Tips for storing your classic car over the winter

As the air turns crisp and daylight fades, classic car enthusiasts know it’s time to start thinking about winter storage. But preserving a vintage vehicle through the colder months involves more than just parking it in the garage and throwing on a cover. These cars often represent years of dedication, financial investment, and personal pride. To ensure your classic is ready to hit the road again come spring, without the hassle of dead batteries, stale fuel, rust, or unwelcome critters — proper preparation is key.

Here’s how to store your classic car smartly over the winter.

1. Prepare your garage storage space

Before you even handle the actual car itself, make sure your storage environment is suitable. The ideal storage space for your classic car is clean, dark, and dry. While a home garage may seem convenient, it often exposes the car to temperature fluctuations and moisture.  

Pro tip: A climate-controlled storage unit keeps humidity at just the right level and maintains consistent, moderate temperatures. This will help prevent rust and other damage caused by moisture and temperature swings.  

2. Clean your classic car thoroughly

One of the most important classic car storage tips is also the simplest: Clean your car thoroughly. Cleaning your car before storage is essential. Dirt, water stains, and bird droppings can damage paint and promote rust. Also, crumbs may attract rodents. 

Set aside an afternoon and clean your car from top to bottom: 

Exterior care 

• Protect the paint with a high-quality wax and polish any chrome.  
• Apply tire dressing to keep tires in good condition.  
• Clean the wheels and the undersides of fenders, paying special attention to any grease, tar and grit.

Interior care 

• Vacuum every nook and cranny to remove any crumbs that may have fallen in between seats. 
• Condition your leather and vinyl seats.  
• Consider using a leather conditioner with UV protection to help prevent the seats from cracking and fading over time.

Moisture control 

• Leave some desiccant packs inside to soak up moisture.  
• Avoid storing your car directly on a concrete floor, as it can draw moisture upward; instead, use a vapor barrier or park on rubber mats to reduce condensation beneath the vehicle.

Convertible owners: Controlling moisture is especially important since soft tops can be more susceptible to leaks and humidity buildup.  

• Always inspect the convertible top for any signs of wear or gaps and seal them with a weatherproof treatment to help keep water out.  
• Use breathable car covers designed for convertibles to prevent condensation from getting trapped inside.  

3. Check and change fluids

Before putting your classic car into winter storage, inspecting and refilling all fluids is crucial to prevent damage caused by freezing temperatures and prolonged inactivity. Proper fluid maintenance protects vital engine components and ensures a hassle-free start when spring arrives. 

Here’s what to check for: 

• Avoid leaving used oil in place. Used oil contains contaminants that may cause build-up or even damage your engine if left to sit for more than 30 days. Play it safe and get an oil change. 
• Check your transmission and brake fluid. Top them off or, if it's time for a change, go ahead and do it now. In the spring, you'll be ready to drive out of storage. 
• Check the cooling system. You may want to flush the radiator, but even if not, check to ensure you've got the right antifreeze mix. You don't want to risk an engine block crack. Check the freezing point with a hydrometer and, in colder climates, consider an engine block heater. This will help ensure that your engine starts smoothly even in the coldest temperatures.

Want to keep your classic car in top shape year-round? Check out these 13 essential tips to stay ahead of wear and tear.  

4. Protect tires and suspension

Flat spots on tires are a common issue with vehicles stored for extended periods. To help prevent this: 

• Inflate tires to recommended PSI: Proper tire inflation helps prevent flat spots from developing during long-term storage, maintaining tire shape and ensuring safe driving when you take your car out again. 
• Place car on jack stands: Elevating the car relieves pressure on both tires and suspension, preserving their condition and preventing unnecessary wear. 
• Protect tires from ground moisture: Using plywood, vapor barriers, or rubber mats under the tires blocks moisture from the ground, which can cause tire degradation over time.

