"Roadside assistance showed up looking confident, but after poking around for ten minutes, asked me if I had a manual handy...uh, nope."
That's honestly pretty relatable. I've found that classic cars can really throw even experienced mechanics for a loop sometimes. Had a similar scenario with my '68 Camaro—called roadside assistance once, and the technician ended up calling his supervisor because he wasn't familiar with carburetors. It was a bit awkward, but I appreciated his honesty. Definitely agree on the seasonal coverage point too; vintage cars seem particularly vulnerable to unexpected weather events. Have you looked into agreed-value policies? They can be a bit pricier, but knowing exactly what you'll get if something happens might be worth the peace of mind...
Had a similar experience with my old Mustang—mechanic looked totally lost when he saw the carb setup. Honestly, can't blame them too much; vintage cars have quirks that modern training just doesn't cover. Agreed-value policies do sound appealing, but I've always been skeptical about paying extra upfront. Still, after hearing some horror stories, I'm starting to reconsider...might be worth it just to avoid headaches down the road.
I get where you're coming from on the agreed-value policies. I was pretty skeptical myself at first—felt like just another way insurance companies squeeze extra cash out of us. But honestly, after seeing a buddy go through a nightmare with his '68 Camaro, I'm leaning toward biting the bullet too. He had a regular policy, and when it got rear-ended, the insurance company tried to value it like some beat-up daily driver. Took him months of arguing and paperwork to get even close to fair compensation.
Vintage cars are quirky enough without adding insurance headaches into the mix. And yeah, modern mechanics often look totally baffled when they pop the hood on anything older than 1990. Can't really blame them, though—carbs and points ignition aren't exactly standard curriculum these days. Anyway, sounds like you're thinking it through pretty well. Might be worth the peace of mind, even if it stings a bit upfront...
"Vintage cars are quirky enough without adding insurance headaches into the mix."
Totally agree with this. I've always stuck with standard policies for my family cars, but after inheriting my dad's old Mustang, I've been reconsidering. The horror stories I've heard about insurance companies undervaluing classics are pretty eye-opening. Curious, though—has anyone found a sweet spot between cost and coverage, like maybe a specific insurer or policy that's worked out well?
You're spot on about standard policies often undervaluing classics. Agreed-value policies are usually the way to go—they let you set the car's worth upfront, so no nasty surprises later. Hagerty or Grundy tend to be popular choices, balancing decent premiums with solid coverage. Worth checking out...
