Buying a vintage car can be intimidating and risky. It’s not just an investment of your money, but an investment of your time and love toward vintage cars. You should know what you’re getting into before making this big purchase. Here are 4 things you need to know before taking the plunge!
What kind of vintage car do you want?
The first step is to know what kind of vintage car interests you. There are so many different examples on the market, and some will be more expensive than others while some might have a lower price tag but require extra work to get it up and running. If this is your first time buying one, do your research and get a feel for what you want. The more cars you look at, the better idea you’ll have of what interests you, plus it will allow you to compare prices and find the best deal available. There are so many amazing classic vehicles, each with its striking characteristics. When choosing a vintage car, consider which cars you have seen in movies or at vintage car shows and think about how each of those cars was to see for the first time. Is it a vintage Aston Martin from James Bond? Or maybe a Volkswagen Beetle?
Is it comfortable?
A vintage car is not supposed to be comfortable by modern standards because they were never originally designed with that in mind… right? Well no, not exactly. If it wasn’t comfortable to drive back in its day, chances are after 40-60 years of use it’s going to need some work done before being ready for any serious driving. The reason people buy old cars isn’t that they’ve been keeping them for under a year but rather their previous owners took great care of them before passing them down. You’ll spend a lot of time in your vintage car – you might as well enjoy the ride.
Will it be reliable?
Let’s be honest, even if you don’t plan on driving every day, there are still plenty of other things that could go wrong with your vintage car. Unlike modern cars that have advanced computers to figure out what needs attention and which parts should be replaced next, older cars rely on their owners knowing basic mechanics to keep them running smoothly. Even then, nothing is guaranteed because these cars were built without high-tech sensors or monitoring equipment. If something goes wrong, it’s up to the car owner to find out why first before getting help from someone else.
Restauration of an oldtimer
This is probably the biggest deterrent for a lot of people when it comes to buying a vintage car – the restoration process. It’s not just a matter of slapping on a new coat of paint, you’re talking about replacing metal panels, refurbishing the engine, and so on. Depending on how much work needs to be done, it can easily cost thousands of dollars to get your car back up to its former glory (or even better). Of course, you could always do some or all of the restoration work yourself if you’re handy with tools, but that’s another investment to consider.
Insurance
Even if you’re not driving all the time, you still need to keep your car insured at all times (even more so than with modern cars). You can be sued for someone else’s injuries or property damage; even if it happened because of something that broke on your vintage car, you could still be held responsible. The last thing you want is a situation where a faulty part forces you into bankruptcy just because you didn’t have insurance. Save yourself some headaches and protect yourself from any potential mishaps by properly insuring your vintage car at all times against theft, damages, and other incidents that may occur during ownership.
Do you have a vintage car enthusiast friend?
This one’s a no-brainer. If you have a friend or family member that loves vintage cars and knows everything there is to know about them, ask for help! Even if they aren’t able to personally help with your purchase, just having another person there during the inspection process can mean all the difference in identifying any potential problems. And as always, it’s good to have someone share the fun of owning a vintage car!
Even with the best of intentions, buying a vintage car can come with its own set of risks. If you understand what lies ahead and prepare yourself accordingly, there’s no reason it should be any less rewarding than having a modern car. With some patience and dedication, you’ll be cruising around in your very own antique and showing off to all your friends!
Featured image: Oli Woodman/Unsplash
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