Top Tips For Buying Your First Classic Car

Have you always dreamed of owning a classic car? Buying your first classic car is exciting, but there’s a lot to take into account to make sure you make the right purchase and get a car you can enjoy for years to come. 

Listen To Your Heart, Brain, and Bank Balance

For most people, the choice to buy a classic car is driven by emotion. Perhaps you want to car you remember your Dad driving you to school in, a car you owned when you were young, or a car you’ve always dreamed of owning. Whatever your reasons, the first step is t decide exactly what model you want. This will mean putting your emotions aside and using your brain too. For example, maybe you love the idea of owning a Jaguar XJS V12, but you will need to consider whether you actually need a 5.3-liter engine, and can afford the maintenance costs that come with this model. If you do need it and can afford it, then you can go ahead and find one to buy. If the answer is no, then maybe another model would be a better choice. 

Do Your Detective Work

Before you buy anything, spend some time looking through buyer’s guides to do some research into the advantages and disadvantages of the car that you are thinking about buying. You could also get in touch with the owner’s club if there is one. These clubs are often keen to bring in new members, so can be a great source of information about fair prices and the availability of spare parts. This information could be what convinces you to take the plunge, or it could put you off and cause a re-think. Whatever happens, you should now have a better idea of the car that is best for you. Now you can look into specifications like color, engine, transmission, body shape, and interior trim. 

What Can You Afford?

This is the big question, and when you need to be sensible. Think about all the research you’ve done so far, and remember you will have maintenance costs to pay for as well as the cost of buying the car. Can you afford to keep your classic car running and in good condition?

Where To Look

Wherever you decide to look for your car, you will need to decide whether to buy from a dealer or a private seller. Dealers are safer and have some legal options if the sale goes wrong. Private sellers don’t have this safety but are often cheaper. Dealers also have the advantage of looking at multiple cars at once. If you go private, you will need to know what you’re looking at, or take someone who does know. If you’re buying from a dealer or a seller who is further away from you, you will also need to decide whether to use a service like Best Car Shippers to get it home, or whether you’re going to drive it back.