Dragone Classic Motorcars

Dragone Classic Motorcars is a dealer and restoration shop in Orange, Connecticut, that sells antique, classic and vintage cars. The company says it works from a 66,000 square foot facility that holds a showroom and a restoration facility. It is an independent business and is not affiliated with Classic Cars Arena.

History and the people behind it

According to the company's own about page, the story starts with Peter Dragone, who bought, sold and restored cars from the 1940s. It says Manny and George started their own business in 1978 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The company calls itself one of the oldest antique, classic and vintage car dealers in the world, a claim we cannot verify independently. Alex Dragone is listed on the contact page for sales and appraisals. The Better Business Bureau record names Emanuel G. Dragone as owner and shows the corporation incorporated in 1984.

What it sells

When we checked, the inventory page listed a 1926 Auto Red Bug at $15,500, a 1930 Marmon Roosevelt convertible coupe at $45,000, a 1941 Buick Special police car at $21,500, a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE cabriolet at $175,000 and a 1999 Volkswagen Beetle at $33,500. The home page also shows cars marked as sold, including a 1906 Pope Hartford, a 1912 Mercer Type 35, a 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, a 1930 Packard 734 Speedster and a 1951 Delahaye 135M Saoutchik. Stock changes, and the website is the only reliable guide to what is available on a given day. The site also has an automobilia section for collectors.

Restoration and service

Dragone runs its own restoration shop. The restorations page lists metal fabrication, a wood shop, mechanical and service work, upholstery and a machine shop. These are the company's own descriptions, so a restoration customer should ask to see finished work and speak with past clients.

Buying and selling

The site offers visits with Manny, George or Alex and invites visitors to talk about selling a car. The company also says it has acquired entire collections and estates. No consignment program, commission or fee schedule is published, and the site does not describe financing or shipping, so ask about each in writing. Because many of the cars are rare and expensive, it is worth reading our dealer buying guide before you make an offer, and arranging an independent inspection with a marque specialist for any significant purchase.

Reputation

The BBB lists the business as not accredited and not rated because it has too little information to issue a rating. It shows no complaints in the past three years and one customer review, which is negative and urges readers not to deal with the company. The review gives no detail we can assess. A Birdeye page shows an average of 4.2 stars from 48 reviews, although the business has not claimed that profile. As with any dealer, this is a small sample, so judge by the car, its documents and your own inspection.

Visiting Dragone Classic Motorcars

The BBB and directory listings show the address as 5 Connair Road, Orange, Connecticut 06477. Its contact page still prints an address in Branford, Connecticut, so confirm the location before you travel. The main office number is (203) 335-4643. No opening hours are published. If you want to compare cars from other sellers nearby, browse classic cars for sale in Connecticut.