Classic car

2009-05-29T18:03:22Z

Andrewkaufman:

[[Image:Ford Model A Fordor.jpg|thumbnail|right|[[Ford Model A]] Four-door]]
[[Image:1948 Buick Eight convertible.jpg|thumbnail|right|1948 [[Buick Eight]] convertible]]
[[Image:ClassicCar6.JPG|thumbnail|right|1959 [[Chevrolet Impala]]]]
[[Image:DirkvdM yank tank yellow.jpg|thumb|A '[[yank tank]]' or 'maquina' in [[Havana]], Cuba]]
[[Image:DirkvdM yank tank blue-red.jpg|thumb|Another 'yank tank' in Havana]]

'''Classic car''' is a term frequently used to describe an older [[automobile|car]], but the exact meaning is subject to
serious differences in opinion. One school, the broader "antique car club" faction, are very inclusive. Almost any older car in fine condition becomes a classic. The other extreme are the "[[Concours d'Elegance]]" supporters, such as the CCCA, who think that only a few thousand "Classic Era Motor Cars" even exist in good condition. They consider nothing newer than 1948 to qualify.

25 years is generally considered a good cut-off age for such terms because it's extremely rare for a vehicle that old to still be owned or used without special consideration for its classic status — by 25 years old, a car will have exceeded its design life by some considerable margin, 10-15 years being the norm barring accidental loss. It will probably need significant maintenance to keep running, and many parts will be hard to obtain through the usual channels. Thus, a non-enthusiast will sensibly conclude that it is not feasible to continue using a car that old for regular driving.

This is not to say that an enthusiast of classic cars might not drive such an old vehicle daily, but that enthusiast will be willing to live with the greater difficulty of so doing or the high cost of restoring the vehicle to reliable condition. Another reason to drive classic cars is that alternatives are hard to come by, as is the case in [[Cuba]], because before the [[Cuban revolution]] many rich US citizens lived there, but after the revolution the influx of cars stopped, at least in part due to the [[United States embargo against Cuba]], so people made sure to keep the cars they ''had'' in good condition. As a result, Cuba is in the unique position that pre-1959 cars are the standard, rather than an exception, although that is slowly changing. These cars are generally referred to as [[yank tank]]s or maquinas and often used as taxis.

==Classic Car Club of America Definition==
The [[Classic Car Club of America]] "claims" to have invented the term '''Classic car''' and thus they believe that the true definition of the term is "theirs". According to the CCCA:

:''A CCCA Classic is a "fine" or "distinctive" automobile, either American or foreign built, produced between 1925 and 1948. Generally, a Classic was high-priced when new and was built in limited quantities. Other factors, including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories, such as power brakes, power clutch, and "one-shot" or automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car is considered to be a Classic.''

The Club keeps an exhaustive list of the vehicles they consider Classics, and while any member may petition for a vehicle to join the list, such applications are carefully scrutinised and rarely is a new vehicle type admitted.

This rather exclusive definition of a classic car is by no means universally followed, however, and this is acknowledged by the CCCA: while they still maintain the true definition of 'classic car' is theirs, they generally use terms such as ''CCCA Classic'' or the trademarked ''Full Classic'' to avoid confusion.

==Other Definitions==
===United States Legal Definition===
Legally, most states have time-based rules for the definition of "classic" for purposes such as [[antique vehicle registration]]; for example, Pennsylvania defines it as "A motor vehicle, but not a reproduction thereof, manufactured at least 15 years prior to the current year which has been maintained in or restored to a condition which is substantially in conformity with manufacturer specifications and appearance."

===Antique Automobile Club of America===
Alternate usage fundamentally equates ''Classic car'' with the definition of [[antique car]] as used by the [[Antique Automobile Club of America]], who define an Antique car as "anything" over 25 years old. Thus, in this "broader usage" any car over 25 years old can be called a 'classic car'.

