For those of you that have spent a lot of money on a classic that doesnt get driven, how do you feel?

I have no idea what you mean!?!? :shrug:irate:

 

I have a '65 GT FB. I feel great about it. I do, however, like to tinker. I also drive it, but not much. I will take it to work on Fridays occasionally and cruise on the weekends. I don't think I would care for it nearly as much if I didn't drive it. I know some folks really like to "own" cool stuff that never gets used. I'm not one of those people. My DD is a '96 Bronco on steroids. I am long over the desire to own a new car. I just got tired of taking the enormous depreciation hit on them. I like the fact that my Mustang is not a depreciating asset but an investment I can enjoy in the same way my home is. When I am tired of it, I will pass it on and probably be ahead of the game, certainly in enjoyment I will.

Baxter

 

Well, that's a very personal question. I think each one of us that has a "garage beauty" has different reasons why we keep them, enjoy them, even with driving so few miles. I drive mine probably around 300 miles a year. I like having a piece of history and feeling days of past and the driving experience of a classic and how the car handles, also the "head nods" and "thumbs ups" I get. I like being in car shows and showing it off and talking with other classic car owners, the friends you meet on all the forums.

I have a lot more money involved in mine than what you are talking about and I still think it's worth every penny I spent because it's something not everyone gets to enjoy or understands for that matter. Driving it so few miles a year, I actually forget sometimes how awesome it is, and when I pull out and give it a little juice I get that rush that no modern day car can provide. Also, I've done a ton of the work myself on the car, so I have a connection to it and it makes me feel proud of the my accomplishments with it of getting it where it is today.

So these are some of the reasons I enjoy it and think it's worth it. I personally get so much enjoyment out of it, everyone's going to have their own take on why it's worth it or not.

So you just have to ask yourself what you will get out of it... Will you get that rush of driving it and the power it has, or just cruising around in a piece of history? Do you want the satisfaction of being approached and asked about your awesome car, given that head nod or thumbs up when driving down the road? What you will get out of it is your own personal experience and it's going to be different for everyone.

So I think only you can really answer that question... you can always sell it if you don't enjoy it after some time, they hold there value

Good luck,

Jason

 

If it's not something you truly enjoy, don't do it. It will just be another thing to take care of while you have it. That said, if you do enjoy cruising and showing it and will actually enjoy having it, then go for it. At the end of the day, everything we work for and acquire ends up going to someone else who may or may not have our views and appreciations.

 

None of us can answer that question for you. Way too personal.

If you buy smart, it doesn't matter. Don't over pay and you can go ahead and buy one and drive it (or not, apparently) and sell it when you get bored.

My personal thought is that if wrenching isn't part of the enjoyment, go get yourself a nice new Honda Accord. I hear the A/C works great in those.

 

I have a 66 Lemans convert and recently acquired a 64 1/2 Mustang coupe that I've yet to get on the road. This and woodworking are my hobbies and when you consider the cost is cheaper than golfing, drinking or chasing women. What are you going to do with your money? Give it to your kids after you die while you did without to save it for them? They'll get enough when I die.

 

If it's an investment, go for it.
I personally would not spend that much on a car and not drive it.
I would be driving it to the mailbox.
I also wouldn't worry about it getting paint chips or God forbid....wet!
That would be something for the next owner to worry about.

 

muscle car justification happens "below the belt" ;o) speaking for myself.

I light mine up, not just start but beat the daylights out of it 2 or 3 times a year at some event or another and that is enough for me to keep it. it would not be enough to just drive it to the store or a show and sit in lawn chairs next to it but thats just me. The adrenaline makes it all worth while!

 

muscle car justification happens "below the belt" ;o) speaking for myself.

I light mine up, not just start but beat the daylights out of it 2 or 3 times a year at some event or another and that is enough for me to keep it. It would not be enough to just drive it to the store or a show and sit in lawn chairs next to it but thats just me. The adrenaline makes it all worth while!

^^^^^^ yes ^^^^^^

 

Investment?

Ive got an excellent investment adviser and over the years he has made me way more than investing in classics ever would. I retired at 50.

My question is for those with garage queens and how YOU feel.

 

I don't think anyone here would classify a car that you intend to drive 3000miles per year a garage queen...that is soild use in the classic car realm.

Garage queen status is generally 500 miles or less, special occasions only, not every weekend, at night only when the moon is over Venus....etc etc.

If you buy a classic car right your "capital investment" is still there, the cost of ownership of a turn key car is then no different than any other adult hobby.

Ie you could easily spend the same or more on Golf....personally I hate golf but I like classic mustangs! Most golfers don't justify "golf"

 

I bought mine when I liked tinkering with cars. I daily drove it for 4years. Bought an 89 to replace it as a daily driver. I have found nothing that makes me smile when I get behind the wheels and hear that engine come to life. Sure my previous 2007 and 1989 Mustangs have their own thing going but man that old engine and lack of conveniences makes me feel 20years younger. I continue to add modern day stuff to it but it will never be like a new mustang which is kind of the point to me.

 

Ive got the itch to own a mint condition classic that all I have to do is keep clean and drive.

Hmm, I was around when some of these cars were pretty new, but I don't recall cars from this era only requiring "cleaning and driving" when "mint" the first time around when all the parts were made in America I'd suggest a brand new Mustang or other muscle car if you want that kind of reliability.

 

Don't buy it unless you have a grandson that doesn't want the truck. If you don't have any grandkids, I'll be one, if you leave me the CS or the truck.

Z

PS. I'll visit you every Sunday afternoon, even when you don't recognize me anymore.

 

Really? If you dont have anything constructive to add, why post? Many of you are very judgmental.

We do own a new-ish Mustang, 2014 V6 premium convertible. Thats my wifes car and she loves it. I drive a 2010 F150 SC.

Down here, the typical summer day is 90+ degrees with 100% humidity. After we sold the 66 F100 and both 65 Mustangs last year we decided if we buy anymore they are going to have ps/pb/ac. There is a lot going on anywhere from 1 to 4 hours from the house. Nothing like pulling into Savannah after a 3 hour drive with your back soaking wet, hot, tired, ears ringing from having the windows down at 70 mph and wondering if the trip is worth it.

I was also around when these cars were new. My folks bought a new 67 coupe and kept it for 20 years. They go 12,000 miles easy with little maintenance, especially with upgraded ignition.

We are thinking about moving to Texas, so I have been putting everything on hold, but I decided that Im not getting any younger, if I buy and we move, I will figure out a way to get everything moved. Right now we have 4 cars and 2 motorcycles so it isnt going to happen in one trip anyway.

 

My vote is to buy it. What good is this life if we don't enjoy it.

 

Driving it

I never understood why someone would buy something so much fun to drive and not drive it. I've had my 64 convert 26 years and have over 388,000+ miles so far- even running errands this afternoon. I bought a 69 GT convert from a PO that drove it 25,000 miles in 25 years- we did 15,000 in 2 years. I got a 65 K GT FB that sat in a garage for 37 years- PO did 600 miles. I did 1,000 the 1st year and would drive it more, but it's waiting for garage space. The "new" 2016 GT Outlaw is just about 1 year and 22,000 miles. When working, I have a job that requires a lot of driving, so I alternate. I always thought these 3,000 miles/year was some kind of "club" and they really didn't like driving the cars. Or is it a contest to see who drives the least? My 2000- 1 owner F-250 has 226,000 miles and still has the original clutch! The 08 police car I got as a beater has gone from 80K to 137K in 3 years! I guess I should buy gasoline stock, but there's nothing like hitting the road in a real car! Drive the wheels off of them!

 

I have a few hotrod HD's and a 69 S code. Half of the pleasure of having these vehicles is is doing the research and performing the work myself at home in my garage away from the distractions of work . I have been owning an automotive shop for 30 years now and can understand where your coming from by not wanting a wheels off restoration for an extended period of time. I bought my Mach 1 with the goal my car wouldn't be "downed" for periods no longer than 2 weeks. I spent 31k for a nice 89k mi DD and have not regretted it, not one day. IMO Keeping a vehicle off site in a rented garage makes it difficult to enjoy the other half of your hobby.

 

Hard to throw everybody in one group. Some of us leaning to the more steroidal side of the spectrim have a different driving experience. Plush Volvo road machine or flowmasters and performance suspension for a 1000 trip to thanksgiving with 3 kids...

 

You can't take it with you, so you might as well spend the money on something that brings you some enjoyment.

I don't think there's such a thing as a 50 year old car that will need some form of tinkering as stuff wears out. Even lack of use can cause some things to wear out faster. But if you're OK paying someone to do that work, then go for it.

If you don't use the truck, then sell it (even if you lose money) to justify getting something that you think you'll drive more. I built a really cool 52 Dodge truck...swapped in a 354 Hemi, but kept the stock style suspension. After it was done, I really didn't enjoy driving it, so it only got used when I needed to pick something up at Home Depot. So I sold it and used that money to get the mustang project I have now.

A classic will never drive as easy as a modern car, so if you just find the effort of driving one takes away from the enjoyment, then maybe spend your money on something newer that will give you the same enjoyment that driving a performance car has, but with a modern feel. I have a 2009 Z06 and love the car. It's still more work to drive than my wife's Grand Cherokee...but nobody really gives you a thumbs up when you drive by in an SUV.

 

I've got both. As other's have mentioned, I built my '65 GT350 clone and absolutely love to flog the dogsh*t out of it every time I drive it. I drive this one for me- don't care to show it, don't care if I get stares or not, it's just a joy to have. I've also got a '65 GT K coupe, 1st car I ever bought when I turned 16- sits in the barn and maybe sees 50 miles a year. It's personal to me being my 1st, memories of my wife and I back in the dating days, will probably end up with one of my daughters (hopefully they don't marry a knucklehead!). I've also got other stuff including a '38 Ford p/u, a '39 Ford sedan street rod, a '59 Fairlane, '65 Galaxie HT and 'verts, and several Mustangs and others. I can see the concept of owning and storing them simply from a financial standpoint as some are definitely better than money in the bank. On the other hand, by having them just sit and collect dust you're essentially maintaining them such that the next guy can enjoy them, right? Ultimately it's your budget- your call. If you don't want to tinker on it, you may want to buy something that's been upgraded with modern components but still looks stock. Of course being a car guy you probably already knew that.

 

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but let someone else do the restoration and when they get tired of it after 2-5 years swoop in, buy that car and run it.

 

Buy it and enjoy the smiles

 

I'm a staunch believer that the "best way" of owning/enjoying a classic is the way that provides the best balance for you. The car doesn't give a monkey's butt, and the less you drive it, the more exciting it is when you do finally get some wheel-time. So it's all really good in my mind.

If you have a hankering for it, and the price and quality are a good match, then buy it. Classic insurance isn't terribly expensive, although storage certainly is. But I would imagine that in fairly short order (6 months to a year) you'll know whether you made the right choice. If it was the wrong choice, you sell it, maybe make enough profit to negate some of your storage expense, and the net-cost of ownership considered with the undeniable fun that you had owning it for the short time will be perfectly justifiable.

 

I still still say don't buy another classic. The OP has a nice vintage pickup that sits in a rented garage and is rarely driven. The prospective purchase is going to be no different. Even as an investment, it's a bad deal for him.

It's a matter of demographic economics; the massive group of baby boomers is dying off, or getting too old to drive. Their kids to a great degree have zero interest in the ownership of dads car. Their are exceptions to this of course, but to the greater degree, the next generation is more likely to collect vintage computers or vintage cel phones than vintage cars. Prices as a result of this demographic change are going to be flat at best, and decline at worst.

Buy a classic to drive and enjoy, or to display and compete at car shows if that's where your interest lies. If you already have a classic that doesn't get driven or shown, buying another one makes no sense to me, unless it's going to be a gift to a son, daughter, or grandkid who has shown an interest in the vintage car scene.

Z

 

I see little need to ever buy something that I won't use, have to pay to store and requires additional maintenance.

That said, I still got married and had kids. Twice.

 

I am the poster child for cars that rarely get used (not intentionally, but practical-ability), have to pay to keep a roof over and maintained, and insure.

But I enjoy each of them immensely when I do get the occasion, and (due to proper storage and maintenance) I don't believe I've suffered depreciation over the years.

As long as the ownership isn't a burden, and the storage expense not extreme, it's just "parked money". Maybe your investment guy can do better, but it's hard to compare investments with a classic car that runs, drives and looks gorgeous.

But yes, guilty as charged. Cars that I don't have time to drive terribly often. Been there, and still doing that... It's an illness. But whenever I kick the bucket, and if my girls decide "we're not keeping up with all this", there will be a flood of darned-nice old cars hitting the market that future generations can enjoy, and drive every day if they want, and it'll all work itself out.