When to go to see a classic car with a view to buying it, you are likely to be only allowed to drive it around the block, under supervision. If you are really lucky, you will get to drive the car for half an hour or so. While this may be enough to assess the condition and value of the car, it is not enough time to decide whether or not you can live with a classic car.

• You need to understand a few practical things when deciding to own any classic car:
• Is it comfortable – can you drive it for hours and not feel tired?
• Can you fit enough luggage in the car to go for a weekend or a full week touring in a classic car?
• Can you cope without power steering?
• Can you cope without a brake servo?
• Can you cope with a heavy clutch and a slow, heavy gear change?
• Is there enough leg room in the car?
• If the car is a convertible, are you prepared to put up with the hood leaking in the rain (very few of them fit properly)?

As well as owning our current fleet of cars, over the years we have bought and sold a number of other makes and models, so have a reasonable knowledge of the trials and tribulations of buying and owning classic cars.

 

For many people the E-Type Jaguar is the archetypal British sports car.  As a good one will cost you anything from £30,000 to £50,000 (or more) it is vital that you won’t regret your purchase after you have parted with that amount of money.  An E-Type is a wonderful driver’s car; it is extremely responsive, with precise steering and very little body roll. It is also very comfortable whether you are just making a short journey or spending a whole day driving. Our E-Type Roadster has a limited amount of luggage space, just about enough for a weekend away.

 

People are split about which model of the E-Type is the best:

• Series 1 with it faired in head lamps and 3.8 litre engine, but awkward Moss gearbox and marginal brakes and cooling system.
• Series 2 with improved braking and cooling, better seats and the better Jaguar gearbox.
• Series 3 with its turbine smooth 5.3 litre V12 engine (that only gives 12mpg), power steering and flared wheel arches to accommodate the wider wheels and tyres.

We think our choice of Series 2 is the ideal compromise. The 4.2 litre engine delivers enough power, the brakes are more than adequate and the un-assisted the steering very responsive.  We have also owned a US specification E-Type with twin Stromberg carburettors and an automatic gearbox so we can advise on the differences between the UK and US specification cars.

 

We include a full information pack with all our cars and this includes magazine articles advising on what to look for in each model. So if you are thinking of buying a classic car, then come to The Open Road and hire one of ours for a day or a weekend before you buy one.