===United Kingdom===
There is no fixed definition of a Classic car. Two taxation issues do impact however, leading to some people using them as cut off dates. All cars first registered before 1 January 1973 are free from paying the annual [[Antique vehicle registration|vehicle excise duty]]. The government Revenue and Customs define a classic car for company taxation purposes as being over 15 years old and having a value in excess of £15,000. [http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim23200.htm]

== Classic Car Styling ==
There was a world wide sea-change in styling in the immediate years after the end of World War II. The 1949 Ford, for example, utterly changed the traditional discrete "replaceable" fender treatment and the radiator "semi-functional" look. From this point on, automobiles of all kinds became "rounded boxes", in basic plan. The CCCA term, "Classic Car" has been confined to "the functionally traditional designs of the earlier period" (mostly pre-war). They tended to have "removable", fenders, trunk, headlights, and a usual vertical grill treatment. In a large vehicle, such as a Duesenberg or Pierce Arrow or in a smaller form, the MG TC, with traditional lines, might typify the "CCCA" term. Since some antique car owners are "investors" it serves the purposes of those clubs to classify a "new look" car as a classic. Thus, it may be a "classic" example of a later period, but not a car from the "Classic period of Design", in the opinion of the traditionalist CCCA faction. Those of the "Antique Car", school of thought would include a 1980 "Anything", that is "clean".

The French 1948 Delahaye is a good the example of a final year of "Classic Era Design".
[[Image:DelaHaye.jpg|thumb|200px|right|1948 Delahaye {{3d glasses}}]]

Among the Marques (Brand names) of cars that are usually considered "Classic" by the "traditionalist group" are:

[[Auburn Automobile|Auburn]] -
[[Bentley]] -
[[BMW]] -
[[Buick]] -
[[Cadillac]] -
[[Cord]] -
[[Delahaye]] -
[[Duesenberg]] -
[[Graham]] -
[[Hispano-Suiza]] -
[[Jaguar]] -
[[LaSalle]] -
[[Lincoln]] -
[[Mercedes-Benz]] -
[[MG]] -
[[Morgan]] -
[[NSU]] -
[[Packard]] -
[[Pierce-Arrow]] -
[[Renault]] -
[[Rolls-Royce]] -
[[Stutz]] -
[[Triumph]]

==See also==
*[[Veteran car]]
*[[Vintage car]]
*[[Antique car]]

==External links==

* [http://www.amigosdefangio.org Association of Classic Cars Havana, Cuba] - Official website of Amigos de Fangio centered in Havana, Cuba, a classic car association of all fans and lovers of vintage cars and motorcycles.
* [http://www.classicrallies.com Classic Rallies] - Where Historic rallies and races enthusiasts click - lots of excellent classic car pictures, a complete worldwide events calendar, Classic cars Classifieds and automobilia.
* [http://www.classicsandcustoms.com Classics and Customs] - Collector cars for sale, forums and resources for car enthusiasts.
* [http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk Old Classic Car] - A UK based site containing articles, an extensive photograph archive, and free downloads for enthusiasts of classic and vintage cars.
* [http://www.mydreamwheels.com Custom Classic Cars & hot rods] - Online resource for Custom car enthusiasts and collectors
* [http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/classic-car/index.htm Classic Cars history] - Online resource for classic cars based on car model, year and specification.
* [http://www.classic-and-dream-cars.com Classic & Dream Cars] - Dedicated to Classic Cars and their influence on present Concept Cars' design.
* [http://www.classicnation.com Classic Nation] - A classic car enthusiast website with pictures, classifieds, forum and event calendar.
* [http://www.My-Classic-Car.org My-Classic-Car Community] - A classic car restorers/enthusiast resource with videos, pictures, classifieds, forums and event calendars.
* [http://www.clubsportiva.com Club Sportiva] - A classic, sports and exotic car sharing club.
* [http://www.carinpieces.com Car-in-Pieces] - A classic car restorers/enthusiast website with galleries, forums, classifieds, user blogs and event calendar.
* [http://www.classiccardirectory.co.uk] - A free to enter directory of classic car related websites.
* [http://clubs.hemmings.com/nynjslant6 A Club dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of all Chrysler products powered by the venerable 'Slant-Six' engine]
* [http://www.autos.com/car-buying/classic-car-buying-guide-what-to-know-before-you-buy Classic Car Buying Guide: What to Know Before You Buy] - Autos.com

{{Automobile history eras}}
[[Category:Automobile history eras]]
[[Category:Classic cars]]

Hobbyist Cars: Those that aren't necessarily coveted as investments, but are recognized by various State laws as being 'Antique', or 'Historic', generally meaning that they are at least 25 years old

Buy a car on the internet

2009-05-29T18:00:04Z

Andrewkaufman:

The Internet has taken much of the guess work out of the car buying process. Shoppers are able to obtain a vast amount of research information on the Web that was previously hard to obtain. And once you decide on a vehicle, there are websites that can actually help you purchase it.

