Antique And Vintage Cars And Their Alure
January 21, 2008
Generally speaking, antique cars are those that are at least 25 years of age. The costs of insurance policies for antique cars are also very low and tend to vary between $100 and $250 per year to meet minimum legal requirements.
These cars are usually viewed at car shows because most are not driven around anymore. Vintage cars are typically exposed to such light service that they are not expected to have any valve seat problems.
Classic cars are generally considered to be high-quality vehicles from the pre-World War II era. Unrestored original antique cars are extremely hard to fine, especially the low-production ones. I’ve been told that these cars are hard to find and when you do find one the price is out of this world.
Many run of the mill antique cars are worth a lot less then its street rodded sister. These older cars are seldom suited to long pre-touring runs and carrying them on trailers is a costly business.
The antique cars are always very busy during the summer and is one family ride that families like to take when they are in that part of the park. Vintage and antique cars are now fetching record prices at auction.
Most antique cars are owned by private collectors who don’t advertise rentals, but in fact many of them are more than willing to provide the service. Collectors of these cars are ever eager to display the vehicle they have spent time and money refurbishing.
These classic cars are exempt from Personal Property Taxation. These cars are always a head turner anywhere in the world. Antique cars are more likely to be stolen.
These vintage cars are generally prided and kept in pristine condition. They are even more damage prone than regular cars and the worst part is that their repairs are costlier too.
What is more amazing is how owner’s of these antique cars maintain their priceless vehicle. Restoring and driving these cars is not a sport for paupers though. The Ford Model T Pickup truck was the truck that began the great tradition af American pickups.
Five Reasons To get An Appraisal For Your Classic Car
January 21, 2008
You have just spent thousands of hours and countless nights and weekends creating your labor of love, a classic car. One of the most important things you do once you acquire or finish restoring a classic car is to get an appraisal. Let me offer you the most important reasons for getting a classic car appraisal:
Insurance
If you have a house fire, or fire in your garage, your insurance company will not pay replacement value. Also in the event of an accident, the insurance company will not pay replacement value. Having an appraisal will establish a recognized value for your car. With such an appraisal, it is much easier to obtain insurance or settle a claim.
Your Estate
In the unlucky event of your demise, your children or heirs will have a statement as to your cars worth. This will assist them in settling and liquidating your estate.
Selling Your Classic Car
An appraisal by a qualified individual is always a good thing to have when selling your classic car. Your potential seller can contact your appraiser to verify your claims. An appraisal will help set your buyers mind at ease and expedite the sales process.
Obtaining A Loan
There may be times when you will need to use collateral for another purchase, maybe another car. You can use your written car appraisal to help you get a loan.
Buying A Classic Car
There is nothing worse than the realization you just got ripped off by a dishonest seller. Before you purchase a vehicle, an appraisal can help keep you from paying too much, and, uncover any unseen or undisclosed defects present in the car or truck.
An appraisal will normally consist of an evaluation of the cars exterior, interior, mechanics and accessories. The appraiser will factor in data from various classic car guides, auction results and retail and wholesale sales of similar model cars. By taking this extra step in getting an appraisal for your classic car, you are saving yourself from a lot of headaches in the future and keeping the fun in classic car ownership.
Ross Bassette is an experience eBay merchant and an avid collector of classic hot rods and classic cars. If you enjoyed reading this article, please feel free to visit our website and search for your four-wheeled dream. The Rat Rod barn
A Look at Those Beautiful Old American Cars
January 21, 2008
To be honest, I don’t like the fact that most cars of today look the same because I love stylish cars. In my opinion, every car should have an individual personality. The classic American cars certainly have this unique attributes. Pontiac, Cadillac, Chevrolet and the names of other classic cars conjure up an image of speeding down the freeways and neighborhoods.
However, people who are concerned with the environment do not patronize big, brash cars because they tend to be gas-guzzlers. For instance, a Hummer SUV gives a staggering nine miles to the gallon. Since I am also an environment minded person, American cars offer me a conflict of interest.
In the past, we were never too concerned about how many miles we were getting to the gallon. A few decades ago, the government didn’t pile the tax on driving costs because fuel was cheap and there was no welfare state to support. However, the price of gas has steadily increased and more people are now concerned about the impact of American cars on the environment.
