I just put a note in the mailroom of my condo: “Parking space wanted.”
I’m having trouble getting down to just six cars.
To recap, we are keeping the 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe, the 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 and the 1965 Alfa Giulia Spider Veloce.
The C3 Corvette will be moving on for sure, and while the verdict is out on the Mercedes 250C, I still can’t find a compelling reason to give it a slot. It’s a wonderful but stodgy car, and stodgy is not at the top of my list for desirable motorcar traits.
Let’s look at what else is left. There is the 2006 Lotus Elise with 23,000 miles on it. I’ve owned this car twice and for me personally, it is the greatest sports car ever built. I’ve put 10,000 miles on it and every one has been a joy. It’s my daughter Alexandra’s favorite and my son Bradley is developing his own relationship with the little yellow rocket.
But the reality is that post-stroke, I will never be physically able to drive the car again.
I’m not alone in this predicament. I have received many emails from readers who are having a difficult time entering, exiting and operating their classic cars.
Alex has offered to buy it from me, but she has no place to store it. Further, as her career as Brand Manager for Western Star Trucks continues to accelerate, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for her to drive it.
Values of Elise’s have been climbing recently, and Editor-In-Chief Jeff Sabatini suggests that it might be a good time to sell it.
The rig that gets the most regular use is our 2000 Land Rover Discovery II. Doug Shipman of Ship’s Mechanical found the car for me; he had serviced it for decades. It has over 220,000 miles (to the moon and back, as Bradley says). We’ve upgraded it by having the center-differential-lock linkage installed, along with steel bumpers and rock sliders.
While it will never be the primitive monster our turbo-diesel Land Rover D90 was, it’s Rover enough for light off roading, a great ski car, and also something I feel safe putting kids and their friends into.
It’s a thirsty pig, which gets expensive, as achieving 15 mpg is a miracle. But when the 250C goes, the Disco will be our remaining vehicle to put five people and their gear into. (Luckily, there are no ridiculous rear jump seats to get in the way of everything).
Tell me what you think.
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Keith . Keep the Lotus and the ‘65 Alfa Spider. Sell all the rest . Two classics is enough at our age. This leaves you with a modern classic and an old Classic . It’s time for you to smell the Roses , and with these two you can enter most all events ! “ Less is MORE”….! You’re not getting any younger !
Not sure it makes sense to only keep two cars that he can’t drive…
Keith I don’t see mention of the 911. Is that also in limbo?
Come on dad gift the Lotus to Alex.
Keith, I am in about the same boat as you, 86 years old soon to be 87 and I only have two (2) classic cars. I have a 1964 Alfa spider and a 64.5 Mustang convertible. The Alfa has been restored, waiting for some final things to be done and the Mustang is waiting restoration. The Alfa is going as soon as I finish the details but the mustang is staying, 6 cylinder, auto and my daughter’s car. My advice is sell the Lotus, or give it to Alex and sell any car that you can’t drive, I think you don’t buy a car as an investment, you buy the cars that you have had to scratch an inch.
I would sell the Elise to Alex and dump the Disco. Maybe not now but sometime in the future Alex would kick herself for having let the Elise get away. I know I have regrets about letting go of a few cars in the past, doesn’t everyone? There are lots of more reliable, capable and efficient vehicles to be had than the Disco. I can certainly sympathize with ingress/egress issues you are having. In my late 60’s with back issues I’m getting there myself. But I’m going to stick it out as long as physically possible. Driving a lightweight sports car is one of life’s greatest pleasures. So, right now the struggle is worth it for me.
Make sure Alex gets the Lotus.
Re the Disco – tell Bradley that one-way distance to the moon exceeds 220k so the Disco needs to go a little farther to get everyone back home. Anyway you have a few years to confront repair issues.
Give Lotus to Alex. A promotion in her career should resolve the parking issues as she may be moving to place with parking.
Anyway Bradley may want the very rare Lotus with no reliability problems. The Tesla Lotus version actually did go all the way to the moon.
Swap out the Disco for a mid 90’s straight 6 Land Cruiser.
Why does all of this remind me of the old joke about English chefs, Italian engineers and German policemen?