Global warming and classic cars

[DougR]

Hi folks, I'm in Dublin and I have a pair of classic minis. The green lobby is very strong here and there is a shift against old "gas guzzlers". Every second car here is electric and I'm wondering where this might be heading in terms of my mini investment. Apart from the fact that minis use less juice than your typical diesel Landy Range Rover monster or your BMW X whatever except for the fact that they have a dpf and a cat, and the fact that I drive my minis maybe once a week so I
pollute the atmosphere in a tiny way in comparison, what are your thoughts about the future.? I'd love to hear what is going on in your countries. I discovered recently that classic cars are completely banned from the roads in Greece. That put a stop to my plan to buy a retirement home in Crete, a place I love dearly. Thoughts please. I think the time is upon us classic lovers to think about this. Cheers, Doug.

[Rusty old S]

Doug , you are misinformed about classic cars being banned in Greece/ Crete as only last May I personally transported two Sunbeam Tigers and a Alpine there. One lefthander(his) one righthander( guest) and a Alpine (hers). The paperwork took a bit of wangling but they cleared customs in Piraeus then I took them onto the Island. They are now registered on Greek plates. It’s a matter of who you know. Also a Jag has been done after this occasion . Peter

[Oneball]

You’re wrong about Greece, that’s just Daily Mail guff.

They had such an influx of crappy stuff from the late 90s/2000s that no one else wants that they’ve banned imports of those. You can still import Classic cars and you can still use any car already registered there.

[woodypup no 2]

Just ask the electric car lobby about the massive pollution caused by MAKING the vehicles. They are all made from complex hybrid materials that are difficult to recycle.

Our old small cars already exist and achive 50 mpg. Many new cars can't achieve that.

And where does the electricity come from to charge them ?

But I'm not worried about investment. I drive the cars.

[mab01uk]

40 year old classic cars including Minis registered as Historic are tax exempt in UK and are also exempt from paying the daily £12.50 London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) charge which is expanding to the whole of the London area in August....

[JohnA]

Next time one of the green lobbyists tells you that you should be driving an electric car, tell them that one ship carrying them from Korea to the UK creates more pollution in one trip than all the cars in UK do in a year and that 15 of these ships travelling round the world in a year creates more pollution than all the cars on the planet

[DougR]

Hi folks, thanks for all of the great replies. I clearly have been misinformed about Greece. A Greek lawyer friend of mine said it would be "prohibitively expensive" to import and drive a classic car. I'll be getting back to him. I'm 100% with you on the environmental cost of production of electric monster suvs and the cost of shipping them from Korea where most of them come from. That situation is not going to change anytime soon (until Joe Public realises how ugly and exactly the same they all look). However there will come a point not next year but maybe in five year's time when someone somewhere will pull the plug and all of our precious classics will become worthless. This is where I'm coming from. Thanks again for your responses and if anybody wants to comment further please feel free. Cheers, Doug.

[Oneball]

However there will come a point not next year but maybe in five year's time when someone somewhere will pull the plug and all of our precious classics will become worthless. This is where I'm coming from. Thanks again for your responses and if anybody wants to comment further please feel free. Cheers, Doug.

There’s a little bit in the back of my brain where that worries me too but the rational part thinks it highly unlikely; there’s too much money and jobs in classic cars for a ban. The more worrying bit for me is that people just don’t use classic cars anymore. That’s what is going to kill them as a means of transport. I’ve tried to organise a RWYB day at Santa Pod with the Corvette but it’s just me going!

[mk1]

Couldn't agree more with Oneball's comments above.

[mab01uk]

That situation is not going to change anytime soon (until Joe Public realises how ugly and exactly the same they all look).

I think it is a bit too late for Joe Public to realise that.....the default choice for most modern motorists is an SUV clone which looks exactly the same as all the others with a look at the badge needed to confirm the 'brand'. Probably the result of computer aided design software coming up with exactly the same answers for all car designers (no more unique Issigonis concept sketches!) and most new cars being sold using the 'smart phone sales model' where the car is just a product you pay a monthly fee for 4 years max before a tempting upgrade to the latest model is offered but you never actually get to own the car.

[Polarsilver]

i agree classic cars are doomed from the "UK" roads into the future .. several reasons .. The Cost of Living making just the oldies having the ability to buy with their 25% Tax Free Pension Pot .. Younger people need to pay their bills so why would they want or need to buy a smokey old car when any spare money can be spent on a sunny holiday.. GOV; will put a stop to classics through taxation in regards to limiting the availability of wet fuel.. The only hope is synthetic fuel from the likes of Jim Radcliff but he like most of us is getting old .. Porsche put a lot into synthetic fuel but i see now they are going to produce seven types of EV Porsche Cars because they have to stop making proper engines .. Hope i am wrong as my Grandson wants my S when i kick the bucket so there is some hope for the future

[Pete]

The contribution that classic cars make to carbon emissions annually is infinitesimally tiny and I can’t see the classic owner ever needing to be concerned about their perception nor any legislation in our lifetimes, nor our kids’ to be honest! However, I can see the motorsport world coming under the spotlight at some point, at which point I’ll move to China and open a banger racing track.

[richardACS]

It will be altered by the simple expediancy of fuel not being made available.

Am I dreaming perhaps but weren't we at one time promised continuing supplies of leaded fuel at specific fuel stations?

My local BP garage has the "not available" hangers on the Unleaded E5 pumps for at least 8 months now, on asking when it will be available the reply being there's a leak in the system.

In the end does practicality wear away enthusiasm?

God forbid however that there should be any reasoned debate between the green and anti green lobby...

[Costafortune]

any spare money can be spent on a sunny holiday.

The way plane fares are going, that's a lot of spare money.

Fuel will be available, and there will be enough enthusiasm and £££ around for old cars.

Btw it's not global warming now but climate change. This country and old cars make sod all difference.

[JohnA]

The problem is there are too many people on the planet, the population is increasing with food and resources decreasing

[Exminiman]

The problem is there are too many people on the planet, the population is increasing with food and resources decreasing

Thats ok, will be able to shift some out to the moon soon - RR are working in a project to put Nuclear power on the Moon

https://www.space.com/rolls-royce-fundi ... -moon-base

[tcave]

i remember talking about this a long time ago( prior to electric cars) One guy compared classic cars to horses in that they will always be around only that not as many people will be able to afford them for pleasure.

[Peter Laidler]

I have spent the last year or so worrying myself stupid about global warning, flooding, death and pestilence, vegetable shortages and now, climate change.

Time for yet ANOTHER large glass of Scotch and a good book to read this evening I fear

[Spider]

I think there's just WAY too much of a knee jerk reaction in regards to cars in general, the pollution they make and the blind and bloody minded push towards EVs. In a few years, I can see some in that quarter waking up and realising that this will not have solved any problems only moved them about and likely made more.

[Polarsilver]

TCave has cracked the future outlook for classic cars using as comparison "Horses" they cost an Arm & Leg to own with all the Faff regards what goes in one end & comes out the other end + dealing with shit + stable to keep it in & the constant need for an expert to keep the beast maintained .. Yes just the same my Classic Cars .