European cars, such as Saab and BMW, which are more economical to run, are now becoming more popular. However, some people still consider these cars as American cars because some of them are manufactured in the US. These cars represent a necessary lifestyle change, even if they may not be as much fun.
There are a few American cars that have entered the culture as icons. Some American cars have made a contribution to many movies and TV shows. For example, the cherry red Ford Gran Torino was like another character in the “Starsky and Hutch” series. This car is known affectionately as the striped tomato. It screeched around corners and skidded sideways as the two detectives chased after the bad guys.
Classic Car Insurance Brokers
January 21, 2008
Classic car insurance is a special type of insurance available for people with collector vehicles. These types of cars include antiques, classics, custom cars, and replicas among other types. There are usually specialized insurance companies that provide classic car insurance. These companies have their own agents or else, a broker might also have these types of policies.
Typically, a car insurance broker has information regarding all kinds of insurance available in the market. If a classic car owner goes to the agent of a regular car insurance company, he or she may refuse to insure the classic car. The reason for this is that not many regular companies insure classic cars. Therefore, a classic car insurance broker is the best person to approach for a comprehensive rates comparison.
Another advantage of going to a broker is that he or she will provide impartial comparison of rates offered by many companies. On the other hand, an agent for a particular company will only have information regarding that particular company. A classic car insurance broker also understands the specific needs of the car owner and can explain various terms such as limited mileage car insurance or no claims discount car insurance.
A classic car insurance broker helps the car owner select the best policy based of many factors. These factors are type of car, usage, location, driving history of the owner, number of drivers listed, age of drivers and age and value of the classic car. The next important job of the broker is to advice the car owner regarding the right amount of deductible that must be opted for. A deductible is the amount the car owner has to pay in case of a claim. Higher the deductible, lower is the premium, and so choosing the correct deductible option is vital for the car owner.
Though brokers provide excellent comparisons, it is advisable to gather some basic information through websites or other sources before approaching the broker. This allows better understanding of terms and conditions and enables the car owner to determine of budget for purchasing the policy.
Where to Find Classic Auto Parts
January 21, 2008
America is a culture that embraces the past as a beautiful legacy. This is as true in automobiles as it is in anything else. Many Americans are buying old cars and fixing them up to look new as a way of embracing the advances of America’s past. Many Americans put a high value on the hand-crafted parts and high-grade steel parts put into these machines. As a result of this demand for classic automobiles, there is also an ever growing demand for classic auto parts.
Fortunately, as cars have reached the century mark in age, the Web has emerged to fill the voids that would have been left for many classic auto parts buyers spread across a large region. Whether you have a street rod dressed up pretty to drive fifteen or twenty times a year or you want to ride your classic machine back and forth to work in style each day, you will need restoration parts and then maintenance parts. Twenty years ago, it was a huge, time-intensive challenge just finding suppliers for the classic auto parts you needed to maintain a classic vehicle. But now you can begin your search on the Internet for part dealers near you. And, if none can be found, there are mega auto parts dealers online that sell nearly every part conceived and specialists who can custom-make other parts.
As mentioned earlier, the primary search is for a classic vehicle parts dealer near you. It is a lot more fun to go into a store or garage and pick out and see the parts yourself. It is especially fun when you strike up friendships with mechanics who specialize in these classic cars and take an interest in your projects. As you build these friendships you will build connections to more and more classic car enthusiasts.
You may find through your Web searches or the classic auto parts dealers in your area that there are street rod clubs or classic car clubs in your area. These can be very helpful networks when you are looking for the right parts for your projects. It is also a lot of fun to talk with them about your auto restoration processes of the past and present. Then you can show your car and see their cars and get even more ideas on how to have fun restoring classic cars.
To learn about how to get cheap car parts and how to find cheap used cars as well as used car loans at low rates, in more depth, check out these links.
What Makes A Classic Car
January 21, 2008
Those cars that are universally accepted classics such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, and most of the other exotics autos. So what’s going to be the classic car of tomorrow? In the past the Chevrolets, Fords, Buicks, and Plymouths of 30-40 years ago were not meant to become future classics, but some of them have actually earned a spot among the Ferraris and Aston Martins at shows and classic car auctions around the world. Will any of the less collectable cars of the 1980s and 1990s make it?
