What’s the difference between a classic car and a vintage car?

If you’re a novice to classic car restoration, you might not be familiar with the difference between a classic car and a vintage car. There is a huge difference between the two though, not to mention antique cars!

Being able to confidently tell a classic car from a vintage car makes restoration far easier. Car restoration specialists will often focus on either vintage cars or classic cars. Once you know more about your car, you can find the right garage for the job. 

Restoria Classics specialises in British classic cars. We use modern and traditional restoration techniques for everything from bare shell restorations to car repainting.

What Is A Vintage Car?

The word ‘vintage’ often evokes feelings of nostalgia and makes you think of a bygone era. That’s not actually the definition though. In many areas, like wine, vintage simply refers to the year something is produced. When it comes to cars though, vintage is only used for a very specific period of time.

A vintage car is defined as a car that was manufactured between 1919 and 1930. The term ‘antique car’ is used on any car built over 45 years ago. This means there can be an overlap between an antique car and a vintage car.

What Is A Classic Car?

Classic car restoration is our speciality, but there can be some differences in definition. The main definition of a classic car is one built 20+ years ago with enough significance to make it collectable. There are many cars built over 20 years ago but they’re not all considered worth restoration.

Is a 25-year-old car considered a classic?

Generally, the title ‘classic car’ refers to vehicles over 20 years old. If a car is manufactured between 1919 and 1930, it’d be considered a vintage car instead. Because antique cars are cars built over 45 years ago, there can be an overlap with all of these terms.

If you’re not sure exactly where your specific car model falls, you can always get in touch with us for some more advice.

You can also join a classic car club to learn more and share your enthusiasm with other classic car lovers! 

Classic Car & Vintage Car FAQ

Are vehicles over 25 years old tax-exempt?

At one point, it was true that cars over 25 years old would be tax-exempt. This rule was introduced because it was assumed cars over this age wouldn’t be able to rack up much mileage. Thanks to improvements in car quality, and classic car restoration specialists, this wasn’t the case. In 1997, they amended the rule and now only vehicles built before 1st January 1974 are tax-exempt.

This doesn’t mean you don’t need to register your car though! Even though your car might be tax-exempt, classic cars and vintage cars still need to be registered. This is so they’ll show up in police systems and other registers.

Are there any classic cars that aren’t tax-exempt?

As with all things, there are exceptions. They’re important to know about if you’re looking at a classic car restoration project, especially a restomod. The tax-exemption rule may not apply if your classic car has had significant work in the past 30 years. This includes chassis changes and engine replacements.

If you’re not sure, you can read the full government guidelines. This will give you a more informed idea of whether your car is eligible for tax exemptions

Do classic cars and vintage cars still need MOTs?

While some older cars are exempt from tax, that doesn’t mean that any car can be driven without an MOT! MOTs prove your car is actually safe on the road so the age of the car doesn’t come into consideration.

We offer classic car servicing and MOTs to help make sure your car is roadworthy and ready to pass its annual MOT.

What’s the best classic car to buy?

Many of our customers are only just beginning their classic car restoration journey. That’s why we offer a range of project cars. They have all been specially selected by our team as a great restoration project.

One question we get a lot is which is the ‘best’ classic car to buy. This will depend on a number of factors, and what you want out of your classic car.

Sites like how many left can give you a good idea of how many classic cars are currently on the road. This can help you understand how rare certain classic cars are. You can also tell if it’s a popular restoration project by seeing if the number on the road has grown over time.

The right classic car for you will also depend on what you’re looking for. Classic cars can be restored for daily driving or as a showpiece for classic car exhibitions.

You can check out our British Classic Car Guide and our Case Studies page to learn more about the classic car choices available.

What is the most popular Vintage car?

Many vintage cars have remained favourites and you’ll often see them in use for special events, like weddings. Some of the most popular vintage cars are Rolls Royce, Jaguar and Aston Martin.

Which cars will become future classics?

Trying to get ahead of the curve with your next car purchase? There’s no exact science to finding out which modern car is going to stand the test of time to become a classic car. You can often look at manufacturers to see which cars have stood the test of time, like Jaguar.

Autocar also polled their staff to find out which cars they think will become future classics. Which do you think is most likely to become a classic?

Get in touch with Restoria Classics

Ready to start your own classic car project? Restoria Classics is based in picturesque Norfolk but we work with classic car enthusiasts all over the UK.

Visit our contact page to drop us a message or give us a call. A member of our friendly team is always more than happy to talk cars!