5 tips for buying your first classic car

Have you always desired a vintage Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Thunderbird, or Porsche 911? Have you decided that now is the time to bite the bullet and buy your first vintage vehicle? Here are some tips to help you get it right:

1. Set a realistic budget

Vintage cars can be expensive to buy and they can be even more expensive to restore and maintain, so if you don’t want to end up with a vehicle that you can’t do very much with due to the lack of funds in your account, draw up a budget that takes into account, not just the purchase of the car but all that comes after, and you’re less likely to be disappointed in the end.

2. Get friendly with a local auto body shop

When you buy a vintage vehicle, it is always a good idea to have the backup of a decent auto body shop. Sure, most fans of classic cars buy their own with the intention of working on it themselves, but there are some things only the professionals can do really well. If you have a good relationship with your local mechanic, not only will you be able to get better deals, but they’ll be more inclined to offer you advice and assistance when you need it.

3. Find somewhere to store it

Hopefully you have a garage but if you do not, you will need to rent storage space for your classic car. Vintage vehicles are rarely in the right shape to be left outdoors for long periods of time. Not only that, but you are likely to be working on them regularly, which means you need a space to do that. If you don’t have your own garage, rent a unit before you buy your vehicle and give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can safely lock your new car up at the end of the day.

4. Find a specialist insurance company

There are some insurance companies that specialize in vintage and classic cars, and finding one is going to be your best bet for getting a great deal on your car insurance. Classic car insurance is typically cheaper than insurance for modern vehicles, but if your classic car is very desirable or worth a lot of money, that may not be the case, and anyway, making savings where you can is always a good idea because it means you have more money to spend on vehicle restoration.

5. Join an owners’ club

Once you have your classic car, or even before you take the plunge, you should join an owners’ club for the model you are purchasing. Why? Because these individuals in these clubs agave been there and done that. They can give you lots of hints and tips when it comes to restoring your vehicle, put you in touch with trusted sellers, and of course, become fast friends who you can meet up with for drives and fun times.

Classic cars offer timeless joy, but you need to choose wisely!


Photo Credit: Newspress

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