There are so many different definitions of what a classic car is. Some would put specific age limits on the definitions, and others would say that only special variants would qualify for classic status.A classic car is one that stops depreciating in value and either levels off or begins to appreciate over time. The value increasing because of demand ties into the definition that the classic cars have appeal long after they are no longer produced. The goal is to catch these cars when they are at the bottom, before they become more valuable. Of course, values do vary from year to year, so like any potential investment there are risks.
Anyway, here is a list of what we would qualify as potential future classics: BMW 3-Series (E30 1984-1991), Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet Impala SS (1994-1996), Chrysler Shelby K-Cars (Omni GLH, etc), Ford Mustang,Ford Fairmont GM A-Bodies (RWD models, such as the El Camino and Malibu), Mitsubishi Galant VR-4,Mitsubish Starion, Mitsubish 3000GT VR-4 (and cousin Stealth R/T), Nissan 240SX (S13 and S14) Nissan 300ZX, Toyota Corolla GT-S(the famous AE86), Toyota MR2, Toyota Supra (last generation), VW GTI (personally the MKI and MKII)
The value of these cars will more than likely stabilize in the next 5 to 10 years. Granted, some of the cars are special variants, and many may fall into obscurity instead of becoming more popular
Qatar Classic Cars
January 21, 2008
Qatar classic cars, a topic that never have I thought would be researching, or writing about. When I left Qatar seven years ago, there were no signs that there ever would be high demand in the market for classic cars, Qatar specifically and the region in general.
A couple of months ago I received an international call at three in the morning. Don’t be very deceived by the timing; the conversation could have waited a couple more hours, however due to miss calculations on the caller’s behalf. By all means, I do not regret waking up to take the call. The subject was of great importance and forced me not to go back to sleep, rather jump right to research. The first thing I heard when I picked up the phone is an old friend saying “how much have you dealt with classic cars?”, “there is a very high demand for classic cars in the region, and the supply is very low”. On the ending note of the call, I promised I will have a preliminary research completed within a week.
As always, I started by certifying the facts I was told in regards to supply and demand, and the overall economic situation of the country. I found many articles and press releases discussing the fact that car manufacturers are taking advantage of the increasing demand for personalized, classic and antique cars in the region. The underlying reasons for the change in demand of the past seven years was explained by Bufori (a modern brand of rare automobiles resembling 1930s coupes), the high demand is a reflection of the booming population, and economics of the region in general, and more specifically Dubai and Qatar. Hence, that Crude Oil was discovered in Qatar back in the 1940s; however the wealth of the nation gradually increased over the next sixty years, till Natural Gas was discovered. Its people now have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
The research journey has not stopped, rather the more research I make, the more I am interested to learn about the differences in tastes and markets. I will dedicate an article for the amazing finding in the market differences. To get up-to-date research results, visit the section I dedicated to Qatar classic cars
What to Look For in a Classic Car Auction
January 21, 2008
You will find a wide range of car of all ages and all conditions. They are also a great place to find rare cars of all types. You will find that some classic cars will be sold for very high prices and often not sell at all. Most cars won’t sell on their first attempt because of the high prices and the classic car market is not all that large. This just makes thing easier for people that want a particular car and are prepared to spend the right amount of money.
To find good classic car auctions you will need to look around, as they are not that many around. A good place to find where the best classic car auctions are is to look in the most popular classic car magazines and try attending any classic car functions that you can find. The classic car world is fairly tight knit and you will need to be in the know to get on too the good deals. That doesn’t mean that you will need to be an expert but you will need to know what you are looking for and be prepared for the high prices and lack of selection.
If you are prepared to do a lot of hunting around and a lot of leg work you can find some very rare cars in very good conditions for a very good price. Not all classic cars are expensive you can find car that are old but not all that rare so the price won’t be so high. Just because the car is not are that does not mean it not worth buying. If you are looking for a classic car then most likely you will know exactly what you want but trying to find it will be the hard part. It’s also a good idea to attend a few too get a feel for what you be up against and find out how it all works.
When you do find the perfect car at the perfect price be prepared for a bidding war. The fact that you like and want the car means that there will be most likely a lot of other people that are thinking the same time. Always remember to watch what you are buying, as there are a lot of replicas out there and all may not be what it seems. I wish you the best of luck in you classic car buy adventures and hope you find what you are looking for.
