The Allure of a Well-Preserved Disposable Car
The in-your-face, status-shouting value of owning a Bugatti Chiron or a Pagani Huayra is undeniable. You’re practically guaranteed a front-row valet spot and a crowd of admirers anywhere you go. In the right setting, however, that crowd can quickly be pulled away from even the most rarefied exotic. Let’s say someone shows up in something like a perfectly preserved early Volkswagen Scirocco, rust-free and complete with shiny original paint and funky plaid seats. The old VW is now the most interesting thing on the block. I’ve seen this scenario play out multiple times at car shows, and the massive crowd shift drives the supercar owners bonkers. There’s clear, crowd-pleasing power in owning a time capsule, an extraordinary example of an ordinary car.
My recent purchase of an insanely nice 1978 Porsche 924 is driving this point home to me. Of all the Porsches that suffer from “not-a-911” syndrome, the 924 gets hit the worst. It’s not even close. Sure, the 914 garnered its share of hate, but at least it has tons of Porsche DNA. The front suspension, and some of the interior fittings are pure 911. And most importantly, it’s air-cooled, and there was also a Porsche flat-six engine option.
The 924, on the other hand, was a VW/Audi sports car project that died on the vine. Porsche did the design work on the car and then took it over as its new entry-level offering upon its abandonment by VW. Most 924s were used, abused, and discarded. At the average Porsche event, you have a far better chance of seeing a 959 or a Carrera GT than a pristine original 924. And that, in a nutshell, is a large part of how owning a nice example of a fairly “ordinary” vintage car has a huge appeal. Yes, Porsche sold 924s in six-figure quantities, but that was decades ago, and attrition means they’re actually quite rare today. While the collector car world tends to judge “rarity” based on production numbers, it’s the survivorship numbers that tell the real story. I’d wager that there are fewer truly good-quality examples of the 924 in the U.S. than there are Carrera GTs, (of which just 644 sold here). With the exception of some high-profile accidents, most of those 644 Carrera GTs are still with us, while the vast majority of the 100,000 or so 924s sold in the U.S. have been recycled, perhaps several times over.
Another significant part of the appeal of owning a great example of an unremarkable car is the fact that they’re infinitely more relatable. For a brief period of time, I owned a crazy nice Volvo 940 Turbo wagon. In addition to the fun I had with its easy wrenchability and the solidity of an Easter Island moai, the relatability of cars like this is off the charts. I lived in suburban Washington, D.C. at the time, and it seemed like at least one person at every gas station had memories of being toted to their Bethesda or Chevy Chase prep school in the back of one. Some even had relatives who were original owners still in possession of their classic boxy Volvo wagon from the 1990s. It was a multiple RADwood attendee where it never failed to gather its share of admirers.
Cars like this weren’t anything particularly special 30 years ago, but they certainly are now. Over the course of my life I’ve owned some really lovely, and often rare, cars like a Ferrari 308, a Jaguar E-type, a Lotus Esprit, and a Porsche 911 Turbo. None have succeeded in gathering more attention, and good-natured conversation than that militantly rectilinear Volvo.
Finally, the backstory of a well-preserved, but fairly ordinary car is almost always compelling. The how and why that explain a car’s unlikely survival and state of preservation are generally interesting and sometimes even inspiring. We react to a perfect, low-mileage Chevette in much the same way as we do to an unopened can of pork and beans from the late nineteenth century, with a sense of curiosity and amazement. And if you know some of your car’s backstory, it’s always fun to play detective and try to piece more of it together.
Need more proof of the allure of a well-preserved disposable car? In just 10 years, Hagerty UK’s Festival of the Unexceptional has become one of Europe’s most beloved car shows. A review of the show in the UK’s Rush magazine put it this way: “Never will you experience an automotive palate cleanse that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling as you do at this show. It shows that this hobby really can cater to everyone and that there is always a car that’ll be special to someone.”
A disposable car to me is like a disposable lighter. Every once and a while you find one buried at the bottom of a box of grab bag stuff that you bought at a garage sale for a buck – ‘I’ll be damned it still works! ‘ . A 89 Escort. I have a prewar Westclox . A tin five and dime watch that no one bought thinking it would last. It has and still works. How many can be left?
The mind set that just because production numbers were at the “6 figure” level a car can’t have collector value is at best uninformed nonsense and at worst simply snobbishness. As a regular attendee at local cruise nights the late 50’s 4 door Plymouths and Dodges get at least as much attention as the (ho hum) Corvette crowd. Recently there was a 4 door slant 6 64 Valiant parked next to a new just off the show room Corvette. There were half a dozen guys gathered around the open hood of the Valiant while the Corvette was being ignored.
