Was James May right about classic cars being rubbish?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
- A few videos ago, James May said that he was 'over' classic car ownership and is now moving on into the futuristic tech of batteries and hydrogen. This has baffled many of us, so much so that Mike Fernie has decided to grab the keys to arguably the greatest classic car of all time - the Series 1 Jaguar E-Type - to see whether what May has said is true.
To check out this very E-type for sale, click here: bit.ly/36sBOOZ - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I only clicked on the comments section to see all of the complaints about him sitting on the car. It didn’t disappoint 😂😂
I physically cringed as that shot appeared, if it were my car.... 😤😖😠
Ricks Garage Thick 1960’s metal. Soft cloth pants.
I died 😂😂😂
like once Clarkson said, owning a classic car is like having a pet. You treat them well, give love and care until eventually they die
Everything dies, that's not the point, Classic cars actually live longer because they have simpler parts, modern cars have a thousand things that can go wrong
They don't die because they're worth emptying your bank account once again ....
@@topg2820 yes I agree
@@topg2820 you never had a classic car??? yes they are simpler but thir apparent simplicity came at a cost in modern days...
I always found that late 90's and early 2000's cars are the sweet spot when it comes to ownership. They're safe, they're cheap, easy to manage and depending on brand/model you got tons of spare parts. If something break you can google how to fix it, if a lot of stuff breaks you can buy a spare part car for less than it costs to change the rubbers in a shop.
“... so I grabbed the keys to a Jaguar E-Type...” - I wish that’s a phrase I could say every day I want
This is the first comment I found that wasn’t about him sitting on the bonnet
The enthusiasts will love you sitting on the car. HAHA
Yes. Never sit on any car especially with jeans. The rivets are basically sharp bits of metal.
I regularly sit on the hood of my dads car, luckily I wear mostly leggings.
Classic cars have personality, that’s why. Us owners don’t care about performance. We like having to care for cars. We’re all part of the car community and I respect other people’s opinion! Personally, I think some owners are over protective, but that’s their opinion!
Saw your comment before I even saw who was presenting the video and I knew it was mike, he makes it difficult to watch drivetribe
@@theun-knownmusician5468 get some more sleep, pal.
I will also add there is a fundamental difference between OWNING a car rather than just having a go in one...
Yeah, see how this guy likes taking care of it, dailying it. He's experiencing driving it, but not living with it. I daily a classic car (old VW Bug) but that surely is a lot easier to take care of than an old Jaaag, parts are way cheaper, and I'm probably a bit insane. And even though I do that, I certainly don't recommend it for everyone.
Did anyone else cringe when he sat on the bonnet with Jeans on?
Yes. I hope he didn’t have any studs in the back pockets of his jeans. I won’t even drive my cars wearing jeans with those for fear of damaging the seats. Let alone sitting on the paintwork.
Hardly any jeans have the metal studs now, when was the last time you bought a pair ! :)
@@grahamwalters7919 about a month ago. Without studs. Doesn’t mean I still don’t own some that do have them.
@@grahamwalters7919 1962.
@@grahamwalters7919 about 3 weeks ago. Jean's are beside the point. He sat on an E type bonnet. That deserves a custodial sentence
Comments section went from: old cars are cool, but impractical (maybe) to “DON’T SIT ON THE JAG!” (Try hearing it in Hammond’s voice).
Stubborn enthusiasts can be some of the most obnoxious and irritating people ever. They're almost as bad as "influencers"
Especially when their agenda is to sell lottery tickets.
Sitting on the bonnet of an E-Type is like you've punched the queen in the face then sat on her.
What's wrong with punching the queen in the face several times and sitting on her?
We buy them for how they make us feel.
@@tcaudiobooks737 I'm not personally against that idea but I think the Daily Mail might take a rather dim view of the situation.
Been there, done that, got the taser burns.
@@tcaudiobooks737 Travel back in time a bit. Do exactly what you described and see what happens. ;-)
We buy them for how they make us feel.
Some people have an emotional attachment to a particular car from their yoof. While the rest of us don't get it.
I wanted to feel helplessness and disappointment. So I bought a 1967 Triumph GT6 😆
@@jamescaley9942 Any air-cooled 911 ever.
Agreed.
