Buying Your First Classic – Five Things to Consider

Right then. You’ve been enjoying the browse for years. You might have saved up a couple of quid. You’ve made a space in the garage. It is time. It is time for you to finally scratch the classic car itch and join the world of motoring in a manner most decent. But then, when there is money waiting and a space sitting empty, it can all become a little bit daunting, can’t it? You might find yourself getting stressed about buying the right car. You might start to worry about the money. Then there will be thoughts based around whether or not you have the skill to look after it? Well, stop all that. Buying your first classic should be fun and exciting, and if you follow the five tips we have listed below, that’s exactly what it will be.

1) The Car

It seems like stating the obvious, but think about what it is you want as your first classic. And more importantly, why do you want one? Buying a classic is not like buying a daily driver. This is not a rational purchase, it’s an emotive purchase. It’s entirely heart, not head. So are you looking at classic cars that simply fit your budget, or are you doing the right thing and looking for a classic that you have some sort of connection to? It can be a strong connection, like a parent or relative had one back in the day. You might want to get a nicer example of your first car, or you might want a popular classic that you’ve always thought about and lusted after. You need your first classic to make your heart flutter every time you see it. Your classic is a toy, a bit of fun, a weekend chariot. It doesn’t need to do 40mpg or carry seven people. This is one of the few chances in life you get to be irrational, but for all the right reasons.

2) The Maintenance

Classic cars break down, even the best ones. And that’s okay. It would be naïve to think otherwise. These machines have survived for decades upon decades, and these machines are the coming together of tens of thousands of moving parts. It’s expected that some will need replacement. But that doesn’t mean you need to be a master mechanic. The classic car industry is worth billions to the UK economy, it’s keeping traditional apprenticeships alive, it’s keeping skills alive, and that’s because of people like you who need those services. And that’s a great thing to contribute to. If you have your ideal car lined up in your mental garage, get on the Internet and find out what specialists you have locally. Give them a call, ask if your potential car is something they would be keen to work on. It’s inaccurate that classics are almost entirely associated with home mechanics. Sure, it helps, but it’s not a requirement.

3) The Usage

Classic cars need to be used. All machines do. When you buy your first classic, are you going to go out there and drive it lots? Not every day, but you need to be taking it out a couple of times a month at the very least. Is this something your life will allow? If they sit idle for months, they won’t respond well. They never do. Then of course you have the consideration of who will use it, by which we mean is this first classic just going to be for you, or is it something you want the whole family to share in? There’s nothing wrong with getting a big, classic four-door saloon, or even a vintage estate and making it a family affair. Creating memories based around adventures in an old jalopy. Beautiful. So yes, give some serious thought as to how it will be used.

4) The Money

This is a big one. As we’ve said a few times in this article, buying your first classic – or any classic – is not like buying a daily driver. If you walk into a showroom now and buy whatever generic box there is in there, it will start losing money the moment you drive it out of the gates. Classics don’t do this. They have been through their respective depreciation dips and they have found their place in the market. What’s the point of telling you this? The money you put into your first classic is not wasted money, it’s just money that has become an asset rather than liquid. You can get it back if you need to. All you need to do is look after your first classic, and you’ll be fine. Hey, if you really look after it, you might even be able to sell it for more in a few years. You can’t say that for a 2023 Yaris.

5) The Timing 

Finally, the timing. This is a car for you. This is personal, emotive and as we said earlier, from the heart. There is no rush. Here on Car & Classic we cycle through tens and tens of thousands of classics every year. If there is nothing out there right now, that floats your boat or revs your engine, you don’t have to buy anything. Patience is the game here. This is not a relationship to jump into without thought, so wait, keep browsing, set up email alerts (we’re good at that), keep an eye on the auctions and when the right car comes up, you’ll know. Trust us. And when you have your dream first classic, the time spent waiting won’t feel like time wasted. Good luck.