Classic Cars (and Future Classic Cars)
How difficult and expensive are they to own and run?
Which cars are reliable and economical and how much do the parts cost to replace? How frequent and expensive is the servicing of these cars?
Are classic cars just an expensive, dangerous nightmare or a viable, more interesting alternative to a modern car?
I have had a few classic cars. This article is about my cars and the pros and cons of owning an old classic car. All of the cars here are inexpensive to buy and not too expensive to run and insure.
I have written separate reviews of each, with pictures, so please follow the links below.
Please also see my articles and photos of driving trips in my classic cars: Loire Valley, France, in a Ferrari and Le Mans 24 Hour Race (France), and a Ferrari and an Alfa Spider
Do you like American muscle cars, Italian sports cars or British luxury car?
Please add and vote for your favourites below...
The Classic Cars...
- 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS QV
- What is the best classic car?
- The Best Car In The World (Ferris Bueller)
- Ferrari books and models
- 1975 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000
- Alfa Romeo on eBay
- What's Your Favourite Type of Classic Car/Truck?
- Jaguar XKR
- Jaguar Books
- Classic Car Stuff
- Jaguar XJ12 /Daimler Double Six
- Jaguar models
- Fiat 500 - Old and New Classic Car
- The New Fiat 500
- Classic Car Reviews Published on Helium
- Classic Car Books
- Please Twitter Follow Me...
- Computer Driving Games
- Classic Car Articles
- More Related Articles
- Please Leave Me Some Feedback
- More About Me
1985 Ferrari 308 GTS QV
Do you want to look like Magnum PI?

Fast, loud and beautiful Italian classic sports car, the Ferrari 308 GTS is also affordable and reliable. In it's day it was one of the best "supercars" available, with excellent handling, performance and style; designed by Pininfarina, built by Ferrari with bodywork assembled by Scaletti.
My 308 GTS QV never broke down, was inexpensive to run and insure and looked and sounded wonderful.
The 308 is famous for it's starring role in the Magnum PI TV series.
Here is my review and photos:
Ferrari 308 GTS
What is the best classic car?
Please add and vote for your favourite classic or future classic car.
Lamborghini Countach (1974-89)
Designed by Marcello Gandini at the Bertone design more...1 point
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
Designed by Leonado Fiavanti at Pinifarina - front more...1 point
Ferrari books and models
1975 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000

The Alfa Romeo Duetto was the beautiful star of the 1966 film, The Graduate, (also staring Dustin Hofman) The original 1966 car had a 1600cc engine, but the one pictured has the more powerful 2000 engine (and the name Duetto had been dropped by then, due to Alfa Romeo being sued by a food manufacturer who made a biscuit of the same name)
I have owner two of these wonderful convertibles:
1975 Alfa Romeo Spider
1985 Alfa Romeo Spider
Please see the separate articles about these:
Alfa Spiders
What's Your Favourite Type of Classic Car/Truck?
Do you prefer American Muscle, Italian Sportscars, British Luxury, Trucks... Please add and vote for your favourites below:
Jaguar XKR

The Jaguar XKR is a big luxurious coupe with a powerful and smooth 4 litre supercharged V8, a proper old-fashioned wood and leather interior, but very modern adaptive suspension, excellent handling and performance. Faster, more comfortable, more powerful, smoother and more practicle than a standard Porsche 911 or even an Aston Martin DB7 of the same age.
The Jaguar XKR was actually the sister car of the Aston Martin DB7. Jaguar had developed a new Grand Turismo (GT) coupe to replace the aging and unloved XJS. Aston mean-while were going bankrupt (again) so Ford, the parent company of both Aston and Jaguar, badged the new coupe as an Aston Martin, and the Jaguar version with the new, far better, V8 engine came out a year later.
Is it really a classic? Possibly not quite, but it will be soon.
Here my review and photos:
Jaguar XKR
Jaguar Books
Classic Car Stuff
Jaguar XJ12 /Daimler Double Six

The Jaguar XJ12 is big heavy luxurious car with a monstrous 6.0 litre V12 engine (same type and size as you might find in a very expensive Ferrari). This is a very rare car which also exists in long-wheelbase form and badged as a Daimler Double Six A comfortable, very smooth, powerful limo with the performance of a slightly overweight supercar, acres of wood and leather and the amiance of a posh gentleman's club.
Here is my review and photos:
Jaguar XJ12
Jaguar models
Fiat 500 - Old and New Classic Car
How about a brand-new classic?

