Keeping cars on the road
Secrets from classic car owners

Ronald Blanchette of Lewiston can’t quite remember when he first had an interest in automobiles. But as he recently celebrated his 68th birthday at a classic car show in Windham, Maine, it is clear that his love of cars has been a life-long passion.
“The first car I owned was a 1955 Ford Skyline,” recalls Blanchette. Today, he is showing off an orange and black, 1971 Leyland Mini Clubman GT, what many people might call a Mini Cooper, made popular from its uncanny reoccurrence in cinema chase scenes. “I paid for the boat ride that brought it from England to Nova Scotia where I picked up the mini for $3,800.”
By viewing the impeccable paint job and the high luster shine of the car, Blanchette knows all too well the secrets of making a car look good and keeping it roadworthy for many years.
“Regular maintenance is the most important of all,” said Blanchette, “And when you find something (that needs repair), attend to it when you see it. Many drivers keep a list of things that need to be done and work from that.”
Parked next to Blanchette’s Clubman is a jet black 2008 Audi A-5, that’s easily two and a half times the size of the Mini. Owner Jon Cary, also from Lewiston, paces around the car non-stop with a spray bottle in one hand and drying cloth in the other, keeping the car’s sheen vibrant for the day’s judging. The car is special because it was the first year that the Audi A 5 was sold in the United States.
Cary is quick to share the best car care tips he uses on his prized vehicle.
“Never miss an oil change and always wash the car to keep the paint nice,” said Cary, who recommends changing the oil every 3,000 miles or possibly a bit longer, if using synthetic oil.”
His car washing style is the two-bucket approach, one with soapy water and the other with clean water to rinse out the grit, salt or sand that might be washed off the vehicle. As for cleaning the engine, Cary recommends a cleaning spray and a rag rather than the high pressure water hoses that can place water in parts of the engine.
Sporting a tee-shirt emblazoned with “Team 207” on the front, Andy Faucher of Lewiston is a proud member of an auto club that promotes networking among classic car owners. He’s the owner of a 1996 Dodge Neon that’s a “tuner” in classic car talk.
“Tuners are cars where the owners add things to them to make them much different from the original factory condition,” said Faucher. Today, the Neon looks more like a race car than family car with modified doors, hood, trunk and side panels.
Faucher agrees that washing a vehicle often is vital for maintenance and recommends hand washing rather than automatic washing. When it comes to shining the car, Faucher prefers a liquid polish such as Turtle Wax Ice while fellow car owner, Cary, uses a more expensive car wax that’s warmed before use and literally applied by hand.
All of the owners agree that taking care of tires is a wise investment in time and energy by checking the tire pressure and getting regular wheel alignments.
“Ideally, I’d recommend a complete set of summer tires and another set of winter tires for a vehicle,” said Cary, who drives his sporty BMW to his state job each day. “All-season tires are okay, but they don’t do a good job in the winter. I suggest buying two sets if you can afford it.”
And if money were no object, what dream car would these car buffs like to own?
“A 2000 Rover Mini 1.3 500 Series,” said Blanchette, noting that this was one of the last 500 cars ever made from the 500 Series design.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Faucher, the youngest car owner, satisfied with the uniqueness of his Dodge Neon.
“A 1988 Lamborghini Countach,” said Cary, because he had a poster of the car on his bedroom wall while growing up. “It was right next to my poster of Daisy Dukes,” referring to the shapely young lady from “The Dukes of Hazzard” TV series in the early 1980’s.
“And she rode around in a 1969 Dodge Charger,” said a nearby visitor at the car show. “Now that was a classic!”

Car care tips from classic car owners
Thanks to Ronald Blanchette, Jon Cary, and Andy Faucher of Lewiston

Don’t forget oil changes at least once every 3000 miles.
Routine maintenance is the key to making a vehicle remain on the road longer.
Wash your vehicle. It sounds simple, but it is one of the best things to do to maintain the paint on your vehicle.
If money allows, buy one complete set of summer tires and another of winter tires. All season tires or okay, but they may not offer the extra traction that winter tires can provide.
The experts agree that putting a shine on the vehicle helps to maintain the body and showcase the vehicle. Whether to use wax or polish is a matter of personal preference.