Your classic car is probably your pride and joy, so you will take very good care of it. This means that you will be very particular about where you take it to be serviced. Of course, you may also be reading this article because you are thinking about buying a classic car. When your car needs a service or renovation work done on it, you should take it to a specialist who understands classic cars. To locate experts near you, perhaps you should read some of the classic car magazines, as their classified ads sections are worth perusing for the enthusiast.
If you have or are thinking of buying a classic car, remember that it must meet the UK government’s specifications before it is driven on the road.
Services and classic cars
When you take your classic car to be serviced, you should check the reputation of the garage. You will probably know other people who have a classic car, so ask them to recommend a good garage or classic car servicing centre. You need to find one that can probably access the spare parts that are compatible with your car’s marque and model, as to be a recognized classic car the components must be original rather than new or replica ones. Classic car magazines can be useful if you need original spare parts, although good mechanics can sometimes repair the part in your car that needs replacing.
There are safety concerns regarding the law that came into force in November 2012 which exempts cars which were built prior to 1960 from having to have an MOT certificate. However, the majority of classic car owners are responsible and look after their cars as if they were children, or other family members, so not having to have an annual MOT test and certificate is probably a good thing. If a classic car did not have one though, and was involved in an accident, then there could be quite serious repercussions for all British classic car owners, as legislation would probably be tightened.
There are concerns about the future of jobs (28,000 of them in the UK) in the classic car industry, as more people are no buying the cars, not to pursue a hobby, but as an investment. Such people may not really be interested in the car itself and may not have it regularly maintained.
Hopefully the classic car industry will continue to exist to support the enthusiasts who want to keep their special cars on the road.