While the idea of going to the dealer to buy a new car makes sense to us, things weren’t always done that way. The first cars were sold factory-direct, and the first independent car dealers got their start by buying cars from the factory and then reselling them alongside reliable products, like bicycles and horses. The first dealerships were even referred to as stables, until Percy Owen opened a site to display automobiles in New York City in 1899 and called it a showroom.

The distribution of automobiles was not particularly organized in those days. The manufacturer sold them to a distributor, who sold them to a dealer, who sold them to the customer. The distributors were mostly large urban dealers who sold to the smaller rural dealers. Factories continued to sell cars directly to the public at the same price for which the distributors purchased them.

But in the early part of the century the manufacturers began to formalize agreements with individual dealers, who would pay cash for cars, then wait for them to be built before they could be delivered and resold to the public.

By 1906, the City of Tucson Directory listed two auto dealers: the G. A. Wells Auto Co. at 208 W. Congress St., representing Winton, and the Huntsman-Sheldon Auto Co. on Scott Street, distributors for Oldsmobile.

By 1912, the number of Tucson auto dealerships and repair facilities swelled to nine, among them the F. Ronstadt Co. and F. J. Villaescusa–both of whom were also dealers of buggies, wagons, saddles and equine equipment. J. Breck Richardson owned a dealership at 231 E. Congress St. that would be sold two years later to Monte Mansfield.

How many times are those questions asked? This classic car debate is a very subjective one and in my opinion there is no right or wrong answer.

There have been iconic cars that attained classic status upon introduction, the Jaguar E type roadster for example is a case in mind, when introduced at the Geneva motor show it stole the show. The model on the stand had been driven to the show over night and had rolled off the production line a day or two previously.

The Aston Martin DB 5 attained classic status as James Bond ‘s choice of car.

Preston Tucker and the Tucker Torpedo became an iconic car and gained classic status from inception due to the publicity and the court case. The interest it created in 1948 has not waned in the intervening years. I was fortunate to see one in the flesh and found it difficult to believe it was created pre 1960 never mind pre 1950.

The majority of us will never get to own any of these super cars however that does not stop us owning and enjoying our own classic cars. For most of us the cars of our childhood constitutes our definition of a classic car. Who would argue the Mini or the fiat 500 are not classics, yet these models were created as transport for the masses, produced in very large numbers, and yet fifty years after their introduction are very desirable.

The cars our parents or other relatives owned often stay in the mind as being a thing of beauty, each time we see one it evokes pleasant memories and perhaps the aspiration to own one. For me it was a Humber Hawk MK VI, my childhood memory of seeing one being driven by a factory owner, it looked so graceful as it glided along and in comparison with other cars of that era it was so silent. I spent many evenings as young boy looking in the showroom window of the local dealer and dreamed of owning and driving such a beautiful car. Forty-four later I realised my dream. To me it is a classic car to others it has no meaning.

We can have a yearning for the car we learned to drive in, again it evokes pleasant memories. When I attend classic car shows and see the cars from each of the decades I also notice the choices of the various generations represents the cars of their youth. So the debate of what constitutes a classic car is often personal to the individual as our memories are personal.

Each decade produces a car that will appeal to almost everyone however due to cost it will be out of the reach of the majority, equally each decade produces cars that are affordable to most and will reach classic status.

The amount of Classic Cars for Sale there number in the thousands and not all are expensive or over priced many are very affordable for the average person. The events and the Vender’s are also very extraordinary to see, every thing from road side memorabilia such as old signs and old fashion gas pumps, to 900%2Bhp Vipers and big block V8 powered motorcycles. So if you can make it to Scottsdale Arizona next January for the fantastic Barrett Jackson Classic Car Auction you won’t be disappointed. The whole week of the Barrett Jackson Classic Car Auction is a great experience for anyone that grew up in the 50s or 60s it’s very nostalgic just to be there.

This year at Barrett Jackson there was a great show put on by event controllers and that was an exhibition of Drifting. In case you don’t know what that is it is basically when a Driver or Drivers as in this case place their cars in a some what controlled slide. It was amazing to watch these two Ford Mustangs Gets race side by side around just a few feet apart sending up a cloud so smoke from the tires and never collide. The crowd really loved it especially the children in the stands they were on their feet the whole time trying not to miss the action. This was the first time I had seen drifting done live it was really enjoyable.