==Purchasing==
In addition to being a source for research, the Internet can also facilitate the purchase of a car. There are two general ways one can [http://www.autos.com/car-buying/how-to-buy-cars-online buy a new car online], '''directly''' through a website or by being '''referred''' to a dealer. For used cars there are more choices, dominated by online classifieds, or buying from an online seller using sites like [http://www.ebaymotors.com eBayMotors.com], [http://www.motoseller.com MotoSeller.com], [http://www.everycarlisted.com EveryCarListed.com], [http://alltherides.com AllTheRides.com] or [http://www.autotrader.com AutoTrader.com]. . . To see actual prices that other car buyers have negotiated for their new vehicles, you can check [http://www.dealerdrop.com dealerdrop.com].

=== Referral ===
Through a referral, a customer is connected with a dealer that has the desired car in stock. This makes the shopping process a great deal easier and avoids the hassle of having to go from dealership to dealership. While you can't avoid a car salesman entirely through this process, a lot of the negotiation and finance details can be worked out online.

There are different types of websites you can use to initiate the process, including those run by the manufacturer([http://www.fordcredit.com/ Ford Credit], [http://www.volvocarfinance.com Volvo Car Finance], [http://www.landrovercredit.com Land Rover Capital Group], [http://www.mazdacredit.com/home.html Mazda American Credit]), the dealer or a third-party, such as [http://www.edmunds.com Edmunds], [http://www.kbb.com Kelly Blue Book], [http://www.AutoUSA.com AutoUSA], [http://www.newcar.com NewCar.com], [http://www.automotive.com Automotive] or [http://www.carsdirect.com CarsDirect]. While there can be some variance, generally, there are a few steps involved in the referral process:
*'''Fill out Form''' - You'll be asked to fill a out form with key details, such as contact information, type of vehicle you're interested in, how you plan on paying, etc.

*'''Contact from Dealer''' - Your information will be forwarded to dealers in your area. If a dealer is able to fulfill your order, you'll get an e-mail stating that your request was received, if the desired car is in stock, as well as the asking price.

*'''Finalize the Details''' - After your initial contact, the rest of the transaction kind of depends on you and the dealer. If you're comfortable with the car and the asking price, you can likely work out a lot of details before you even step inside the door of the dealership. On the other hand, if you're not sure about the car or the dealership, you can arrange a time to go take a test drive and meet with the salesperson. Financing can also vary. Most dealers will give you the option of working with one of their banks or the automaker's finance division.

=== Direct ===
With this method, you can buy a new car directly from a website that is not affiliated with an automaker or dealership. The price is set beforehand - no negotiation is required. The largest website that offers this service is [http://www.carsdirect.com CarsDirect]. You still have to pick up your vehicle at a dealership, but all of the details are worked out before delivery. Through the direct method, you have different finance options that include using the website's banking partners and the manufacturer's finance arm.

=== Online Purchase ===
If you are looking for that special car, it might not be in your local area. You can still place a bid or make an offer using eBay. You can usually arrange shipping and financing even for a remote purchase, and eBay offers purchase protection if something goes wrong. Be sure to do your homework however. Ask questions, and look up the Vehicle History Report to avoid surprises.

=== Female Friendly Certified Dealer Search ===

For women shoppers you can search on the internet for 'female friendly' dealerships in the US by going to http://www.askpatty.com and locating the dealer search tool to locate a dealership by brand and zip code. These dealerships also display a door or window seal denoting 'female certified' by AskPatty and complete a twelve month training program to become certified.

Wikicars - User contributions [en]

Classic car

Buy a car on the internet