I drove my '69 Alfa this afternoon.
So many faults requiring attention.
Lovely but I wish I'd never started.
@@raypurchase801 hahaha yeah mate I hear ya
Old Cars are great, as long as you have a modern car too 🤔
Depends on your definition of "old". If we're talking about a 50 year old like this Jag, for sure you need a second more modern everyday car cause most owners of a valuable classic car won't be daily driving it and possibly only taking it out on weekends.
Why? Who says a classic can't be used as a daily
@@eUK95 no one really, you just have to put up with the pain and pleasure !, if you see my picture, that’s a 73’ K10 Chevy , one of many cars and bikes I have restored .
Just have a fleet of classics, so you can use one of the others while parts for the broken one are sourced.
I daily my '84 2CV6 Charleston. Because its easier to replace the engine and gearbox than it is fixing those. So no worries unless you're in a hurry.
The irony is Clarkson and Hammond prefer the older internal combustion engine era over the current electric era that May prefers.
I can understand the reasoning and the benefits and how great some electric cars are, but I’m also set in preferring combustion engines over electric.
that's because Hammond keeps crashing the new cars
The only thing holding back electric cars now are range, and that's almost cured, and refueling/charging times that is still a major obstacle. Otherwise internal combustion will just be a novelty.
@@patwest1815 Yes, but electric cars have come a long way in a short amount of time. I think Tesla's on the right track with their semi. By all accounts it does not use a huge battery pack, but several smaller ones that can be recharged faster. This is only speculation, but their plug for the charger has 11 connections instead of the smaller number the cars have.
@@sailingspark9748 and also, if the battery is punctured for some reason: th-cam.com/video/Aps1fnFGWWc/w-d-xo.html
“It comes down to what you want from driving”
You can’t state it any better than that. Great video!
I want to breakdown daily and i want to scrape ice and fiddle with frozen doorlocks
@@badcampa2641 totally agree. Probably why modern classics are increasing in value at a much faster rate than 50/60s stuff.
i want to crash into another car at 60kmh and die instantly..
@@badcampa2641 You've clearly never owned an old car! If you do basic home maintainence, pay attention to the dials and feeling while driving, they don't break down unless it's either driver error or an old (replaceable with new) part fails. Ice and freezing locks are not a major pain even when they happen. They don't happen with a garage!
@@ardie72 Don't crash then! Strange mentality. The last thing you want to do in a classic is crash it, just from a repair and maintainence point of view, let alone injury.
My first car was a Triumph Herald which was 20 years old at the time I bought it from a friend’s mother. A lovely driving experience which I remember fondly. I also remember the times when the car stalled out because of blocked carburetor jets, the time the rusty chassis broke while I was driving down the M6, the lack of demisting and defrosting when setting out on a winter morning in Northumbria, the water coming into the passenger footwell through the rust holes in the floor. Not to mention no synchro in first, ineffective drum brakes and all the scuttle shake you could wish for. Classic cars like the e-type which have had £50,000 or more spent on restoration are not the experience that most of us can afford.
What a stunning e-type! I think old cars have more character than new ones.
You think they do because... they do
Old people too but that doesn't give me the hots for Estelle Harris! Nor the desire to own another "classic" car.
Definitely! Analog cars were art, now cars are just sterile technology...
@@SaneAsylum classic cars are great as a toy something to drive around in the weekend maybe do some vintage racing etc,But you must own atleast a relitivaly modern daily.
@@kev8943 Not worth the money nor upkeep.
What’s he doing sitting on the wing? Show it some respect. It’s not a seat.
@Flying Spur It's a car that's not his with a paintjob worth more than he can probably afford to fix.
maybe no toadstools around with a rodrest?
I think there is one argument missing. I also love my old cars because I can fix them myself. They are all mechanical, parts can be refurbished or sometimes even build by your own. That's not really possible with modern cars and is something only someone with a smaller budget that fix it on their own can really appreciate.
Additionally to that its the feeling of keeping something alive greater than yourself. Yes, my classic sportscar is not really a sportscar, but I love it for what it is. For the old times it throws me back to, a car even older than my parents. Driving in the most beautiful part of car history, getting the looks, appreciating its design. Of course I'm talking about stuff that you could get sick of so I understand your argument, but for now I just appreciate the time i have with my car and eventually it will not only be the car itself that will hook me in for a lifetime, but the memories I am planning to build with it.