One more thing I have to mention was the side by side drag racing on a stage. This was accomplished by chaining two Ford Mustangs to portable dyno machines with huge three foot tachometers and speedometers for the crowd to watch. Then two driver’s names are drawn from several hundred names of the drag racing hopefuls and the race is on. Each driver is given instructions on what he is allowed to do then the starting lights flash down and away they go. The cars hit second gear the tires chirp and the speedometers climb. The event is held every hour and is exciting to watch as the crowd cheers on their favorite driver. In all of the races that I witnessed the speeds reached well over 100mph in the Quarter mile that each car was driven on the imaginary track Barrett Jackson you really know how to throw a party.

So before you go running off to the nearest Classic Car for Sale auction to pluck your hard earned money on your favorite Classic Car, here are a few things to remember. First remember UN-restored Classic Cars are cheaper but you have to be ready to spend a lot of time and or money to restore the car to 100% original condition. Second those parts can be hard to find, thank heaven for eBay, although there a great number of company’s that have started making new parts that look and work just like the original ones. You can sometimes find Classic Car Parts at some of your local junkyards but the chance for finding a rare Classic Old Car or undiscovered Muscle Car for Sale are very slim. Some of these automobile Bone yards may have few vintage cars but they will be the four door models and will have small block V8′s or six cylinder motors in them and not desirable collectibles. The third thing that I highly recommend is when you go to view any Classic Car for Sale that you have available some way of checking engine numbers and VIN numbers.

My business is inspecting and valuing classic and rare vehicles on behalf of prospective buyers. Scams and fraud are an every day pain we have to put up with. Most are seen a mile off as they tend to repeat themselves, and as I see them most days they become easier to spot.

During the last year due to the increase in the value of classic cars the fraudsters have upped their game and some have become very sophisticated. The internet is helping their cause with very impressive web sites.

Below is one I encountered in December 2011. By doing the correct checks and applying common sense you will not be caught.

I was recently approached by a prospective client in Germany to look at a car on his behalf. The car in question was a left hand drive jaguar XK140 roadster in pristine condition. The asking price was 24,500 euros, very cheap was my first thought.

The seller contacted my client informing him the shipping was inclusive in the asking price. The car was in Co Durham on the shipping companies premises. He was given the shipping companies details including their website, which was very impressive. They offered many services including the storage and shipping of classic and rare vehicles. The most interesting service they offered was as a broker for the buyer, the buyer paid the money to the shipping company who held it for seven days after the vehicle delivered to the buyer. If within the seven days the buyer was not satisfied the vehicle was not as advertised all money refunded and the car shipped back to at the sellers expense. Once the buyer expressed their satisfaction the money is paid to the seller. Sounds very re-assuring.

The shipping companies corporate headquarters main telephone number was a mobile. When I checked companies house there was no record of their existence. I contacted both the seller and the shipping company via email. The shipping company never replied to request to see the car, however the seller informed me the shipping company had in house appraisal facilities and it was not possible to view the car. My client in the meantime was being urged by the seller to conclude the deal as there was another interested party. I had the shipping companies website hosting checked, it originated in Latvia, the sellers email source also originated in an Eastern European time zone, despite telling my client he was in Scotland.

We think we would never fall for such a scam, but I have no doubt some have. Bear in mind the car was advertised in Germany, both the car, the seller and the shipping company are in the UK, immediately there is a language barrier, and the price it is offered at looks such a bargain. The shipping company offering the brokerage service would appeal to an unsuspecting honest person.

This scam has not gone away, it will appear again, who is to say they will not advertise in a UK publication a car in Spain, or any other European country at a very attractive price with a similar brokerage facility, I believe they will catch unsuspecting people.Their set up costs are low and the rewards are very high. Five people caught equals one hundred thousand pounds. The difficulty the police have with this type of crime is which country was the crime committed and how are these people tracked down?

Anytime you are looking to buy a vehicle, be it a vintage car or modern truck, you have to be prepared for some salesmanship. Car dealers are well known for making every car sound like a bargain and as a buyer you need to be aware of these tactics and how to negotiate so you get the best deal possible. Rather than drive to a used car lot or sift through dated newspapers and auto trader magazines the best way to start a search for an old or classic car is to start online.

First, by browsing vintage cars online you are relaxed and can spend as much time as you want looking over a vehicle while opening another browse to research the specific vehicle and what previous owners have to say about it. When you go in person to check out a car there is always pressure from the seller to get you to buy it ASAP. Avoid pushy salesmen by taking your time on a classic car classified site where you can look through multiple photographs of a specific vehicle, read the detailed description of the car from the seller and compare the price against other models available.

Another reason to shop for classic cars online is that information about a vintage or antique vehicle may be hard to come by. It’s easy to find facts about current cars but try asking about vintage Studebakers and Buick Road Masters and you’re likely to get blank stares. When you shop online you have the capability of using search engines and auto trader sites to get valuable information about older cars such as original engines, standard features and any known defects. Being able to research this information in the comfort of your own home will allow you to learn more about the vintage car you are interested in buying without having to listen to the seller’s spiel.

