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Ellis
Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 1386 Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:46 pm Post subject: Is classic car ownership environmentally friendly? |
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When I use my 1962 Series 2a Land Rover it always attracts friendly interest.
Recently I had parked outside our Post Office and who was waiting for me when I returned but one of the prominent local Green campaigners and her husband .
They were both very interested in the Land Rover, even more so when I revealed that it had a modern 200tdi diesel engine.
They were complimentary and added that my vehicle was an example of extending an old vehicle's life and suitable for modern use and thus commendable.
Now, I didn't ask for or needed their approval to justify my hobby bit it did make me consider the idea of the Green issue.
When Kenneth Clarke abolished the Road Fund Licence for pre 1973 cars in 1994 he added that the impact of classic car ownership and use had a negligible environmental impact.
Was he right then and is the old car tax exemption justified 20 years later.
Do we still deserve it?
Just to stir the pot a little, Formula One (F1) supporters maintain that their sport has little environmental impact. I disagree.
Your opinions, please. _________________ Starting Handle Expert
1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet |
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peter scott

Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Thinking of the number of miles I cover in my modern relative to my old car I feel no guilt at all. What's more the proportion of the car owning population who also own an oldie is pretty small so I think zero rate tax is perfectly reasonable.
Peter _________________ https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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D4B

Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 10:41 am Post subject: |
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Just to stir the pot a little, Formula One (F1) supporters maintain that their sport has little environmental impact
If you include all the worldwide transportation of cars and equipment
(and lifestyle choices) that go with F1 it must have a huge impact...... |
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Ashley
Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 1426 Location: Near Stroud, Glos
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 10:42 am Post subject: |
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There's some sort of bicycle race going on around the UK at the moment and on Friday it came through Nailsworth accompanied by at least three times as many motorbikes and cars as cyclists, so I don't feel guilty at all about my 2-3000 miles a year in old cars.
This country's contribution to the world of non green-ness is 2%, so nothing to worry about anyway unless you've just wasted a fortune on a Toyota Pious.  |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4236 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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It's a really odd question to ask; because it depends what you are measuring
Mile for mile a classic is normally not environmentally friendly compared to any modern car......
However if one looks at the environmental impact over the life of a classic, it wins hands down especially giver the relatively low mileage most classic do.
And getting a bit Jeremy Clarkson.....I really don't care as the pleasure it gives me and others, outweighs any politically correct green!
Dave |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2707 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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I'm sure I read that the biggest harm a new car does to the environment is when it is made in the first place. So to continue to use an older car that's already been made, doesn't have to have all that plastic moulded and steel and aluminium smelted, or (according to the aforementioned JC) have all those batteries made in one part of the world and shipped to the other part, must be better.
Sure, mile by mile, a new car might stick out less CO (or CO2, or whatever it is) than an old one, but a new car is unlikely to do enough miles to make up for all the emissions created during its manufacture. |
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baconsdozen

Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.
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Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:42 am Post subject: |
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The greens might be happy in their recycled clothes and sandals made out of old tyres cycling all over the place. I'm happy doing the odd few miles in a gas guzzling V8.
For now its a free world but given the chance,I'd imagine they'd want me to change far more than I'd do them. _________________ Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired). |
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Fatbloke

Joined: 26 Jun 2014 Posts: 86 Location: Royal Wootton Bassett
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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IMHO if you are using a classic as your daily and don't own a modern you are doing your bit for the greens as you are causing a new car to be built that generates a massive carbon footprint.
However, most of us use Classics for leisure trips and also own a modern for daily use. so overall probably has a -ve impact on the environment.
BUT as others have said above, we are a minority of car owners and tend to do low milage so the impact would be neglegable.
BUT I don't care whether it's environmentally sound or not...It's jolly good fun
Make it rolling 40 year VED excemption though!  _________________ Mike,
A Fatbloke in a Herald. |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2707 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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Fatbloke wrote: | Make it rolling 40 year VED excemption though!  |
It is. Well, not exactly rolling, more like jumping, exemption date jumps forward by a year every April 1st.
I do have a more modern car as a daily driver, but I didn't cause it to be built as I bought it used. |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2707 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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MikeEdwards wrote: | Fatbloke wrote: | Make it rolling 40 year VED excemption though!  |
It is. Well, not exactly rolling, more like jumping, exemption date jumps forward by a year every April 1st. (With apologies if that's not what you meant by your comment)
I do have a more modern car as a daily driver, but I didn't cause it to be built as I bought it used. |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1600 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:27 am Post subject: |
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I shall never forget seeing this over the collection Walter Hill built up in Florida.
I parked the car next to a Panamera the other day. My classic does 23 mpg, and I wonder what that monstrosity consumes? |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1165 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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I have spent large sums of money to insulate my house, fit double glazing (very unusual and expensive in Oz!) smother the roof in solar panels to generate electricity for my state (I get paid about a quarter of what they charge me to buy back!) and a solar powered hot water service. I segregate my garbage into recyclable and refuse each week before collection.
When I meet up with a greenie dressed in animal skins, walking everywhere and living in either a cave or under a tree, then I'll take him (or her) seriously!
In the meantime, if I create a bit of pollution when I drive my oldies a few miles, then bad luck! Didn't they reckon that the Iceland volcano put the equivalent garbage of 50 years motoring into the atmosphere, just a couple of years ago.
Keith |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2150 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Have a read of the Green Party's transport policies if you get a chance. Surprisingly supportive of old car owners.
A chap I know has a '78 Scimitar, he was telling me about some people who recently accosted him in a supermarket car park, complaining about the fact he was driving such a high polluting car and that he should be ashamed of himself! Fortunately I've never had any such problems myself.
I've never owned a new car, and never plan on doing so. My new next door neighbour was extolling the virtues of his 62-plate Japanese hybrid thing to me the other day, while clearly not really understanding why I've got the Maestro parked on my driveway, and he obviously thinks the Somerset should be in a museum. Still, I'd rather have an old car with character, that I can fix myself with no complicated electronics to go wrong. _________________ Richard Hughes |
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