Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Help Please - Why Buy a Morgan Car?

I am doing a procut study for A level and I need to find out why people buy Morgans? Is it a collectors choice? the design? Materials? The fact its British? or even hand made? PLEEEEEAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HELP Most appreciated

In the interest of compiling 3 threads into one, here are the responses to your question thus far: -

Paul Hurst: -

Hi

You may find a difference in replies from 'Trad' and 'Aero 8 / Max' owners (me = 2007 'Plus 4').

Always loved the looks, and whole 'retro' kookiness. Sports cars are more about 'heart' than head' - hardly a logical choice for transport!

The 'sensible' choice for me, and the one I nearly went for, would have been a Mazda MX5 - except that on driving both the contrast between mass produced 'product', and hand-made quirkiness was so apparent. the two dealerships reflected this in their handling of us as potential customers.

It was said in the past that you should always buy the best boots, and the best bed you could afford, because if you were not in one, you'd be in the other. My view of homes and cars is the same - take every option to make 'work' and 'home' life as much fun as possible, including the bits in between. Driving a car does not have to be a chore.

It helps, of course, that the car is cheap to insure and run, and a bit of a 'street sleeper' in performance!

Hope that helps


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Alan: -

Sam
Very enterprising of you to use this forum for feedback. Be warned - you may get more than you bargained for (we're an opinionated lot, us Morganeers) . You'll also find we're very helpful though!

For me it's the joy of owning something British rather than the foreign jobs currently on the market (Mazda MX5, BMW Z4 and so on ). It's also a lifestyle thing with plenty of activities being arranged throughout the year and a chance to meet like-minded people from all walks of life and different parts of the country.

Best of luck with the project. I feel an A+ and a commendation coming on (if they still exist)!

Do let us all know how you get on ('cos we're a nosey lot, too!) .

BTW - which part of the country do you live?

Alan
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Spudgun: -

Hi Sam,

You said it all : I bought my Aero 8 because it's rare (why litter the road with Porsche's if you can buy a Morgan?), it has a gorgeous design and made from the best material by hand.

I owned some classic cars in the past and, although I had some great times with them, I realized that they couldn't cope with modern traffic anymore. Standing in trafficjams, sudden breaking, hot/cold weather driving was a pain in the ***. With the Aero, I have the spirit, feel and smell of a classic car, combined with the technology of a modern sportscar.

I guess it all boils down to the one thing all Morgan owners connects : passion for cars in the highest degree.

Good luck with the study

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Paul: -

You may well have found these already, if not....

http://www.industrialfocus.co.uk/page.php?issue=4359
"Morgan will survive as it has an interesting consumer proposition. It's not a fashion product, but more of a cult classic, where demand is much less cyclical,' said Harald Hendrikse, an analyst at Credit Suisse.

From Polo Magazine, quoted in 'Gomog'
http://www.gomog.com/articles/magazines.html
And today, Morgans are still Morgans. The characteristics that matter ~ the sliding-pillar, front suspension, the unmistakable hood and radiator, the severe simplicity of everything ~ remain.
Everything material, however, has changed, perhaps several times over. But what does that matter?

http://www.morganville.org/stories.php?story=06/07/22/9889808

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-and-driving/morgan-range-2002325.html

And one of my favourites
You either accept a Morgan as you accept the Himalayas, or you go on to more splendid things, say, butterfly collecting. A Morgan merely is.
That should be enough.
http://www.autos-1.com/morgan/plus-4-1968.htm

Have more if you want! Away this weekend though.

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NJR: -

Hi Sam,

I see a future Morganeer...you'll get bitten by the bug and someday in the future you will have to succumb to the yearning and you WILL end up owning one.

You have to ubderstand what Morgans are all about. They are...Retro, Traditionalist, Hand Built, Quality Materials, Different, Beautiful, Simple Technology, Raw Driving Experience, Reliable and they are modern day classics, still being built today the same as they were built in 1936 (4 wheels), by the same family, in the same factory. They are able to withstand the rigours of todays motoring, which makes them a little more usable than many aging classic cars.

Contact the factory, go and visit and see the cars being built, talk to the builders and to Charles Morgan. Check the Morgan website, its all there, the history and the future.

BUT, beware.....it's all consuming!!!!

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Paul: -

If you can, the factory tour is a great experience. Pure Wallace and Gromit in places, modern in others.

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NJR: -

Oh yes....forgot to mention one very important aspect.....

They're great 'babe magnets'...especially to those who recognise quality when they see it! (I always get lots of 'oooohs and aaaahs' from the ladies...but only when I'm in the car....must just add the final touch to my already very good looks )

lets face it...at the age of 'most' Mog drivers, we need all the help we can get....that's if we're even still intersted!

Another good thing about a Morgan is that you can fix and maintain them yourself, instead of having to rely on paid monkeys at some garage. The other side of the coin is that a fair bit of fixing and maintenance is required... Morgans are not "drive and forget" toyotas.

It is made using old skills , mainly by hand.
No two are alike.
They are rare.
They look nice.
They are almost a motorbike so I can still get the thrills at lower risks.
I can fix & fiddle with most of it.
I am not one of a crowd.
It makes me grin!!!!
It is made in England

I remember an interview a loooong time ago of the former Marketing Head from MG (Believe it or not they had one!)

He was commenting the MGV8 launch and said something along the lines of:

There are more modern cars, more powerful, better designed and better build. But in reality sport cars don t compete with each others.

Sports cars are a discretionary spent. There is no rationale in buying one.

Actually these cars compete with planes, boats, country house, horses, arts and painting.

They are a lifestyle rather than a practical proposition.

I think he had a point

Hi Sam! Point of view of orthodox engineer.1 design.Outstanding.Nothing like it.2 performance BMW SPORT suspension,BMW drive train,alu. fame.From other side-tremendous potential to modification-improvement.Combination of GERMAN engineering and British styling. This car catching your imagination,and attract you ,to the point you cannot resist.You must have some level of I.Q.,appreciation of beauty,and life experience to understand it.You cannot rationalise it.It would not fit in a "frame"of practicality,chip to run,family car,or show off.It is special interest,or FUN (well sort of it).

Sam, good question - also will you let us know how you get on! Maybe post your assignment if you can - it would be great to see.

I have a Morgan 4/4 so it has very traditional styling and a quite small engine.



I don't think people buy Morgans for the same reason they buy other motor cars. It not just buying a form of transport it is buying a tradition - for example the style of my car goes back 70 years and it is handbuilt using many natural and recycled products in a small factory. You may have read on the Morgan website that Cardiff University calculated that a Morgan 4/4 has a similar carbon footprint to the hybrid Toyota Prius - very much because of the way it is made and the fact that it is lightweight.

It is also 'FUN'. Driving an open old style two seater not only do you get a much better sensation of speed and your surroundings but also other people become more friendly. I think a lot of Morgan owners (not all) enjoy the feeling of suddenly being 40 or 50 years younger! remembering their youth.

Good luck

Whats with the "paid monkey" thing ?, rather rude if you ask me !

Hi Sam, I agree with all of the posts above. If I may generalise, I think we all on here wanted a car thats distinctive, in our case thats Morgan

Sam, why don't you take a factory tour? Would be extremmely interesting, and in your case very educational as well..

Good luck with your assignment.

Reflects my view of a lot of the staff (no way I will call them "mechanics") at mainstream (non-Morgan) service garages these days. They barely know how to plug in the diagnostic system, and then replace (instead of actually repairing) items unnecessarily.

I know, painting with a rather broad brush, and perhaps unfairly, as there are lots of knowledgeable and skilled mechanics out there, but they are getting fewer each year.