If you're looking for a classic car, look no further than the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show in Southern California. We're here so…{"id":4035,"date":"2013-09-06T14:28:07","date_gmt":"2013-09-06T21:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=4035"},"modified":"2014-02-05T09:57:32","modified_gmt":"2014-02-05T17:57:32","slug":"inspecting-a-classic-car-start-it-up-and-give-it-a-test-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/06\/inspecting-a-classic-car-start-it-up-and-give-it-a-test-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspecting a Classic Car: Start it Up and Give it a Test Drive!"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re looking for a classic car, look no further than the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show in Southern California. We’re here so you can link up with a seller<\/a> to buy the GTO, Chevelle, or Shelby that you’ve been trying to find. But how do you know what condition the car is really in? And what should you look for during your inspection so that you don’t discover problems under the hood after you’ve bought it?<\/p>\n

It’s always a good idea to bring someone with you when buying a car, used or new. Maybe you’re an expert, but a second pair of eyes (and ears!) never hurts when looking under the hood. And if you’re not an expert, bringing someone who is is a must. Of course, we always recommend that you hire a mechanic to fully inspect any used car that you buy, but we also know that our advice often goes ignored!<\/p>\n

So what are some key items to check during your inspection? Well, there are the obvious things… the exterior (how’s the paint? any rust? any dents?); the interior (how’s the upholstery? the headliner? do the door handles and windows work?); and the engine (any leaks? how does it idle? any smoke?). There are too many things to list here… but, we’ll give you one more: the VIN number! The VIN number should never be tampered with (big red flag it has been), and it can provide valuable information into the car’s history. A lot of online sites offer VIN decoders and search features now. Be sure to run a search before buying!<\/p>\n

Asking to Start the Car<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s perfectly acceptable, and expected, to ask a seller to start the car so you can hear how it sounds. You’ll be able to gain a considerable amount of information about the car’s condition by doing this. If the seller refuses, that’s another red flag and there could be a cover-up in the works!<\/p>\n

Of course, when starting the car up you have to understand how classic cars operate to know what to look and listen for. For instance, muscle cars often have a V8 engine… the older it is, the more likely it is that the engine won’t start right away if the car has been sitting for a while. That’s to be expected. How the car sounds after it starts and runs for a few minutes should prove the difference. The motor should have a smooth idle and should not produce dark exhaust. Keep in mind, though, that old muscle cars always produced some light smoke in the back.<\/p>\n

Asking for a Test Drive<\/strong><\/p>\n

It might be more of a challenge to give a car a test drive at a car show. Even so, you shouldn’t purchase the car without giving it a whirl first. When you do, be cognizant of the handling, the brakes, the acceleration, whether all of the accessories work correctly, and if the car makes any strange sounds or knocks. Picking an area nearby that allows you to make turns, stop, and some light acceleration should give you a final word on whether the car is a winner.<\/p>\n

Our next swap meet and classic car show is October 20th<\/strong> at Fairplex in Pomona<\/a>, California. Come see why we’re the largest auto swap meet on the West Coast, and don’t be afraid to bring your best inspection skills to find that classic car you always wanted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":4044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[805],"tags":[409,78,108,30,76,406,77,35,423,11,134,422,405,407,408],"class_list":["post-4035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classic-tips","tag-auto-swap-meet","tag-buy-classic-cars","tag-car-show","tag-classic-car","tag-classic-car-show","tag-inspect-classic-car","tag-muscle-car","tag-muscle-cars","tag-pomona-car-show","tag-pomona-swap-meet","tag-pomona-swap-meet-and-classic-car-show","tag-pomona-swapmeet","tag-test-drive","tag-vin","tag-vin-decoder"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t