[johndschaefer]

On the last point, anyone who buys a new car surely knows they are losing money on the purchase yet people still seem to be buying crapboxes in alarming numbers. If one buys an old car, restores it or even has it restored, then drive and enjoy it for a few years, well in my mind they got their money's worth. I love driving (and riding) old and interesting vehicles. If someone gave my a new BMW I would have no idea what to do with it, except perhaps sell it on and use the proceeds on something of real value. That said, most old cars don't depreciate much if it all, so even from a purely financial point of view they make sense. Not sure about the UK, but here in the States I can run a car valued at US$30k and insure it for about US$200 a year. My wife's modern SAAB costs almost that much to insure per month, is worth far less, and lord help me if I can even change a headlight on that thing.