I feel like the simplicity of maintenance is a double-edged sword here...they're easier to fix, but you have to fix them much more often. This is from a time period when many cars had five-digit odometers because they weren't expected to last much longer than 100k miles.
@@TheCallMeCrazy modern cars on the other hand are made to fail so they can sell you the next car
Ideally probably the 90s- early 2000's, fuel injection and ease of driving without a billion nanny systems. Nowadays you have to buy entire new control arms just because rubber bits dried out. They wanted to replace an axle because a tooth on abs system broke off. It's just a toothed ring with a magnet as a sensor, costs $5
@@TheBacontarian The reason that you can't buy just a bush from a dealer is because the car manufacturers buy in the entire control arm, or other assemblies, from their suppliers. If you can find out who supplies the car manufacturer you might be able to source components from them, unless the car manufacturer has a clause on the contract to prevent them from doing so. It's all about building the car for as little money as possible.
@@GeorgeSPAMTindle no need to do any of that, the bushings are standard sizes you can press out easily with tool you can borrow from auto supply store, it just in last decade or so carmakers say you should change the entire arm.
TL:DR Cool experience, terrible daily driver -> May correct
Well, May correct *for May*. For others, they may not need a daily driver, so they can just have the experience.
@@SampleTracks2224 I've owned a classic car I thought I would enjoy it I hated that thing. It's like living in a sandcastle. You have to keep constantly plugging holes and fixing the junker. When I was a kid I thought about having a real fast sports car I got to live it and it was far from The experience expected. As for that Jaguar I'm a mechanic and I tell anyone who will listen never buy a jaguar they are the worst car for reliability. I can't imagine one last thing 40 years they don't last three.
I drove May's old car (Ferrari 308) as a daily commuter car - perfectly doable, enjoyable and comfortable. If your pockets are deep, even the maintainence isn't a hassle - Ferrari still support their old cars. Other brands and models are a lot harder due to parts rarity and specialist garages required. I've driven 20 years and NEVER owned a modern car (and I hope to keep that record for the rest of my life). The most modern car I've had is from 1999, the newest is a 15-year-old Capri which I still have and is now 34!
I'd rather daily drive something that I can enjoy, instead of struggling to not fall asleep.
@@c1a2t3a4p5i6l7l8a9r Well this was rebuilt in 2018 so give it a year and maybe it will be in your shop.$$
4x the same exhaust sound in the intro, really??
And that's it, sums it up to a tee. It's all about the nostalgia. I work on modern cars for a living, but driving any of my classics for a long journey is tiring, but worth it, as that part of the enjoyment and experience of driving old technology
Classic cars have personality, that’s why. Us owners don’t care about performance. We like having to care for cars. We’re all part of the car community and I respect other people’s opinion! Personally, I think some owners are over protective, but that’s their opinion!
@Michael Gia Huy Nguyen Correct
You're okay with the hassle and the pain and the inconvenience...
...because it's not something you'll ever have to deal with on a daily-driver basis.
That'll quickly change if you ever have to deal with it every day... including traffic.
I daily drive a classic and traffic is fine and all
Again, as the presenter said, it depends on what you want from a car. In your case, you want a car to get you where you need or want to go as easily and undramatically as possible. That is not the case for everyone.
I see a new series of “Guess what I’m sitting on this week?”
Please dont sit on the car, my heart screams because of the paint hahaha
One has to pray his jeans don’t actually have the rivets
Just to be pedantic but James May said he was over classic car ownership, not driving classic cars. Owning a classic is a major commitment of time and money for maintenance and storage. Driving one, as Mike does here, is as simple as borrowing or renting one and giving it back at the end. That's a completely different experience.
After owning a couple of classic cars I can fully understand where James is coming from.
James May is right about everything. He's just annoying so Jeremy makes fun of him lol
"It's a bit like that Sainsbury's 'taste the difference' cheese."
I don't think he's annoying.
He's not, jeremy is annoying
@@captainzoll3303 Hang on I’m confused
@@captainzoll3303 Why are you on this programme?
Generalizing classic cars by using an E Type is a bit like saying all new cars are similar to Mclaren Senna.
