Love the sound of an unrefined roaring engine under the hood? Fancy the out of control torque trembling under your feet? Fast and Furious movies just not enough? Well, muscle cars are just what you need!

The thing about the muscle cars that make them so appealing is the feeling of trying to tame a beast.

Muscle cars were sold for their sheer power and (although risky) recklessness. Also, known as classic cars, these cars spawned during the 70’s were a hit in the country until the early 90’s, when they were more in the news for bad reasons; accidents, illegal races etc. Then a wave of luxury and supercars swooped in and ‘totaled’ the muscle trend. Muscle cars though still hold a place in people’s hearts and are collectors items with owners taking care of them like their own child it were their own offspring.

Car companies who manufactured these powerful ‘beasts’ with fierce looks and raw power, have mellowed down their approach and have refined them to fit current vehicle manufacturing laws. But, if vintage is what you like and if you’re in the market to buy a used muscle car here’re some things you need to know.

Muscle cars in the past were mostly hand manufactured. The whole powertrain of the car was assembled, calibrated and put in the chassis by workers. No machines included. This is what made them raw. Muscle cars are very different from other cars in terms of mechanisms such as fuel transmission and many mechanics don’t touch muscle cars because they are not familiar with the older assembly. Also, the companies that manufacture muscle cars now do it in a very different way. Human hands are replaced by multi axes robotic arms on the assembly floor. So, make sure you know your way into the powertrain before you buy a used muscle car.

Tough on the inside, rusty on the outside. Keep a car outside on a rainy day for a day and the engine of the car might fail to start for the first time, but its exteriors will remain plush and unaffected by the lashing rain they were exposed to. Do it with a muscle car and the engine will roar away at the first turn of the key, but its exteriors might start to rust. Their V8 engines of cast iron can last for decades but the exteriors like door panels, hood and hinges will rust beyond comprehension. So, this is one of the major factors you should consider before buying a used muscle car. Be sure you have a covered place like a shed or garage to park the car.

A used muscle car, will come with a costlier vehicle insurance so be ready to dig deep for insurance.

The used muscle cars might have changed several hands before it finally made its way to you, so, make sure the car that you are planning to buy comes under the legal terms such as emission percentage to start with. You can visit websites like autotrader.com, fossilcars.com, cacars.com and other websites to get a good deal on used muscle cars that are tuned and have legal paperwork.

To sum up, don’t get swayed by the excitement of owning a muscle car that you always wanted as a teenager. Consider the practicality involved in it and then tread further with caution before it proves to be a costly affair.