Essential Buyers Guide Jaguar E-Type V12 5.3litre

Veloce has now published 13 of these handy pocket size books. Each serves as a useful guide for enthusiasts and assumes that readers will already know a little about older cars. The publications follow a pattern, starting off with the question, "Is this car right for you?" - It's a valid question, since many first-time owners buy with their hearts and not their heads, and live to regret it. Included are chapters on costs, what it's like living with a Morrie - or V12 E-type.

Items to watch out for are helpfully divided into a 15-minute evaluation and a more serious investigation examining mechanicals, body, trim and so forth in close detail. The author then compares the various advantages of auctions against private sales before discussing the all important paperwork - after all, you'll want to make sure that the seller actually owns what you are buying. Internet links and tips on where to find spares are helpful as is the list of relevant publications. Put it in your pocket before you start looking.

Mark Holman for New Zealand Classic Car, October 2007
NZ magazine

All follow a similar layout, starting with 'is it the right car for you?', and then going through the 15-minute quick check (walk away or not?) followed by a very detailed checklist which you can use to 'mark' the car, and what to look out for on a test drive. There are also chapters on whether you want to restore a model, paint problems, things to watch out for if the car has had little recent use, and lists of clubs and spares specialists.

The books are well-illustrated, and the advice looks really practical. They don't pretend that classic car ownership is easy, or necessary profitable in purely financial terms, yet they are clearly written by guys who are enthusiastic about the pleasure you can get from a good example of any of these cars.

While I have never been in the market for them, I would want to have one of these books if I were - definitely recommended.