Is Owning A Classic Car Worth It?

在这里Garage Dreams，我们显然喜欢经典汽车。

From truly old classics through to modern classics (and even instant classics – new vehicles that will almost certainly become collectible and desirable in the future) we think that classic motoring is a fantastic experience.

However, many readers ask:

拥有经典汽车值得吗？

In this article we are going to look at the pros and cons of classic car ownership.

For the purposes of this particular discussion, we are looking at older classic cars (anything up to the early 2000s, really) as opposed to any kind of ultra modern classic like theCivic Type R(read our article here on thehistory and generations of the Honda Civic）或丰田Yaris Gr。

This is really an opinion piece as well; we aren’t leaning too heavily on facts and figures and are instead focusing on our own experiences and beliefs.

We hope you will find it helpful to determine if owning a classic car is worth it for you.

经典汽车拥有的积极因素

Here are some of the best reasons to consider investing in a classic car:

• 兴奋与乐趣- 也许拥有经典汽车值得投资的最突出的原因是，驾驶汽车带来的乐趣和兴奋。无论您是追随雷克萨斯LS400这样的豪华巡洋舰，还是像一辆高架跑车一样Honda S2000, you can have a great deal of fun and enjoyment with an older vehicle that appeals to your personal motoring preferences. Older cars can offer a purer, more exhilarating driving experience because you often feel so much more connected to the car due to the more mechanical, simple nature of the vehicle and the relative lack of driver aids and assistance. There is a thrill associated with driving older, more involved cars that you just don’t get with modern ones.
• 期待– If your classic is going to be an occasional/weekend driver, then you will get a thrill out of the anticipation of your next drive. This is quite an exciting feeling, and something that is worth a great deal to many classic owners. Some we have spoken to see taking their “pride and joy” out as a highlight of the week.
• Nostalgia– At Garage Dreams, we are big fans of nostalgia. There is nothing wrong with yearning for your youth, or some other period of time that has meaning for you. Classic cars can definitely help you to bring back nostalgia for bygone times. If this is important to you, then it could be a big upside of classic ownership.
• Sense of achievement- 这是您应该考虑的另一个好处，尤其是如果您想在年轻时购买自己一直想要的东西。在您年轻而不能够负担得起的时候，可以真正成就自己的汽车，这可能会有真正的成就感。我们认为，这是购买经典的最吸引人的方面之一。每当您在车库或车道上看到它时，您都会为自己的成就感到自豪。

经典汽车所有权的负面影响

It’s not all sunshine and daisies when it comes to buying and running a classic car – here are some of the negatives and downsides that you need to consider.

• 维护和维修费用——这也许是最大的,最关键的r to consider. Running a classic car has the potential to cost you a lot of money in maintenance and repairs. Even if you spend a lot of time and effort examining various cars to find a good example with solid service history, you will need to factor in money for maintenance and repairs. Any classic you buy is almost certain to require a bit of spending up front (it’s Murphy’s Law that the nanosecond the title switches over to your name, you’re going to have something go wrong – sometimes minor, sometimes major). You will also need to factor in that older cars often require more frequent routine maintenance. Whether you do this yourself or you use a trusted mechanic, the cost of parts and labour can add up fast. Are you in the financial position for this?
• Inferior safety– This is something that is often overlooked by many. Safety is important, especially if you are going to be using your purchase frequently, for commuting, and for transporting your family. Older cars simply are not as safe as new cars. While there are older cars with decent safety (Volvos and Saabs spring to mind, for example) they are simply outclassed by even the most basic of current offerings. You can’t make an old car safer, beyond ensuring it is in good running condition and that you always wear your seatbelt. However, you should consider the implications of using a less safe vehicle on a regular basis.
• Lack of creature comforts– Although there are plenty of comfortable older cars, in general modern vehicles tend to have far more in the “creature comfort” department. From infotainment systems with smartphone connectivity through to superior air conditioning and time/effort-saving features, new cars just tend to have it better than older ones. If you value technology, connectivity and comfort, then a classic may not be the best option (if you are planning on daily driving it).
  Mediocre performance– Some classic cars are great performers, even by modern standards (e.g. something like the马自达RX7,Mitsubishi 3000GT,WRX STIetc). However, many older cars that had solid performance for their time are “outshone” by modern vehicles. If you care about straight line performance, for example, you might find that a modern car performs better than the older vehicles you were looking at. Modern engines are not only more efficient, but generally much more powerful as well.

