Car buying guides
Practical advice for buying an enthusiast car the way most of them are bought today: at an online auction, from a private seller on a forum, or from a dealer in another state.
- Buying at an online car auctionA practical guide to winning an online car auction without overpaying: reading the listing and comments, reserves, buyer fees, inspections, bidding, and what happens after you win.
- Buying from forums and Marketplace safelyForum classifieds and Facebook Marketplace are where many of the best enthusiast cars are sold privately. How to check the seller, the car and the paperwork, and the scams to recognize.
- Pre-purchase inspectionsWhat a pre-purchase inspection on an enthusiast car should include, how to find the right specialist, how to arrange one for a car in another state, and how to read the report.
- Buying a car in another stateMost enthusiast cars are bought from out of state. How to ship or drive the car home, the title and paperwork to get, how sales tax usually works, and registering it in your state.
- Finding a rare specWhen you want one specific combination of gearbox, color and options, the car is usually not for sale today. How to define the spec, where to look, how to read listings, and how to be first when it appears.
Guides to specific cars
For what to know and what to check on a particular model, from the 987 Cayman to the E46 M3 and the S2000, see the model guides.