5 Reasons why I daily drive a classic car!

 It's every car enthusiast's dream, isn't it? To be able  to take their own pride and joy on every journey, showing off their hard work and effort everywhere they go. For some of us, it's also the thrill of driving something else, not in line with all of the other "mundane" cars on the road; Instead, a sprinkle of style, a dash of different, something that turns heads.

"...at the time, it was a no-brainer."

I have used Eugene as my choice daily driver for most of the time that I've had him, up until recently, and I don't regret a single moment of it! My reasons for choosing to daily him actually stemmed mainly from a financial perspective. I was able to sell my modern car, buy a Morris, pocket the difference and also benefit from the MOT and tax exemption. The head turning just came as an extra! At the time, it was a no-brainer.

But of course, it wasn't all peachy and great though. There were a handful of compromises to be made that you wouldn't have necessarily had to make with a modern car, as well as a growing pile of receipts for maintenance and keeping my choice on the road.

With everything I've experienced and learned from life dailying a Morris Minor, here are 5 reasons I think you should really consider daily driving a classic!

"Raw and simple" driving experience

Unlike modern cars, which are assisted by a plethora of sensors and computers (More so as of recent, with features such as Autopilot, auto lane-assist, oncoming vehicle warnings, etc), the only thing between you and the wheels are an engine, a wheel and some pedals. There's often no brake servo or power steering and acceleration is purely cable-operated. You are in total control of everything and the car will generally behave how you direct it to, without argument. This simplicity can be a very refreshing and pleasant experience for enthusiasts, like myself.

With the introduction of electric cars and the accompanying nigh autonomous driving features, we are seeing a growing number of crashes being reported where the finger definitely appears to be pointing to the computer-aided driving. This idea of "lazy driving" and letting the car drive itself will often leave the driver open to being disconnected from what they should be doing, something that you just don't have in a classic car. I also believe that for this reason, they're an ideal car to learn to drive in!

It's a great conversation piece

Let's face it, when you drive around in a car that is different to others on the road, you can't help but hide a little smug smile. It's a delight to be different sometimes and the conversations that classic cars bring with them are plentiful and a joy. The amount of people who have recollected their grandfather's/father's old Morris Minor, or how they passed their test in a Morris Minor, or even how they used to love seeing it appear on a famous old drama they used to watch was staggering. Filling up at a petrol station takes twice as long often for that very reason.

"...you have conversations you just can't have anywhere else."

Connor Knight and "Betty" from the East Yorkshire MMOC rally 2021
@connor_j_knight on Instagram

But beyond the usual daily conversation, when you join a community built around your chosen classic, you have conversations you just can't have anywhere else. I've heard stories from proud owners of their restoration of a car they inherited from their late family member and it goes without saying, when you speak to somebody who shows that level of care and passion about something, you can't help but leave the conversation smiling. If there's one thing I would never give up about classic car ownership, it's those moments.

Insurance, MOT and Tax savings

Us classic car owners are like vegans. You can easily identify us because we'll tell you all about being MOT and tax exempt! But it's true, we do save a great deal compared to modern cars for that reason. My Audi TT cost me £340 in annual tax and a further £400 in insurance this year and I haven't even come to MOTing it yet, whereas Eugene has cost me nothing.

"...there is a great deal of responsibility that's left on your shoulders..."

However, there is a great deal of responsibility that's left on your shoulders as a result - You need ensure yourself that the car is roadworthy. If you get into a collision and the insurance company find out that your headlight wiring was faulty or that your suspension mounts were rotten through, you'd not only be out of a claim, but you'd likely also suffer sanctions at the hands of the police and DVSA. So if you choose to daily drive it, always ensure that maintenance is kept up with, for not only your safety, but others too.

Simple and cheap to diagnose and repair

This was one of the main reasons I jumped into daily driving Eugene. Generally speaking, the most common issues that appear are diagnosed and solved quickly and if not, there's usually a simple temporary fix. Sticking fuel pumps can be solved with a swift knock of a hammer, for example. I will often carry a small selection of springs in my spares box, just in case an important spring gives way, breaks or comes off.

Morris Minor's in particular have a HUGE library of available new parts too. You could near enough build a car from scratch. Though they're often not up to the same standard as the original parts, they're definitely good enough. You'll often find that a lot of the parts that "break" can actually be refurbished or fixed easily instead of replacing, which is the joy of using something that a carburetor or distributor for the engine.

You learn to slow down

I don't understand this "hustle" culture. Whenever you talk to somebody and ask them how they are, it's always the same response. They're good, but they're "busy". Everybody is always trying to be so "busy". Jobs are demanding more, roads are getting wider and more 'streamlined', we are all giving ourselves more to keep us busy. Car manufacturers are also making cars faster, more powerful and more capable. As a result, these busy people are now armed with fast cars. How often do we all experienced dangerous driving when it's not necessary? The loud, German saloons screaming past you as you're happily doing the speed limit, for example?

"...you take the time to breathe and think."

You don't get that with a humble classic car like a Morris. They can't do that from factory. They're enjoyable little cruisers with nothing but character - Not speed. When you drive one, you take the time to breathe and think. Driving becomes less of an A to B journey and more of a journey through your thoughts. Those who drive them know what I'm talking about - To those who don't you 'ought to give it a go and see what I mean. You'll enjoy it.

And there we have it. Though it's not a complete list of reasons why I chose to daily a classic, they're the 5 big ones. It isn't all roses and sunshine though - There is some hardship and compromises that come with driving these cars, which is something I'll discuss in another post!

Do you daily drive your classic? Let me know in the comments what you enjoy about it. If you want to share anything with me on Instagram, hit me up @EugeneTheMorris

Until that point though, keep on enjoying those tax savings!

I told you, didn't I? I told you.