What Should You Consider Before Buying A Classic Car?

Ask yourself these questions before committing – they are very important to consider.

• Will this classic be a secondary car (i.e. weekend driver) or will it be your only form of transport?An old MX-5/Miata is easy to live with if you have a new Subaru Outback parked up the driveway for your daily driving needs. However, if the Miata is to be your only vehicle, you really do need to consider the practical aspects and implications. It might seem appealing在购买时to accept all the classic car tradeoffs in your daily driver. However, the mystique and “sheen” of this novelty could soon wear off, and you might wish you had purchased something newer. If your classic will only be an occasional-use vehicle, then it is much easier to deal with the negative aspects outlined above,
• 您会自己进行维护和维修，还是需要依靠第三方？由于较旧的汽车可能会倾向于更频繁地出错，因此您需要考虑维护和维修成本。如果您可以自己完成工作，那么您也许可以在这里节省很多钱。但是，我们许多人并不是机械上的分歧，也没有缺乏进行DIY维修的空间/工具/资源。在这种情况下，您的财务状况如何应对必须支付机械师的经典工作？这会导致您的压力和关注吗？
• What is parts availability like for your potential purchase?Some older cars (and even relatively modern vehicles) are becoming harder and harder to find spare parts for – sometimes to the point of near impossibility. This is something you must factor in. Whatever you are looking to purchase, you should do your homework on the availability of spares and complexity of repairs.
• What will insurance be like?This is an often-overlooked component of classic car ownership. You want to make sure you are getting the right insurance at the right price; oftentimes “normal” insurers aren’t the best placed for looking after the needs and requirements of the classic car owner. Read our guide here to classic car insurance for more information on getting the right option for your needs.
• What will your likely “cost per drive” be?Something to consider if you think you will only use a car very infrequently is your potential cost per drive. Let’s say that you buy a car for $10000, and then in the first year only drive it 20 times (this might sound low, but if you have a busy lifestyle – and based on our experience and feedback we have received from readers – this is not an unreasonable figure). In this case, every time you start the car up and take it for a drive it’s costing you $500, not including fuel, maintenance and insurance! Over time this “cost per drive” figure will average out more favourably, but if you think that having a garage queen car has now downsides, then think about this aspect of the financial impact.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of deciding whether a classic is worth the investment for you is that a lot of what is positive about classic cars is much more “esoteric” than the negative aspects. In other words, the good bits are generally subjective while the bad bits are objective.

Older cars are objectively less safe than newer cars. Older cars require more maintenance and repairs – this is a fact (if you are buying anything remotely exotic at least … don’t fall for the meme that classic Japanese cars require no maintenance and never go wrong, lest you find out the hard way).

但是，从纯粹客观的意义上讲，您的手指很难将您的手指放在经典所有权的积极上。If you just need a mode of transport to get you from A to B, then go down to your local Toyota dealership and buy the latest hybrid Corolla or Camry (or do the even more prudent thing and buy a certified pre owned vehicle) You’ll get performance that probably embarrasses most classics, greater day-to-day usability, and far better safety and fuel economy.

With that being said …

Conclusion – Is Owning A Classic Car Worth It?

We believe that if you go into classic ownership with the right mindset and financial capability, then owning a classic car is definitely worth it.

While newer cars are generally better in every regard for daily use (comfort, economy/gas mileage, safety, features and tech and so on) there is an undeniable charm and excitement to classic ownership.

The other thing to bear in mind is that you don’t have to buy “ancient” classics either. While many think of classics as being vehicles from the 50s/60s/70s/80s, there are a lot of more modern classics that are fair more suited to daily use if some of the drawbacks above might have put you off.

三菱3000GT之类的车辆具有一些现代生物舒适性，例如空调，安全气囊（在某些型号上）等。实际上，如果您愿意，您可以每天使用它，并且对糟糕的汽油里程/经济感到满意，并且需要额外的维护。

提供您“准备充分”，那么经典所有权可能是一次很棒的体验，并且非常有价值。我们发现，后悔的人认为拥有一辆旧车的人将在公园里完全步行，并且对所有权过程的样子有过度轰动的看法。

Make sure you have read our buyer’s guides beforehand (for any vehicles you might be considering) also get your ducks lined up with classic car insurance as well.

We would love to hear your experience of classic car ownership as well. Was buying a classic worth it for you? Leave a comment below – we appreciate any comments both positive and negative.