I have an “old” car. Not a classic car, just a rusty, 23 year old Fiesta and I absolutely LOVE it. It doesn’t beep at me constantly, it has proper windows, I can decide for myself if I want to use the lights, breaks, wipers, seatbelt and the car is blessedly silent about it. It’s easy and most of all cheap to repair because it doesn’t have a million electronic bits that keep breaking. It’s enormous on the inside instead of bulky in all the wrong places, costs next to nothing in insurance and I’m dreading the day I have to give it up. I guess I would love a classic car. 😄
My goodness - I wouldn't let you within 50 miles of my Jaguar - please don't sit on the car!!!
Apparently he cannot shift properly either.
The two happiest days of owning a classic car are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.
I see James' point of view. I myself was once talked out of ownership of a classic by a friend who had been there. The insurance is expensive, you need to store it safely, which meant a new garage or additional storage cost, hard to find parts, maintenance, worry, etc.... The cost goes far beyond the price of the car and the love I had for that beautiful car. Jay Leno has lots of money and a staff to maintain his cars, I don't. I didn't buy the car and I'm glad I didn't.
Does anyone else feel like the G on the car's Badges looks more like a C? So it says JACUAR instead of JAGUAR?
No, it says JAGUAR!
@@peterb.2183
1:28 It clearly says "JACUAR"
It's all about the font
wow how disrespectful sitting on the car
It’s a car not a person
@@rabd9881 but a person did the work to make the car what it is today.
It is disrespecting the persons work that I have the issue with.
So this is an argument for classic cars and you drive an E-Type? Try a Morris Minor and then make this video again.
You do not sit on classics :/
bro why. This car isn't original. It doesn't have original paint... If it had 60 year old paint... Yes. It should be preserved
Why wil u go to jail😂
@@brianhume4743 explain please ¯\(°_o)/¯
@@humakhan80 it's treated as disrespect. That's what he means.
If it's your own car fair enough, but that obviously is someone else's pride and joy he was sitting on.
And it's all about respect man.
Correct you do it on a classic .nothing better then on a warm bonnet ..
The problem with classic cars are the maintenance required to keep them in top condition. This applies to any car regardless of manufacturer, model or date of manufacturing. Many of the finer skills or tasks required to maintain them, was regarded as routine when working on them, although it was not listed in the workshop manual.
Never sit on someone else’s car. Unless you like hospital food.
Nothing says 'well adjusted adult' like assaulting someone for leaning on your car
@@Courtesyflush52 nothing says 'well adjusted adult' like sitting on someone else's car
@@datsunalzheimer I'd argue unpromted assault is more immature than sitting on a car. One of them is impolite, the other is a felony
I owned one exactly like the one in the video (late series 1, opalescent silver grey, red interiors) for 20 years. I sorely miss it, I drove all over Europe with it and had the time of my life.
James actually has the most modern taste in cars out of the 3, I think the oldest car in his collection would be his 911 Carrera.
And as James said once, that older cars are amazing to look at and terrible to drive and it's true. Old cars are more of an investment now for most than daily commuters. Also older cars require more of an engagement while driving and ur average motorist is not up for that commitment.
Old cars are better to drive you clown
Didn’t realise using a choke was a difficulty...is it too inconvenient to have an extra cable to operate?
No, but when you misjudge how much to choke it, and how much extra fuel to give it, and your startup procedure turns into a 15 minute ordeal, yes... it becomes a complete nuisance.
Having owned an earlier 1962 gunmetal grey 3.8 s1 fhc etype with red leather for 19 years i can say that it was mostly a fantastic car but yes you have to be in the right mindset to drive these cars today. But i never had any problems with my mossbox you just learn to drive it and not rush it. Reading some of the messages I also never sat on my bonnet . If you are going to do that i suggest the bulkhead...
DONT SIT ON THE CAR lol
hopefully he had assless chaps on
How old does a car needs to be for it to be considered a “classic car”?
Any car from your youth and older is always how I viewed it. In my case that is late 70's and earlier.
Legally, in the US, a car can be designated as a Classic after 25 years from manufacture.
I think there's a lot of subjectivity to it as well - basically how appealing is it and how nostalgic are people over it. A 1985 Ford Mustang is much more likely to be regarded as a classic than a 1985 Honda Civic.
