How-To: Buy a Collector Car

If you’re looking to start a new hobby or invest in a new collector car, it’s important to do your research to make sure your investment doesn’t turn out to be a colossal waste of cash. In order to properly secure your investment, protect your new car with Windham County Collector Car Insurance and follow these simple steps to purchasing the perfect collector car.

Beware of Rust

Rust is a good indicator that the car will only be a money pit. While rust can be fixed, the completely restored vehicle will not be like the original. Further, replacing panels and adding new ones where rust has eaten away at the shell of the vehicle is not a project for beginners. Depending on your level of comfort, you might consider a different car.

It’s a Numbers Game

Jeff Allen of Flat 12 Gallery in Lubbock, Texas, states that investment cars are going to be ones where the engine, transmission, and rear axle numbers all correlate with the VIN number. “True investment cars are going to be numbers-matching cars,” he told Men’s Journal; How do you know if the numbers add up? Allen says most motors have the last six digits of the VIN number stamped on them, which makes that an easy check. “The transmission and rear end are a bit trickier. Usually they’ll be stamped with date codes, which you can look up to determine if the dates sync correctly.” While it’s not a deal breaker if everything doesn’t match, you can’t go wrong with an all-matching numbered car.

Mileage

The less mileage, the more the car is worth. Found an amazing car but it has a lot of miles on it? Just make sure the car was properly maintained before buying.

Do the Work

Research comparable prices for the car you want and determine what similar condition ones sold for. Use the vast information available at your fingertips on the web to find out what a fair price would be. However, don’t buy a car that’s not in fair condition- you don’t want to be tied down to a money pit.

Less is More

Choose a car that wasn’t mass produced, they’re always worth more. For example, this means the manufacturer only made 5,000 of the vehicle rather than 100,000.

At Byrnes Agency, we specialize in providing customizable coverage for your collector cars. We understand the risks involved with your passion and strive to provide comprehensive coverage to secure your investment. For more information, contact us today at one of our three locations.

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Dayville Office

Phone: (860) 774-8549
394 Lake Rd
Dayville, CT 06241
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

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Norwich Office

Phone: (860) 886-5498
6 Consumers Avenue
Norwich, CT 06360
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

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Woodstock Office

Phone: (860) 928-7928
1226 Connecticut 169
Woodstock, CT 06281
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm