The sensational thing about this weather, until it started raining, is the wonderful classic cars it brings out.
Over the past two weekends, I have been on epically long journeys within the UK that you won’t be reading about. Airports, weddings, A1, M25, M6, the whole lot. But a good few hundred miles of boring Tarmac has been relieved by the welcome sight of some rare and classic things.
I’ve seen Austin Sevens on the M25, WW2 Jeeps and GMC Trucks on the M11 and a reassuringly ratty Capri 3.0 on the A1, among so much other classically inclined stuff.
Indeed, you really should make the case to your better half that it would make the high days and holidays so much more interesting behind the windscreen of something old and characterful. I’ve also got the clincher, and potential relationship/marriage saver: “It’s an investment darling…”
Now, this may well be a made-up stat, but according to an Instagram image of an article I saw on Twitter (yes, I am down with the hip social media kids), classic cars have risen in value by 395 per cent.
Yes, really. It was in an airport departure lounge magazine, apparently, but I’ll go with it. Coins were next at 248 per cent, then stamps at 216 per cent, followed by art at 199 per cent, which is all very traditional.
Other items on the up are wine at 166 per cent and Chinese ceramics at 85 per cent, then every mechanical nerd’s favourite, watches, at 76 per cent. Finally, the very boring FTSE 100 went up by 54 per cent.
Of course, not every classic car is going to appreciate by a gazillion per cent (a mint 1964 Vauxhall Victor may struggle in this respect), but I think that generally this stat is correct, if rather over optimistic. Just like most classic car buyers, in fact.
So I just wondered what classic you would identify as an ‘investment’. Ideally it should be a motor you like, and of course you can attribute whatever spurious percentage of increase you like to make yourself and your other half feel better.
Personally, I’m going for an Autobianchi Primula, which will undoubtedly appreciate by at least 20,000 per cent over the next few weeks.
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Bristol
Need to be more buyers than cars...
I'm into old Saabs. The original 900 is a great car, but values are low simply because they were so well made loads of them survive - more than there are enthusiasts who want them. Old Mercs are similar.
If I were to suggest a punt I'd say Ford Puma. Very well reputed, and crucially they rust horribly for a modern car. They can be picked up now for peanuts. Get a good one and keep in nice and I suspect it'll get rarer as the majority are going to get scrapped in the not too distant future. Fiat Coupe and Barchetta as well, and the '90s Alfa Spider and GTV.
I'm not sure if I'd go for a
I'm not sure if I'd go for a car as an investment.
In my experience cars are just moneypits. Big metal moneyboxes with no return.
Buy a classic, you still need to MOT it every year, need to keep the welding and inevitable rust at bay. If it is rarely used, the rubber hoses can still crack and burst. You will inevitably put more into it than you'll get out.
However....
My exception would be something that can *work* for a living, piling a trade at the weekends of the summer months.
Something like a big old Rolls Royce or Bentley can earn it's keep on the wedding trade (though you really would need to keep on top of maintenance - can't let the bride down on her big day!!!).
I would still be partial to a DeLorean. This would be my grooms car of choice, and similarly to the Rolls, could pay for itself by hiring it out for such events.
Otherwise, something that can be used daily, like a big Citroen XM diesel automatic.
I was tempted to keep my old Accord coupe garaged as it neared classic insurance age, but unfortunately had to sell it to someone who could get it through an MOT.