Classic Cars

Kopf

Where would be the best places, on and off the web, to look for buying a classic car? I'm talking anything from old MGs to VW Beetles, VW Campervans, etc.. anything like that.

kayos

Well the first thing to do is get in contact with your local club as if your thinking of buying one you will need to be a memeber of one to get insurance http://www.wvvmc.com/ is the club in Galway and hey theres even soe cars up for sale on it http://www.wvvmc.com/forsale.html. There are a few magazines around like classic car weekly which are the auto trader of classic cars.

If you are around Galway on Friday 26th go to Eyre Square at around 4:30 and you will see a huge collection of cars on static display.

kayos

Quigs Snr

I got a very good spitfire on the buy and sell.

It's good to go through the clubs though, I travelled Ireland to look at MG's, Triumphs etc... each time I would be told, oh very clean a bit of tidying. When I got there the car was a wreck, sills rusted out, holed floorpans etc........

One guy who I travelled to Cork to meet had an MG Midget I asked were the sills and A-posts ok, I was told they were completely sound. When I got there, I put a hole the size of my hand in them checking them.

If something looks to good to be true, then it isn't, thats the best advice I can give you. One time in 7 you will get a bargain. Thats the odds I faced when looking for an easy restoration project (sound body and engine, needing a bit of TLC but driveable) for 2000 Euro, I saw MGB's, Midgets, Spitfires, TR7's etc.... I lucked out with one of the spittys, the rest were ****e, even though they looked better in the ad and the owners descriptions than the one I eventually bought.

The clubs are good, expensive sometimes but good. The autotrader often has cheap classics, based in the north. If you could go the the UK then autotrader.co.uk is good etc.... need any advice on importing a car, let me know I found out all about it.

alastair

what possessed you to consider a TR7?
I mean, even joanna lumley nostaligia couldn't drag me near one of those rustbucket lemons.

a nice volvo p1800 now, there's a desirable rustbucket.

Kali

Originally posted by alastair
a nice volvo p1800 now, there's a desirable rustbucket.

ahh only in white.. the old saint-mobile if im not mistaken?

Ba$tard

Nice link there Kayos, espically the insurance page on that website..very informative! cheers...

Yes, I was also considering getting into the classic car scene too. It seems very interesting and would l like to start a restoration project like that but am minus a garage in my house, which I think is honestly a pre-requisite for such an interest....

The ideal car for me would be a 79-81 Porsche Carrera, but the damn things are still soo expensive and engine rebuilds / reconditioned engines are a scary price....

The other item of interest for me right now which is OT to this is to buy an old boat and restore....hang on, I'll post a new topic altogether

Is there a classic car club in Cork that anyone knows of?

Thanks,
J.

kayos

Originally posted by Ba$tard
Nice link there Kayos, espically the insurance page on that website..very informative! cheers...

Well of course it would be my dad is the insurance guy for the club .

There are plenty of classic clubs around the place its just a case of finding them I think there is one in Bandon or they at least hold rally's down there.

Ba$tard a 78 - 81 car is not a classic and you will not get your nice cheap insurance because of that. Cars become classics in terms of insurance and tax when they are 30 years old or more.

kayos

Quigs Snr

Incorrect Kayos. FYI, cars less than 30 years old are not considered classics for tax and NCT purposes, in short you pay the full tax on a Porsche 911 3.2litre car. About 1000 Euro, you will also need to get an NCT (as opposed the far simpler engineers report required for older cars).

However for insurance purposes, some places put the restriction of the car being 25 years old or more. However, Carole Nash insurance will insure a car of 20 years or older as a classic. I believe that for select motors 10 years or more can suffice depending on the model, what other insurance you have etc... basically its a case by case thing. If you have 5 classics insured with them and a history as a collector they will probably insure a 91 Lotus Elan as a classic for you, or so I was told by one of their staff.

The 20 year limit for insurance in confirmed though as thats what I've got on my 24 year old Spitfire.

Ba$tard

30 years ?!?!? argh! I thought it was 20? oh no

Is this a country-wide rule or does it depend on the policy of the insurer?

Thxs, J.

kayos

Maybe I stand corrected but hey I though it was that or at least it used to be that. Any way I was only tring to help .

kayos

Quigs Snr

Hey you were right about the tax, just not the insurance. Which becomes redundant anyway when you buy a 3l porsche and end up having to pay a 4 figure tax bill for it, not to mention that instead of getting a nudge nudge wink wink, mechanic to look at it and sign it off, you have to get an NCT on a porsche, the seatbelts alone if malfunctioning cost several hundred sterling. Even a door mirror costs a bomb and if theres something needed in the engine department, you may as well sell the house.

I know this because I was a heartbeat away from buying a 20yr old 911 Targa, non-turbo 3.2l. Thankfully, I looked into it before I handed to cash over. I will do it at a later date, but this will be another few years when I have a decent garage to put it in.