4k BUYING CHALLENGE
I’m not usually a fan of the more modern classics that appear within these pages. I find they often lack the charactor and charisma of ‘chromey’ classics like my beloved Morris Minor. When we were tasked with finding a car we’d buy if given a £5k budget, though, I was astounded at the amount of ‘bang for your buck’ you can get with an XK8. Slip inside and you’re cosseted by luxury, leather and walnut in an interior you could well imagine driving to Switzerland and back for the sheer joy of it.
Look forward and the three-lump of wing and bonnet bulges are so indicative of Jaguar’s E-type without the sense that it’s trying to be something it’s not. Turn the key, drop the auto box into drive and tickle the throttle, and the V8 up front propels the car forward with smoothness and grace. Gearchanges are almost undetectable such is the smoothness and torque delivered by the masterpiece below that centre bulge. The controls manage that uncommon feat of being both light and direct while still feeling positive and connected to the road, evoking all the driving pleasure of a true classic alongside the useability of something more modern. It’s quiet, smooth and composed. It drives as well as any car half its age or younger, twice the price or more. As a daily drive or a weekend blast, in terms of comfort and driving pleasure there’s little that comes close.
What I’ve learned…
Totally against all the advice we usually publish, my personal buying strategy is to do so with my heart ruling my head. Mad, perhaps, but to own a classic car, be willing to put up with its quirks and foibles, to carry on and spend weekends on end with oily fingers, cash in spades and be left stranded at the side of the road without throwing in the towel, you have to first have a connection with the car in question. Club support is vital, too. I wouldnt have half the knowledge I do now if it wasn’t for advice gleaned from fellow enthusiasts through owners clubs. Join the club before buying the car and ask members if they know of cars for sale, or for advice on what to look for. Another great advantage of clubs is regular events to look forward to, something to aim for if your car is off the road, and a chance to endulge your enthusiasm for your chosen car with like-minded people. Don’t be afraid of a project, either.
It’s so often advised that you should buy the best example you can afford. For me, though, the car I’m most confident using, proudest to show and know every inch of is my Morris Minor Traveller, which I bought as a complete wreck and rebuilt from the ground up. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, but equally don’t be scared of a little work.
My view is that I’d rather start with a cheap car where I know I need to do everything, than buy a more expensive car and end up doing the same amount of work a couple of years down the line. Even a car that just needs a little work, I will always buy with adding value to it in mind. Although it’s rare that I sell cars, it's always nice to know I'm unlikely to lose money.