Just watched the GT episode with the db4gt and the Jaguar where James shows up in the type r. Then this comes up in my notifications
Classic cars are wonderful from a history and nostalgia point of view. I can watch documentaries about them all day. They also look cool outside a pub garden on a summer's day. But in reality, you've got frequent maintenance, reliability issues, corrosion issues, lack of modern comforts, lack of safety features, noise levels, vibration, security, etc, etc. My father was a mechanic who could spend umpteen hours in a cold garage and be happy doing it. I just want to get the basics done as-quick-as-poss and start driving. But models from the 1990s-onwards allow you to more-or-less do that. I just hope that come 2030 it remains possible to drive fossil-burners without being severely punished by tax.
Sorry but JM has really gone off the boil. Falling faster from the firmament than Mike Brewer who’s latest efforts are an instant “switch channel”.
I drive a Daimler Majestic Major, it has a 4.5l V8 hemi, power steering, automatic gearbox, servo'd disc brakes all round and is large and comfortable and surprisingly fast. It is easy and pleasant to drive and cost me less than £1000. I wonder if James May can suggest a car of similar quality, capabilities and price that was made in the last 10 years.
I was going to write this comment under James' original video but never quite got round to it.
Indeed a nice car and out of the ordinary. I was interested to read that it was designed by the same man that designed the Ariel square four motor cycle.
@@Belfreyite Edward Turner.
Never been so scared as when I rode in my friends E-Type. Track narrower than a Morris Minor and the screen inches from our nose. 70mph was enough for me. 'Oh, I had it up to 140, says he!'
I just watched an old top gear where they were talking about an E type and a Aston Martin db5. They were talking about the romance of them, then they brought out a Honda Accord and raced them and the Honda won. Then they started talking bout shops that update them with modern suspensions etc. Old cars are garbage in comparison to modern cars, but so what 50 years from now no one will be paying 200,000 pounds for an accord.
Imagine comparing 2001 A Space Odyssey to Disney-era Star Wars.
Most 'classic cars' were in their day flawed both in design and quality with rust being a terrible problem. We got fed up with them at the time. Modern cars are safer, MUCH
quieter, full of creature comforts and look like new after many years of ownership.
I'm sorry but I have not seen any car that looks like new after many years of ownership unless it was well looked after.
I've owned cars as far back as the 1930s. Cars where death traps & that's a part of it.
The other issue nobody talks about. They require near constant use. The materials used for gaskets and seals back then required them to be (wet) meaning in used. Once you dry them out with sitting. Well, hope you enjoy turning wrenches as much as you do driving
Made me fondly remember back to 1972 when I owned a 1967 series 1 2+2 coupe. It had the 4.2 L engine, still with 3 SU's, and the same knock-off wire wheels. Remember spending a few weekends working on the car; mostly servicing or replacing small odd bits that had already worn out.
Did you ask the owners how often things break on it?
things break, old cars just require more maintenance than new ones. Plugs, points, adjusting the carbs, and on my old Fiat spider, doing the timing belt every 20,000 miles or 2 years.
There's a way to move forward without throwing away what made the classic cars so well loved. The spirit of driving is most important.
Yea, it's called Resto-Mod
Old cars are genuinely terrible in every capacity. You drive them like they're made out of glass, randomly look on ebay for parts you don't need yet but know you will soon, spend half your time looking at rust that there's no repair panels for, recognise every single noise and rattle it makes and cringe when there's a new one, subconsciously plan your routes to avoid speed bumps, there's always a list of things in your head that need sorting out, some of which may appear impossible to actually do. They're unreliable, terrible in a crash, and use too much fuel.
That's what mine's like anyway.
Upsides it has a choke, no power steering, it squeaks and has charechter amazing sound, amazing performance, makes you smile you can fix it yourself, sense of satisfaction after shifting a gear
Downsides, small mirrors
I am a simple man, I see James's name on the title I click
That's how this channel works.
@Ross Bourne to be honest with you, at this point there are none :(
@Ross Bourne welcome to TH-cam comments ヾ(¯∇￣๑)
Want a spot of
"why is this in my recommendation"
or a spicy
"when bae says she's home alone"
My two least reliable cars were my most modern ones, they too can go wrong. Even brand new ones can, and will.
