What's the best state to find/buy a classic car?

[SteveSS]

I'm talking about availability, price, and condition. In your experience where have you found the best places to shop and buy that even increasingly elusive classic car bargain?

Lately, I've been shopping in New Mexico. It's close. Most cars have little to no rust. The economy is pretty bad there so cars aren't overpriced. I guess it's not the best place to find the Blue Chip cars because the population isn't rich. I dunno, is Florida good? Maybe having lots of wealthy people drives the price down. Or up? Who knows?

 

[440 PHIXX]

Not Pennsylvania.

 

[SteveSS]

Yeah, I thought any place northeast of Kansas City would be bad.

 

[6PKRTSE]

It used to be California or down south near N.C. Tennessee, Georgia etc. These days with the Woodward cruise, down river cruise, Gratiot cruise, etc. and being the Motor City capital where most musclecars were born and, so many want the feeling of their old car back from the glory days. It seems that Michigan sure has a high percentage of them anymore.

 

[cudabee]

From my experience, one would do well to stay away from the West Coast/Washington ST. The S Bee project that I'm working on now came from Everett area. Price was right, clean car, all original, but I'm replacing a lot of sheet metal. (I didn't mention it but the S Bee had small rust holes in very odd places, even for a Mopar.) The two Coronets I bought from AZ and KS were very "dry" cars... metal was very good shape.

 

[Rick@Laysons]

The BEST state to buy a car in.......

The state of "acute sobriety".......

 

[joel snyder]

Not Pennsylvania.

really?

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Any state doing bs electric vehicle takeovers. Some people might be so stupid they’ll sell their classic at rock bottom price scared their beloved i.c.e will get taken away

 

[XS22J8R]

Any state convenient enough for the buyer to travel to and thoroughly look over the car personally, so that they don’t end up buying a car based just on pictures and videos!

 

[Mopar Hunter]

The states that don’t have no property tax.

 

[Outsider]

It's all about supply and demand, and at this point 50 plus years after original muscle cars were built, finding a decent car depends to some degree on selecting an area or region that has had enough income to properly restore and take good care of them (the supply). Another factor I've noticed, is that like myself, a lot of baby boomers are getting old, retiring, and if they have the resources, are taking one last shot and getting a muscle car while they can (the demand).

My belief is the best deals at this point are the properly restored cars done 10 years ago or so. The car may have a few scratches or a door ding, but was done right by someone that cared, and the seller is at the point they are ready to move the car to someone else.

 

[64fury74charger]

I think it’s all about finding a car that’s for sale starting reasonably close and see what’s out there. If you don’t find anything that rings your bell, then broaden your search staying away from obvious rust areas but still within your travel plans.

If you find a possibility then check it out in person and see how the seller acts when you get detailed inspection done either by you or a trusted source. Then negotiate and be ready to walk away at any point.

Sometimes you may find a sweet clean car in a potential rusty area and of course the seller may say the car came from another state that’s not a rusty state. Again, lower your expectations so you can walk away if there is questionable background information.

Just my experience and that’s all.

 

[#41]

From my experience, one would do well to stay away from the West Coast/Washington ST. The S Bee project that I'm working on now came from Everett area. Price was right, clean car, all original, but I'm replacing a lot of sheet metal. (I didn't mention it but the S Bee had small rust holes in very odd places, even for a Mopar.) The two Coronets I bought from AZ and KS were very "dry" cars... metal was very good shape.

... while the East side of the State has very low rainfall amounts and is a great place to hunt for old iron.

 

[BB BELLA]

seems to me any place with a barn you can find a mint unmolested one of one if your name is corini! except any barn I've looked in I seem to find a couple cats and rusty piss pots!

 

[Don Frelier]

Not Pennsylvania.

Anythings better than upstate NY

 

[68BabyBlue]

It used to be California or down south near N.C. Tennessee, Georgia etc. These days with the Woodward cruise, down river cruise, Gratiot cruise, etc. and being the Motor City capital where most musclecars were born and, so many want the feeling of their old car back from the glory days. It seems that Michigan sure has a high percentage of them anymore.

For sure, two of my past GTXs went to Detroit when I sold them.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I've owned three GTXs that came from the Washington, D.C. metro area in suburban Maryland and Virginia. Affluent area, cars were all originally owned by upscale middle aged guys, with garages. No road salt down there, all had really nice original bodies, minimal quarter panel and trunk rust. None of them were cheap, but all were driven home to PA, and none of them had any nasty surprises later. The current occupant spent early years in my rust belt locale, and never left, but because of some quirks of fate ended up in way better condition than my cars that started out in better climates. Wasn't cheap, but no transportation or search costs.

 

[68BabyBlue]

It's all about supply and demand, and at this point 50 plus years after original muscle cars were built, finding a decent car depends to some degree on selecting an area or region that has had enough income to properly restore and take good care of them (the supply). Another factor I've noticed, is that like myself, a lot of baby boomers are getting old, retiring, and if they have the resources, are taking one last shot and getting a muscle car while they can (the demand).

My belief is the best deals at this point are the properly restored cars done 10 years ago or so. The car may have a few scratches or a door ding, but was done right by someone that cared, and the seller is at the point they are ready to move the car to someone else.

My last two fell into this category. A lot of bang for the buck. Nice lookers, but not too nice to drive.

 

[Islandkent]

Picked mine up in Leavenworth Kansas.
Now I'm not sure if all cars from around there are in this great of shape. But I lucked out to find this one.

 

[Richard Cranium]

The best state to find one in would be your own.