Following the Collector Journey
Are you on your smartphone all the time or are you technology challenged? Today it seems the influence of social media is everywhere, including the classic car world. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Collector Car Blog – classic car enthusiasts are connecting and conversing with like-minded car lovers, collector groups, auto companies, car shows and events, museums, insurance companies and everyone in between –all in the name of classic cars.
(www.wikipedia.org)
Can Social Media Increase the Value of Classic Cars?
Does increased social media attention mean classic cars are increasing in value? A recent Black Book marketing study seems to think so. With celebrities like David Beckham and rocker Sammy Hagar posting photos of their classic car collection on Instagram and Facebook, social media can provide a huge platform for featuring your precious classic possessions.
Giant Leap for Classic Cars
From 1977-2008, the Aston Martin DB5 Coupe, Ferrari 250 GTL and the Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing all appreciated in value about 5% annually. After 2008, these same three cars appreciated as much as 60% a year. The increased exposure on the internet and social media given to cars of this caliber seems to be behind the leap.
Popular Classic Car Sites
Who do you friend? What do you like? Where do you follow? In addition to following Classic Auto Insurance (check out our hyperlinks in the first paragraph), popular sites have different appeal for fans, organizations, retail and corporations and all are typically available for the classic car collector. We’ve “classic-fied” a few of our favorites by social media app.
Like Us on Facebook
If you want to join a classic car community then Facebook has you covered. It is a great way to find others who share your passion for a particular car.
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My Classic Car – This popular Velocity/MAVTV television show page is updated frequently with videos, photos and behind the scene segments.
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Hotrods Customs & Classic Cars – With over 2 million likes, flowing this page is a great way to have classic cars for sale pop up in your news feed.
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Muscle Cars for Sale – This page has a lot of great leads on muscle cars for sale.
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?Road and Track – This magazine page is a classic in its own right.
Tweet, Tweet
Need to find out what folks who love classic cars are talking about right now? Twitter is the way to go. Hashtag is your new buzz word, and this hashtag- #classiccars -will quickly link you to everyone talking classic cars.
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Gas Monkey Garage – The “Fast and Loud” guys from the Discovery Channel show have a great time talking cars on their twitter feed.
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Eric’s Muscle Cars – This is one of the country’s top sellers of classic cars and a great source of information for buyers.
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Barrett-Jackson – Get up to date news on the latest car auctions.
- Jalopnik – Daily news and gossip from the automotive world.
Instant Instagram
Instagram is the place to upload all of your favorite classic car photos and share them with other owners instantly.
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Classiccars – Fab photos of classic cars, muscle cars, antiques and exotics.
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Jay Leno’s Garage –Amazing pictures of über car collector and popular car show host (premiering on CNBC October 7) with some very cool cars.
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HOT ROD Magazine – All the hot rod snaps you can imagine.
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All American Muscle – For fans of the great American muscle car.
Google+ Groups
Group your friends according to the classic cars they like on Google+. Similar to Facebook on a more intimate scale.
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Old Cars Weekly – Great posts on classified ads, auctions and cruises around the country.
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Car Craft Magazine – Posts from the world’s largest street machine magazine for hands on hobbyists.
- ?British Classic Cars – Hang out with other enthusiasts for all things British.
Pinterest for all Your Classic Car Stuff
Think of Pinterest as one big bulletin board where you can pin photos of favorite cars; one big junk drawer where you can stash all the parts you need, and everything in between. You can share it with other enthusiasts or limit views.
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Automotive Genius – Great pins of vintage cars, especially classic race cars.
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Muscle cars & Hot Rods – Focuses on classic muscle cars.
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Autoblog.com – These guys like to say, “We obsessively cover the auto industry.”
- Hemmings Motor News – Beautiful pins for the classic car shopper in all of us.
Strengthening the Classic Car Community
Engaging socially with the help of these and other apps lets collector car enthusiasts connect with people who share their passion –the world over. No borders here; you can likely find that elusive part, particular car, restorer, car show and more out there somewhere. The great thing about the classic car community is, we’ve always been able to do this. We keep our community strong by building relationships with each other that stand the test of time. Much like our beloved classic cars. The worry for many is that today’s social media practices may falsely inflate the value of some classic rides. However, if we do our research and reach out to others in our community before buying, with equal parts face time and FaceTime, we’ll not only attract a new generation to the joys of collecting classic cars, we’ll be riding that sweet ride along with them.
Collector and Classic Car Insurance for Less
Whether you reach out to us via social media, www.classicins.com or on the phone, let our friendly staff at Classic Auto Insurance help you help safeguard your dream car by finding the right policy for your needs.