I also just don't like the total dampened feel of a modern car. There's no comfort in the suspension, but they take everything away from you in terms of gearbox, steering and brake feel.
I think honestly the best balance between reliable and enjoyable is in the eighties and nineties.
You nailed it! 👍
Classic cars have personality, that’s why. Us owners don’t care about performance (not all the time.) We like having to care for cars. We’re all part of the car community and I respect other people’s opinion! Personally, I think some owners are over protective, but that’s their opinion!
Case in point the new land-rover pretender. Nice and expensive - and more unreliable than most expected (which is saying something!).
Classic Cars are like classic watches. Beautiful pieces of engineering that you love to look at but are definitely waaay past their functioning prime.
An old car whose driver loves it is a beautiful thing, no matter the car, no matter the driver. And locally, I see a '57 Chevy driven by an elderly lady. The car has faded pain and saggy springs, but she looks quite content to drive it. And perhaps she still sees the days of her youth from behind the wheel.
I believe he said it just right, it's what do you want from a car, here to there or a great time. Once people went out just for a drive and classics from an E type to a GTO Judge make that a delight.
Old car with electric motors interest me me more, old looks with modern reliability and ease of use.
I agree with you there. I have thought of converting my fiat spider to electric.
The problem is with classic cars, it's the maintenance and time involved, it's just keeping the thing alive to be able to go and have that moment on a country lane, and even then, is the experience better than in a modern car?
Like with everything, Borrowing something for the weekend is very different to owning it... There is a convenience in the low maintenance of modern machinery, you don't need to operate a choke to will it to life on a cold day, it will just work which gives you more time to enjoy the driving experience...
I hope his jeans don't have rivets on the back pockets. Fully restored in 2018 in "heritage correct opalescent grey"... then he sits on it! I'm sure E-Type UK will be pleased with that little effort.
All I can think whilst watching this is ''get off the Car...!!!''....Ha !
No, Disney Wars is not enjoyable. Real Star Wars is timeless.
I dont like either
True, the prequels are timeless classics :v
The classic are timeless but the new ones are amazing films,you can't deny that. People who prefer the 4,5 and 6 to the new ones live a sad life
@@thomashughes7768 No, they're dogshit. They're genuinely terrible films in every single regard short of the graphical effects. Writing, acting, editing, directing, everything is sub-standard at best.
@@MrBlueBurd0451 I didn't know what you've been watching but the Graphics are incredible, I suggest watching it at a resolution higher than 140p
Once you sit on a car your words become meaningless as your respect of cars, particularly older ones, is there for everyone to see and work out for themselves and they realise you have no passion or understanding of the hobby
There's only 2 more disadvantages about a jaguar classic car and more classic cars. But don't get me wrong, I love them.
1. The jaguar E-Type has a drag coefficient of 0.44cd which is the same as a delivery van. Same with a classic Mercedes SL 300 it has a drag coefficient of 0.38cd the same as the 2020 land rover defender.
2. The final worst thing is insurance tax is high with pollution and fuel consumption.
Old cars are beautiful to look at, but are generally not great to drive.
not a great chair either
I wouldn’t pay 3 times more to watch a classic film than a decent modern film. If classic cars were the same price or less the argument could work. Most of the proper classic cars sold are now an investment opportunity. Not many people have the funds to buy one just because they want to enjoy it - unless they are very wealthy.
Classic muscle cars are rather cheap. Saw a couple days ago someone who sold his Buick Skylark for around 20k.
I drove a classic daily for about two years. I loved and hated if every day. For about a month in the spring and again in the fall it was perfect. Otherwise it's too hot or too cold. They don't like running in either weather. It takes days to stop. People want to race you all the time not understanding they are actually slow compared to a modern car. Also no power steering, abs, information systems, back up cameras, etc. are so much more appreciated than you realize. They only thing I miss is the way it looked in my driveway.
I agree with James May about classic cars being an absolute nightmare to drive specially in bumper to bumper city traffic. I'd like to have as much comfort while driving as I possibly can with all driving assists enabled. I would even take the Autopilot. However, I still cling to my 1962 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 motorcycle. Take it out every sunday for an hour or two and return home battered and with most of my joints aching, but a big grin on my face.
