Purchaser’s information to the dream vacation spot!
Purchasing vintage vehicles is a fun and exciting pastime, but it can also be difficult if you are just starting out and are unfamiliar with the market. We’ve put together a thorough guide to assist you go through the buying process so you can make it a complete success.
Vintage vs. Classic vs. Antique vs. Old Cars
Many customers commit the error of spending a sizable sum of money on vehicles that are neither vintage, classic, nor antique but rather simply old, worn-out, and decaying vehicles. Here is a quick summary of each category so that you never again get lost in the terms: Classic automobiles are those built in 1990 or earlier, antique cars are those produced in 1975 or earlier, and vintage cars are those produced between 1919 and 1930. Antique cars are at least 45 years old. Since characteristics like make, condition, rarity, originality, and mileage can considerably affect buyers’ desire for the car and its corresponding price, the price is also a key determinant of the car’s intrinsic value and appeal. However, a lot of dealers frequently do so in an effort to mislead the buyers and make astronomical profits from the sale by providing average, subpar vehicles at exorbitant rates. Knowing who you are buying from and how reliable and respectable the seller is is so crucial. The VCC team offers very cheap prices for the vehicles we sell in addition to many additional high-quality services and qualified car experts, making the transaction safe and affordable for our valued customers.
Licence Plates & Historical Designation
Understanding which category the car belongs to can also be done with the aid of the license plates. In fact, each US state has its own unique standards for determining a car’s categorization and whether it qualifies as historically significant. For instance, the State of Alabama grants “Vintage Vehicle” status to vehicles that are over 30 years old, operated as a collectible, and are either private passenger vehicles, motorcycles, fire trucks, standard trucks, or truck tractors and weigh no more than 26,000 pounds gross weight. It is much simpler for you to understand what you are investing in because the category and designation of a collectible vehicle are printed on the vehicle’s license plate. Before making a significant selection, it is crucial to comprehend these small variations and conduct market research because antique cars typically require a lot of upkeep and repair.
Define Your Style!
You grant your historic vehicle the right to develop and display a picture of you as soon as you get behind the wheel. Choose something that truly inspires you, something that takes your heart away every time you look at it, after considering a wide range of possibilities. If you’re overwhelmed by your selections, make it a practice to make thorough lists where you can list all the advantages and disadvantages of each car. Our inventory is a fantastic location to start your study because it offers thorough descriptions, wonderful introductory movies, and fascinating historical details about every vehicle you see on our page. Your search will be more focused, better structured, more time-efficient, and ultimately effective once you’ve gathered all the required data and determined your top choices. Having said that, we strongly advise against choosing a really rare car for your initial purchase because rarity also entails expensive maintenance and repairs because the parts of rare vintage cars are in extremely short supply and frequently demand premium prices.
Ensure Good Insurance!
Numerous factors distinguish modern auto insurance from classic auto insurance. Particularly, classic or historical car insurance is significantly more expensive than insurance for new vehicles, which is justified by the difficulty in locating replacement car parts as well as the fact that older vehicles need a lot of maintenance. What’s even more astounding is that insurance policies differ even within the classic, antique, and vintage vehicle classifications, with each insurance package being tailored to the requirements of the particular vehicle group. You could feel overawed by these variations and subtleties, but hold off on getting irritated or dejected—we have some encouraging news for you! Due to the fact that classic automobiles are typically not used for daily driving, a lot of insurance providers supply buyer-friendly plans and spectacular premiums at reasonable costs for insurance. We encourage you to select an insurance provider that focuses primarily on historic automobiles and has a specific area of expertise because they typically provide a wider range of services, including complete insurance policies for older vehicles. For instance, Hagerty, the leading specialized insurer for antique and collector cars, offers premiums that are typically up to 36% less expensive than those for regular auto insurance. Even more exciting to know is that even if your future car lacks an official historical designation, it can still be eligible for Agreed Value insurance and affordable charges. The Agreed Value policies let you determine the collectible’s value and pay you the entire insured value in the event of a total loss. Invest in a good insurance policy, and you can relax knowing that all precautions are being taken to protect your money and collectibles.
Take the Road!
Never taking your new collectible car for a ride is one of the worst things you can do to it. Even in the cleanest and most ideal storage conditions, vintage cars tend to rot and deteriorate if they are not used at least occasionally. Consider your new car as a living thing that requires movement and exercise to maintain long-term health and fitness. Old or new, cars need movement just as much as they need fuel to stay running, both metaphorically and literally, thus they shouldn’t be kept in a dark, dreary garage for extended periods of time. We completely understand your inclination and want to view your new collection as an ancient figurine housed in a museum vitrine that you are reluctant to touch for fear of inadvertently breaking the piece of art. However, we firmly encourage you to treat your machine like a machine and to think of it as such. Follow our advice on how to get your vintage car ready for the road, and you’ll be good to go for the ride.
