Determining Whether Your Car Is Antique Or Classic

Nothing really beats a perfectly restored antique or classic car. Elegant line, solid construction, dazzling chrome and even genteel carriage evoke pleasant memories of the past, transporting us into personal fantasy where “They don’t make them like they used to” never rings false. But how are you supposed to know if your hobby cars are classical or antique? Lucky for us, there are guidelines. Don’t forget that whether a car is a classic or an antique, it should generally not be used as a daily commuter unless you have unlimited funds at your disposal and don’t need auto loans to purchase vehicles.

Aren’t antique and classic the same thing?

It isn’t necessarily true that classic and antique are the same as some would argue. According to Wikipedia, “classic car” is used to refer to high quality vehicles from pre world war II era. However, 20 years of life for a car is approximately double the expectancy intended for most modern cars according to U.S. auto insurance laws, so the “classic car” title sets in after a car is 20 years old. And classic or antique car insurance is almost always more expensive than insurance for a standard vehicle because older models don’t have the same safety features that come standard in newer cars. In the United Kingdom, the term “antique car” isn’t used for anything, although they do use the phrase “vintage” to refer to vehicles more than 100 years old.

Get a hold of the Classic Car Club of America

The Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) has many people who live and breathe classic and antique cars. They have developed their own standards for what constitutes “classic” or “antique” when it comes to cars, and those standards are stringent. Classic is what they call cars that are considered expensive mass market vehicles made between 1949 and 1985. Original parts need to be included in these cars and it doesn’t necessarily have to be American-made. The Antique Automobile Club of America classifies any car older than 25 years antique, but “the legal definition for the purpose of antique vehicle registration varies widely,” according to Wikipedia.

Things tend to be a bit different in the UK

Car insurance companies in the UK also play a role in defining what “classic car” means, but the timeframe is just a bit different. Cars made 15 to 25 years ago are considered modern classic cars, but to confuse things a bit, UK insurance companies don’t really care that much about this. Cars not in the guidelines are still collectible sometimes.

Final word on the classic car insurance

Funneling money into maintaining and restoring a classic or antique car makes insuring it essential. You should discuss the matter with a licensed insurance agent if you want to fully protect your classic or antique car investment.

Find more information on this topic:

Wikipedia (classic car)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_car

Wikipedia (antique car)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antique_car

HowToDoThings.com

http://www.howtodothings.com/automotive/how-to-determine-if-your-car-is-a-classic

Classic Car Club of America

http://www.classiccarclub.org/