AMAG Classic

A classic car center that rents by the day

AMAG Classic is the classic and youngtimer center of the AMAG Group at Aarauerstrasse 33 in 5116 Schinznach-Bad, Aargau. Its home page calls it a competence center for old-timers and youngtimers, with a specialist workshop, help with buying and selling, an exhibition hall (Schaulager) with open days, and a car storage service (Autohotel). Its heart, the page says, beats for the classics of all AMAG brands: VW Beetle, VW Golf, Bulli, Audi quattro, SEAT Ibiza, Škoda Favorit and American cars from the era of car assembly at Schinznach.

Alongside that, it rents vintage cars. The German home page asks directly: „Träumen Sie davon, im nostalgischen VW Käfer Cabriolet zur Hochzeit zu fahren?“ (do you dream of driving to your wedding in a nostalgic VW Beetle convertible?). The rental page is available in English, and the site also has German, French and Italian versions.

The rental fleet

The English rental page lists seven cars, each with a starting price per day.

Dodge Dart, from CHF 340 per day. The page calls it "A Swiss-American!": it was built in the AMAG assembly hall in Schinznach-Bad in late 1969, one of 240 Dodge Darts assembled there that year. The page invites renters to "Experience a piece of Swiss automotive history!"

VW Beetle Convertible 1303 S, from CHF 250 per day. A dark blue convertible with a manual top, described as in well-maintained and reliable original condition. "Put the roof down to let the sun in!"

VW Golf 1 GLS, from CHF 165 per day. Built during the first model update in 1978, with a period roof rack that can be removed on request. This is the lowest price on the page.

VW Beetle «DeLuxe», from CHF 210 per day. A white Beetle 1200 built in 1965, with the sheet-metal dashboard, a single round instrument, the ignition to the right of the steering wheel, and the classic white steering wheel with Wolfsburg Castle in the center.

VW T2 Bus, from CHF 320 per day. A T2 Bulli in classic blue and white with seven seats, the only car on the page that carries more than a couple and a few passengers.

Porsche 356 C Coupé, from CHF 675 per day. A 1964 car from the last 356 model series, an air-cooled sports car from Zuffenhausen.

Audi quattro, from CHF 525 per day. An original 1980s rally car with a five-cylinder engine.

The first five cars each carry the same line: "Ideal for weddings, celebrations, birthdays, a family outing, a vintage car tour or simply reliving memories of the past." The Audi's list leaves weddings out, and the Porsche's text speaks of birthday trips, childhood dreams and country roads. The home page also mentions a Ford Thunderbird for weekend drives, which does not appear on the English rental list.

The workshop behind the fleet

The Beetles and the Golf are described as part of AMAG Classic's own collection, and the business around them is a working classic car center rather than a car hire firm. The home page describes a specialist workshop team that repairs classics that are not running smoothly and sources rare spare parts for youngtimers, and a sales team that advises on buying and selling. The site lists memberships of IgFS and SIH-Vintes, and its news section currently leads with a report headed "Wissenschaftlich bewiesen: Oldtimer fahren gut mit Synfuels" (scientifically proven: classic cars run well on synthetic fuels). The exhibition hall holds open days, listed in the site menu, which are a chance to see the collection before booking.

For a couple, the practical upshot is that the cars are looked after by the same specialists who maintain AMAG's classic collection, and that the two Beetles and the Golf are each described as being in well-maintained and reliable original condition.

What kind of hire this is

The rental page reads as self-drive hire. It talks about a trip back in time, "an incomparable driving experience", a weekend trip, a wedding or just a spin, and invites renters to "Sit at the wheel" of the Audi. It does not mention a chauffeur anywhere. For a wedding, that means the couple, a friend or a family member would drive the car, unless AMAG Classic arranges something different on request. Couples who want to be driven, rather than drive, should raise this first.

The page links to separate rental terms ("All about our rental terms") and a booking page ("Book a vintage car now"). Driving requirements, insurance, deposit, mileage and fuel rules are the kind of details that sit in rental terms, and couples should read them before booking.

Getting there and making contact

The rental cars are based at the AMAG site in Schinznach-Bad, and the site's address and phone number, 056 463 98 98, appear on every page, with a contact page for enquiries. The page does not say whether cars can be delivered to a wedding venue or must be collected in Schinznach-Bad.

What the site does not settle

The prices are "from" prices per day, so the final price depends on the terms; the site does not say what a day covers, whether kilometers are included, or whether half days are possible. It does not mention a driver, decoration for a wedding car, delivery to a venue, or how far in advance to book for a summer Saturday. It does not say whether the English-language pages mean staff handle bookings in English, though offering the rental page in English is a good sign for couples from abroad.

Who it suits

AMAG Classic suits couples who want a characterful classic car for the day and are happy to have someone in their party drive it: the Beetle convertible for an open-top photo drive, the 1965 Beetle or the Golf for a low-cost nostalgic touch, the T2 bus for moving the bridal party together, and the Dodge Dart for a car with a story tied to Swiss car assembly. The published starting prices make budgeting unusually easy. Couples who want a chauffeured wedding car with ribbons and a driver in uniform should confirm whether that is possible, because the rental page does not offer it.