What Does a Car’s “Condition” Really Look Like?
Assigning value to a vehicle isn’t always easy. More than just looking up a year/make/model, it factors in options, drivetrains, even colors. The first and possibly most important factor that enthusiasts go to, though, is condition. As with any kind of collecting, the condition of the object has a massive impact on how desirable and valuable an item is. This is why we use a condition rating scale when evaluating cars in person and updating the Hagerty Price Guide.
While different sources will offer slightly different scales, the industry standard for classic cars is a number 1 to 6 rating. The lower the number, the better the condition. We also use “+” and “-” to add a little more accuracy. For example, if a car is in nearly like-new #2 (“excellent”) condition but has just a handful of flaws, it might rate a #2-. Even within that scale, though, context is important, and there are some misconceptions about certain numbers in the range. Below, we’ll break down the scale and offer some context and spotting tips for each grade.
Condition #1: “Concours”
#1 vehicles are perfect, better than new, and almost never seen outside of major concours events.
These vehicles are, simply put, the best in the world. It would be inconceivable to think of a better example that exists anywhere. Some people misidentify like-new cars in #2 condition as #1 cars, but in reality a true #1 is a cut above simply “like-new.”
Think about it this way: By nature of the fact that most cars are mass-produced, there will always be flaws. It would simply be cost prohibitive to address every paint imperfection or align the panel gaps to millimeter consistency at the factory. A #1 vehicle, by contrast, should be held to this “everything is perfect” high standard. Everything about them should be flawless. Think of a paint finish so clean, it could double as a mirror, panel gaps that are perfectly aligned, and no expense spared using the correct parts, materials during restoration and labor to fit and finish everything.
It is extremely rare to encounter a car of this quality out in the wild, as #1 vehicles are sparingly driven at best. Just exposure to the elements is enough to deteriorate the finish enough to lower the condition rating over time. We label the #1 rating as “concours,” because high-tier, judged car shows are essentially the only place to see a true #1 classic.
Condition #2: “Excellent”
#2 condition vehicles are “like new” inside and out, or close to it.
This constitutes the majority of fully restored vehicles. A #2 can expect to win a local or regional show without too much trouble. To the average enthusiast, it will be difficult to spot anything amiss with the fit, finish, or correctness. It would take an expert to spot flaws, and they may be only technical ones at that. It is common for #2 vehicles to be mistaken for #1 vehicles, but minute details and the time spent on them can make a huge difference in a car’s value.
Most new, showroom fresh cars will fit the criteria of a #2 car. To the untrained eye, the fit and finish may seem perfect, but upon closer inspection even new cars often have orange peel in the paint and uneven panel alignment.
Condition #3: “Good”
#3 vehicles look quite good even from a short distance, but show minor age and flaws up close.
Most enthusiasts have a car that fits into this category. Based on our insurance data and in ratings compiled in person by the Hagerty Price Guide team, the vast majority of collector cars are in #3 condition. This makes sense. Cars are meant to be driven, not sitting in a garage collecting dust. Using a car inevitably creates deterioration of finish, rock chips, hazing paint, interior wear, etc.
While #3 cars show wear, that doesn’t mean they’re worn out. These may be former #2 vehicles with some miles under their belt, or a modern collector car with moderate mileage. At this point, a less seasoned enthusiast might be able to pick out flaws or imperfections in the finish, but they’re not painfully obvious, especially at 10 feet.
Condition #4: “Fair”
#4 vehicles show more significant and visible deterioration than a #3.
On a #4 vehicle, anyone should be able to point out significant flaws, even from a distance. A #4 condition car might have severe fading, blistering, severe chipping or even worn through areas of the paint finish. The interior shows heavily worn and possibly ripped upholstery. Cracks in the dashboard will be apparent. The mechanical components are still serviceable, but there’s a good chance that not everything works perfectly. While the drivetrain should still run fine, the engine might be tired and in need of freshening up. You can drive it, but probably wouldn’t take it on a road trip with confidence.
Modern enthusiasts cars in the #4 range have high mileage and may have been treated as daily transportation for the majority of their life, showing similar signs of a significantly used car. A #4 car may not be a restoration project, but its condition may warrant a cosmetic or mechanical restoration if it deteriorates much further.
Condition #5: “Project Car”
#5 project vehicles are salvageable, but need work before hitting the road.
At this point, we are talking about a project car that can’t be used until it gets serious attention. Whether it’s the stereotypical barn find or family car that has sat outside for years, this type of vehicle will requires significant, often professional attention. It is unlikely that the mechanicals function, but if they do they are in desperate need of a refresh.
On this type of vehicle, it’s easy to spot where metal needs to be repaired or replaced, and paint is significantly damaged and unsalvageable. The interior is likely to be very dirty and deteriorated, almost certainly requiring a complete redo. Most of the major components should all be there but, simply put, everything needs to be refurbished.
