Classic car hire

[isosonic]

Have you ever done it? And if not, then why not?

[cat with a hat]

isosonic said:

Have you ever done it? And if not, then why not?

All the places close to me in the south are too expensive.

If I lived up north or close to somewhere with reasonable prices I'd be all over it.

[garythesign]

isosonic said:

Have you ever done it? And if not, then why not?

Three times

Red E type for my 50th birthday - in the west country

Red Healey 3000 for my 60th - in north yorkshire

Mix of four, including a Jensen interceptor and a visit to the morgan factory - from Reditch

All three days were different but all fantastic.

[SAS Tom]

I hired a Jensen Interceptor for my dads birthday last year. It was great fun and we really enjoyed it. It also opened our eyes to the realities of running a classic car and we decided it wasn’t for us. We do however want to hire some other classics as it’s good for a day or two.

We used classic car hire north and I thought it was pretty reasonable price wise.

[urquattroGus]

These guys were good when i used them about 5 years ago.

https://www.vintage-classics.co.uk/

Bought an Alfa GTV after borrowing theirs for the weekend.

[Yertis]

SAS Tom said:

It also opened our eyes to the realities of running a classic car and we decided it wasn’t for us.

Crikey – and I always think of hiring as the easy classic experience, liable to lull you into a false sense of what to expect.

I might set up a "real classic" experiences. You could pay to stand next to an inert car for three hours waiting for the RAC, who then declare it must be low-loadered so you get to wait another three hours for the flat-bed, then a train home. An alternative might be sitting alone in a cold garage, sipping tea and looking at a pile of rusty metal, wishing you'd taken up amateur dramatics instead.

[SAS Tom]

Yertis said:

SAS Tom said:

It also opened our eyes to the realities of running a classic car and we decided it wasn’t for us.

Crikey – and I always think of hiring as the easy classic experience, liable to lull you into a false sense of what to expect.

I might set up a "real classic" experiences. You could pay to stand next to an inert car for three hours waiting for the RAC, who then declare it must be low-loadered so you get to wait another three hours for the flat-bed, then a train home. An alternative might be sitting alone in a cold garage, sipping tea and looking at a pile of rusty metal, wishing you'd taken up amateur dramatics instead.

I have no doubt we had an easy time given that the car worked fine the whole time we had it. Compared to running old bikes it just seemed like keeping an old car would be a pain. Messing around with lead additive, stinking of exhaust fumes at the end of the day, either warm or warmer air through the vents unless you’re doing 60+ and even then the engine is constantly heating the cabin. I’d imagine rust would make you pretty paranoid if it was your own car. I’m sure a maximum of 18mpg would get old quickly.

Between me and my dad we have 3 bikes 30 years old or older and another that is over 20 years old. They’re much easier to live with in comparison to just 1 car. Having said that, for a 50 year old car the interceptor didn’t feel that old to drive and was a lovely thing to cruise around in with an excellent soundtrack.

[Yertis]

SAS Tom said:

I have no doubt we had an easy time given that the car worked fine the whole time we had it. Compared to running old bikes it just seemed like keeping an old car would be a pain. Messing around with lead additive, stinking of exhaust fumes at the end of the day, either warm or warmer air through the vents unless you’re doing 60+ and even then the engine is constantly heating the cabin. I’d imagine rust would make you pretty paranoid if it was your own car. I’m sure a maximum of 18mpg would get old quickly.

Between me and my dad we have 3 bikes 30 years old or older and another that is over 20 years old. They’re much easier to live with in comparison to just 1 car. Having said that, for a 50 year old car the interceptor didn’t feel that old to drive and was a lovely thing to cruise around in with an excellent soundtrack.

This is exactly why my Dad hated cars and loved old bikes. But forbade me from having a bike

Must admit I've never bothered with lead additive, but your points are all valid, my wife in particular would agree.

[urquattroGus]

We hired the Alfa on the hottest day of the year, 36 degree c etc. A memorable day what with those vinyl seats!