"Seems inspectors mostly target cars that look neglected or abandoned..."
Yeah, that's been my worry too. I mean, who decides what's "neglected"? My neighbor had a Mustang under a tarp for months—looked rough but he was slowly restoring it. Got cited anyway. Makes me wonder if it's worth risking leaving my own project visible, even if it's tidy. Maybe better safe than sorry and just keep it in the garage...?
Had a similar issue last year with my old Corolla project. It wasn't even in bad shape—just had some primer spots and was parked in my driveway. Got a warning notice anyway, saying it looked "abandoned." Ended up having to move it into the garage, which meant rearranging everything else I stored there (total pain). Honestly, inspectors probably just glance quickly and make snap judgments based on appearance alone. If your car looks even slightly rough or stationary for too long, you're at risk.
My advice:
- Keep it covered neatly if you have to leave it outside.
- Rotate its position occasionally so it doesn't look permanently parked.
- If possible, garage storage is safest—avoids hassle and potential fines.
I get cities wanting to keep neighborhoods tidy, but sometimes these rules feel overly strict and subjective...
"inspectors probably just glance quickly and make snap judgments based on appearance alone"
Yeah, sometimes it feels like they're just driving by at 30 mph, barely looking. Had a buddy whose vintage VW bus got flagged as "junk"—the thing ran better than my daily driver... Go figure.
Yeah, hearing stories like that makes me nervous about insuring my first classic. I'd hate to get flagged just because the paint's faded or something... guess I'll be waxing more often than driving.
Honestly, don't stress too much about faded paint—insurance companies care way more about mechanical condition and safety. Just document your car's current state clearly with photos, keep maintenance records handy, and you'll be fine. Waxing's great, but classics are meant to be driven...