Condition #6: “Parts”
Does it get worse than a project car? It certainly does! Sadly, there comes a point where a car is too far gone to financially warrant saving. It would simply be too cost prohibitive to bring it back to life. This doesn’t mean there isn’t some value outside of the scrap yard, though. While the vehicle as a whole may be too far gone, there may be hard-to-find parts worth salvaging, refurbishing, and using for another project.
This is what we affectionately know as a parts car. It’s the hulk you buy to strip for useful pieces, especially those ones that the aftermarket might not produce.
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I don’t like the system. Concours and Parts Cars are in a category of their own. Conditions should be #1 through #5 where a car fresh off the showroom floor, or restored as such, would be #1. A #5 car is one still able to be restored at great effort. What defines “prefect” for a Concours? Craftsmanship only, without regards to originality? Should concours cars be limited to only high six-figure restorations? Concours would be only for the high rollers. That is why it should be in a class of its own called “Concours”. Keep the numbering system for the real folks doing the best they can. #1 IS a showroom/restored car. A #5 car is one needing a full restoration. A Parts Car is a cannibalize car.
I agree with Mr. Mannel and have long thought that would be a better approach. Concours and Parts anchor at opposite ends of the spectrum. Concours is the rare “immortal”, defying the expectations of mass production. Parts is something that is mostly dead, perhaps only able to provide some “organs” for transplant into a vehicle that will survive. In between those two are the #1 – #5 scale (with #1 representing a showroom/factory fresh level vehicle). Most everyone can understand the clarity of “Concours” and “Parts”, leaving the scrutinizing (and debate) for the #1 – #5 scale.
After reading the article and comments, I got the impression that there is a contest between original and beauty. A #1 car is by definition not original. Does that make it a custom? Our general definition of custom is that the car contains highly modified mechanicals and panels, so beauty is the reigning attribute of #1 condition and that is highly subjective. Original, on the other hand is highly objective, however, it requires specific knowledge containing a wide spectrum of what is or can be original. There really should be a ratings system based on each category or add a suffix to each number. #1O for as original #1C for better than original, however, the value between 1O and a 1C may not be comparable. It would be highly dependent on the buyer’s wants.
There should be a ‘0’ rating for those restored over the top cars that are better than new.
There should be a difference between an “original” a “restored to original” and an “over-restored” car. “Restored to original” cars are generally less desireable than “original” cars – and to MANY of us, more valuable than an “over-restored” car because all an over-restored car does is take up space that a more “useful” car could be inhabiting.
Farther down the line, there is a big difference between a cherry survivor and a worn-down restoration. As they say – “it is only original once” and I – as well as MANY ohers, would rather have an original with a few well-earned flaws than a questionably restored vehicle with lesser flaws already peaking through. The current nuber system does not address ANY of this so although it has some value,it is far from definitive
“My Number 6 Car could be restored to be a Number 1, so I want Number 3 price for it. Don’t lowball me, I know what I’ve got….”
Reminds me of a local guy here in Delaware that had a No. 5 1968 Camaro convertible (6-cylinder, Powerglide) that had been sold new by Yenko Chevrolet. He advertised it as an ‘ultra-rare convertible Yenko Camaro’……
The problem is also with people with more $ than brains. Saw a YouTube video recently from an auction and in it was a reported ’69 Z28 with a BB Chevy in it. The body was terrible. It went for $30,000 !?! NO WAY would that be worth it since it would need at least that much in restoration and it would only be worth 1/2 what an original Z28 is worth since the engine/trans was not original. Of course the fakers can restamp numbers on the block.
I especially like Steve’s comment that ‘proven run and drive’ would be a legitimate factor of a number 1 car winner – in my book. If it can’t be used, its a great history lesson, but put it in a museum under glass. Given automobiles were built for use, and then came the shows, not the other way around… any car that can’t be driven (in order to keep its value and prestige) may belong in some show, but I’d put it in a different category of some sort – its an object to display with haute pride but otherwise of questionable value outside that club. But then what else is the concours show for – my home built FFR818 isn’t fit for such.
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Maybe what hurts a little sometimes is just knowing no matter how much you clean it, tweak it, polish it, cry over it and love it, someone else will put it in a peg or worse – raise their nose and walk on.
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Some just get all their joy having the thing shine, others beating it to death with use and for the rest of us some where in between. For the shows, we need judging and standards so I accept that and enjoy my cars from my own standards.
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Great article though – have wondered where mine would stand.
My ’96 Ranger is far from a collector car but as a mostly original survivor with almost 389000km on the clock it gets a lot of attention (on the road and at shows) and I don’t have to be afraid to DRIVE it (or even carry stuff with it) and it has a few modifications/improvements/updates. It’s not perfect and never will be – after all it IS a FORD – but I keep it looking, running, and driving as well as an old retired ex-mechanic can!!
or worse yet they show up with some trialer queen while driving some jacked up monster that needs a ladder to get into then get upset when you ask them not to smoke their stinking cigarette behind your cars with the windows open.
