Historical Motors LLC

Historical Motors LLC is a classic car dealer at 6126 Norwalk Road in Medina, Ohio, in the northeast part of the state. The company describes itself as a seller of "Foreign and American classic cars," with a stock that runs from show-quality cars to restoration projects, and it leans noticeably toward British and European sports cars. It also sells original parts for several of those marques and takes cars on consignment from owners who would rather not handle a sale themselves.

History and ownership

The company's website describes "a passion that started over three decades ago" and says Historical Motors carries that legacy forward by supplying classic cars to hobbyists. The site does not give a founding year or name an owner. The Better Business Bureau profile for Historical Motors LLC lists a business start date of March 24, 2010 and names Drew Schneider as owner, which most likely reflects when the current company was formed rather than when the owner first got into the hobby. Treat the "three decades" line as the company's own description of its background, not a verified founding date.

What Historical Motors sells

The inventory published on the company's site when this profile was researched listed about 28 vehicles, and the mix is more specialized than most general classic lots. The core is British and German sports cars: a run of Austin-Healey 100-4 and 3000 models (BN2, BN6 and BJ8 variants among them), several Jaguar E-Types including Series 1 and V12 cars, three Mercedes-Benz 190SLs, a 280SL and a 220B, MG TD and TF roadsters, and Morgan three-wheelers and a Morgan Competition model. There is also a 1957 BMW Isetta 300.

American cars make up a smaller share. The same list included a 1957 Buick Roadmaster convertible, a 1957 Ford F100 pickup, a 1965 Corvette convertible and a 1973 Mustang convertible, plus a few later cars such as a 2001 Honda S2000. Listed prices ranged from under $20,000 for the Mustang to roughly $190,000 for a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type. Inventory turns over, so check the current list rather than relying on this snapshot.

Buying from Historical Motors

The company's website does not describe its financing, shipping or deposit terms, so buyers should ask about each before agreeing to anything. The site does list vehicle inspections among its services, and it offers a "Request A Car" form for buyers hunting for something specific. Because some cars on the lot may be consigned by private owners, it is worth asking who holds the title on any car you like. For comparison shopping, there are classic cars for sale in Ohio from other sellers.

Historical Motors also invites sellers to contact it about cars in "any condition, nationwide," a phrase from its own site that suggests it buys vehicles outright as well as selling them. Terms for that are not published, so ask for them directly.

Consigning a car

The company's consignment page says it will "sell your car for you for a minimal fee" and covers classic, antique and exotic vehicles. Owners can either have the dealership take the photographs or send their own. The car is then listed on the Historical Motors website, and the company says it markets it worldwide. The fee is not published, and no percentage or contract terms appear on the page, so a prospective seller needs to call (the site lists 1.440.781.3036) and get the arrangement in writing. For a general look at how these deals are usually structured, see selling a classic on consignment.

Parts

Alongside car sales, Historical Motors stocks original parts for Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Austin-Healey and Triumph. Its parts page mentions body parts, bumpers and hubcaps, and asks customers to call or text to check availability and pricing. No shipping policy for parts is published.

Reputation

Historical Motors LLC holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau but is not BBB accredited. The BBB profile showed no complaints closed in the previous three years and no customer reviews posted there. On the review site Birdeye, the dealership shows 4.1 stars from 18 reviews. Reviewers there describe the owner as knowledgeable, honest and fair, and several say they received what they expected. As with any dealer, a small number of reviews is a limited sample, so a pre-purchase inspection of the specific car is still the best protection.

Visiting Historical Motors

The dealership is at 6126 Norwalk Road, Medina, Ohio 44256. Its website lists 1.440.781.3036 (call or text) and the email address [email protected]. The company's own pages do not publish opening hours, so call ahead before making the trip, particularly if you want to see a specific car.