The original Fiat 500 or "cinquecento" was made by Fiat from 1957 until 1975; a cheap people's car similar in concept to the VW Beetle in Germany, Morris Mini in England and the Citroen 2CV in France.
The original Fiat 500 is tiny at just 10 feet long with a 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine (i.e. a 500cc engine)
The new Fiat 500 was launched in 2007 based on the original in terms of styling, but based on the modern Fiat Panda for mechanicals.
If you like the original or the new pretender please see this review

The New Fiat 500
Classic Car Reviews Published on Helium
Classic Car Books
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AndyPo:
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Computer Driving Games
Classic Car Articles
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Fiat 500 - Classic Italian Car
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The Fiat 500 is a new retro-styled car based on the style of old classic 1960s car of the same name. This article is about the new Fiat 500 a modern interpretation of the classic Fiat 500 of the 1960s and a look at the original car, many of which st...
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The Ferrari 308 - Affordable classic (Magnum's car)
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The Ferrari 308 is an affordable Classic car; inexpensive to run and purchase, but with looks that still turn heads. And of course you will look like Magnum star, Tom Selleck! The Ferrari 308 and the almost identical 328 that followed were mid-engin...
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Alfa Romeo Spider (The Star of The Graduate Film)
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The Alfa Romeo Spider was the beautiful star of the 1967 film, The Graduate, (also staring Dustin Hofman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross...) It was designed and manufactured by Pininfarina in Grugliasco Italy from 1966 to 1993 and its longevity was d...
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Budget Supercar: Jaguar XKR
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The Jaguar XKR is now a used car bargain. A supercar as good in many ways as an Aston DB7 but far more affordable. The DB7 was supposed to be the new Jag coupe, to replace the old XJS, but was launched badged as an Aston Martin (both companies were...
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Bad guys drive Jags: Jaguar XJ12/Daimler Double Six
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The Jaguar XJ12 (AKA Daimler Double Six) is a beautiful big British luxury car with an enormous smooth powerful V12 engine and acres of leather and walnut inside. It's like a bargain Bentley, with the performance of a new Porsche Boxster (if not the...
More Related Articles
My classic car driving trips and other articles...-
Exploring France in a Ferrari: Loire Valley, Brittany
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The Loire Valley is a wonderful part of France, with many old picturesque towns and villages, beautiful architecture including some very impressive chateaux and of course fantastic food and wine. Brittany, by the coast and not far from Cornwall in th...
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AndyPo: A Lensography
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This lens is all about me, just in case you are interested; lots of photos and a few links to some of my other favourite lenses... And some of travel and wildlife photography and travel tips and advice from all over the world and finance/investment...
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Le Mans 24 Hour Race
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Le Mans, in France, is famous for the 24-hour race, which is a favourite of many British car racing and classic car enthusiasts. Various classes of sports car compete in a battle of reliability, attrition, fuel efficiency and speed during one weekend...
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Lensography: Retire Young and Travel The World...
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I am a semi-professional travel photographer (i.e. I once sold a few photos) and semi-retired consultant physicist (i.e. unemployed boffin) but with a keen interest in finance (i.e. how to get rich quick) I live in Richmond-upon-Thames in West Londo...
Please Leave Me Some Feedback
marsha32 wrote...
Dream cars! I'm poor and just bought a 1989 Ford Thunderbird with lots of electrical problems lol
Tipi wrote...
Andy you do wonderful lens in all categories. There's a real love for nice cars that shines through here. :)
More About Me
Lensmaster AndyPo, aka Andrew Porter, has been a member since July 7 2008, has rated 1,561 lenses, favorited 1,448, and has created 104 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Le Mans 24 Hour Race". See all my lenses
My Bio
Hi, I am Andy. I live in the U.K. but have worked and travelled all over the world. I am a semi-professional wildlife and travel photographer (i.e. I sold a couple of photos once), semi-retired consultant physicist (i.e. unemployed bofin) with a keen interest in finance (i.e. get rich quick..ly):
My Home Page, More About Me!, My Blog and My other publications
Lens Of The Day (Twice) and a purple star: "Rain Forests of Borneo" - 20th AND 30th November 2008 


Please also check out my Zazzle Gallery
And a few other publications:
My Consulting Company (Training, IC Design and Technical Author):
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What is the best classic car? Which ones can really be used and which one can you just look at? How difficult and expensive are they to own and run? Which cars are reliable and economical and how much do the parts cost to replace? How frequent and... view lens -
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These car reviews have also been published on Helium.com

