Should cars be listed?

[craigjm]

Interesting article on Autocar about destruction of some Gullwing SL's to meet the spec of a wealthy buyer. First comment is interesting suggesting that cars should be able to be listed in the way that property is and therefore prevent people ripping them to bits, modernising them etc. What do you think?

http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/anything-goes/were-...

[AJS-]

Nope. Agree with the thrust of the article that they are there to be enjoyed and adapted for the owner's needs, not museum pieces. When they get rare enough the owners will preserve and restore originals so that they won't be lost for ever.

[jamieduff1981]

I don't think so. I'd prefer them original too, but how do you stop this wealthy Asian buying European cars and doing what he wants to them? Ban imports and exports? It couldn't be controlled in the way that you could intervene before the wealthy Asian man finished dismantling a small castle and loading it in to a Toyoya Hilux from just outside a picturesque village.

It would also "outlaw" pretty much any unintrusive changes, like GT6 uprights and brakes on a Spitfire, or solid state ignition to replace your old mechanical ignition - something which may be done to improve life for the original engine.

"Listing" cars would be completely impractical.