Travel Advice

A classic car is more than just some bodywork, wheels and an engine – much, much more. Owning a classic is something that we all like to think about, but for many of us it is something for many years down the line, if it will even be possible at all. They are classics for a reason after all, and expecting to be able to drive away in one of the most desirable cars of the last few decades without laying down some serious cash is just naïve. 

But if you want to drive a classic car while you are still young enough to appreciate it, or while that rush of obsession with the medium is still current, then the question may be “why not rent one first?” You get the pleasure of driving the classic car and the experience of testing yourself in the driving seat, without quite so much expense. 

There is an increasing range of options for those people who want to drive a classic car before they open up the bank vaults and spend the amount – usually at least in the mid-to-high five figures – that it takes to become a classic car owner. These options tend to come in the shape of classic car rental agencies, and they are cropping up all over America and beyond. The same thing is happening for newer, high-end vehicles, too, as companies are mindful of the fact that there is a large market out there for the best cars, filled with people who cannot yet afford to buy one, but would nonetheless sell their own grandmother for the chance to drive one. 

If you are holidaying in another state or abroad, you may well find that the most certain way of bringing to life your long-held dreams of living the life that many people only read about in books is to rent a classic car for the duration. This allows you to get the best match of setting and medium – yes, you could drive through the Italian wine-making regions in a pick-up truck, but why do that when you could rent a Lamborghini and cut a dash across the horizon in style? If you fancy an old-fashioned American road trip, why not rent a Chevy Impala to make it perfect? 

Renting a classic is certainly not accepting that you will never own one. Quite the opposite, in fact, it allows you to give a dry run to the car that you have been picturing yourself in since you first saw it on a TV or cinema screen. You have been dreaming about this for years, but imagine dropping thousands of dollars to make it a reality and then finding out when it comes to driving it that you do not like the gear change mechanism. Sure, you could grow to love it, but that is never guaranteed. And yes, you are highly likely to have no such problems, but getting the practice in before you spend the earth on it is still a wise decision.

Tags: Travel Tips