Understandable! Never understand why a brand new Corvette should be at a car show. While it is indeed a fantastic car that I surely covet, the owner simply went to the dealer and plunked down a bunch of cash. I attend several shows and cruises in one of my Jaguar XJSs where the Corvette guys always stick together as some sort of elite group. More power to them.
New cars at car shows get almost no attention from me. Not that they can’t be great, interesting cars, but as you said, any one with the money to spend can go get the same car, the next day. I like the thrill of seeing a true gem that someone loved and preserved. If it’s a little ‘odd-ball’, that’s even better!
Bought a loaded, mint 2008 Dodge Dakota a few months back. I was tempted to never drive it in the rain and store it in the winters, but instead decided to use it every day. I love it and so does my wife. Easy to get in and out of, and you can sit your butt right down on the tailgate, no step stool required.
I agree with everything you said. I have a 1985 Chevy Silverado C10 that I returned to cherry condition and drive alternatively with my 1976 GMC Jimmy. I try to keep it out of the weather because of the GM’s nasty habit of collecting water inside the false fenders – no rust after 15 years of ownership. Can’t drive to town without “thumbs up” from several drivers & people stopping to tell me, “Their dad had one just like it”! Love it!
I’ve always bought low mileage old cars. Don’t mind paying 30% more for one that has barely been used. Got some crazy deals over the years. Gotta love craigslist, it has the best filter options.
I always buy 8-15 year old low mileage cars which were expensive new. That way my “Champagne tastes” fit my “beer pocketbook.” The best example was buying a $53,000 2004 Jaguar XJ8 with 29.5K miles on it for $9500 a few years back. I’m currently driving a loaded $54,000 2011 Lincoln MKS “EcoBoost” (twin-turbo) I bought with low miles for $15,000 last October.
While the 924/944 might be a little short on ponies, I’d wager they’d outhandle a 911 of the day
👍
And if you’re of a certain age, “Ms. Christina drives a 944, satisfaction oozes from her pores”- David & David, “Welcome to the Boomtown “. I’ve driven an in period ’70s 911 Carrera, oranger than orange tea tray and huge matte black billboard side call-outs belonging to my stepfather’s bestie (dude thought his great pumpkin was a match for a ’69 Dodge Charger RT/SE); I also was blessed to drive my Mom’s bestie’s 944S the same year.
Upshot- the Charger gunsmoked both in acceleration and ownership costs. The happy ass Carrera was absolutely the scariest car I have ever driven, fast or otherwise; I’m 65 now, and never have I driven anything so cheerful in it’s efforts to kill me. That thing was gorgeous, purposeful, and lethal- I was a better trained driver than the Pumpkin’s owner, and I told him. He ended up going off an Interstate ramp backwards (lifted when he should have doubled down on the throttle), balled the car up but lived to buy a first gen ‘Vette ZR1.
The 944 I can honestly say was the best handling car I have ever driven. It wasn’t fast/quick like my 440 Charger, but it did everything so well you didn’t need hammerhand acceleration, cuz you could carry momentum and steer with your fingertips. And it fit like the proverbial glove, got superior mileage to anything in it’s class, and the ladies loved it- girls and women considered my Charger “meh, trying too hard” and the 911 pumpkin as “too much”. But that 944 was like automotive aphrodisiac, the ladies loved it absolutely.
I’m glad to see the 924/944 cars finally getting the recognition they richly deserve. Oh, I took the Pumpkin owner on the ramp where he called it up and demonstrated “balance”; he died thinking I cheated. Sigh.
The idea of a forgotten disposable 80’s or 90’s car has some appeal to me. Cheap fun but if it falls apart no huge loss.
I’ve enjoyed and appreciated the early Metros, hatch and Very, my daily drivers!
I very much appreciate the “time capsule” old cars. These come up at the auctions a lot. The typical scenario is that they were purchased by an old person but had to quit driving due to declining health reasons but didn’t want to get rid of it for sentimental reasons so the car just sat with low mileage. The cars in this category tend to be either bottom of the line strippers, as they were the only things they could afford on their pension or high end Cadillacs and Lincolns that were bought if they had substantial retirement savings and wanted a “nice car” as their last one. It is rare to see regular family cars (station wagons, mini-vans, SUVs, depending on the era) in this category as these were driven, knocked around a bit and worn out. In your example of the 924, they were great little cars in their day but as with many (most?) VW-Audi cars, they don’t age very well and as parts become unavailable it becomes a difficult proposition to keep them running and in original cosmetic condition. If you stumble across a pristine low mileage example, however (the “time capsule” thing), you would want to scarf it up.
