At Motorhead, part of our mission is to get the right owner and the right car together.

Not everyone should own an older car. 

Some people should own new cars and make monthly new car payments.

Any sort of older used car needs to be renovated and maintained if it’s to be driven as a daily car. The repair bills on an old car are no less than the monthly mortgage on a new car. 

Some owners don’t have the disposition for this sort of thing and should own new cars.

The worst concept is to buy your car on a moment’s decision without getting it checked out.

Unless you are very lucky it’s unlikely that you’ll have less than $10K in a good MGB that runs well and looks good unless you do most of your own work.

If you buy it for $7K you’ll put $3K in it. If you buy it for $2K you’ll put $8K in it. 

After you renovate your car, you’ll spend about $100 a month in maintenance and repairs.

After a while, if you add together the purchase price and all repairs, subtract what you could sell it for, and divide by the number of months you've owned your car, you’ll probably be pleased to know that your British sportscar driving experience has averaged $100 a month.

You can always spend more $K than this but it’s a realistic guide in America, in 2002. 

Spitfires, Midgets & Sprites and the TR7 can be in the $10K range. The TR250 or TR6 is $15K. Big Healeys and Jaguars are $25K and above. Maybe you’ll be luckier.

If you think that because you have spent $2500 to buy your car you can begrudge it another $6 or $7K in repairs you will always hate your British car experience and will, unsuccessfully, try to blame someone else. 

The reason your car only cost $2500 is because it needed so much work.

The best situation is to have always wanted one, looked for a while, gotten it checked out and spent realistically.

Buy the best car you can afford, not the cheapest one available.

Fix and drive it when times are good and cover it when times are bad.

Often, today's British car owner saw a favorite car at age 15 and now can almost afford it at age 40

An older British sportscar may be something akin to a pet.

You have to love it even when it is sick or misbehaves.

You will not make money on your British car.

You will not break even.

You will have more in your car than you can sell it for.

Owning one only works for the long term.

Should you own an older British sportscar?

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