Three useable "Classics" or one really special one?

[Skyedriver]

Sparked by vpr's thread yesterday and me taxing one of my collection today, is it better to have three decent classics or one real gem?

I have three what you'd probably call modern classics (1973/1988/2004) with a total value of a little under £30K on a good day. All three are useable, none are show winners. I'm happy to use them although I wince when I park them in Tesco..
.
With VED* costs escalating along with servicing, MoT, insurance, tyre replacement due to age etc (I probably add about 2k to 3K miles to each per annum), I keep wondering about selling up and replacing with one "really special" car but I love the ones I've got (and would love to add another!).

I've also got the family Volvo, have just turned 70 and repairing broken cars isn't as easy as it used to be.

• VED currently free/325/395

[RONV]

Your a young man at 70 I can give you 10 years and have sold some of my cars,we tour France twice a year May and September and and service them myself. We our off to France in May again 3 weeks and 10 hotels and are members of a French Motor Club, by the way we used to stay in Oban when going to the Tour of Mull in the 80s. Ron.

[RONV]

[RONV]

[Skyedriver]

Love the Cortina Cab - Crayford I assume. Now that's probably worth two of my fleet in both value and use. Swop ya?
As an aside we saw a Mark 1 Crayford a few years ago and my wife loved it so a win win. And probably easier to service than any of my fleet too.

[fat80b]

Interesting question.

I think 3 is better than one especially if they have different uses. Keeps it interesting

We have an e46m3, a Tvr Tuscan, and a mk2 escort for fun.
As well as a V8 545 E60 BMW for the wife to use every day. (And an old Volvo to go to the tip)

Nothing newer than 2004. No depreciation, and what would I swap them for ?

I’d like an s2000 to go targa rallying and I want to bank a 205 gti but I don’t think I’d get rid of anything in order to do so.

[plenty]

An entirely personal choice. What suits me might not suit you.

For me variety is everything and specialness is overrated. You could offer me an F40 or a 997 GT3 and I'd still pick three cars over one of those.

[Perseverant]

None of our cars are younger than 2004 - MX5 - followed by 1989 Mercedes 190e, and then a 1950 XK120 ots. They are all useable though the Jaguar is really a fair weather car. Before I retired around 10 years ago I used to drive it to school and use it for shopping. Some of my colleagues loved it but some were very snooty and dismissive of such eccentricity. In decent weather I'm happy to use any of them and it's nice to chat with people - there must be lots of pictures of kids sat in the Jaguar, not as a child snatching ploy but to encourage interest in old cars.

[Riley Blue]

We wouldn't want three classics and have to pick which one over the other two to take out on an event. In any case, our Riley One-Point-Five is suitable for all eventualities from country lanes to motorways though we don't often use the latter, too boring.

VED on it is Zero, it doesn't have a MOT but instead has an annual service and very thorough safety check irrespective of mileage covered and whatever it needs, it gets. Agreed value insurance is less than £200 p.a. but add two more cars and those costs could get a bit expensive.

We've been all over the UK in it (done a solo LeJoG) and also taken it to France and if it wasn't for our health issues we'd venture much further afield. Staying with one classic car means we're able to do far more in it than if we had to keep three on the road - which is why no progress has been made on our other One-Point-Five and my A8 has been SORNed for three years.

[rene7]

ONE - is definitely better - I've owned my 1970 Lotus7 for years [VED & MOT exempt] - 5 years ago bought a Z28 camaro, wife also owns a rare JDM 'Q' car - Idea was to use Z28 during winter and inclement weather, sadly the Z28 was crap at that [ wife hated it] and so rarely got used, recently sold it - we're back to the 7 and JDM for long inclement weather trips JDM can also be used every day because it's not a shouty car and looks really bland, in Tesco's car park - Sorted

[Mark A S]

IMO, I think 2 is an ideal number [plus a sensible modern ish car], especially as one gets older. Naturally it depends what you want a classic for.

Personally, I doubt I would ever part with my old Jeep [M201], I use it fairly regularly especially in the summer months and with suitable trailer it is a VERY handy machine to have around for all sorts of mucky jobs. Also, I don’t mind where I park it, throw in it etc as being precious of a classic can be a little bit of a pain.
My Lotus Sunbeam I am a rather precious about, albeit once warm it gets the beans quite often. This car reminds me of my youth, especially as I had 2 of them back in the day and also ticks the boxes for stopping me wanting to compete again.