I’ve always had a couple of interesting old cars on which I had done a complete mechanical and cosmetic restoration to look and run like new. Cars such as Volvo 1800 ES, Porsche 356, Volks. Karman Ghia, Citroens 2CV , Traction and DS etc. but none have drawn the parking lot attention that my ordinary 1964 Volks. Beetle currently does. Folks of all ages seem to simply love it.
I agree, when I drive my 74 Beetle around, it always brings smiles from people
My 71 Bug rust bucket is mostly made of patina, but gets more smiles and thumbs up than any other ride.
Enjoyed this article and the comments a lot. I think it resonates with a certain Hagerty customer, as much as any of the articles. Sometimes I think I should have spent less and gotten a 924S (with 2.5 L 944 engine), instead of my 89 944 n/a 2.7L which is in (near?) excellent condition. But I never fail to feel good, or better, when I drive it. And it’s appreciated, decently as well in my 7 years of ownership.
I still have my Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon. Hale and hearty after 360,000 miles, it looks nice when it’s clean, but the leather seats haven’t fared too well. It’s still the perfect parts chaser and tow car.
I own a pristine 1981 Scirocco S and when I’m driving it I’m a very popular guy. I would not call the Scirocco a disposable car…..although they disintegrated in midwest winters….as it was not cheap compared to its competition, and very desirable with good performance and great reviews by the car publications. It’s definitely a retro car, but also a very attractive car whose design has aged remarkably well. People who comment on the car fall into one of two camps. Those who owned one, or much more common, they knew someone who owned one.
Either away, I get a lot of attention
Same with my 1985 Celica Supra, Paul. 95% of the people I meet have said they had a relative, friend or “a guy in the neighborhood” who owned one.
I love the 1985 Supra. I had a 1984 Supra p-type 30 years ago and was my dream car. I now own a 1991 MR2 non-turbo that’s been in my possession for 26 years. I may not be fast but it’s so much fun to drive. I get plenty of thumbs up with the MR2.
I’m part of a third camp – Those who always wanted a VW Scirocco. The muse for many of a 1980 teenage boy’s dreams.
i bought a 1977 Scirocco to replace my 68 Camaro when I realized I could move from 16 mpg (best case) to twice that (best case) and still have fun driving. It even used leaded regular, though I wonder if VW was doing a dieselgate to allow leaded fuel when all other new cars used unleaded. The floor rotted out when I moved to NJ for work. The Scirocco was vipergrun (electric green), which made it affordable on the used market. No one wanted a bright green car. I also owned a 71 2002 in Colorado (orange), so weird German car colors must be my wheelhouse. That 2002 is one of a handful of cars I wish I still had. I bet I owned six 240Z’s, and the best of those would be nice to still have!
Some of the most collectible cars today were considered disposable when new. Anything from the muscle car era is an example. Those cars led rough lives, very rough and it seems the worse they were treated, the more allure they have today. Most Roadrunners were considered junk after about 3 years and could be bought for $800 back in the day, or roughly a third of what they sold for new, 3 years earlier.
If there was ever a car that lead a hard life it was an early Roadrunner. I totaled 2 of them.
Still doing it, just bought a second owner since 98 1993 BMW 525 sedan with 147k on it. Also driving a 2002 530 sedan and 98 328 sedan.. And my true classic beauty, exactly like my 1st car, 1963 Mercury comet s22 convertble…
My daily driver is a 95 Lexus SC300. Despite it having the “Supra drivetrain”, it’s just an unmolested and bullet proof little coupe that never fails to get looks and thumbs up wherever I go. 150k and going strong, maybe not quite “disposable” (only cause I love it!, but not a zillion dollar classic either. We love what we love, and sometimes we love what we can identify with as an average Joe!
These cars have practicality. Kinda like the automotive version of a pair of sensible shoes.
I suppose the ’92 Acura Vigor that I daily drive fits into this category. Rust-free, straight, and paint in good shape. Driver’s seat a little tired. Only built for 3 years (’92-’94), so all body and interior parts are N/A except for eBay. Some mechanical parts are still available. But unremarkable in the performance department with a 2.5 liter inline-5. It was the wife’s car before we got her a 3 YO Toyota to replace it. Gets over 25 mpg, and it’s a stick, to boot, so I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.
Neighbor has a ’89 Volvo wagon that he dailies. That probably fits the bill, too. The paint is tired, but otherwise it’s in very straight and working, condition.