 |
 HUILE FRANCE O SNCF METAL PASSENGER CAR 429521  US $79.99
|
 HUILE FRANCE O SNCF METAL PASSENGER CAR 429522 US $79.99
|
 Vintage O Scale all metal wood Trolley Car on Blocks Diorama exc US $10.50
|
 O SCALE CB Q METAL BOX CAR 430291 US $9.99
|
 Three pair of RMT Die cast metal freight car trucks new US $9.99
|
 All Wooden Metal BOX CAR Very Detailed US $18.95
|
 Lionel Train Brown metal Box Car US $9.99
|
 VINTAGE Lionel DIE CAST Metal STEAM ENGINE Coal Car NICKEL PLATE ROAD US $9.99
|
 Union 76 Gas Flat Car with 2 Die Cast Metal Tow Trucks US $49.99
|
 1950 FORD Louisiana Police Car 143 O Scale Diecast Metal US $19.99
|
 1950 CHEVROLET Fire Chiefs Car 143 O Scale Diecast Metal US $21.99
|
 MTS BROWN FLAT CAR WITH A METAL UPS TRUCK NEW US $29.99
|
Why Classic Cars are Better Than New Ones
The start of 2008 brought great hilarity for those of us who keep a keen eye on the motoring industry – and especially those among us who sneer at anything less than a supercar. First, the joy of the internet and email meant I received a picture of a garden shed on wheels (yes, an actual shed) – with a clever fake press release heralding the launch of the new Daewood car! Very funny.
Â
Then, in India, Tata Motors launched the world’s cheapest new car…the $2,500 Nano. Wizened industry-watchers heralded the apparent “breathtaking innovations in manufacturing technology in the global automobile industry based on severe cost-cuttingâ€. Others were not so open-minded, with one United States media presenter describing the car as "a golf cart crossed with a jelly bean."
Â
But both events got me thinking - why on earth would someone buy a horrible new 'Eurobox car' when the money could be better spent on a fantastic classic car? This conundrum always baffles my colleagues at Sureterm Direct – the UK’s leading specialist classic car insurance company – so with their help here are my top 7 reasons to buy a classic car instead of a faceless, cheap, under-powered, Euro-shed.
Â
1. Better insurance deals. Take it from us, as the country's leading specialist classic car insurer, the costs of insuring a classic MGB if you opt for special features like limited mileage options can be considerably less than cover for a new hot hatch. And we're not just talking about saving a £10 or so - the difference can run to hundreds of pounds. Classic car insurance quotes can be very competitive.
Â
2. Zero road tax. Yep, that's right. In the UK classic cars built before 1973 qualify for zero-rated road tax. You have to display a tax disk, but it doesn't actually cost anything. So there's £160 banked straight away.
Â
3. It makes financial sense. The moment you drive your run-of-the-mill chunk of far Eastern plastic and metal car off the forecourt you lose 30% of its value straight away in depreciation. You no longer own a new car - you own a second-hand one! But if you invested in a cracking little classic car in good condition - and kept it smart - the chances are it should at least hold its value (and in some cases it might even increase in price).
Â
4. Cheaper repair bills. Let's say you're in the middle of a country estate enjoying a picnic in your classic Morris Minor when you carelessly but gently bump into a great oak. You can find a new rear lamp for around 20 quid. However, do the same in your new Kia and the replacement rear light is likely to be at least two times that.Â
Â
5. You're more environmentally-friendly. People think old cars use more petrol per mile than new ones - and in some cases they're right. But it is a well-documented fact that around a third of the energy consumed by a car in its entire life is used to make it in the first place. So buying and using a classic car is recycling par-excellence. Spare parts for older cars are readily-accessible, so keeping your classic running is again very environmentally sound - while many components used in the build of new cars are sealed in and only fit for the bin once they're no longer of use.
Â
6. You look good. Swing down the street in a gleaming classic MGB and you'll turn heads. And it feels great to drive around in something that is instantly-recognisable and draws knowing waves, nods and winks from other motorists. Of course, your Far Eastern tin machine might draw hand signals too - but a single finger doesn't constitute a wave I'm afraid.
Â
7. Social networking. Want to meet nice new friends in great surroundings? Then join a classic car club. For example, there are events for VW Beetle owners almost every weekend. It's fun - and it's hard to imagine the same feeling from a field full of Daihatsu Sirion owners.
About the Author
John Kelly is the web editor at www.sureterm.com. Find out more about great classic car insurance deals at Sureterm Direct.
Filling a hot metal car at Bethlehem Steel