Drive it or preserve it? Your thoughts on rare vehicle preservation.

PouncingPanzer

PouncingPanzer

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
1,101
Reaction score
331
So, I noticed there is one topic I am always as odds with others about. Vehicle preservation. Specifically exotics, usually, that are not driven or kept ar very low miles. Never see a track. Aren't beat on. Etc. Firstly, I'm never one to shame someone for their financial success. Congrats on your LaFerrari or whatever. I do notice though many people, often like me with a "peasant mobile" shaming these folk for parking a car. F1s. LaFerraris. 918s. P1s. Cars of extreme status and presence. I'm sorry, is it yours? Also, are you familiar with how depreciation works? Or how other cars can hit other cars? Or the countless other risks ranging from stone chips to getting t-boned by someone running a stop light. Whatever the case may be I find preservation key to successful vehicle collecting. You know me, I park a bloody Jetta for the winter lol. Imagine if I had an exotic? I would have claymores and a mote around my garage for crying out loud lol. I like when I see a LaFerrari with only 14km on it parked....you know why? Cause in 20 years there will be a car and driver or Hagerty article about this super pristine LaFerrari that is as it was in 2014 and perfect in every way expected to auction for *insert insane dollar figure here*. I love those stories. Those are success stories. Successful preservation. Preservation perfection, in fact. So when I see people bashing the owners or fact "that amazing machine will never do what it was built to do". Why? Does it need to prove itself? Does the owner need to prove worthy of ownership by almost putting it into a wall? If I owned a car making company and spent that kind of effort and man hours creating what I felt was automotive perfection I would enjoy seeing my customers caring for the cars how I would care for them myself.

Additionally, my association with an 80 year old submarine that is in near perfect condition and roughly 70% working order likely affects my way of thinking. A submarine with a 7 year expected service life doesn't last 80 by being used in patrol and combat operations....it last 80 years cause it's parked and mended 24/7 365. Literally checked on every day by someone and whatever needs addressed is addressed. That's preservation. Everything rare and unique is worthy of it in ny mind. Have a LaFerrari? Cool, that means you likely have other Ferraris too, flagship ones at that, beat on that one. Park the swan future you will thank you.

End rant.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
I'm not into exotics. It's the same with domestic cars.

The common social media phrase of today is, "Not putting miles on your car is like not banging your girl and saving it for the next guy"....

That phrase is overplayed and dumb. When I only had one fun car to drive I would put miles on it. I don't daily my cars. They get driven, I just don't log a lot of miles.

Some people have busy lives, other hobbies but still enjoy going out to the garage to detail or just be around cars.

My friends don't say it, but people on social media do. Why own it if you rarely drive it? Because I can....

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk
 
Each to his own, I don't think everyone should preserve their LaFerrari or whatever they have, but there's always some who will, so the rest can go drive them as they will, after all, they bought them so they get to do what they want with them. Check this guy out. He copped a lot of grief online for this, but it's his property, so why not.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/r...e/news-story/2a70430b94355b8f263e21bb11387e1d

At what level would I consider hiding something in the garage, I think everything would be driven, but the more exotic, the less often obviously. An Audi R8 would be 2 or 3 times a month, Lambos don't interest me too much, other than the Urus, and that would be daily, Ferraris aren't my thing either. Some kind of early 70s muscle car would be a weekend driver. But I will qualify this with our weather, no snow, it doesn't even get what you guys call cold in winter, bloody hot in summer, but cruising at night in a convertible in summer sounds ok. The weather just isn't a factor in hiding something, other than occasional hail of course.

On a separate matter, have you heard we're going to be building some nuclear subs for our navy, partnering with the US naturally. In the meantime we may be buying some second hand Virginia class attack subs till we can get the new ones built and commissioned. It's been all diesel electric up till now.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 fusion using Tapatalk
 
I guess I'd say this, a piece of valuable art work car do the same thing, right....plus it's easier to maintain

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
Big Dave said:
Each to his own, I don't think everyone should preserve their LaFerrari or whatever they have, but there's always some who will, so the rest can go drive them as they will, after all, they bought them so they get to do what they want with them. Check this guy out. He copped a lot of grief online for this, but it's his property, so why not.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/r...e/news-story/2a70430b94355b8f263e21bb11387e1d

At what level would I consider hiding something in the garage, I think everything would be driven, but the more exotic, the less often obviously. An Audi R8 would be 2 or 3 times a month, Lambos don't interest me too much, other than the Urus, and that would be daily, Ferraris aren't my thing either. Some kind of early 70s muscle car would be a weekend driver. But I will qualify this with our weather, no snow, it doesn't even get what you guys call cold in winter, bloody hot in summer, but cruising at night in a convertible in summer sounds ok. The weather just isn't a factor in hiding something, other than occasional hail of course.