5. Fill up the gas tank and add stabilizer

To protect your fuel system during long-term storage, take these steps: 

• Fill the gas tank completely: Keeping the tank full reduces the amount of air, and therefore moisture can accumulate inside, minimizing the risk of rust and corrosion. 
• Add a fuel stabilizer: Fuel stabilizer prevents gasoline from breaking down and forming varnish or build-up, especially important with ethanol-blended fuels that are prone to degradation. 
• Drive for about 20 minutes: Taking your car for a 20-minute drive after adding the stabilizer circulates the treated fuel throughout the system, ensuring all components are protected. 
• Consider an ethanol treatment additive: These additives combat problems unique to ethanol, such as attracting moisture (which can lead to phase separation and corrosion), further protecting your fuel system over the storage period.

6. Tend the battery

When a car sits for long periods, its battery slowly loses charge and eventually dies. If you don't want to purchase a new battery next spring, here’s what to do: 

• Disconnect it. (Negative cable first, then positive cable.) Remove the battery from the car and place it in a safe place, such as on a plank of wood on the floor or on a shelf.  
• Don't store it directly on concrete, as temperature fluctuations may cause the battery to lose charge. 
• You may choose to connect the battery to a trickle charger. Trickle chargers plug into a wall outlet and provide a constant, low charge that keeps the battery topped off. Choose one with an automatic shutoff to prevent overcharging.  
• Alternatively, you can use a battery maintainer, which is designed to keep the battery at an optimal charge level without risking overcharging.

7. Keep rodents out

Rodents can cause significant damage to classic cars during winter storage, chewing through wiring, gnawing on upholstery, and nesting in engine compartments. Their presence can lead to costly repairs, electrical issues, and unpleasant odors that diminish your vehicle’s value and reliability. Protecting your car from these unwelcome pests is an essential part of your winterizing routine. 

• Keep rodents out by plugging exhaust pipes, engine intakes, and other access points with steel wool. Be sure that wherever you’re storing your classic car over the winter, it is sealed correctly to prevent rodents from entering.  
• Spreading dryer sheets or soap shavings inside and around the car will help deter these destructive little pests. 
• You may want to lay traps or spread mothballs around the vehicle.  
• Consider using natural rodent repellents, such as peppermint oil or cedar chips, which can be effective at keeping pests at bay without harsh chemicals.

8. Avoid common classic car storage mistakes

Our final tip is all about what not to do. Avoiding common storage mistakes can make all the difference when it’s time to bring your classic car out in the spring. Follow these simple habits to store your vehicle like a pro and keep it road-ready when warmer weather returns. 

• Run the engine monthly: Start up the car every month to keep fluids circulating, which lubricates the engine and prevents seals from drying out. 
• Maintain the battery: Avoid a dead battery by disconnecting it and connecting to a trickle charger to keep it charged throughout the winter. 
• Prevent tire flat spots: Move the car periodically to avoid flat spots on the tires. If keeping the car stationary, slightly overinflate the tires by about 10 psi. 
• Rotate tire positions: Swap or rotate tire positions regularly to further prevent spot flattening and ensure even wear.

Make sure you’re covered while storing your classic car over the winter

Now that you’ve followed our top tips for winter storage, there’s just one final step to ensure complete peace of mind: make sure your classic car is properly insured while it’s off the road. Even in storage, your vehicle can be vulnerable to risks like theft, fire, or unexpected damage. 

While preparing your car for winter may seem like a lot of work, it’s all about protecting your investment. With the proper care and coverage, your classic car will be safe, sound, and ready to hit the road when spring arrives.

Let Orbit help you protect what matters

Contact one of our collector car insurance brokers today to ensure your classic car is adequately protected, even while it’s stored. We'll help you find a collector car insurance policy that fits your needs so you can relax knowing your car is in good hands, and focus on the excitement of getting back behind the wheel when the time comes.

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Also own an RV?

If you’re a collector car enthusiast who also enjoys RVing, don’t forget to prepare your RV for winter, too. Just like your collector car, your RV needs proper care to avoid costly repairs and ensure it’s ready for adventure when the warmer weather returns. From plumbing to exterior protection, our RV winterizing guide covers everything you need to know. 

Avoid costly repairs: Essential tips for winterizing your RV