The Classic Car Insurance Dilemma and How to Easily Resolve It
January 21, 2008
As I’m sure you can expect classic car insurance is provided to consumers that own classic cars, vehicles and sometimes even exotic cars. Typically this insurance is provided to folks that only on rare occasions drive their limited edition automobiles or cars. It is not intended for normal or daily driving. There are many differences in this type of insurance and in many cases the insurance coverage will be different for each individual seeking to have their classic car insured. The biggest difference will be based on the amount of miles that the classic auto is driven.
Most insurance companies will allow consumers seeking to insure their classic car the opportunity to drive their vehicle around 5000 miles a year. This affords the classic car enthusiast the opportunity to take some pleasure drives and also to drive their car to any local car shows they may want to showcase their vehicle in. They don’t allow normal daily driving for activities such as going to and from work, the store or school. In some cases they also won’t allow people to drive their cars to have work performed on their vehicle. Naturally, if you’re looking to insure your classic car then you will want to purchase the type of insurance that is best suited to your own unique needs and desires.
Classic car insurance carries some strict restrictions on how you store your classic or exotic automobile. Cars of this nature must be stored in a garage that completely surrounds the car and is always locked. Be careful if you are having any restoration work performed on your car. When your classic car is stored at the auto restore shop it is not normally covered under your classic auto insurance policy. Always read your contract carefully (especially any fine print) in order to see what exactly is and isn’t covered under your classic car insurance plan.
There are several classic car insurance companies to choose from. In order to find the best provider of classic auto insurance you will need to be prepared to perform some minor research. Once you have found a classic car insurance provider expect that they will want to have your classic auto appraised in order to get an estimate of it’s worth. This is especially important in the even that your vehicle or classic auto should be damaged or destroyed.
Finally, don’t forget that in order to find the best classic car auto insurance policy you will need to be patient. After all, you want the best possible insurance coverage at the lowest possible price while still feeling that you have more then enough insurance for your classic car or auto.
Vintage Car Insurance The Easy Way
January 21, 2008
Expensive, high maintenance, status symbol and glamorous are some of the epithets associated with classic cars, but in reality there are many old motor vehicles that do not belong to this stereotype.
A lot of owners feel that a cherished Austin A40 that is parked in a supermarket is similar to a ‘Classic Car’ like a Mark Jaguar at Ascot. Such historical and exotic vehicles can be generally described within three categories, for which classic car insurance can be used. The three categories are:
1. Vintage cars: cars that were manufactured between 1903 and 1933.
2. Veteran cars: cars manufactured before 1903.
3. Classic cars: cars manufactured before 1973 or at least fifteen years back.
There are a lot of variations in the definition of a Classic car and it depends a lot on the insurer. Any special insurance product is not at all offered by most of the major motor insurance companies. They just provide the simple insurance cover that is provided to anyone who drives a modern car. There are certain tips that can be followed for vintage car insurance:
* There have been reports in the motoring press that insurance for classic cars is cheaper as compared to modern car policies, but every classic car owner needs to know that it calculates mileage that is limited and how the vehicle has been garaged in ideal circumstances.
* There is a lot of dramatic variation in the scarcity and condition of classic cars. The value of the car that is perceived by the owner is mostly different from the evaluation of an insurer. The time for agreeing with the evaluation would be before a claim and not after that.
* If an owner wants the best deal then he or she needs to contact a specialist insurer. The specific insurance schemes that they might be having are tailored specially to meet the requirements of the owners. The rates offered by specialist insurers are usually better than the rest.
Agreed evaluations
An agreed valuation can be considered as the value that is guaranteed by an insurer in case the vehicle gets stolen or damaged so badly that it cannot be repaired. If you own a vintage car and want to get a vintage car insurance then make sure that you have checked that the valuation is guaranteed.
This needs to be done because there have been instances when an insurer refused to make the payments of the full amount even if the owner believes that they were recovered fully.
Vintage car insurance can be expensive but worth while. Insurance your classic or vintage car collection with this simple guide and get a free auto insurance quote online in a matter of minutes. Find your free report on the top 3 auto insurance agents of all time.
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