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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Hi audiobycarmine, Thanks for the heads up. Not to sound like the mechanic’s shop, but we have tried replicating on our end and everything is showing up without a problem. What kind of device are you using? Try clearing your cache and cookies. Meantime, we do have someone in there taking a closer look.
FWIW, on my 15″ laptop screen, it all looks fine – no issues.
Thanks, Dub!
Hagerty condition in the price guide make sense but I’d like to see more writeup of the giant spaces between the numbers.
For example, my 1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV sounds like a #3, but it has only around 26,000 miles (it was a long-time garage queen), allegedly original paint, a mostly original interior, and an engine bay you can eat out of. When my mechanic put it up on the lift he said it’s like a new car under there. There is no evidence of accident or rust repair. On the other hand it has rock chips on the front valence, a few tiny rust bubbles scattered around, worn stitching on the driver’s seat, and Webers instead of SPICA.
I doubt I could replace this car for Hagerty #3 $41,300.
But I also really doubt I could get anywhere near Hagerty #2 $84,000 for it.
The value of course is whatever I can get someone to pay for it. The problem there is that I’d have to sell it to find out that number!
Agreed! Condition is a spectrum, not a number. And you have to be able separate cosmetic vs. mechanical/operating condition. Two different things.
Sounds like it’s a 2.7?
I like that as a scale metric! Just assign a “1 to 10” of your own valuation to the “#” of the Hagerty valuation. If it is 10 of 10, it belongs in the next category up. 🙂
IMO, condition is a spectrum, not a number. There can also be a difference between a car’s cosmetic and mechanical/operating condition. I think putting a number on car does not adequately delineate it as a whole, let alone its separate components or systems. I’ve seen cars described as #2 or even #1, mostly based on presentation and cosmetics, that are questionable if not disasters, mechanically/operationally.
Interesting stuff and a couple of the comments have got me to thinking. Normally, things that more-or-less arbitrarily try to determine “value” are things that I ignore. The simple fact to me is that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. My wife has some rather eclectic tastes, and some of the stuff she collects wouldn’t garner a second look from most folks. But they have value to her. So trying to assign a “number” (or, really, even a “spectrum”) to some of her treasures would be ridiculous. I get that there is a need in some cases to compare one thing that’s of interest to another thing. But the admitted discrepancy between auction sales and private sales – example of Ferrari 250 GTO sales comes to mind – tends to skew this who system up. My #3 car might be so desired by someone out there that it will exceed #1 “valuations”. I don’t really know what the alternative is to a condition rating system, but I’m convinced that for a great many of us, it’s a little real help.
It’s not the number system that I have a problem with. It’s the words chosen to describe the number. Nobody wants to hear that their cars “good” or “fair” even if they agree their cars are #3 or 4. “Oh, hey Fred, that completely original 1976 Corvette you have with less than 10,000 miles is good.” My first instinct is to tell them to drop dead and keep your thoughts to yourself. You guys are the pros. Fix this. Your description of a 3 sounds like “excellent”, given the text that factory built cars are never perfect. Fair? My vision of a car that’s only “fair” needs a major restoration. The numbering system is spot on. Let’s change the language that describes the car.
Agreed. The description for #5 sounds like “fair” to me. If it is fair, it is salvageable. Anything that is still #4 is “good”, otherwise nobody would want to drive it! #3 can just be “better”?
“Most new, showroom fresh cars will fit the criteria of a #2 car.
While true because they’re not perfect in fit and finish, from this statement no mass produced car can ever be concours. Flaws are inevitable in all these cars so who’s to say which of their flaws allow it to be concours because not all of them have the same flaw? I bought a new Grand Prix in 81. A beautiful car but the factory acrylic lacquer paint was somewhat dull. Once buffed it glistened. Did I destroy the ability for this car to be considered concours? Not really because it never really had the ability to be. You have a numbers matching car? So what, it still had flaws built into it. No criticism meant, just stating the obvious. I just finished a few mechanical repairs to a 79 Z28 with numerous flaws. The owner really likes his Camaro and that’s what counts. Whatever you choose to do with your beloved vehicle, show it as a trailer queen or driver or drive it as it was built to do. Just enjoy it.
