Winter Car Care Part 1: Storage

Welcome to the first part of a two-part guide to preparing your Aston for the winter months ahead. This week we’ll be looking at the best practice for long-term storage to keep your Aston Martin in the best condition for the new year.

Whether a heritage model or a more modern Aston Martin, many owners choose to garage their car for the winter months either to protect it or simply because it won’t get driven. With poor preparation however a long-term period of storage can have adverse effects, therefore we’ve put together a handy guide to storing your Aston Martin over the winter.

Cleaning

Firstly, the cleaner your car is before going into storage the more protected it is while in the garage. A thorough clean, both inside and out, ensures that any grime or dirt is fully removed and therefore can’t contaminate or interact with the paint or trim of your car. Pay particular attention to chrome- and paintwork where grit particles from the road can damage the surface with scratches or adverse reactions. The underneath of the car needs to be washed as well, both to protect from corrosion and to make any potential fluid leaks easier to identify.

Tyre Care

While parked up for longer periods of time it’s possible for tyres to develop a ‘flat spot’ where the bottom of the tyre deforms and becomes less circular. Flat spots of this nature are immediately noticeable when the car is driven again, with vibrations through the chassis and steering wheel. While this kind of flat spot will normally fix itself after a period of driving, it’s possible to avoid them completely with some simple preparation. Increasing the tyre pressure (within the safe limits of the tyre)  can help reduce the likelihood of developing flat spots during long term storage. For even more protection a set of Tyre Cushions will help distribute the weight of the car around more of the tyre.

Battery Health

With cold temperatures coming, the effect of a long period of storage will be worse than normal. If a car isn’t going to be regularly used the best option would be a trickle charger capable of charging and maintaining the battery while the car is in storage. Advanced battery chargers will maintain the battery without overcharging it keeping it in prime condition for the reawakening of your Aston Martin after the winter.

Fluids

Although your car may lay stationary for the winter months it’s important to keep the fluids within the car topped up. If the oil hasn’t been changed in a while, consider booking that in now to avoid any contaminates in the old oil causing damage while the car is stored. Coolant levels should also be kept topped up to protect against freezing if the storage location isn’t temperature controlled. If your car has an oil or other fluid leak it will become very noticeable after a period of storage, so check the car regularly for any signs of leaking.

Final Tips

You can avoid seized brakes by leaving your car either in gear or in ‘Park’ with the handbrake off, and for extra reassurance chocks either side of all wheels ensure the car won’t roll. A car cover is ideal for keeping dust and other air pollutants off your car while it’s stored; indoor car covers are breathable and will keep your car as clean as the day you put it into storage. Finally, regularly check your car throughout its winter storage. Look for any oil or fuel leaks, ensure the trickle charger is working correctly and check the interior of the car for any signs of condensation build up.

Dedicated Car Storage companies may include all of the above guidance as part of their offering, however it is always best to check what exactly is part of the storage arrangement. While Aston Workshop is currently unable to store any more customer cars, consider combining a period of winter storage with some TLC for your car. While your car is being worked on at Aston Workshop no storage fees are charged, so if your Aston needs some care over the winter why not consider if we can help?

Aston Workshop are always on hand to provide honest, obligation free advice on the safe storage of you heritage or modern Aston Martin. Give us a call on +44 (0) 1207 233 525 or email us at astonworkshop@aston.co.uk with any questions you may have; Neil or Chris in our workshop will be happy to help.