Fluther: How old do you think a car should be to be ...

Automobiles are considered “antique” when they are 30 years old. It’s because they wear out so fast. (Unless you live in Cuba.)

kritiper (25757

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The Antique Automobile Club of America says 25+ years old

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SergeantQueen (12874

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@kritiper-The cars in Cuba might look like that because they put themselves in a bubble when Castro took over, America embargo no longer imported cars from the US & it’s allies.
Do you think cars 30 years old qualify as antique?

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@SergeantQueen -Do you agree with that?

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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Oops- I misread the link.
Antique is 50+ and Classic is 25–49

SergeantQueen (12874

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I think it should be older than me.

canidmajor (21237

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@lucillelucillelucille @SergeantQueen That’s the way it’s always been (for 45 years) from what I’ve heard. If the Automobile Club of America says it is so, well, that’s one opinion…
One way the Cubans keep those old beauties running is they replace the original engines with used Mercedes diesel engines.

kritiper (25757

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@lucillelucillelucille Yeah, I do. I think 25 years is a good amount of time as things change SO much in 25 years
Here is a 1995 Chevy

Here is a 2020 Chevy

SergeantQueen (12874

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@kritiper – They can’t get the parts. Ihave seen some of these cars on tv and have to admit they are beautiful.

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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I don’t think there should be an official number. I think the English word means something other than age. I think conventional attempts to use it as a car category by age are, well, something that’s up to magazine editors or car parade organizers, but are an appropriation of the word, which actually means:

”1a : serving as a standard of excellence : of recognized value
// classic literary works
// a classic case study on hysteria
b : traditional, enduring
// classic designs
c : characterized by simple tailored lines in fashion year after year
// a classic suit
2 : of or relating to the ancient Greeks and Romans or their culture : classical
3a : historically memorable
// a classic battle
b : noted because of special literary or historical associations
// Paris is the classic refuge of expatriates
4a : authentic, authoritative
// a classic study of eyewitness accounts
b : typical
// a classic example of chicanery
// a classic error”
(from Merriam-Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classic)

Zaku (30367

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@lucillelucillelucille They import the used engines from Russian junkyards.

kritiper (25757

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@SergeantQueen – Differences in design are apparent but I don’t think a ‘95 truck is anything special. Maybe because I remember a sh!tload of them being on the road, idk.

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@Zaku -Yes! So when I go to a car show and see something from fairly recent times, I am surprised.

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@lucillelucillelucille I don’t think it’s anything special either. Was just the first car to come to mind and it does look way different. I was pointing out how much they change in 25 years.
A bigger different may be between the 1968 Chevy and the 2020 Chevy. That’s a 52 year difference.

SergeantQueen (12874

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@kritiper -I can see that. I was told they have to get permission from the state to buy a new car. (to be imported)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@SergeantQueen -I understood your point. :)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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At least 200 years.

ragingloli (51970

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I don’t think there should be an official number.

There is for licensing. For one thing, a car may not be required to meet emissions standards to keep its “collector” registration, where a newer car could have its registration voided.

Call_Me_Jay (13846

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I don’t think there’s an official year, number. But. I like the 25 years idea.

MrGrimm888 (19015

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Here’s State Farm insurance definition:
Classic is 10 to 25 years old
Antique is 25 or more years old there are requirements and limitations for insuring.

Tropical_Willie (31128

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@Tropical_Willie – A classic Ford Escort. XD

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@canidmajor Did they make cars back then? :-)

chyna (51310

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Got to be pre 80’s for me, at least!
Can I just say, the finest car ever is the 69 Dodge Charger, in black of course. I want one so bad it hurts :D

ucme (50047

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@chyna, well, the word “car” is short for “carriage” so I’ll say yes. :-)

canidmajor (21237

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@ucme -Me too. I can’t think of any cars I love from the 80’s ‘til present time.
My brother had two Chargers. (‘73’s I think)
I don’t see them at shows very often as they disintegrate. ;)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@lucillelucillelucille Oh yeah, we discussed that before, I recall being a tad jealous of your brother!
Not anymore, now I just hate him XD

ucme (50047

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@ucme- He also had an AMC Gremlin so there’s your equalizer. Lol

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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My brother had a Gremlin too. It was a hunk of junk.

chyna (51310

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What in the name of Satan’s hot pants was a bleedin Gremlin?
I could Google, but want to be told here…by you!

ucme (50047

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@chyna -You’re not kidding!

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@ucme It was manufactured to fill the need for a truly fugly car that no date would ever want to step foot in.
Aka-“The Virgin-maker”
AMC made some ugly cars. Look up Matador and Javelin.
All approved by “The Society to Preserve Virginity”

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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I believe part of their guarantee was to be able to “embarrass kid sisters to where they insist on being let out a block before their destination.”

chyna (51310

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@chyna Ha ha! My brother’s was bright orange so as not to be seen.

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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So, the Gremlin looks like a discarded granny boot, the matador even hates itself, but I quite like the look of the javelin!
I’ve had sex too…I checked!

ucme (50047

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Depends on the car. Some actually are “classics ” on the showroom floor.

stanleybmanly (24153

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@stanleymanly-Any from the 90’s?

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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Classic: 20+
Antique: 45+

The local classic car show has cars from as recent as the 80’s. Sometimes I forget the 80’s were already thirty something years ago.

raum (13206

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I remember the first time we applied for antique plates the rule was 25 years or more, and that was much less than I would have assumed. I think antique furniture needs to be 75 years old, but I might be incorrect.

I’m accustomed to the 25 rule now, I think it’s fine at that. Some states if you have an antique plate you only pay the one time, and don’t have to pay every year to maintain the registration.

JLeslie (65425

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AMC Pacer was uglier even, in my view.

rebbel (35549

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@JLeslie – When I see a car from the 80’s at a show, it makes me chuckle every time. :)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@rebbel -You might be right. I forgot they made that car.

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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Your Gremlin brought back to memory the Pacer; the one looks like the inbred bro of the other :-)

rebbel (35549

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The car I own now would be considered a “classic”, it is 10 years old one of about 7000 made by Ford and one of only 1100 in Ruby Red metallic paint.

Tropical_Willie (31128

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@rebbel -Not MY Gremlin. Let’s get that straight! lol

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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@Tropical_Willie- What would it be? SHO? shot in the dark

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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Yep @lucillelucillelucille and it has “spanked” a couple Mustang GT 5.0 at the green light !

Tropical_Willie (31128

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@Tropical_Willie – Ha! Love that!:)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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69 Camero SS. Or 70 Chevelle SS 454. Those are my favorites.

MrGrimm888 (19015

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I had a 1962 VW. It was an antique and the property tax was dirt cheap.

Dutchess_lll (8745

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^I can’t fit, in those little cars. But. I like them.
I think I may have mentioned before, that a friend’s father was going to sell me a ‘69 Stingray Corvette for cheap. I went to his house, cash in hand. I very excited. But. I couldn’t fit in the car. I was just too tall…I fiddled with the seat, and tried to rationalize, being wedged in. But. I couldn’t. The car was just not made for big people. Not much is…

MrGrimm888 (19015

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@MrGrimm888 -Perhaps a convertible where you drive from the backseat? :)

lucillelucillelucille (34325

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^Nope. Not, at those speeds…

MrGrimm888 (19015

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@MrGrimm888 _Get one with a small engine to prevent that. like a Singer sewing machine motor? XD