No one sets out to be an antique car trader, in spite of all the money in the business, and the love that most people have for antique cars. You either have antique car sales in your blood or you don't. You see, you simply can't fake the passion. There are a lot of folks who advertise in antique car trading times, who don't know what they are talking about when they post their adds. They never make any money at it. If you want to be a successful antique car trader, you need to know exactly what you're looking for. Not only do you need some basic automotive skills and connections with an excellent mechanic, but you need a nose for quality antique cars. You need to know by the sound of the engine whether an antique automobile is running rough, or purring like new. You need to be able to take one look at it and have a pretty reasonable guess as to whether it has stock parts or parts that have been swapped out for newer, less valuable gear. As an antique car trader, you should know what is under the hood before you even open it.
There have been many antique car traders in my family. As a matter of fact, most of my generation, as well as my father's, have been into antique car trading. My dad bought his first car is a teenager, and loved it, as all teenagers do. Rather than driving it recklessly, however, he kept it in good shape. He did all his own work on that car, and although he made some mistakes, in the long run he took better care of it than almost anyone could have.
All these years later, he still has that same old Ford. Many other cars, however, have come and gone. He did not start being an antique car trader as a way to make money. On the contrary, at first it was an expensive hobby. Being able to make profit as an antique car trader takes work. You need the mechanical know-how to do your own repairs and modifications, or else it is not really worth it. At the same time, you need to have a good sense of what cars are good investments and what cars are not. I definitely got an edge on the competition growing up with the father I had. I don't expect to be an antique car salesman as a profession, but it certainly will make a great hobby, as well as a lucrative sideline.
|
