Thinking of Buying a Classic Or Modern Sports Car - Then Why Not Hire One First ??

If you are planning to buy a classic, or even a modern, sports car then one of the crucial parts of the process is to take it for a test drive. The owner is probably only going to let you out for a short run of about 10 to 15 minutes. This may be long enough for you to decide if the car is in good enough condition to buy and that everything is working. But it isn't long enough for you to decide whether or not you can live with it. And if you are planning to spend tens of thousands of Pounds (or Dollars or Euros) on a car then you are in it for the long term. The best thing to do is hire a car of the type you are planning to buy, to see if you 'really' like it and can live with it.

There are now companies in most countries offering either classic or modern sports cars for self drive hire. You can normally take a car for a single day, a few days, or maybe treat yourself to a long weekend in the car you fancy. Whether you are considering a classic or a modern there are a variety of reasons why hire is a good idea.

Many modern sports cars, particularly the top end models could have over 400 bhp on tap, and if you are used to driving a family saloon, SUV or a people carrier, then driving one of these is a completely different proposition. They take some getting used to. I am not suggesting that you hire one to try find the limits as it will get expensive if you have an argument with a tree. But take one out for a proper drive to understand that such a car is about much more than just how good it looks, or how good you will look in it.

While most classics don't have such levels of horsepower, many at the top end; Jaguar E-types, Aston Martin DB6s etc, have more than enough. The key thing to understand with these cars is that they were built, 20, 30 or 40 years ago, and were designed 10 to 15 years before that. Remember that a classic sports car isn't just a sports car in an old body. The engineering is old as well. While Jaguars and Astons were high spec cars in their day, their brakes won't be as good as on modern cars. No ABS, ESP or Traction Control. Gear-changes won't be as slick as on modern cars and most of them have carburettors instead of fuel injection. How many of you remember how to start a car with a flooded carburettor?

If you are looking at more reasonably priced classics like MGs and Triumphs then often these don't even have servo assisted brakes. Most classics don't have power steering and they run on relatively narrow tyres with less grip than modern, wide, low profile tyres. Some are still described as 'hairy chested' sports cars which warns you that they may not be easy for female drivers to handle. Indeed our own Triumph TR4A is positively agricultural in the way it drives. No need for gym membership as driving a classic can be like having a full body workout.

They don't come complete with all the modern goodies either, most don't have electric windows, air conditioning, central locking and don't expect to find an IPod ready radio in a car that listed a heater as an optional extra.

Having accepted the limitations of the technology then you need to consider the practicality of the vehicle. Most sports cars, modern or classic, are very tight on luggage space. So if you are planning to buy a car so that you can treat yourself to regular weekends away, then make sure it can carry enough luggage for two of you for a weekend. This may sound a bit obvious but the boot in an E-type Jaguar is very shallow and won't take a modern suitcase. Your dinner suit and your wife/girlfriend's posh frock may not emerge completely pristine after 8 hours in a squashy holdall, in a boot that smells of oil and exhaust fumes.

Again if the weekend away is your plan you need to make sure that the car is comfortable to sit in and drive for 4, 6 or 8 hours. Morgans still retain their classic 1930s look, but the suspension is so hard, that driving over white lines and road markings is like reading the road surface using braille. What might seem great fun in a 10 minute trip round the block may not be so great if you have backache at the end of the day.

Most of the companies that rent out classic or modern sports cars will be happy to advise you on the servicing requirements of the cars and what to look for when you are thinking of buying one.

To rent a budget classic (MG or Triumph) may cost as little as £100 or £150 per day, but expect to pay 3 times this for a good Jaguar E-Type and even more for a classic Aston Martin. Modern sports or exotic cars can be several hundreds of Pounds, upwards, depending on the value and specification of the cars.

A weekend away may cost you up to £1,000 for a car, a good hotel, a nice meal and all your petrol. But it is well worth it for two reasons:

• You have a great weekend away
• Better to spend £1,000 or so and decide you can't live with the car, than find this out after you have parted with £20,000, £30,000 or more of your hard earned cash.

Once you have decided what car you are thinking of buying, have a look through the Marques page on Classic Car Hire World and find a hire company in the right place with the right car.

Treat yourself and hire the right car for a day or so. At best it will re-inforce your desire to buy one, it may help you modify your decision, or it may cure you - but probably not!