Want to avoid ten classic buying mistakes? TV’s Paul Cowland draws on 30 years in the trade to steer you towards the perfect car
I've helped thousands of people to find their dream car or classic over the years. In every case, I’ve asked the same questions to help find them the right motor and avoid costly mistakes that might sully their ownership experience.
This is my carefully honed checklist that ensures you choose a car that not only fits into your life, but also your pocket and driveway.
Getting these wrong isn’t necessarily going to cost you a lot of money – although a couple might – it’s more about creating a feel-good factor. Those first few months with an older car will get you hooked – or not – depending how it goes. Plus, I like to keep my customers coming back!
Cut this feature out and take it with you when you go classic car-shopping – it could make all the difference.
1 DON’T PICK UP SOMEONE ELSE’S TAB
You won’t need to worry about this if you’re buying from a reputable dealer but do be aware, when buying from a private seller, that the car may have outstanding finance against it.
Legally, that becomes the responsibility of whoever ultimately owns the asset. Put simply, if you inadvertently buy a £50k E-type with £25k of debt against it, you’re going to end up owing £75k.
Thankfully, this is very easy to sort. There are dozens of online finance checkers, with firms like HPI, that can investigate this and, of course, if you choose to finance the purchase yourself, your funders will also do all the hard work for you. They don’t want someone else’s bill, either.
2 DON’T GET AN ‘F’ IN HISTORY
We’ve all done it – fallen in love with a shiny paint job and smart interior – and maybe even a charming seller – and our rational brain switches off.
We’re marvelling at the condition of the unscuffed alloys or immaculate rear parcel shelf when we should be delving through bills and service books.
They’re important, too, but a deep dive into the car’s provenance and history file is the perfect place to start. Check that those bills match up, look for accident damage and if it’s a car within a club scene, or at a show, consider asking around to see if anyone knows the score.
So often I’ve seen people buy a classic without checking its history, just because it’s easy on the eye. Do your due diligence and make sure it all checks out, then you can marvel at the unused ashtrays…
3 DON’T BE BLINDED BY LOOKS
As with the history check, it’s time to be rational. Many cars are ‘tarted up’ to sell. A swift paint or detailing job, refurbished wheels, a hastily steam cleaned engine; they’re all designed to make you look at the superficial things and divert your attention from what re