Also, the club defines a standard automobile as a “fine or distinctive automobile, either American or foreign built, produced between 1925 and 1948.” Also, a classic vehicle was high-priced when it was brand new and they were built in limited quantities. Any member of the Classic Car Club of America can petition for the club to add a automobile to their list of what they consider vintage cars but the petition will be placed under a large amount of scrutiny before any decision is made.

Individual states within the United States have their own definitions and requirements for what is a classic vehicle for the sole purpose of antique vehicle registration with those individual states. Most states’ definitions include that a time-honored vehicle is one that was “manufactured 15 years prior to the current year and has been maintained or restored to a condition that is in conformity with manufacturer specifications and appearance.”

The Classic Car Club of America was founded in 1952 by a group of auto owners that were being excluded from vehicle shows because they were told that the cars they owned were too modern. The list of cars that have been deemed time-honored by the Classic Car Club of America looks like this: A.C, Adler, Alfa Romero, Alvis, Amilcar, Armstrong-Siddeley, Aston Martin, Auburn, Austro-Daimler, Ballot, Bentley, Benz, Blackhawk, BMW, Brewster, Brough Superior, Bucciali, Bugatti, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Cord, Cunningham, Dagmar, Daimler, Darracq, Delage, Delahaye, Delaunay Belleville, Doble, Dorris, Duesenberg, du Pont, E Icar, Excelsior, Farman, Fiat, Franklin, FN, Graham-Paige, Hispano-Suiza, Horch, Hotchkiss, Hudson, Humber, Invicta, Isotta-Fraschini, Itala, Jaguar, Jensen, Jordan, Julian, Kissel, Lagonda, Lanchester, Lancia, LaSalle, Lincoln, Lincoln-Continental, Locomobile, Marmon, Maserati, Maybach, McFarlan, Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz, Mercer, M.G. Minerva, N.A.G., Nash, Packard, Peerless, Pierce-Arrow, Railton, Raymond Mays, Renault, Reo, Revere, Roamer, Rochet Schneider, Rohr, Rolls-Royce, Ruxton, Squire, S.S. Jaguar, Stearns-Knight, Stevens-Duryea, Steyr, Studebaker, Stutz, Sunbeam, Talbot, Talbot-Lago, Tatra, Triumph, Vauxhall, Voisin, Wills Ste Claire and Willys-Knight. Not all models of the makes mentioned above are accepted by the Classic Car Club of America as classic cars. To check if a model is considered a vintage automobile by the Classic Car Club of America you will have to check their list of approved classics. They are listed in alphabetical order by the make and then divided into the models that are acceptable.

Sarasota Classic Car Museum. This museum is recognized as the second oldest continuously operating Antique car museums in the United States. They offer you a chance to walk among antique, exotic, European, and even one of a kind classic cars. If you are lucky you can go and view various celebrity cars such as John Lennon’s 1965 Mercedes Benz.

Volvo Auto Museum. Nestled in Volvo, Illinois is the Volvo Auto Museum. This place is a must see attraction. They have a special kid’s zone, movie car collection, military autos, vintage cars, and many more. If you are interested in purchasing or selling a classic care then these are the people that you want to talk to.

The Auto Collections. This attraction is the world’s largest classic car museum. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this showroom is open every day so that visitors can bask in the glory. The showroom features over 300 car models. You can gaze at cars that date all the way back to the 20s and include most classics till now.

The Gilmore Car Museum. This museum is located in America’s auto industry heartland. If you are traveling to Michigan then you will want to check out this museum. Started from a passion for cars, this museum grew into a bigger idea and now operates on a farm with over 8 barns to showcase the classic beauties.

Canton Classic Car Museum. Travel back in time and see more than 45 rare, unusual, classic, and special interest cars. Not only does this museum offer visitors a look at these cars but they also offer historical memorabilia so that you can see what was going on through the time periods when the cars were created.

Antique Auto Museum. Located in Hersey, Pennsylvania is the AACA museum. Visitors may be surprised that this is more than just a museum. It displays present original and restored vintage vehicles that show how the car developed throughout history. In the activity room, children can have a chance to get behind the wheel and drift back into time. This museum also holds larger events on location throughout the year so be sure to check with them for specific dates.

Whether you have a classic car or just have a love for their beauty, these are just a few places that one can check out. IF you currently own one or are thinking about purchasing one, check with your insurance provider and get cheap auto insurance quotes so that you can always have these classic beauties covered. Due to their stature and prestige, these cars will need more protection so that they can stay in the condition that they are intended for.