The Difference Between Classic, Antique, and Vintage Cars? (2024)

FAQs

The Difference Between Classic, Antique, and Vintage Cars? ›

Classic vs Antique vs Vintage Cars

Usually, the classic car moniker applies to vehicles over 20 years old. Antique cars are over 45 years old, and vintage cars are built between 1919 and 1930. But as with many subjects in the motoring world, not everyone can agree on a single definition.

For insurance and registration purposes, the age of a classic car, in most cases, is at least 20 years old but not more than 40 years old. If you are going to register it (and insure it) as a classic, it should have been kept to its original design and specifications.

Simply put, an antique is any item — whether it be a work of art, jewelry, carpets or everyday objects like housewares and accessories — that is over 100 years old. Vintage items are much younger, less than 100 years old, and typically have a collector's appeal.

In the strictest sense, the difference between an antique and a vintage item is its age. Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old.

A vintage car is one that was manufactured between 1919 and 1930. An antique car is any car manufactured in 1975 or earlier (older than 45 years old). The classic car is a vehicle manufactured in the 1990s or earlier (at least 20 years old).

Classic cars are at least 20 years old but not older than 45 years, while vintage cars are 25 years or older. Antique cars are even older, at least 45 years old.

Classic car insurance is usually much cheaper than regular car insurance. According to Baily Insurance Agency, a classic car policy costs around $200 to $600 annually. If you own an abnormally expensive vehicle, your rates may be higher. In contrast, regular car insurance usually costs over $1000 per year.

Vintage: manufactured between 1919 and 1930. Post Vintage: manufactured between 1931 and 1949. Classic Acceptance: manufactured between 1950 and 1969. Modern Classic: manufactured between 1970 and 1989.

Cars over 10 years old can still be reliable. Most vehicles can last well over a decade with proper care and maintenance. In fact, the average car on U.S. roads is now 12.5 years old, according to a study from S&P Global Mobility. Furthermore, a car doesn't really stop depreciating until it hits that 10-year mark.

Is 1970 considered vintage? ›

While there's no official expert consensus for an item to be considered vintage, many agree an item should be between twenty to ninety-nine years old. An item regarded as retro is made recently but designed or in the style of items from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and very early 2000s.

What is the difference between vintage and antique? The majority of experts have agreed that items over 50 years old but less than 100 years old can be called vintage or collectable, but not antique.

Vintage items are much younger than antiques. These pieces are typically defined as being at least 20 years old but less than 100 years old. The term "true vintage" is a sub-category for items that are at least 50 years old.

Though the exact definition of “classic car” differs by state, the Car Club of America classifies this type of vehicle as a “fine” or “distinctive” automobile assembled between 1915 and 1948. California describes a “classic car” as a vehicle that is at least 25 years old.

The most common criteria to classify your car as a "classic car" is it should be 25 years or older. The standards are more clear for antique cars. For a car to be considered an "antique," it should have been manufactured before 1975. Generally, antique cars are over 45 years old or more.

The requirements vary somewhat from state to state, but in general, the vehicle needs to be above a certain age (usually between 20 and 30 years old) and it must not be used for routine transportation (forget about that daily Starbucks run).

The term antique refers to something 100 years or older, says Rebecca Rau of M.S. Rau Antiques. This criteria helps to distinguish antiques from more contemporary collectibles and decorative items.

Generally, a car must be at least 25 to 45 years old to be considered an antique. Vintage cars are typically those that were manufactured between 1919 and 1930, and classic cars are defined as vehicles manufactured in the 1990s or earlier.

According to About Money, most car clubs, other automotive organizations and insurance companies consider a car to be classic under the following circ*mstances: age (car is between 25 and 50 years old) and distinctive features that make them collectible.