Dear Tom and Ray:

I am the owner of a four-door, 1971 Chevy Malibu. Is my car a classic? What is a classic car? Do you know how I could find out the value of my car? -- William

Ray: Like beauty, William, "classic" is in the eye of the beholder. An "antique" car is easy to define. It's one that is 25 or more years old. But "classic" is a highly subjective label.

Tom: For instance, my brother and I both agree that my 1963 Dodge Dart is an "antique." But while I call it a "classic," he refers to it by a familiar two- word phrase that ends in "box."

Ray: There are some cars that everybody agrees are "classic," like the '57 Chevy, the '56 Thunderbird and most of the early Corvettes. Is a '71 Malibu in that category?

Tom: Well, I'll be polite and not give you my opinion. But there may be people out there for whom a '71 Malibu is the world's most beautiful machine.

Ray: And if there are suckers like that out there, they probably subscribe to either Hemmings Motor News or Old Cars magazine. So pick up a copy of one of those, check and see who else is selling '71 Malibus, what kind of condition they're in and what they're going for. That'll give you a very good idea of what kind of treasure you've got in your garage. Good luck, William.

Why do unmitigated cheapskates like Tom continue to buy nothing but old clunkers? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's guide "How to Buy a Great Used Car: Secrets Only Your Mechanic Knows." To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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