Owning a classic car is something that a great many enthusiasts aspire to, but it’s not necessarily as simple as going out and buying an older set of wheels. If you’re going to make ownership enjoyable, as it should be, then there are a couple of things that you need to think about. Here are some of the important points.
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Repairs and Maintenance
Firstly, you really do need to be handy with a spanner. Classic cars are older cars which means that they will need repairs and maintenance more frequently than your daily driver. Yes, you can take it to a specialist for the bigger jobs, but it’s far better if you can sort out the smaller issues by yourself. Depending on the car you’ve chosen, there will likely be publications that will help you carry out most of the most common jobs, and you’ll be using most of the same tools as with a modern car.
Leading on from this, parts are not likely to be common, so before you go buying a car, ensure that you know where you’ll be able to source them. Be aware that you may need to order items from far afield, and in some cases they might even need to be custom made.
Joining a Club
Finding a good community is almost as important as finding a good example of the car that you want, and if there’s one thing you take away from this post, it’s that. Main dealers are very unlikely to be fully familiar with the model you’re driving, and specialists can be few and far between. You’re going to be relying on people like you for general information about the car which is why it’s a good idea to join an owners club or similar. You can often get discounts on things like insurance too, so it’s definitely worthwhile. There are many enthusiast who gather together for club meets too, which is all part of the classic car experience. There’s a very good list of all the registered clubs in the United Kingdom to be found here.
Owning a classic car is great fun, but you must be prepared for it to avoid disappointment. Read up on everything you can, find a club or community, and you’ll find things a lot more rewarding, and crucially, a lot less hard on the wallet.
