Question: how old does a car have to be to become

iron-maiden, May 11, 5:02am
a classic,and when it gets that old is your rego any cheeper !

jason18, May 11, 5:04am
40 years and yes down to about 111 from memory

crzyhrse, May 11, 5:08am
It's vintage at 40 years since first year of registration.

bash, May 11, 6:42am
not vintage at all just 40 years old vintage is way older

crzyhrse, May 11, 6:47am
No. Veteran is older. It is vintage at 40 years for the purpose of licensing.

crzyhrse, May 11, 7:04am

socram, May 11, 7:17am
Unfortunately, that is only a kiwi Government department's classification.
In the real world, pre 1930 is Vintage.

You wouldn't call a 1970 Bentley, a Vintage Bentley.crzyhrse is wrong but is correct only as far as NZ licensing is concerned.

Pre 1919 may well be veteran and about pre 1905 is I think, Edwardian.It doesn't matter to NZ authorities but worldwide it does.

There is no approved category as far as I am aware for cars newer than 1930.They could be historic, classic, post vintage thoroughbreds etc but the interpretation is not cast in stone.

carkitter, May 11, 8:18am
'Classic' cars tend to be 1930 to early 70's - it depends on the make and model. An E-type Jag would be considered a classic and they were made up until 1975. There is an old-worlde styling language common in 50s and 60's cars that disappeared in the early 70's and that's where the 'classic-ness' ends. Most likely it was the oil shocks and the safety revolution that killed off the classics. Some people try to put the classic tag on modern supercars like the 70's De Tomaso Pantera, Maserati Merak, Lamborghini Countach and models from the eighties like the Ferrari F40 but it just doesn't sit well.

smac, May 11, 8:36am
Both wrong :PNZTA don't call >40 years vintage either.

vjregal770, May 11, 8:45am
What crap.

carkitter, May 11, 8:50am
Ahh, a Valiant fan. Say no more!

tuttyclan, May 11, 8:54am
20 years = classic
30 years =Cheaper insurance
40 years = Vintage and cheaper registration

magoo2, May 11, 8:59am
the Vintage car club accepts 30 year old cars

johnf_456, May 11, 9:35am
Really 20 years plus is classic.

vjregal770, May 11, 9:42am
Different people have different definitions. My "cut-off" point is basically after 1979. But I'm 37 - a 20 year old may see a 1989 RX7 as a classic whereas a 60 year old can't see past 1965.

I remember people scoffing at 240Zs and Chargers - now look!

socram, May 11, 10:04am
Yes they do!From the link posted above.'

"veteran motor vehicle means a motor vehicle that was manufactured before 1 January 1919

vintage motor vehicle means a motor vehicle that??

franc123, May 11, 10:08am
tuttyclan wrote:

20 years = Just another old crapper
30 years =Cheaper insurance if you insure with the right company
40 years =Cheaper licencing

Changed it for ya :)

townie55, May 11, 10:38am
I don't think that's right carkitter.The cars you mention are iconic and have cemented themselves in motoring history.I'd be more likely to call them classic than I would a 1950's Humber or similar type vehicle ( Apologies to all Humber owners )

In addition to that, I am lucky enough to drive a friends Pantera about 4 -5 times a year.The attention it gets is unbelievable and to drive it is exhilarating.The car us just under 40 years old but after experiencing it, I think the classic tag sits quite comfortably with it, just as it would for the F40 or the Countach.

crzyhrse, May 11, 10:41am
It is for licensing, which was what the question was about.

peja, May 11, 11:47am
Oh yay my Mitsubishi Libero is only 2-3 years off being a classic!I dont think I'll be entering it in any shows though. If you ask me a car would have to be something fairly special to be a "classic" at 20 years old - a Rolls or Ferrari, certainly nothing run of the mill Japanese or Korean. Maybe at 40 years old my Libero will be someones pride and joy if its still going.

hutchk, May 11, 7:42pm
AMI are flexible on this - I have an '86 car covered by their classic policy. If it's not your daily driver and is considered 'special interest' they'll cover younger vehicles.

smac, Feb 8, 2:53pm
Teach me not to keep up.apologies.