I looked at your car list, I would be inclined if you want to reduce the “fleet” is have 2 cars that are quite opposite to each other, say the Gilbern and 7 ?
Nice choice to have though isn’t it

[Skyedriver]

Thanks for all the comments, seems half would go one car and the other half more than one. Thee isn't a definite answer is there except maybe diversity and that's where my problem is I suspect.
two FH 2+2 (Lotus Excel owned for coming up two years & Gilbern Invader not yet on the road but getting close), in reality both two seaters and one two seater convertible (Boxster S). The Caterham was sold last year as I wasn't getting the use out of it.
With Wife, 17 year old Son and two dogs we end up taking the Volvo...

[aeropilot]

Skyedriver said:

I've also got the family Volvo, have just turned 70 and repairing broken cars isn't as easy as it used to be.

I'm 10 years younger than you, and no way would I want 3 cars to look after now.

If I had the space, I'd love to have two classics, and as Mark A S says, they would be two very different ones, and I'd love a nice Rover P6 3500 to sit alongside the '32 Ford coupe, but I only have a single garage, so I had no real option other than the 'one special one'.

I also wouldn't even contemplate a modern classic either, that requires paying for VED etc., I still think of anything made after about 1980 as 'everyday' cars, rather than a classic

[skeeterm5]

We have several vehicles and to be honest the one that is easiest to get out is the one that gets used the most.

Based on this highly unscientific study I would say have one really good one so that every time you do take it out it feels special.

[Skyedriver]

skeeterm5 said:

We have several vehicles and to be honest the one that is easiest to get out is the one that gets used the most.

Based on this highly unscientific study I would say have one really good one so that every time you do take it out it feels special.

Yes, I'm tending to think this way, or maybe the two very different cars. My three ignoring the Volvo V70 are too alike despite being 30 years apart.
With a two car garage but a 4 post lift I can get three in there but the one up top tends to be left there. But which do I sell, the Boxster as the most expensive to maintain but pleasant to drive, the Excel, a lovely car to drive but maybe the one increasing most in "value" or the Gilbern that I've just bought this year as a recommission project and which has a certain sentimental tie up. Or shall I just procrastinate...

[Yertis]

Procrastination usually works out best in the long run.

[aeropilot]

Skyedriver said:

With a two car garage but a 4 post lift I can get three in there but the one up top tends to be left there. But which do I sell.

You answered your own question already.....sell the one that spends all its time up on the lift.

[Bobupndown]

I have 1, a mk1 Mini (60 years old next month), I'd like a Series Landrover to go with it, but the Mini is rarely used, if it does 3-400 miles a year max.

[GTRene]

hm, if I had a lot extra garage space then I could come up with 3 classic cars to uses occasionally.

say a classy one and a light 'muscle' car and maybe some relax classic.

but, no extra space here and I'm not planning to park a car on the street, to many kids around...

some on my bucket list are. (all older then 83 or on such plates = no road tax)

-Superformance Daytona coupe 65, on 60-tish plates.
-Mercedes 300 SL replica (good one) on pre 83 plates
-de Tomaso Pantera with around 500hp
-Porsche 904 gts replica (good one) on pre 83 plates
-Ford GT40 replica in LHD (good one on old plates pre 83)
-TVR Griffith 200 or 400 or Tuscan V8 or made like those.

[Skyedriver]

aeropilot said:

You answered your own question already.....sell the one that spends all its time up on the lift.

Sounds sensible but it varies though, the one upstairs was SORN for the winter. Last year I sold the Caterham as it wasn't being used (about a third of Bobupandown's annual mileage!) but it sat on a trailer at ground level. The 4 Post is also used for some maintenance but with limited headroom I can only piggyback certain cars. The Boxster goes under the Excel only if I drop the roof. I used to drop the roof on a TVR 350i and position it so the screen and rear roof section slotted between the roof timbers. I could then get the Excel under it.
Just checked, the Gilbern is currently the only car I have that is Edinburgh & Glasgow LEZ compliant not that I'm likely to go there often.