Are you thinking about buying a vintage car or selling one? If you think that simply because your vehicle is decades old it can pass off as an antique, think again. The age of an automobile doesn’t automatically make it a collectible or worth a hefty price tag. It has to meet certain characteristics before you can consider it “classic.”
Here are some definitions that help you determine if your vehicle or the one you are eyeing is a vintage one:
The Antique
State laws set the classification of cars in this category; they often provide a special type of license plate for these kinds of vehicles. In many cases, as long as an automobile is more than 45 years old, they may fit the description. However, owners or sellers of this have to maintain the car in a certain way that allows it to stay true to the specifications of its original manufacturer.
Vintage Automobiles
According to Ardell Brown, cars that meet this description have varying definitions. Some overlap with the classification of vintage and antique vehicles. Certain groups have their own characteristics that qualify automobiles into this category. A vehicle that fit into this have manufacturing dates between 1919 and 1930, but some say it’s at 1925. But, unlike the other two, modifying your automobile may still allow it to keep its ‘vintage’ tag.
Classic Vehicles
The definition of a classic car has some overlapping characteristics with its antique counterpart. To fit into this category your automobile must be at least two decades old, but not more than four decades. It should also follow a maintenance routine to keep its original state, design, and specifications. It shouldn’t undergo any alterations or modifications. Some add a stipulation that the car’s manufacturing year mustn’t be earlier than 1925.
Understanding these definitions allows you to identify which category your car falls into. This enables you to determine a price if you are selling or buying a vehicle that fits into these classifications.