Review Car

Where can I get old car classifieds?

Finding old car classifieds for a particular type of vehicle can be a bit of work without the right connections.  Some regions may have an abundance of vehicles or spare parts because conditions allowed old classics to last for a long time. Other areas, such as communities that used salt on the roads in winter, may have a very scarce supply of old cars for sale since many rotted away due to oxidation of body parts.

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Finding the Network

The trick to successful car hunting is to get into the know with aficionados of old cars. Most regions have a loose network of fans, collectors, clubs, part sellers, and antique dealers. All combined, these groups provide great resources not only for finding a nice classic vehicle, but also for the resources needed to maintain the car over time. These resources include:

• Traditional newspaper classifieds
• Auto-specific regional newspapers or periodicals
• Car clubs
• Online fan sites and related forums
• Internet classified ads and auction websites

Newspaper Classifieds

Unless you are scanning your local newspaper ads every morning, the likelihood of finding old cars listed is spotty. Many sellers just don’t bother with traditional newspaper classified ads because they don’t reach the right crowd and can be expensive, particularly with the freedom of the Internet. Where ads are listed, the cars tend to either be inventory at a car dealer or the vehicle is being sold probably in an estate sale by someone who just needs a liquidation of the property.

Car-Specific Classified Newspapers

In some areas, similar to a Penny Saver publication, automobile-specific newspapers are printed with hundreds of private car ads. These are sometimes sorted by car brand or vehicle type (i.e. sedan, truck, compact). Buried within these ads will be occasional postings for old cars and classic restorations. However, the frequency can be hit and miss, depending on how many cars exist in a given area. Many such periodicals tend to be regional to bring in a wider population of readers. So the ads may cover cities and towns up to 50 miles apart from each other.

Car Clubs

Not surprisingly, collectors and car fans like to keep supplies of old cars and spare parts a bit confidential. This keeps the availability of the items within their population for easy access. As a result, old car classifieds among car clubs and aficionado networks stay within those groups rather than regular public distribution. The best way to get connected to this information is to become connected or a member of the local car club. Not only does the connection provide leads on private car sales but it also helps new owners get information on how to repair specific old car types as well as sources for spare parts.

Online Car Forums

Just like car fan clubs in a local town, the Internet is full of aficionado websites and forums for fans of particular vehicles. In many cases, some of the same players in local car clubs are also involved in related Internet groups and forums focused on specific cars. Connecting with these resources tends to be far easier as most readers just need to sign up and log into the particular forum. Many forums have their own dedicated “for sale” sections with classified ads posted by forum members. The supply of ads and vehicles for sale tend to be far greater on average than what’s found in generic newspapers.

Internet Classifieds and Auctions Sites

The benefit of many Internet selling sites is the fact that it is so darn cheap or free to post an ad for at least a week or two. Depending the website used a car seller can reach a wider population of interested parties for little or no cost. Ads can include multiple photos of large size as well as good, detailed descriptions. For an auction site, the large fees only occur if the car actually sells, so there is little financial loss if nothing happens.

For buyers, Internet classifieds and auctions sites provide a quick, easy way to see old car classifieds from all over the country. If shipping resources are available, cars can be bought across country and transported to local shipping destinations as well. The greater benefit for such classified ads is the wider inventory of spare parts a buyer has access to. The Internet platform is able to leverage contacts and sellers nationwide, which provides a greater population of sellers than person-to-person at a regional level.

Risks

However, because distance is involved and cars and parts have to be transported, if items are bought electronically or through the mail the risk of fraud rises. Many a buyer has been fooled into sending money and getting nothing or junk in return. Buyers using online ads are warned to check out all possible information first before sending any payment, especially if using a payment method that has no paper trail like cash.

Conclusion

Like anything worthwhile, old cars and classified ads selling such vehicles takes research and time. Anybody expecting to find their dream classic car with a first look is going to be about as lucky as winning the lottery on the first ticket purchase. It’s extremely rare, and when a good car is found right away the price tag tends to be very expensive. So the average buyer should not expect an instant find as if he plugged in his zip code to a website and an instant car insurance quote appeared for free. In most cases, the right classified ad takes some looking and patience. However, with regular and consistent checking, most classic cars can be found at a good price. Great auto insurance can also be found by entering your ZIP code into our FREE comparison tool below!