March is a popular month for the owners of classic cars to bring them out of winter storage with a view to getting them ready to be driven once again. So, what sorts of things should you check on the vehicle before taking it out again for that Sunday afternoon trip?

Well, the first thing to say is that if you only had Laid Up classic car insurance you will need to switch it to the likes of fully comprehensive cover as you are likely to test drive the vehicle once you have checked it over or if you take it to be serviced.

You will want to look under the vehicle to see if there have been any fluid leaks such as water, oil or brake fluid. You may also wish to change the oil and the oil filter and check the water and brake fluid levels and top up where required. When topping up the water in the radiator make sure that you have the correct mix of water and anti-freeze as you may still encounter freezing weather conditions here in the UK in the Spring.

You will need to check that the brakes are working effectively – both the foot and hand brakes. This should avoid encountering any problem if you had to brake suddenly whilst on a journey and discovered that the brakes were not working correctly.

You should check the battery. If you disconnected it whilst the car was in storage you will no doubt need to re-charge it to ensure that it is fully functional.

When you start the car the engine should be left to tick over. Having done that, when safe to do so, you could again check if there have been any fluid leaks.

Check the tyres to make sure that there has been no deterioration whilst the car has not been used over the winter months. Make sure that all the switches, bulbs and windscreen wipers are working.

In any event, it is perhaps worth considering a full service of your classic car.