Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[badhuis]

Who does not envy the owner who bought his car 40 years ago and still drives it? He knows all about his car, and probably has become an expert on the make and model. Knows all the bits and bobs to make it more reliable, or faster, or where to find cheaper replacements. He is kind of "stuck" onto his make/model.

But who does not envy the kind of enthusiast who has a different car/classic every two years or so? He can try whatever he likes, if it bores him sell it and buy something else again. The grass is always greener on the other side. Always on the road to experience something else, better / older / newer / faster / simpler, etc.

Problem is I want both. Keep the old ones because I still like them, and because it is so hard to sell the car for peanuts because I know (I am the expert) the car should be worth much more.
But I also crave for adventures on new, unexplored grounds. Want to experience ownership of unknown cars, not be stuck to just one make.

How do you manage your cravings, longings for other, unexplored cars?
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[Rootes75]

This is something I have thought about many times before, my fancy gets taken by many classics and not by one manufacturer alone.

I also like to keep hold of things and begrudge selling anything on. It then comes down to space and money.

Neither are in good supply!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Rick]

I like to try new things definitely, although sometimes something comes along that I just don't see me ever parting with, so I guess like most people I try and do a bit of both

Like the A40, it's worth £0 as it needs restoring (although isn't tooooooooo bad), and has been in the family since new, so that will be going nowhere, and hopefully will get done before I'm too old.

The Moggy serves the purpose I bought it for, to have something modern (relatively!) & characterful to use regularly, for which parts can be sourced fairly easily. I may change it for another 50s car sometime, again as a regular-user, but for now I don't see anything doing a better job than it really. I would quite like an early 50s Minx though!!

RJ
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Rick - Admin
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[Ellis]

[MikeEdwards]

I keep thinking of buying something else, either to see what it's like or to try to take advantage of the rising prices that everyone else has benefited from, but then I remember how little I drive the cars I've got.

[BigJohn]

The Escort has been in the family over 30yrs and taught many family members to drive, so I cannot sell it as it's like the family dog. It is like triggers broom but it's fun.
I usually have another classic on the go as well which last about 3yrs before boredom sets in although the Opel Manta Coupe lasted 7months and the RoverP6B 4.5 yrs. I'm awaiting my new garage being built, so it's just the Mk1 Escort only at the moment.
I did have a run of Standards for a while, Flying Eight, Super 10, Vanguard Phase 2 and a Flying 12, that was probably the nearest I got to loyalty.

[Keith D]

My wife suggested that our fleet should be reduced now that we are old.

The Chrysler took me nearly thirty years to restore and get back on the road ten years ago. That's got a lot of me in it. Can't get rid of that!
The Austin A40 Tourer has been in my pocession for about forty-five years. My kids grew up in that car! Can't get rid of that!
All my life I wanted an Austin Seven and I finally got one in a number of boxes in 1996. That took me ten years to get back on the road. It's a gorgeous little Car. Can't get rid of that!
Morris Cowley. IMHO a horrible car! Taking up space in my garage in pieces so I can't get rid of that!

I really don't want any more old cars, whatever they are!

Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[mikeC]

I seldom keep a car for more than five years; I don't necessarily get tired of the old one, but something different catches my eye, so the change is made!

Compare to my brother, who keeps his cars, usually until they drop; he still has cars he bought in 1963 (1930 Vernon Derby) and 1967 (1938 Frazer-Nash BMW), and has only recently sold the 1933 Riley that he bought in 1965!
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[16vmini]

i would love to keep cars , i lack space , and normally money to start next project ..

also my enthusiasm drops once a project is complete / near completed and i look for next build.

but my dad has a nice collection , and now i want to start to keep some of my cars for longer...

[kevin2306]

I only have the Singer now, sold all my other toys and had a huge clearout which has been quite rewarding.
I am planning on getting a british bike to restore next year though, an A10 or similar (or might go really simple and get a velosolex or similar)

Kevin

[52classic]

So often in the past I've been tempted with an apparently better car only to find that it hasn't lived up to expectations and I'm sorry I hadn't parted with the original.

If there's an pattern then it is, that as time has passed I have tended to keep cars longer. Early years would rarely see me with a car for more than 6 months but........ My 2002 I bought in 1988 and the Checker Cab, for the first time in '98. The (shared) F350 and Chevy have been with us over 10 years.

I truly admire the notion of cars that stay in the family for generations. The last owner of my P38 kept it 12 years and if I manage to do the same I will be 76 before I part with it.

[lowdrag]

When I look back through my life I am sure that I speak for about all of us. A Gold Star sold for £40, a Cooper S driven 'til destruction almost and discarded; so many cars and bikes that are worth today a fortune and I wish I had kept, except that a clip-on racing DBD34 would probably cripple me for life if I tried to ride it! Ah, golden memories, but they must stay just that.

On the other hand I have had one of my cars well over 30 years now and we have been through thick and thin together; on our way now to 150,000 miles. I took her out for a 50 mile spin today to see friends at a hotel bar. I could never part with her. She let me down when leaving for the UK a fortnight ago and these old rheumatic hands had problems getting into the bulkhead to reconnect the wipers, but that is the first time ever so I forgave her. For the other classics of more modern times I regret selling some, and wish I had stayed as I was, but then whatever we do we are sometimes regretful, sometimes elated.

[baconsdozen]

I tend to hang on to my vehicles for a long time.Mainly because I've regretted selling most and also the reasons for buying them in the first place are still valid.
My motorhome is for weekends away (although we have had very few in thirteen years of ownership).My P5b is as impractical as a run around as the motorhome so I bought an ex london taxi but that is slow and noisy so I bought a range rover. See, it all makes sense.
I would like an early XJ6 or maybe a roller but I think I'd want to borrow one for a while first because I'd always wanted an XJS but when I finally bought one I found it a very disappointing car in many ways.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

[Neal]

My brother and I have the same conundrum ( well had really) and now we have retired we have bought our retirement property with 2 1/2 acres, built a 70 ft long workshop and converted the old stables into garaging. This houses our classic collection of cars currently numbering 12, but alas the three lorries we own still have too stand out. It's all about how determined you are to keep those old cars. The oldest we have had for 45 years and a couple more for over 30, and our latest just three months, but when you have just spent 1 or 2 years restoring a car or Lorry we just can't bring ourselves to sell them.
Neal
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Rootes ts3

[Richard H]

I don't tend to change cars often. The reasons behind this are because firstly I get attached to my cars, secondly I really dislike trying to buy or sell cars and dealing with unscrupulous, lying timewasters this entails.

I always try and buy cars from friends (more honesty, less hassle) and sell cars to friends if I can. Usually the only reason I'll want to sell something is because I've seen another car I want and need the money/space!
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Richard Hughes