We all know how hot the classic car market is at the moment. This can of course bring great excitement mixed with shrewd investment. "Have your cake and eat it". It is a fact that any buoyant market often also brings risk.
Make the right purchase and reap the benefits. Don't be delusional and assume everything will double in value over the next 10 years. Most of our customers who bought well have had enormous pleasure, an above inflationary growth in value which has covered, if not exceeded the ownership cost.
Apply great caution, remember that most people are not selling good cars at the moment and there is a shortage of quality stock. At the moment demand far outstrips supply. Often cars that are in auctions have problems. Not every box is ticked. They photograph well and may well have very good paintwork lulling you in to a false sense of security. If you see a car advertised for a long time, ask yourself why it has not sold when such a shortage of quality stock exists.
The rapid climb in classic car values over the last decade has led to scallywags restoring cars to a very low standard, concentrating on the paintwork and cosmetics only. These are often the cars that lost their integrity many years ago and when values where lower and would never have been restored.
We are seeing a desperation in the market to buy cars and this is causing people to make terrible and highly expensive mistakes. Unfortunately over the last 24 months, we have seen an increase in cars arriving with us for what these new owners think will be a quick check over. We then find ourselves having to sit them down in the office with a stiff drink and break very bad news.
Do not buy classic cars without having them properly checked out by a specialist and please, please listen to their advice. DO NOT BY CARS BLIND! Remember, us garage owners make our living repairing your cars, so if we tell you it’s not the right car to be spending money on we mean it. We want your cash but we want you smiling and in the right car that’s going to give enormous amounts of pleasure without being irresponsible.
These pictures show you how terrible some of these cars we see are underneath and yet the top side gave the appearance of being near concourse.
We just want you all happy!