General Guides: Why not to buy a classic car

From Classic Car Life

There are lots of advantages to buying an owning a classic car. But here are some of the disadvantages of Classic Cars...

Frequency of Use

Classic cars can be seen to have more disadvantages than others. It all depends on how you use your car as to whether the disadvantages of old cars really bother you. If you only take your car out at weekends then the downsides of old cars are probably less of an issue than if your classic car is pressed into regular service.

Sourcing of Parts

If you run a classic or vintage car that is quite obscure then you will realise that finding parts can be extremely difficult. If you intend to run a more unusual classic car more regularly then it is best to buy spare parts when you find them rather than waiting for them to break. A bit of forward thinking is all it takes to keep classic cars roadworthy. Of course there are some things that go wrong unexpectedly which might result in you taking the car off of the road but the more planning you do the less stressful breakdowns will be.

Maintentance

Classic cars need a lot more maintenance than modern cars or their reliability will be in jeopardy. Poor maintenance on a car that is already prone to mechanical mishaps can be disastrous. You should buy a handbook and workshop manual for your classic car so that you understand how to maintain it correctly. If you fail to keep on top of simple maintenance tasks then you are tempting trouble for the future.

Speed

You will find that some old cars are not blesses with speed, if your car is only about 20 years old then you should find it can keep up with modern day traffic but if your vehicle drifts back further into the mists of time, to the vintage era, then you might have a few speed issues. For someone who needs to use the motorway regularly a 1960s or earlier car might not be appropriate for your lifestyle.

Safety

It is a fact that old cars are not the safest. However there are less distractions in classic cars so you will find yourself concentrating more on the road. The bottom line about classic cars is you need to have the right mindset if you are going to drive one on a regular basis. If the extent of your interest in maintaining a car goes as far as a car wash once a year then it is safe to say that classic cars are not for you. But if you are willing to adjust to some of the disadvantages of classic cars then you are in for a treat as you will have a fantastic car to use.