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Auto Maintenance: Choosing One Repair Shop

One of the things I learned from my dad is that it pays to find a good auto repair shop and stick with it. True enough, I have tried using more than one shop, based on what I needed done to my car. Every time, I found myself going back to one shop that knew my car and the car's history. I had found that shop not too long ago. They had offered help with everything from rebuilding engines to dent repair. The shop is located near my home, and they keep records that went back for years. Thanks to the long history, they always knew what to do when something was not working as it should. If you think that finding one shop to meet all your needs is a good idea, let me help. With a little effort, you'll know exactly where to take your vehicle any time it needs some work.

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Auto Maintenance: Choosing One Repair Shop

Vintage, Antique, Exotic, And Rare Used Car Dealers

by Noelle Snyder

To drive a car with true panache is a pleasure that few get to experience. After your basic transportation needs have been met with something efficient and reliable, one of the most fun things for an adult to do is to cruise around town in a car that was designed with luxury and style in mind. To find a suitable car, however, you cannot just go down to any used car dealership. You need to find a broker who specializes in automotive gems.

Rare imports

There are some vehicles, which for whatever reason, have never been imported into the United States in any reasonable quantity. This could be a vehicle, which, as crash standards became more stringent, failed to meet the minimum standards. 

Some of the European cars that fit into this category would surprise most people. For instance, Land Rover Defenders are fairly rare, especially the Series I and Series II versions. Land Rover did a good job getting Series III Defenders into the States in the mid-to-late nineties, but they have not been legal for import since. The same is true for the original Mini Cooper.

To avoid "gray market" vehicles that have been imported by individuals, and may not be legally licensed and registered, going to a rare car dealer is your best bet.

Vintage and Antique Cars

Other vehicles may not have been rare in their time, but now, through attrition, are difficult to find. A good example of this is the Nash Statesman. No model of Nash is as easy to find as a 1957 Chevy Bel Air, for instance, though they were ubiquitous in their day. 

Other cars, like the Edsel, were never very popular, so few were built. 

The most desirable antiques command a premium because they offer a style which was revolutionary at one time, and is still beautiful. One of the best examples of this would be the Jaguar E-Type, one of the sexiest cars of all time.

Exotic Cars

Maseratis, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Aston Martins will always be difficult to find in the United States. The cost to purchase, operate, and maintain these cars is so much higher here than in Europe. If you buy a Ferrari, you cannot just take it down to the corner mechanic to get the turbos adjusted. It takes technicians with experience and the right tools and parts to keep these finicky thoroughbreds running.

No matter what pleasure car you seek, however, the Internet has made the world of car brokers pretty small. Cars that you would rarely see are now available for comparison on the web. You can also check out used car dealers for tips on finding great old, rare cars.

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