Owning a vintage car means that you own a collectible car that was manufactured between 1919 to 1930. You already know how much work they can be to keep them looking good and driving great. You may have already discovered some things that you love about your older car, and on the other hand you will definitely have found things that you do not enjoy dealing with.
If you are new to the world of vintage car ownership, we have a few pros and cons that are associated with them.
Pro: Eye Appeal
There is nothing like having a vintage car that is so rare that many people will only see the car a couple of times throughout their lives. That is why so many people spend their weekends traveling around to visit car shows. When you are the owner of the car that gives people so much joy you can bet that you will have some new people to talk to about it, and those conversations can lead to some friends.
Con: Insurance
One huge problem that you might encounter is trying to find an insurance policy that will actually cover the value of your car. Many companies do not even distinguish the differences, not allowing for the fact that the car is barely driven, and when it is the trip is short. There really is no point in paying an expensive premium when a type of insurance can be found that will cover your car without charging for a full-out insurance policy. Classic car insurance carriers can be found with a little searching (such as American Classics), and you can bet that since they specialize in the type of insurance that you want, that they will know what you need, and why you need it.
Pro: The Driver Matters
You have had to of seen the commercials pushing the new cars that can basically drive themselves. It may be cool, and it may improve the safety of your daily driving, but when you get behind the wheel of a vintage car you are the one in control. The car relies on the driver, not the other way around. This is one of the biggest appeals of older cars and trucks. The adrenaline rush that you can get from an older car is like no other. You may not be going as fast, and you may not be comfortable going over bumps and swerving through corners, but the ride is totally dependent on you, the driver.
Con: Repairs
If you own an older car and you are able to work on it yourself, you know how much pride you get from a repair once it is down. You may even be wondering why this is considered to be a con. It is not because of the work itself, because working on older cars is a breeze, the less computer, and technological systems that they have, the simpler that they are to work on. The problem comes with finding the parts to fix it. Sometimes you will get lucky and find a parts car in good shape, but most of the time you will have to watch online auctions and websites that specialize in old parts. Either way, you will need some patience and be willing to order most everything online.
Pro: Value
Older, vintage cars are worth much more than the basic, newer models from the last couple of decades. Obviously, there are some that are worth their weight in gold even when they are new, such as a Ferrari, but for the most part a vintage car is worth more. You can bet that the cars value is high above what it was worth brand new. Inflation has done its thing over the years, so values go up and availability goes down.
Con: Footprints
Today we are all conscious about the environment, and the footprints that we leave upon it. One of the biggest concerns that people have about owning a vintage car is that they were not designed to be environmentally friendly. They send pollutants into the air every time you fire them up, and when driving around you are leaving a trail of gas and exhaust fumes that slowly add up, causing permanent damage to your surroundings.
Final Thoughts
Owning a vintage car comes with some pros, and some cons. A lot of it depends upon your personal viewpoints, but the ones listed here are common to most people. There truly is nothing like driving an older car down the roads, turning heads everywhere that you go. But with the good, comes the bad, just like everything else in life.
