Do you tuck yours away??
Discussion
I usually put the TVR away once the salt goes down but will happily use it in winter if we have had rain that has got rid of the grit. The fact that I am now tackling a body restoration on my quattro has taught me that salt is THE killer, not rain or snow.
Only problem is my local council seems way too keen to waste tax payers money and gets the gritters out (usually on Sunday night when it is double time or more) when the forecast is for slightly cold weather. It has to be REALLY cold to actually need grit on the road to combat ice etc. It should only be used for snow IMO.
Sods law though isn't it? Those glorious clear winter days that are perfect for a blast are usually preceded by a clear, cold night so my local roads resemble a gravel trap if the sun is out in winter!
Only problem is my local council seems way too keen to waste tax payers money and gets the gritters out (usually on Sunday night when it is double time or more) when the forecast is for slightly cold weather. It has to be REALLY cold to actually need grit on the road to combat ice etc. It should only be used for snow IMO.
Sods law though isn't it? Those glorious clear winter days that are perfect for a blast are usually preceded by a clear, cold night so my local roads resemble a gravel trap if the sun is out in winter!
For me it's a real dilemma!
I think cars are much better for being run every month, but I'm also paranoid about salt!
Much of my cars' appeal is that they are largely original so the idea of simply dealing with rust if and when it appears would destroy the fact that they have never been repaired.
So, I tend to sneak out on those brilliant winter days everyone is talking about...and there is nothing better than getting behind the wheel after a four or five week break. However, if water is running across the road I have been known to turn round and find another route (if the road is salted)!
The cars are taxed all year and I find with the weather we seem to have these days it is possible to get some driving in until the end of November and from mid February onwards. In between there are the odd days - I've been known to use one for a 100 mile round trip to relatives on Christmas Day and again at New Year to get one of the many old car meets.
Roll on the Spring!
I think cars are much better for being run every month, but I'm also paranoid about salt!
Much of my cars' appeal is that they are largely original so the idea of simply dealing with rust if and when it appears would destroy the fact that they have never been repaired.
So, I tend to sneak out on those brilliant winter days everyone is talking about...and there is nothing better than getting behind the wheel after a four or five week break. However, if water is running across the road I have been known to turn round and find another route (if the road is salted)!
The cars are taxed all year and I find with the weather we seem to have these days it is possible to get some driving in until the end of November and from mid February onwards. In between there are the odd days - I've been known to use one for a 100 mile round trip to relatives on Christmas Day and again at New Year to get one of the many old car meets.
Roll on the Spring!
I do realise it all depends if you have the space to tuck away and forget.I am so lucky that my good friend who also is into classics has this perfect place for us all.He has barns and out buildings containing about ten cars and a workshop to work on them.Its all in a secluded spot and it costs us nothing!!!,its a classic owners heaven.I have to admit that if I did not have access to this facility I would probably put my classic up for sale.
I've never had any of the classics I've owned off the road for any period of time. Although I've never had a tax-free vehicle, the 12 month tax disk is a fairly small outlay, all things considered. Likewise the classic insurance.
If I didn't have my own easily accessible garage to park in, then I might have a different opinion.
I am the worstt kind of OCD owner, so I have always tried to avoid driving them in bad weather. You can bet your life it will be rotten on those occasions when I have no choice though (eg. booked in for MOT, confirmed attendance at car event, magazine article etc.).
If I didn't have my own easily accessible garage to park in, then I might have a different opinion.
I am the worstt kind of OCD owner, so I have always tried to avoid driving them in bad weather. You can bet your life it will be rotten on those occasions when I have no choice though (eg. booked in for MOT, confirmed attendance at car event, magazine article etc.).
Mine goes off the road at the end of September, to coincide with the end of my usual six months tax disc. It's been extended a little this year because of the CPOP clubs "revisit" last Sunday, but I'll send the tax in for a refund at the end of October. I know it's not much compared to other costs, but I don't think I'd make enough use of it to justify the extra £100-odd over winter, and I am fortunate that where I keep it has a long driveway so I can run it up and down for half an hour every month and get it properly warmed up and make sure bits don't seize up, without going on the public road. In fact this Sunday gone, because of the early start and the clear night, was the first time I've had to scrape ice of the Firenza for more than twenty years.
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