On a separate matter, have you heard we're going to be building some nuclear subs for our navy, partnering with the US naturally. In the meantime we may be buying some second hand Virginia class attack subs till we can get the new ones built and commissioned. It's been all diesel electric up till now.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 fusion using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
AUKUS is good for sure I just wish the leadtimes weren't so long. We need more capacity for our own submarine maintenance and construction(which is already lagging behind schedule) so right now I struggle to see how the timeline will work. But I think by 2030 you guys will have three of our older block 774s(Virginias) as a stop gap. I for one am all for it, as historically Ex-US Naval assets go on to live entire second lives elsewhere and sometimes even serve other nations longer. It's more bang for buck, greener, and just all around better for short term gains. Long term gains will obviously be AU learning some lessons from the best in the business and eventually making their own domestic SSNs. I also think modern AIPs have a place in that region and AU and other allies would benefit from smaller, stealthier AIP boats, too. Cheaper. Easier to crew. Faster to build. And with modern Li batteries crazy good submerged endurance for a nonnuclear design. Upwards of 5 weeks I hear(top secret though can't confirm).

Anywho ba careful getting me on the subject of submarimes, I digress lol.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
A 345 mile Euro FSVT was recently up for sale on BaT...THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE MILES! Now this is no The The Ferrari but it's selling for less than it was when new IIRC. Now I don't care about that but rather what would I do with it....DRIVE IT! As we learned in Naploean Dynamite time machines are hard to make and improvements are slow in coming buy this car is about the same age as the movie and a working time machine will be NEVER expensive and something like THAT car is the next best option if you want to experience what cats "used to be" like️

I'm not saying I'd use it as a DD but I'd have the hoses replaced, brakes checked and/or replaced, fluids changed and tires replaced and enjoy that car️️

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
Said FSVT...
797e457389b36b794f47c847f0edca41.jpg


Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
I don’t drive two of my three cars and the third is barely driven
I work from home so I don’t have to daily drive and there aren’t many attractions around here just to drive to sightsee. As a result, my cars are just preserved and always detailed to the nines
 
I'm in the "drive them as much as you can" camp.

Regardless of how much a car cost, a car is fulfilling it's purpose when on the road and being driven and enjoyed by its owner. The beauty of a vehicle is not only in its appearance, but in its operation. The look the sun reflecting off the hood, the roar of the engine under acceleration, the feel of the steering and suspension as it settles into a turn, or even the smooth glide as it eats up miles down the highway... It saddens me when I hear about cars sitting somewhere for years/decades never being driven, especially something cool/fun/unique.

For the rare and truly beautiful cars, they should not only bring you enjoyment from driving them, but in some instances it makes other people happy to see them too. The world is a cold harsh place and we might as well share a little joy where we can. My humble little blue 2nd gen BRZ still gets smiles and thumbs up on the road and people will approach me to talk about it.

I've listened to people like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno talk about "exercising" their collections on some podcasts and I really appreciate their philosophy. Everything in their collection is drivable and they do take them out on the road. Jay doesn't sell anything he buys, but he does still drive them to include a couple really rare steam and electric cars from the dawn of automotive history. Jerry's collection is a little more modern in some regards, but he drives the pants off his cars in the hills around LA as often as he can get them. He looks at every bug splatter, rock chip, and tar ball to be a memory of a great drive in a great car. If he finds a car being neglected and not getting driven, or he just doesn't like it as he did when he bought it, he lets it go so someone else can enjoy driving it.

I understand not putting huge miles on something that may be exceptionally rare and very hard to repair, but still think it should still see the light of day occasionally.
 
Yeah, Jay Leno is really a crazy man with some of that stuff, like that Stanley Steamer he rebuilt, and is he the one that got hold of that mid-60's Chrysler with the turbine engine? Anyway, I remember him having a whole shop full of machinists and engineers to make parts for that Stanley (if I'm remembering that right).
 
Bill D said:
I don’t drive two of my three cars and the third is barely driven
I work from home so I don’t have to daily drive and there aren’t many attractions around here just to drive to sightsee. As a result, my cars are just preserved and always detailed to the nines
Click to expand...
I call that an "Ideal situation" Good for you man, I am jealous of my wife being able to WFH year-round. Let's me drive her Altima.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
Desertnate said:
I'm in the "drive them as much as you can" camp.

Regardless of how much a car cost, a car is fulfilling it's purpose when on the road and being driven and enjoyed by its owner. The beauty of a vehicle is not only in its appearance, but in its operation. The look the sun reflecting off the hood, the roar of the engine under acceleration, the feel of the steering and suspension as it settles into a turn, or even the smooth glide as it eats up miles down the highway... It saddens me when I hear about cars sitting somewhere for years/decades never being driven, especially something cool/fun/unique.

For the rare and truly beautiful cars, they should not only bring you enjoyment from driving them, but in some instances it makes other people happy to see them too. The world is a cold harsh place and we might as well share a little joy where we can. My humble little blue 2nd gen BRZ still gets smiles and thumbs up on the road and people will approach me to talk about it.

