Sterling Classics
Classics & Maintenance
Advice & Purchase
Buying a classic is a wonderful process, but there are often hidden defects. Due to poor repairs, maintenance or wear and tear over the years, underlying defects can be overlooked. This can quickly add up to expensive bills, so prevent this at an early stage or get advice on repairs.
Pitfalls/Tips before purchasing
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Trust your feelings and experience , pay attention to details, imperfections and deviations and listen less to "nice" stories from the selling party
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Dare to walk away , even though this is difficult when you sometimes look for something for a long time
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Take your time and look at the places you cannot see clearly
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Try to think rationally and recognize alarm bells (such as damage, tinkering, rust, wrong parts, poor maintenance, incorrect history, etc.)
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Watch out for so-called experts or acquaintances of acquaintances who know something about something
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Feel whether the engine is cold when starting and listen carefully for impurities or ticking sounds
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Check the oil, this tells a lot about the condition of the engine block
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Buy the best within your budget: cheap is often expensive
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Exhaust smoke color : blue/white could mean wear or worse
Transport & Import
Do you see an interesting car abroad and does it need to be imported to the Netherlands? Ask our help! This also applies to motorcycles, boats and mopeds.
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Advantages
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No import duties have to be paid on the purchase value for a car that is 30 years and older
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You only pay 9% VAT (via Belgium, 6%)
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Often more luxurious furnishings and more options
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In warmer climates there is less chance of rust formation
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Stricter annual inspections than in the Netherlands (depending on the country)
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Chance of longer maintenance at a dealer garage
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Larger selection than on the Dutch market
Cons
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Photos deviate from reality
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Warranty handling
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No NAP, mileage difficult to trace without maintenance booklets
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Great Britain and Switzerland are not members of the EU and apply different rules
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We can help with both transport and the import process. Or have us do this completely safely for you.
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