, the last thing you want to do is open your car and find it full of bugs! 

Keep Your Coolant Topped Off

Once the temperature drops, coolant and antifreeze will be your best friends, helping keep the vital organs of your car from freezing up. For the correct amount, check the owner’s manual and consider buying a longer-lasting coolant. Be careful about the concentration because too high a concentration level could damage the cylinder heads.

Put Her to Bed!

After making all of the necessary steps regarding cleaning and fluids, your final step is to get a high-quality cover and put your car into hibernation (until you restart the engine four weeks later). The majority of exotic vehicles come equipped with custom-made coverings or have the option of purchasing them.

If you have the opportunity to buy one, it will significantly protect your car from the elements. Moreover, you can use it when the temperature rises as well to protect the paint from fading. 

Winter is a tough time for exotic cars, and some car owners may not be aware of some of the challenges of owning a luxury vehicle in winter. Keeping your exotic car safe from damage and maintaining its pristine condition is vital. 

Protecting your high-end car will require keeping it away from extreme cold or heat. An insulation for garage doors can help in securing your exotic car from harsh weather conditions that can ruin its machine and overall paint. Consider working with garage door providers to ensure your garage door and panels are well-insulated.

Hopefully, these tips will help you as winter approaches.