You sat on a XKE! And you are still in one piece
Classics are objectively bad, but emotionally you like them, like retro games. A restomod is the best you can get, but it's pretty expensive, so out of reach for most people. Overall classic cars have too many faults and errors to be usable as a real car (daily drivable, usable for any everyday scenario). Modern cars have their own faults, but over all the upsides outweigh the downsides of a modern car. But as I said, Restomods fix many issues, if they're done right.
"Overall classic cars have too many faults and errors to be usable as a real car.." I don't know that many would agree with that. The E-Type in this video has a choke and heavy steering and a difficult gearbox, but these aren't faults, they're normal characteristics of cars of this era. If you make allowances for them, you can daily-drive a classic - people used to daily these cars back when they were new. The reasons why you wouldn't do it today may include the car's value, and the fact that you'd put it at greater risk from rust and dings and wear and tear.
Driving a restored classic one time is way different from owning a classic that needs to have the engine removed to repair the transmission.
I had more of a problem with how he states that older cars "Don't work in the modern era"
Look, if it gets you from point A to point B, it works.
But the thing that bothers me more is the idea that just because a car is older, means that it can't still be an amazing, yet comfortable experience.
I own a 1993 Lexus SC400.
Yup, it's got the 4 speed automatic.
But after driving all sorts of newer, more powerful, more modern, and objectively better cars
The car I own is the best one I've ever driven.
Sure, it has mods, but if you truly love something, you'll always enhance it to be more of what you love.
And that's what I feel the difference is between James and a genuine enthusiast is.
James is a hobbyist, whereas we're enthusiasts buried deeper than just the facts, figures, and the idea of the car as it was sold.
To an enthusiast- no car is a relic of time.
They still exist, and some like the E-Type here, live just as they did when they born.
They speak to us in a language beyond simple words- they speak through emotions, character, and a sense of familial love.
A car isn't a simple piece of machinery, and it isn't bound to time, even if it's significant to us.
Take the Honda Civic EK Hatchback.
Objectively, that's an old car that's been replaced by the new, better civics like the FK8.
Although, the FK8 lacks the culture, the history, all while the EK has that.
I know I said a car isn't stuck in time, and then talked about an older car having history as a perk. But.
These "old" cars aren't in that time any more, but that doesn't mean that the magic that made them special is gone.
If anything, it's an encouragement to add to the legacy, to grow the story as you and your best friend take the roads every time you can- even if it is a simple trip to the local gas station so you can get some cheap snacks, or you're going to work.
If you love cars, there can never be a car that's too old for you- just better matches.
Depends on the classic. Simple
Yes I agree some are more of a weekend driver and some were just meant for a daily and etc in many ways a modern cars is better but in character and feeling it’s not. this is coming from an owner of a 1979 trans am
Classic cars are unreliable, slow, and expensive to repair, which is why resto mods became so popular: you can have modern performance with the look of an old vehicle
Jag E-Type? Try a day with a 1965 Morris Oxford. I used to trade in old bangers in my 20s. With screens that didn't demist, with drum brakes all round, with chokes that spluttered, with the smell, noise and unreliability. Finally the total lack of any safety! A bit like living with 3 channels on a black and white TV. But yeah, sure - if anyone wants to spend their hard earned cash, it's their choice.
I drove mine to Andover and back for business yesterday. One hundred and twenty very pleasant miles. I could have taken my wife’s Audi but it was sunny and dry so why not enjoy the journey ? Fun to drive and other road users love it too. No other car generates so many waves and thumbs up. It’s quiet and relaxing and completely at home in today’s traffic. I have been driving it since 1969 and eventually inherited it from my father. Although the recent bills to cure rust were quite large and the engine gearbox brakes and axle have been rebuilt, essentially it’s the same car Dad bought in 1965. It replaced an earlier 62 3.8 which he had taken through a hedge in Wales. And there’s the point, it hasn’t got the Kelsey Hayes
brake servo , it uses a proper synchro box and reasonably comfortable seats. And thank heavens for the
dropped floor otherwise it really would be too cramped . But this is the car which perfected the concept
before US compliance spoiled it and this is the one you should have tested. I’m not blind to its faults :
Marcos achieved something pretty close, but with half the number of parts and complications ,which is
why I own three ....
