How to buy right

Commission a pre-purchase inspection from a marque specialist before completing any significant purchase. This is not a negotiation. It is a condition. Any seller who objects is a seller to reconsider

Request and review the complete history file. Service records, MOT history, previous registrations, restoration photographs if relevant. Gaps are not automatically disqualifying but they require explanation. Understand the restoration history

Who did the work, when, to what standard, and with what parts. A restoration performed by a respected specialist with correct parts is different from a cosmetic refresh intended to improve presentation before sale. For significant purchases, retain an independent specialist to represent your interests through the buying process.

CollectorGrade take

The history file is as important as the car itself. A complete, coherent, verifiable history is worth a meaningful premium. A car with gaps and uncertainties in its history requires a proportionally larger discount to compensate for the risk.