In the market for a classic car? Here's the buyer's guide you need
如何检查和购买最适合你的老爷车.
Buying a classic car might be one of the most exciting auto purchases you'll ever make. So it pays to do to your homework. 购买、修复和维护古董车是很昂贵的. Classic car insurance 工作方式也不同，因为汽车通常会升值而不是贬值.
无论你是在寻找一个项目车工作在自己或一个完全恢复的展示车, you'll want to make a smart, informed decision.
How to buy a classic car
There are numerous options when buying a classic car. 但在拿出支票簿之前，最好考虑一下什么是适合你的.
- Be careful about the investment. Making money on classic cars can be very difficult. 仅仅因为你认为某样东西是一项好的投资就去买它可能是有风险的. The collectible car market is very volatile. 经验丰富的经销商会告诉你，一辆有收藏价值的车的价值取决于有人愿意为它付出多少. "Book value" isn't a guarantee. If this car will be for fun, 把注意力集中在你会为拥有和驾驶多年而自豪的汽车上.
- Decide how it will be used. Think carefully about what you want to do with the car. Will it be driven daily or just on weekends? Would you like to show it? 它会被放在车库的防水布下面，很少被使用吗? 你如何回答这些问题将决定你应该买什么.
- Establish an affordable budget. 仔细想清楚你想花多少钱，并坚持下去. 请记住，修复项目可能非常昂贵. 如果你买了一辆修理车，你可能很快就会在零件和劳动力上超出预算. 一辆便宜的车最终可能会比一辆更贵但更清洁的车花更多的钱.
- Do your research. Be sure to check the average retail value to get a baseline price. Read any information you can find. 查看汽车拍卖和价格指南，以帮助确定你的车的公平市场价值. Be extra cautious when buying a car on the web.
- Check mileage. 和大多数二手车一样，里程表上的里程数越少，这辆车可能就越值钱. Don't be afraid to purchase a high-mileage car. Just be sure the high mileage is reflected in the price.
Classic car inspection checklist
买老爷车时仔细检查很重要. You may want to use an inspection service. 或者如果你想自己做，这里有一些事情要考虑:
- Clear title: 检查汽车是否登记在卖方名下，或者根本没有登记. 如果你需要研究以前的所有权并申请新的所有权，费用和罚款可能会增加.
- VIN: 确保标题上的车辆识别号码(VIN)与汽车上的官方VIN标签相匹配. If they don't match, 这辆车有可能发生了严重事故, the title is counterfeit or the vehicle was stolen. VIN numbers were first standardized for U.S. automobiles manufactured in 1981. 旧车辆的VIN长度和字符类型将根据制造商的不同而有所不同.
- Interior: Original is best. Check if the seats, upholstery, badges, radio, dashboard and emblems are damaged, or not factory original. Finding and replacing these things can really add up.
- Exterior: Try to examine the car in natural daylight. 寻找油漆的状况，明显的凹痕和不对齐或不匹配的面板. 进一步的检查可能会发现重大焊接的迹象，这可能意味着重大的结构维修.
- Rust damage: A little can be expected but, 如果地板或车身面板的整个部分生锈或显示修理或更换的迹象, be cautious. 如果专业人员没有正确修理，很有可能生锈.
- Test drive: 如果车还在行驶，安全合法地驾驶，那就开出去兜一圈. It's a good opportunity to check for any serious problems. 倾听任何不寻常的东西，比如噪音、吱吱声和撞击声. 如果在转弯或过颠簸时感觉松了，可能会有昂贵的悬挂问题.
Insurance for classic cars
Some employees at the State Farm® Vehicle Research Facility love classic cars, too. So much so that they built a half-and-half 'Jekyll and Hyde' 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS convertible 为了证明给收藏车分配适当价值的重要性. 驾驶员侧是恢复到工厂库存规格，而乘客侧是定制与许多浮华的售后零件和定制车身.
无论你选择哪种交通工具适合你，你都需要帮助来保护它. Be sure to check eligibility for classic car insurance. Then, review our Antique/Classic Program to learn more about the types of coverage available.