The 60s is where modern cars started and in some aspects remain unsurpassed - does one really need wide tyres ? Worst cars owned ,Mercedes AMG E class, ensured a continuous relationship with AA recovery. Best , probably Citroen SM for predictable handling and reliability. I’m trying to finish a ‘new ‘
zero-timed one but it may finish me financially.....
As an 1973 porsche 914 owner, this video is indeed true. Sometimes you want something that's analog and connected that have personality without the fancy gizmos
Very nice!
I have a 944S, and while it might JUST hang with my Fiesta ST on track the Porsche is the more tactile and connected thing.
The ST is a hoot, but in terms of feeling everything through the seat of your pants it has nothing on the Porsche.
Excuse me, can you get off the bonnet of that vehicle, please? I can see depreciation🤑 all over my screen!
Let's be honest the reason James feels that way about classic cars is: road issues are more challenging in your area due to older towns and small lanes and really due to the fact is James just wants to be able to sit at the pub he bought and drink beer and not get a ticket for drinking and driving up the cost of owning an older more expensive toy... lol... and why his pub also can serve as a mini Hotel
I recently got my 1275 GT mini up and running. Been telling everyone that listens (or not) that while you drive it you think 'what a ridiculous car' as your spine compresses over yet another set of road imperfections. All while grinning from ear to ear.
3:15 You're sitting on someone's Jaguar.
By bringing up the modern Star Wars movies you've convinced me that classic cars are better than modern ones.
Driving a classic on the open road where there are no other cars - great!. Driving a classic in traffic knowing there are no spare parts to be had - nerve wracking.
and if you get in an accident, you will probably die.
Classic cars have this nostalgic feeling they bring, a classic look but the downside outweighs the advantages of owning one. Parts are scarce, old engines with low output compared to today's engines, classic cars are prone to rust, squeaks, drive like boats.
The other problem is to keep its value, a classic needs its original engine, and many are just project cars or weekend drivers (which also makes them prone to break). To see how bad classic cars are, try a long road trip and pray you won't get a breakdown that needs parts.
With minimal modifications, they can be less miserable.
But those modifications mean that they aren't classic cars any more. That just reinforces May's point.
Seating on the car hood was necessary?
The pleasure of owning a classic car like an E-type or similar is in the aesthetic and also the social side of car clubs and meetings. They generally need to be pampered and require deep pockets to run. There has been a financial appreciation in them in recent years but that may be about to change quite quickly with the rise of the electrically powered car and classics may seem to be, more and more museum pieces.
Notice that the Jaguar badge was broken
And rust on the wheel hub.
James May has never been incorrect when discussing cars. He’s absolutely spot on.
That’s your opinion. In my opinion he has.
0:07 Is Jacuar the Chinese copy of Jaguar?
I spotted that also
That's what happens when you renovate your car in a shoddy workshop. Chinese non-original copied end pipes and faulty badging.
my father in law has a classic and what james says makes sense if you're comparing it directly to new cars. however the joy of classics doesnt have to do with the comfort of the driving experience but has more to do with loving the looks, the heritage, and the story behind the car
Most like the *looks* of old cars, *not* the driving and constant maintenance. They brake down a lot.
Sitting on a classic with jeans.
A big no no
He seems like a great guy but sitting on the car killed it
Recently purchased an XJS V12 1989 with 16,500 genuine miles on the clock. Having owned nearly every car under the sun I can honestly say this is the only car that never fails to make me smile. Owned a few in the 80's but for some reason I appreciate them much more in 2020. It could be that I'm at a certain age but I find the modern cars of today way over the top. Have you seen the interior of the new S Class, yes it's a work of art but you need a science degree to adjust the air con. It could just be me but as my Dear Friend use to say "Keep It Simple". Take Care, Peace From London. 🙏🙏
If you liked the 3.8 Series 1 E-Type you really should try the 4.2 Series 1 E-Type. Same stunning looks and sound, more torque, better brakes and gearbox and comfier seats. A few years ago I drove one back from Ulm in the south of Germany to the UK in a single day (over 600 miles). I won't say I wasn't a bit tired at the end of the drive but I felt far better than I would have done in many a modern car and the smile on my face took days to wear off.