| This section
is intended to offer some thoughts for consideration
by intending purchasers and reflects the author's experiences down the
years. It is not intended as advice or guidance to readers. Fashions change
in the old car world, in more recent years undisturbed original cars have
become more sought after, but there are many to whom originality is not
a prime consideration and who are more interested in style and overall
condition. Vendors' descriptions of cars are frequently at variance with
buyers' opinions, sometimes even misleading, and price expectations unrealistic!
It is also very easy to be carried away when viewing a prospective purchase
and to sell yourself a heap of rubbish for an inflated price. Try to come
to an objective assessment of the car and buy using a combination of heart
and mind. As with the choice of a "life partner" over-reliance
on one or the other will lead to tears. It is best to leave aside a proportion
of your budget to cover unforeseen eventualities, and you will enjoy your
purchase more if you can spend a little improving it. The Alvis Owner
Club has comprehensive records, and most of the Works data exist, so it
is easy to check the provenance of a car. Many years ago this writer went
to view a "1939 Alvis saloon" advertised in his local evening
newspaper. Visualising a mint Speed 25 locked away on the outbreak of
hostilities and only just rediscovered, he rushed off, only to be confronted
by a very tired 1948 TA 14, but was earnestly assured by the vendor that
it had been made before the war and only registered afterwards. Needless
to say he did not buy it, but if he hadn't known what he was looking at
he could easily have been fooled. Caveat
Emptor! |