This article is a little bit of a slap in the face. I did a frame off on my 68 firebird, did all the work and paint myself. It has taken first in a couple shows because it looks great. But if I were to grade it by the numbers, it would be a #3. It’s far from perfect. I want to say there’s two worlds of cars, the one that uses this number scheme to grade a car that started out as a #1 or #2 and over the years became a #3 and the other world with a car like mine when restored was a real looker that will never be a #2 no matter how hard it tries.
The cars you label as #1 should be marked with an asterisk (*) because according to your description they have no real real relevance or practicality in valuations in the existing car market. Employing the asterisk for cars you presently categorize as #1 cars, would make your #2 become number #1, #3 become #2, etc.
Isn’t the whole idea of a “ratings” system to assist buyers and sellers in the “real world” marketplace – not offend anyone or create some unachievable, useless category which skews the other more representative categories? I think the current system is lazy and frankly stupid. Fix it for the sake of 99.999% of your readers.
Hi Manorborn, thank you for reading and offering feedback. I’m the author of this article and Editor of the Hagerty Price Guide. You are correct that the intent of the system is to provide a means to benchmark market value based on common condition criteria. The rating system and the definitions are a standard across the industry and predate the creation of the Hagerty Price Guide.
The Price Guide team attends a number of auctions each year and inspects thousands of vehicles in person as part of the update process to our guide. Although rare, vehicles in #1 condition do exist, and we have always felt it is important to provide value guidance for them along with other conditions in order to support all levels of the market. The grades aren’t intended to offend or diminish a car or an owner, but rather to establish a common language. I hope this gives a better understanding of why we choose to offer values for #1 condition vehicles.
Well put.
Megarends, you love your car its working good ,what you have is your baby to drive ,hey enjoy it , that is what brings us together as hobbyists. its always to watch somebody elses toy.
God bless you guys to for embellishing the world..
My car would be a #3 but people comments would make you think it’s a #1. Maybe they think any car that got washed and waxed is a #1.
I have noticed that about one of my cars. It is maybe a #3.5, but cleaned and waxed, from 20 feet, people say it is beautiful. It is to me, of course, but to them, it is likely beautiful at least partly because it is clean, shiny, and rather flashy in nature.
Hmm. I’ve just done the body our family’s 1972 Buick GS Stage1 convertible. Off the showroom floor, it had a small paint run beside a marker light. Wonder what the judges would say if I duplicated that paint run?
It’s been my experience that most sellers believe they have a #3 condition car, but in reality it’s a #4.
A worthy attempt, but I think a 1-10 scale may be more accurate. In 50 years in the hobby/profession, I’ve never heard of a #6 as such: just “parts car”, or a number of uncomplimentary terms.The #1 is fair IF provable by driving & operating, which might – somewhat ironically – reduce that rating. Some of us know of trophy queens that wouldn’t do well in operation. In the end, though, ratings will always have an aroma of subjectivity, since it’s a human thing, not to mention there’s a lot of effort/expense/pride/ego in the mix.
Maybe 1-20 might be more descriptive, but then we’d all have to carry a definition pamphlet around, haha…
Tom Rubey – I totally agree with you! Why would Hagerty write an article that includes #5 and #6 when their own validation tool doesn’t include these rankings? Hagerty – please start to include these rankings.
I know Hagerty doesn’t insure conditions 5 and 6, but by not even listing the value some people assume a junker is automatically a condition 4. I wish Hagerty’s valuation tools would cover the whole spectrum instead of ignoring the bottom third, even if they aren’t eligible for Hagerty coverage. It would give a better sense of the true market. To me the biggest questions are the space between conditions 2 and 3, the difference is usually double or more with out much guidance as to what really matters.
How can I evaluate a total restoration that has ben updated ?? 1951 Chevy Bel Air , 2 door hardtop , 327 / powerglide / open driveline 3.55 gears, Corvette tail lights , 12 volts, everything new , replaced or rebuilt .