What constitutes a "classic"?

Archeron

Just wondering, what exactly is it that makes a classic car a classic. Is it the age? Or perhaps the rarity of the model? Is it a combination of both, or is it more a personal thing whereby one mans classic is another mans heaper?

I just ask this as I have a car (which I love) which will soon be 20 years old. I wonder if that would allow me to class it as a classic, or is it just really old? I will only use it for pleasure drives (not my commutemobile) so could I apply for classic insurance? Can I call it a classic without people pointing and laughing?

Cheers all.

prospect

You have to tell us what it is after that !!!

For tax & insurance purposes, it is strictly an age issue. Once your car reaches a certain age, you can tax/insure it as a classic.

Archeron

Good point! My own car is a Honda Integra. Its a Jap import, and factory built with top spec, full bodykit etc. Its a beauty of a car, and quite rare now as well. This particular model seems to have gone through the mill and you rarely see them anymore. What age must a car be to qualify for classic insurance?

BrianD3

It's a classic if YOU think it's a classic. That's all that matters. If you like your car, why give a bollox about what anyone else thinks.

If there's one thing I find really tedious it's debates about what is and isn't a classic. There cannot and will not ever be an agreed definition about what is a classic.

PaulK_CCI

If it's for insurance purposes, the companies would generally use 25 years as their cutoff point, but in some cases they accept younger cars, the likes of Porsches and so. Realistically I would doubt they will see a late eighties Honda Integra as a classic car.
It varies per vehicle and per insurance company. Generally if you manage to have the car insured through a group scheme of a classic car club, it's easier to get in. But rule of thumb for insurance is 25 years.

Vintage Tax, and VRT Exemption/NCT exemption apply only to cars over 30 years of age.

Archeron

thanks for the replies all. I agree that its personal opinion on the car, (and I love mine) I just wondered if there were set guides for this type of thing.
Cheers!

tc20

Archeron - im pretty certain that First Ireland (ins brokers, NCR, Dublin) will insure a car of 20yrs as a classic, even as daily drivers. i.e. not just as a second or weekend car - check them out.

As for the debate i'd agree that there's such broad criteria governing what constitutes a classic. Ok, it's a given that anything with race history or seriously collectible motors would instantly fall into the category (Ferrari 250GT/Merc 300 SLR/Bugatti's of the 30s etc) but with regard to what most of us here are driving or want to, then yeah, its pretty much open. I remember my dad had a Mk1 Escort when i was a kid, nothing fancy, but if you see one now, they do have nice lines. The next guy can say the Mk1 was just a mass produced family mover. I reckon a lot of people who have/want classics are reminded maybe of what their dad drove or what was on the road when you were a kid (similiar thread recently about todays cars being future classics).
The fact that, for the most part, you can actually work on older cars yourself is possibly some of the attraction too.
Rarity - yes of course. But compare the 70s in Ireland to today. I might have seen a Porsche then, even the bigger mercs were uncommon, and heaven forbid if you saw a Bentley :eek: The celtic trout has damned/spoiled us all!

Eric318

To me a classic is a car that, in average, sells for more than its normal depreciated value. The market determines this, when demand is higher than supply at the normally depreciated price.