I've listened to people like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno talk about "exercising" their collections on some podcasts and I really appreciate their philosophy. Everything in their collection is drivable and they do take them out on the road. Jay doesn't sell anything he buys, but he does still drive them to include a couple really rare steam and electric cars from the dawn of automotive history. Jerry's collection is a little more modern in some regards, but he drives the pants off his cars in the hills around LA as often as he can get them. He looks at every bug splatter, rock chip, and tar ball to be a memory of a great drive in a great car. If he finds a car being neglected and not getting driven, or he just doesn't like it as he did when he bought it, he lets it go so someone else can enjoy driving it.

I understand not putting huge miles on something that may be exceptionally rare and very hard to repair, but still think it should still see the light of day occasionally.
Click to expand...
I agree on exercising a car, you don't want it to rot away but also factor in the infrastructure both have for their collections(private mechanics and detailers) and it's no wonder their cars can be driven and yet look undriven. I just don't trust the world with my most prized possessions, call me paranoid! That said I already promised my wife I won't lock the daughter in a bunker lololol.

I guess you can say I'm a selfish car owner. As long as I can sit and stare at it I'm good. Richard Hammonds "Club House" is the ideal set-up but instead of cool bikes, cars. His CBX1000 is identical to the one my Dad had. Only bike I ever wanted....only seen one in the wild once and nearly crashed getting a look.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Yeah, Jay Leno is really a crazy man with some of that stuff, like that Stanley Steamer he rebuilt, and is he the one that got hold of that mid-60's Chrysler with the turbine engine? Anyway, I remember him having a whole shop full of machinists and engineers to make parts for that Stanley (if I'm remembering that right).
Click to expand...
His Stanley steamer instantly became my favorite car of his when I first saw it. Never even knew about those cars before that day. So cool. His F1 is now my second favorite. The first one brought to the US.

Also, feel free to DM about subs anytime. Did you serve on boats or just a nerd like me who may or may not have got married on one?

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
I should mention I get in this debate with my military history friends every single time an accident happens where we not only lose irreplaceable people, but an irreplaceable bird as well. I get the appeal to seeing them fly. It's the same excitement we feel when we see something like an F40 for the first time...but is seeing a crashed F40 cool? No. Eventually....we'll be down to single digits on some airframes and what then? Accept the fact there are now fewer for museums? Same with some rare cars I suppose.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk
 
PouncingPanzer said:
I should mention I get in this debate with my military history friends every single time an accident happens where we not only lose irreplaceable people, but an irreplaceable bird as well. I get the appeal to seeing them fly. It's the same excitement we feel when we see something like an F40 for the first time...but is seeing a crashed F40 cool? No. Eventually....we'll be down to single digits on some airframes and what then? Accept the fact there are now fewer for museums? Same with some rare cars I suppose.
Click to expand...

I gather you are thinking about the P-51/B-17 crash a year ago, I thought the same thing, does the appeal/benefit of flying them outweigh the historical value of intact airframes. I think about that when I see period movies where they crash the cars, and if someday there won't be any (insert vintage car model) left to use in movies...of course, there is always CGI. (before people lay into me, yes I know when they crash a 442 in a movie, they aren't using the real 442, they're using some rusted out Cutlass that they slapped some Bondo on painted to look like the hero's car, and yes I just made all that up, so don't ask me what movie)
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Yeah, Jay Leno is really a crazy man with some of that stuff, like that Stanley Steamer he rebuilt, and is he the one that got hold of that mid-60's Chrysler with the turbine engine? Anyway, I remember him having a whole shop full of machinists and engineers to make parts for that Stanley (if I'm remembering that right).
Click to expand...

I think you're right on both accounts. I know he's got the Stanley, and I seem to remember reading about the turbine Chrysler at some place. He's got some crazy other cars too like one from the 20's with an aircraft engine up front.

I also heard Jay on one of his shows talk about hiring the steam mechanic who works on the Stanley to keep it running. It was some young guy at a trade school in the mid-west and I think he was learning how to restore steam locomotives. Jay somehow met him and offered him a job. The guy is now one of the only automotive steam mechanics in the entire US.
 
My problem is when people buy a rare car that is pristine and low miles and just completely booch it up with mods (slam it with d-bag air setups, gut and cut things, wide body it etc). I'm certainly fine with removing your basic bolt-on stuff, but keep that so you can reassembly when you done with it. I think driving them is great, it's what they're meant to do. Given that our gas powered cars will be extinct someday, it'd be nice if we could keep them going for years to come. In my case, I was planning to buy a low mile 2003 sonic blue terminator cobra. I knew it would be expensive and didn't care. When I started looking, they were all beaten and super sloppy from the many mods they had over the years or were far from stock modded and over powered. I just gave up and decided to save up for a new Mustang. The super high prices on them are making me wait longer, but hopefully I get there before Ford decides to stop selling V8 Mustangs. It's possible I may even go for some other new sporty car, but we'll see.

So basically, don't kill them if they are something that is rare. If it's a 1970 LS6 454 Chevelle with super low miles, be careful where and when you drive it, but drive it. Don't mod the suspension so you can put those 28" douche wheels on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top