YOUNGSTERS PRAISED FOR WORKING ON CLASSIC CARS
New research reveals that younger car owners and enthusiasts are now among the most likely to complete minor motoring repairs themselves
‘Young classic car owners want to enjoy their cars and gain skills’
KEIRAN REID, MG CAR CLUB
Younger motorists – including classic owners – have been praised for working on their cars more to beat rising prices during the cost of living crisis.
The nationwide study has revealed that more than a quarter of millennials (those born between 1980 and 1994) were found to prefer DIY fixes to save money on garage fees compared to 18 per cent of Baby Boomers (1946-1964) doing their own repairs. Generation Z owners (1995-2012) were not far behind millennials with 23 per cent of 17 to 24 year olds tackling jobs themselves.
What is perhaps most interesting about this finding is that this younger generation is preserving DIY and maintenance skills that they will in turn pass on to following generations, keeping these skills alive ans helping to ensure the longterm survival of the classic car scene.
MG Car Club Young Members Branch chairman, Keiran Reid, said: ‘Young classic car owners want to not only enjoy their cars but also gain skills and knowledge that will no doubt help carry the industry on into the future. There’s much satisfaction from undertaking a repair or improvement on your own car. The cost of living crisis is certainly a key factor in young members undertaking home DIY jobs on their cars; young owners want to get the most out of their ownership even on a tight budget.
‘The huge support and knowledge base online and on social media means that a technical answer is just a post away. As a young owners club, we rely heavily on the older generation passing down their knowledge and experience to ensure we can carry on traditional skills in the future. Forums, Facebook, Instagram and owners clubs themselves provide excellent support and technical advice for their members.’
Younger enthusiasts saving classics was also one of the big themes of last weekend’s Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Wolseley restorer Andy Mason and members of Racing=puma.co.uk picking up gongs in the National Car Club Awards and 16-year-old Mini Cooper owner Alex Mills being named as a finalist in the show’s Pride of Ownership contest. Online auction specialist ebay, which conducted the survey, said that the availability of online forums and explanatory videos on Youtube had also made it easier for younger enthusiasts to gain the knowledge needed for carrying out repairs. The company’s UK’S head of automotive, Dr Tony Tong, said: ‘Motorists are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their running costs across the board as the cost of living continues to rise.
‘This trend towards DIY repairs, spurred on by interest from younger generations, is something that we expect to keep rising – converting more and more motorists into enthusiast home mechanics. Doing simple jobs yourself is an easy way to upskill and save.’