Is the classic car and the classic vehicle the answer?

The humble classic car, the humble classic commercial vehicle, and the humble classic motorcycle. We are a nation that loves classic vehicles, but it’s becoming ever more challenging to hold onto our classic vehicle.

The current relentless increase in the cost of living is frightening, and it doesn’t seem to be abating any time soon. How are people supposed to live when everything now costs so much? What does a family do in times like this when they are struggling to make ends meet, when they are desperate when they need a roof over their head
and food on the table? They take stock of their desperate situation and try to find money, whilst at the same time trying to make money from every conceivable possible position that they can.

Consequently, classic vehicles are a casualty in this situation, a luxury that one can ill afford to keep and if it means selling their beloved classic vehicle then so be it. On the other side of the coin, those fortunate enough to have just enough money to buy their dream classic vehicle can grab a bargain. Those with just enough money do still
face various issues though when purchasing a classic.

As we know, the global population are becoming ever more aware, and more conscious of the damage that greenhouse gasses, plastics and fossilised fuels are having to our amazing little planet, and there is a positive global drive to clean up the planet, help sustain a healthy greener future for our generations and help planet earth to be a safe sustainable host for us to all inhabit.

Classic vehicles, as a rough guide, built between 1984 and 2002 generally fall into the ‘dirty air’ category, and carry some kind of financial penalty when driving within one of the U.K’s major cities. So a large proportion of these vehicles were scrapped, dumped, left to rot or crushed. Not only does one have to consider the green side of driving a classic, but also the cost of maintaining a classic, because although in general the parts are cheaper than a modern counterpart, it’s finding the parts and paying for a knowledgeable trustworthy mechanic to do the work on it. An owner can save money by carrying out the maintenance and repair work, but again, they would have to
possess some mechanical knowledge AND crucially, have the time in a busy life to fit the maintenance and repair work in.

Classic cars, classic commercial vehicles and classic motorcycles have a tendency to not be as fuel efficient or reliable as their modern-day counterpart, with brakes, windscreen wipers, rust protection, wind noise and general comfort not up to the standard, so that also needs to be taken into account when taking the plunge and
making such a purchase.

So, what’s the point of them? Let them succumb to history and vanish through automobile evolution.

No!

You see, right now is the time to make a purchase if one has a modicum of disposable income. Classic vehicles are sinking in value, with vehicles hitting all time lows. At the time of writing, a 1993 Bently Turbo R, a 2004 Maserati Quattroporte, A 2013 Range Rover 4.4-litre V8 Autobiography, a 2019 (future classic) Ducati 950 Supersport
motorbike, and a 2003 Jaguar XJR Supercharged, can be purchased at bargain prices of circa £5,000, and they are only going to increase in value. A beautiful 2010 Bentley Mulsanne, a car that was £250,000 when new, can now be grabbed for just £25,000. 90% Off of its original sale price!

The investment potential for some of the classics out there can be better than money in the bank, and quite incredibly, vehicles like the 6.750cc Mulsanne actually MEETS the omission regulations, so you won’t have to pay a penalty when driving it, whereas a plucky 1996 Renault 5, with its small 1.4cc engine, doesn’t meet the emission
regulations and will carry a penalty when driving it. Make of that what you will.

Yes, the modern every day vehicle will have creature comforts, and has evolved to be more comfortable, practical and reliable, but they’ve all been designed aesthetically to be ‘pedestrian-friendly’ in an accident, they can look very similar to every other vehicle out there, and there is no sense of theatre when driving one. It’s just a vessel to get
from A-B. You don’t look forward to getting in and driving it as you would a classic.

Ask yourself this. When was the last time you pulled up at a petrol station and saw a cool-looking Ford Capri 2.8 injection sitting next to you, or a straight six Vauxhall PC Cresta Deluxe or an Aston Martin DB5? These vehicles look like nothing built today, stand out in a crowd and make the driver and its occupants feel so amazing when it’s out on the road driving.