How To Buy a Good Used Project Car
Andrew Koole
· 4 min read
Project cars are not your typical
used cars
. When most people buy a used car, they usually have two words in mind: “affordable” and “reliable.” But a few consumers want something to tinker with and restore.Finding and buying a good project car is different than it is for a used car you plan to use to get to work or learn to drive. So how do you know you’re buying something fit for modifying?
Well, the guys at
Donut Media
have a lot of experience in this matter and were thankfully willing to share their secrets in a recent installment of their show Money Pit. Jerry
can also offer some advice on how to find the right car insurance
policy for your car-building adventure.
Finding the right used car to restore
If you’re buying your first project car, Money Pit host Zach Jobe says you should start with something simple. A mass-produced model will be cheaper and easier to find parts for than something rare that doesn’t have aftermarket support or a well-established community around it.
Enthusiasts of specific car brands gather on online forums that can teach you the ins and outs of a particular model. Jobe says some forums even offer buying guides. Plugging yourself into one of these communities is easy and they’re filled with people happy to help get you started.
In terms of makes and models, Jobe loves his Mazda Miata and says it’s a great option for a beginner’s project car because the automaker built a million of them.
But if the little convertible coupe doesn’t suit your taste, Jobe’s cocreator James Pumphrey says a Foxbody Mustang, Volkswagen Golf, or even a BMW E36 would all make great choices for project cars.
MORE: Biden Proposed 'Right to Repair' Initiative
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Getting a good deal on the used car you plan to fix up
Once you decide the type of car you want to restore or modify, it’s time to find the right seller. You want to find a vehicle with a clean title, meaning one that wasn’t written off as totaled by an insurance provider. Make sure the title is notarized, and as for service records, too.
One step you should take yourself is to run the car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through an online VIN decoder. Look for any discrepancies between what you find and what you’re buying. Paying for a CARFAX report is also a good idea.
If everything checks out, plan to meet the car and its current owner at a public place. Jobe says the safest location is a police station. People are much less likely to rob or scam you there.
Inspect the whole car, from the body and interior to the tires and the engine, and make note of every problem. Even if you don’t necessarily care about them, each problem can be a bargaining chip you use to negotiate a lower price.
The last steps to owning your first project car
If your
test drive
goes well, you negotiated a fair price, and you’re ready to buy, you want to get a bill of sale and a title transfer to make the car legally your property. Once you get it registered and insured, it’s time to get to work!Car insurance is something you want to look up while considering which model to buy. If the car is 25 years old or older,
classic car coverage
could help you save a lot of money. But for anything new than that, you’ll need to find a good price for a regular policy.Jerry can help you find cheap quotes fast. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and will even help you cancel your old policy. The average Jerry user saves $879 a year on car insurance.
