There are many people who dream of owning a classic car and they imagine themselves driving along the beach in a convertible 1966 Mustang, or cruising down the road in a 1964 GTO. But how easy is it to buy your first classic car? MyClassicCarWorld.com has helped thousands of people find a great classic automobile to purchase and enjoy for years.
What to look for
Buying a classic car is fairly straightforward, but you do need to take care in deciding exactly what type of vehicle best fits your needs. It’s no good buying a 1967 Camaro if you want to use the vehicle for family outings (with kids and dogs). But a bigger classic car, like a 1968 Roadrunner might be more what you need. Key practical considerations therefore need to be: Number of passengers, number of doors, hard-top or convertible, gas mileage.
Where to store it
Where you store the car is also a major factor. Unfortunately, most muscle cars simply don’t stand up to the weather like new ones, so you’ll need to keep your new antique auto in a garage to maintain its appearance. Leaving a classic automobile outside, even in areas with warmer climate, is not good for the car’s longevity.
Condition
The condition of your selected collector car is a major consideration. If you have lots of auto repair experience in your background, a rust bucket will hold no fear for you. The key is to be very realistic about what you can take on. A full rotisery restoration project is one thing ? but it might make more sense to take on a project that has been partially completed, and just needs a few odd and ends to get it back on the road.
Equally, you may find a ‘bargain’ that may well be worth more than you paid when it is complete. But spending hours trying to find obsolete parts, or having to outsource elements of the rebuilding project to experts, will soon make you wonder whether it was all worthwhile.
A sensible option when buying your first classic car is to spend a little more money, but go for something that is presentable even if it takes a little longer to find that special car that you have been fantasizing about.
Where to find Classic Cars
The internet is a great way to track down a classic car. In the old days, buyers had to scour the newspapers or buy specialist magazines, but now simply typing ‘Corvette’ or ‘Chevelle’ into Google is likely to bring up results. You’ll find dealer sites, individuals using auction sites like e-bay, even classic car ads placed on classified sites such as MyClassicCarWorld.com.
Prepare before you buy
If you’ve progressed to going out to look at classic cars, choose a time to see it during the day time. Avoid seeing it at night, or in the rain too. You should also consider taking along an expert with you. When inspecting a potential classic car, be sure to:
? Look underneath the vehicle.
? Look for signs of sagging, which might indicate suspension or chassis problems
? Carefully look for signs of bodywork repairs, especially paint retouches.
? Inspect the body for rust and rot, or cracking in the example of fiberglass-bodied cars, like Corvettes.
? Lift up the carpets if you can, checking the floor pans.
? Try to start it from cold. Most owners warm their cars before buyers arrive.
? Take it for a test drive ? listen for knocks, grinding, and look for smoke which may indicate oil escaping and burning.
? Be aware of a soft or lazy clutch and check to see whether the car has a tendency to pull to the left or right.
We hope this information will help you take the first steps to buying a classic car. The key things to remember are: Take your time to consider what’s best and consider your options; Don’t be afraid to ask an expert or knowledgeable friend for advice; Ask plenty of questions; And be thorough with your inspection. Always offer the owner less than he or she is asking.
Follow these simple rules and your purchase of a classic car, muscle car, or antique auto should be a joy, not a disaster.