Why entrust classic car storage to a workshop?
A car that is not driven does not wear less; it wears differently. The battery runs down, the tyres flatten where they rest, the brake discs gather surface rust, seals dry out and fuel ages in the tank. On a classic or a modern sports car, these effects stay invisible for a few weeks, then turn into repairs.
Classic car storage in a workshop answers that problem in a way a garage space cannot. The car is placed with mechanics who know it, prepared before it is laid up, and checked before it returns to the road. If a service is due, it is carried out while you are away; if a fault appears, you are told before any work is done.
How should a car be prepared for winter storage or a long lay-up?
The preparation depends on the car, the length of the lay-up and your wishes. It is agreed with you when the car arrives and confirmed in writing. The same points are always covered:
A modern sports car full of control units and a carburetted 1960s coupé are not prepared in the same way. The preparation follows the manufacturer’s recommendations where they exist, and takes into account how you intend to use the car on your return.
- Fluids: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and, depending on the car, gearbox oil or power steering fluid, checked before the lay-up.
- Tyres: pressures adjusted for storage, to limit flat-spotting of the tread.
- Battery: kept on charge throughout the storage period, so that it neither runs flat nor deteriorates.
- Protection of the bodywork and interior while the car is parked, as agreed with you.
- Inspection on arrival: anything that deserves attention is pointed out to you before storage begins.
What happens while the car is in storage?
The car remains in the workshop, under cover. The terms of storage — what is done, what is included and what is not — are set out in writing before the car arrives. Nothing is added without your consent.
It is also the right moment for servicing and maintenance: oil change, brakes, belts, small repairs. The car is off the road in any case, so the work does not eat into your driving days. Each job is quoted line by line, and photographs of the key stages are sent to you as the work progresses.
Recommissioning before the season
Before you return, the car is recommissioned: fluids checked again, tyre pressures restored, battery tested, brakes inspected after the lay-up, then a road test. Anything worth mentioning is reported to you before you take the wheel, not at the first bend.
You land on the Côte d’Azur and the car is ready. For owners with a second home in Cannes, Monaco or Saint-Tropez, that is the whole point of storage: not spending the first days of your stay charging a battery or looking for a garage with a free slot.
Storage and transport for owners across Europe
Storage is equally suited to owners who live elsewhere in Europe and use their car only part of the year. If it needs to reach Mougins, or return home at the end of the season, transport organised by the workshop is available on request, within France and across Europe, with terms set out in writing before any departure.
Storage can therefore frame a longer project: the car arrives, is serviced or restored, waits for your visit, then leaves again. You deal directly with the owner of the business, in French, English, Russian or Arabic, and a single team follows the car from start to finish.
Keep, maintain or sell: one address
A stored car is not frozen in time. Should you consider parting with it, the workshop can offer it on consignment or take it in part-exchange; if you keep it, every job is recorded on a detailed invoice that adds to its service history.
To agree the storage terms for your car, the simplest route is to request a quote, stating the model, the dates you have in mind and the services you would like.