The 10 Best Places To Find An Affordable Classic Car Pt 4: Hemmings Motor News

Part IV:  9. Hemmings Motor News (print version and online)

Hemmings Motor News, October 2009

Started in the mid fifties Hemmings Motor News is the oldest publication of its kind in the United States. 200,000 + copies of the print version are sold every month, and one must imagine there are many thousands of hits to their well put together website each month as well. Because Hemmings is so well established it is a great source of high quality classifieds for classic, collector and sports cars from true industry insiders. It was the unofficial publication of the collector car hobby before anyone really realized there was a collector car hobby.

There is a nice mix of classifieds from private parties and dealers alike which results in a wide range of prices for cars that might sound very similar based on the text in the ad. It’s up to each of us to figure out which is the best car for our needs. In most cases you get what you pay for. There is no such thing as a cheap classic… affordable, yes, but cheap, no. That $8,000 1983 Porsche 911 SC might look cheap, but that $8,000 will just be the price of admission into Porsche ownership. There is a reason it only costs $8,000. You’re probably better off buying the $14,000 car and saving yourself the headaches of a true problem child.

Most of Hemmings is printed in black and white on newsprint and the vast majority of classifieds do not include pictures. Again, this publication is a throwback for insiders of the hobby. It’s been that way forever, and will likely continue the same way.

The online version hemmings.com is where I usually search Hemming’s Classifieds. It’s only when I’m away from home, on vacation or take a plane flight when I’ll buy the print version. The website seems to have many more ads which include photos which I like, but when you’re serious about finding a particular model it’s worth calling anyone who has a classified that sounds interesting, photo or no photo.

Hemmings Motor News home page

Consider the readership of Hemmings. It’s the oldest publication of its kind, a lot of the subscribers have been subscribers long before the internet or digital cameras. Look at the average age of the typical car show participant… depending upon the kind of show I suppose, but let’s just say the guys who were driving 1960s sports car in the 1960s aren’t getting any younger.

A page of Triumphs.

It’s very possible the person who listed that ad without a photo did so because he might not have the know how or tools to do so. That works in your favor. If an ad without a photo garners less attention they’ll get fewer interested parties. Call the owner of the listed car and ask if they can email you digital pictures of the car described. There are plenty of people who will just gloss over such ads and go on to the next one. I once had someone mail (yes, U.S. Postal Service) me printed 35mm photos of a Porsche 914 because he didn’t have a digital camera and wouldn’t have known how to email attach pictures even if he did.

Ultimately, Hemmings is a great source for unique and interesting classic and sports cars whether you choose to use their website or buy the printed copy on the news stand. There are many cars advertised in Hemmings that don’t come close to our idea of an “affordable classic car” but they are in there. Often time’s things show up in Hemmings that have never been offered for sale precisely because of the “insider” nature of its readership. Working on the national market might mean paying a premium, a trip to get your car or shipping, but acquiring the right car can easily trump any such considerations.