Tue. Mar 19th, 2024
Buying an Older Vehicle

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying an Older Vehicle

There’s a huge market out there for vintage cars. Whether you’re obsessed with the original VW Bug or you want to get behind the wheel of a 1967 Toyota 2000GT, there are plenty of reasons to buy older vehicles. That said, older vehicles come with plenty of disadvantages, too. So, if you’re in the market for a car that was born before you were, there are three important questions that you should ask yourself:

Why do I want this particular vintage car?

It may sound obvious, but a lot of people pull the trigger on vintage car purchases before they’ve really thought things through. This can lead to buyer’s remorse, which can subsequently lead to reselling the car at a reduced rate. This is a lose-lose situation for you.

So, ask yourself why you really want to buy this car. Do you plan on using the car every day? Is the car just going to be an auto body restoration project to fill your spare time? Or, do you just want to keep the car in your garage as a kind of ornament? Figuring out why you want to buy a vintage vehicle — as well as how you plan to use it — will help you decide if making the purchase is the right decision for you.

Do I know where to get replacement parts?

Vintage cars often come with vintage parts. Many of these parts are no longer in production and, in some cases, don’t have modern equivalents. This can make part shopping a complete nightmare if you don’t know where to look. Restoring a vintage car from scratch will require a great deal of parts hunting, too. Oftentimes, you will have to pay top dollar for parts that are hard to find or in limited circulation. In any case, make sure you know where to find the parts for a vintage car before you sign the paperwork.

This also brings up the matter of cost. While modern cars can be just as expensive as their older equivalents, vintage car restoration and maintenance can easily reach thousands of dollars per year. In short, if you don’t have the funds to maintain an older vehicle, you’re better off going with something a little more budget-friendly.

Do I have the patience for a vintage car? 

Many people like the idea of vintage cars more than they like the reality of vintage cars. In truth, there’s a reason that modern cars are more popular for the vast majority of people. The auto industry has made collective improvements to vehicles over the years to make them more comfortable, easier to use, safer, and cheaper to operate.

For example, most modern vehicles are designed with gas mileage in mind. While a vintage car may look cool, it will likely be a gas guzzler compared to modern imitations. Additionally, most older cars don’t have power windows, cruise control, voice controls, or even an audio jack. So, if you want to buy a vintage car, you need to be prepared for the old-school experience!