Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Too precious towards the car?

Evening All

Hope we are all well,

I've seen a few classics (VW Transporter MK1, Hillman Avenger, Ford Capri MK1, Jaguar S Type) in use this weekend on the heavily salted and wet roads in my area, which got me thinking.

My Morgan is now effectively off road until next year due to the weather etc, I don't drive it in the rain unless its unavoidable, I also get unsure when its heavily overcast. And as soon as salt appears that marks the end of the driving year.

I know many would say it's just a car and to enjoy it, but its not just any car if that makes sense? I normsally manage around 3000 miles a year.

However as a debate point - Am I being too precious towards it?

Thoughts welcome as always!

Too precious? Well some could argue you are just keeping it pristine for its next owner. Its a car and will thrive on use ( and care ) while sitting unused will do it no good.

But I'm on the precious scale myself - prefer not to use it when salt and happy to gaze at it in its dehumidified cave at this time of year. Thats it really - what ever makes you happy. As soon as the salt clears and its a dry day however I'll be out and about again, for the good of the car and the soul!. One of the best drives i had was on a mild and dry Christmas eve a few years ago.

I'd prefer to wait for some rain after the salt, but have been out on salted roads. Sometimes our road is ok, but I find salt on the roads in the next village....

Driving a Morgan in the rain has never bothered me, but prefer to at least start out in the dry!

Get it out there and use it and thoroughly wash off the underside they are not made of sugar and life is way too short not to use them year round.

Of course if you are a concourse polisher that's a different issue altogether and I understand it, I think.. It's all about personal choices just like the Morgan you own it's all about YOUR enjoyment.

It's your car RB, do as pleases you. Personally for me, I have my own attachment to Dot that compell me to drive her everyday I can, come what may, but thats my choice, and if I need to get to the jet wash and get under with some protective spray more often, then so be it.
Drive on, Drive safely, as and when it pleases you.
Phil

Done both in the past.

Firmly of the Drive don't Hide now.. Miss the old 4/4 in winter..

I understand wholeheartedly you situation.

All my life I’ve been a polisher, the mere mention of salt and i and my cars would go into hiding.

However as I get older and more recently I’m feeling like life is too short. My main passion in life is cars yet I’ll spend 5 months of the year driving a miserable car.

It is when I decided to buy a Plus 8 to drive everyday and that’s what I do. I absolutely love it and without a care. Worst case scenario is I have to restore it one day. Who knows but smothering in ACF 50 will help I’m sure.

I am by nature a saver. Even at 75 I am saving a significant part of my income. Rationally that is totally pointless - with maybe 10 or 15 years to go, why deny yourself as my wife says.

Its the same with cars. I have twice now bought a low mileage toy car and find myself doing less than 1000 miles a year to avoid running up the mileage and reducing the sales value. DAFT!! But in the end you have to do what makes you happy and we are all different.

The only right answer to your question is the one that makes you happiest.

The Fezza is parked in a nice warm garage and is covered , believe it or not, by a duvet.

Mine used to be driven all year round, not so much anymore, but still gets a fair number of miles racked up.
I have no issues driving in the rain, a good soaking makes the wood swell a little and the doors fit better

Like others, I prefer to start the drive in the dry, but if it gets wet, so be it. The top has very rarely been up
except when the wife not so tactfully suggested it went up!

Cheers,
Dave.

I've never been a high mileage driver in my Morgan, usually around 3 to 4k miles a year (and a heck of a lot less this year), but I've always made sure the car is able to be driven whenever I want.

I would think it would be a shame if you drove your car in conditions that concerned you, but equally well I think that it would also be sad if you denied yourself the pleasure of a drive just in case the weather became adverse. I completely understand the concern with salt, but rain really isn't an issue. It really doesn't take long to put the hood up if it starts raining, after all. Don't be put off by all this 'never put the hood up' posturing, it's just an affectation. Nobody takes it seriously.

Nobody dies wishing they'd spent more time in the office, and nobody dies wishing they hadn't driven their Morgan so much.