I think of them as the ‘summer cars.’ They’re usually MGs, Datsun Z cars, and Mercedes convertibles. They roll in as the summer weather arrives. These cars usually have their own idiosyncrasies and their owners often have a story about how or why they own that particular vehicle. These cars haven’t been exposed to snow, salt or in some cases, even rain.
Nostalgia plays a part in the ownership of these vehicles. Many times, their parents had the same type of vehicle and it brings back great summer memories. Other times, the owner was bestowed the vehicle when someone passed away and the car stands as a memento. For other folks, it’s simply been their dream car for as long as they can remember.
We’ve had forty-year old vehicles come in that have had only one owner. Some of them—since we’ve been around over forty years—we’ve been taking care of since they were new. For Jeff, these cars are like old friends pulling into our lot. He remembers working on them as a teenager and will reminisce with the owner and they’ll talk about Arie, Jeff’s Dad, and how much he loved these cars.
On occasion, someone will bring in a vehicle they’ve just purchased but they’ve been trying to find that particular car for years. These vehicles sometimes need additional love and attention and sometimes, they really are in mint condition. Either way, nostalgia makes it worth the investment.
Do you have a car that you own that brings back feelings of nostalgia or reminds you of someone when you’re in the driver’s seat?