Both of the cars I usually take to shows though sadly don’t get much appreciation, one an original document,(but sadly no longer original appearance), 1987 Pontiac Safari Station wagon it would be in the fair category, runs drives looks decent but you can easily see that it need work. My second is a 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagons, and as I found out more recently when I did a compnine report on the car it’s one of only 582 blue interior 94 Buick roadmaster estate wagons, and from what I’ve heard from other B-body Longroof owners the blue interior is supposed to be the rarest throughout all the years of production.
What does “and almost never seen outside of major concours events” have to do with condition?
What good is a car if it can’t be driven? Did Henry Ford and I miss the whole purpose of a car ? Regardless of the condition it’s up to you to look it over good and make your own decision of what it is worth. In the end you have to satisfy yourself. There are hobbyists, investors, and “ look what I haves “
Many years ago my father gave me the best dollar evaluation method ever…..he told me everything is for sale for “the right price” , now the definition of “ right price “ is highly subjective, I have learned my definition of the right price is as follows , a buyer who wants to buy my classic more than I want to keep it , 99.99% of the buyers will never offer that price…..Will I get that from Hagerty should something happen to my classic…..not a chance…..do I think my classic is worth it……every time I drive it …..when a simple peaceful drive puts everything right in your world…..it’s worth more than money….and it saves therapy costs…..long live our beloved. Treasured classics !
I don’t care about a rating. I have a 73 Grand Prix with 68,000 true miles on the clock. It looks great.
Of course it has some things that don’t work properly, the clock died years ago, door hinges are worn, I keep the radio and tape player but have a modern radio installed in the glovebox. I don’t trust the original gauges and lights so I installed temp, oil and voltmeter gauges under the dash. I get a lot of thumbs up when my wife and I drive around on Sundays. I enjoy it regardless of what it’s worth. Some people think old cars are worth a lot of money. They are not worth what some people think.
“Bob and Ray” several posts above on this page (loved them on the radio) nail it. Meanwhile, this concours #1 is rubbish, and the janitorial d’ non-elegance which came to the fore here in the States has done more to decimate this hobby other than raving about a handful of cars beyond their merits and without historic perspective. In the real automotive concours d’ elegances in Europe and Britain from the 1920s through early ’50s, cars were judged solely on form, style, presence, elan, often driven to the hotel grounds in rain the night before, a bit of mud still on their tires, the owner’s wife or paramour sometimes modeling a complementary gown or dress. That was it. Period.
BTW, anyone long in this pastime well knows there is no such thing as a “100 point” car. Today, we see engine accessories painted gloss black which were originally matte or semi-gloss, white wall tires on cars that never came with such, either because they were considered tacky, gauche or immediate postwar shortage, on “100 point” cars.
Certainly, there are some gorgeous barouches at Bauble Beach and other major shows, but take their presentation and the resulting auction hype with a large grain of salt.
It’s only human to gild the lily, and many of us are guilty of it here and there. But let’s get real.
This is a good guide for pricing a vehicle. Unfortunately, many people selling regular cars, or even some classics, they give it a new paint job and call it “Excellent” condition and price it accordingly. Some people put chrome parts and accessories and say they spent $5k on extras, so the value is that much more, they claim. There was an example of Mustang for sale with all the Shelby body panels, then priced it like as if it was an original/real Shelby Mustang.
The written commentary treads ground covered by others, excepting the spot-on description of a #1 car. Where a lot of us struggle is in the #2 and #3 categories. More photos with direct comments or a narrated video would go a long way to flesh this out. For example the Ferrari profiled has a nice interior but the leather on the drivers seat has some age wrikles. Whre does that land the car? The yellow Porche with visible corrosion on the engine components and wheels would fall into a 3- rating in my understanding, is this valid? While the discussion is somewhat academic since I don’t plan to sell any of my cars it does help better determine what I should input as a declared value on my policy.
The problem is the scale isn’t linear. Only a professional can distinguish between #1 and #2 but there’s a world of difference between #3 and #4. Where would a solid, well running car with scuffs, scratches and a torn driver’s seat rate? I suspect there are millions of examples like this while only a few dozen true #1’s.
I can’t give your intro to the subject a #1. I think you intended to write “effect,” not “affect.”
Hello Hagerty. Sorry, I’m late to the party on this topic but, I do have a comment and a question. I’m in the category that all rating systems need a baseline and I’m mostly in agreement with your rating scale. My question pertains to the originality of the car. As an owner of a strong #3 unrestored (factory original paint, chrome, interior and major mechanicals) 67 Firebird, does it’s originally add any additional value outside the rating scale?