I just don't get it

[crash]

I was going to post this in the stolen GNX thread, but didn't want to make it sound like I was bashing on the guy that got his car stolen.

I just don't understand why someone would buy a car, even a rare one, just to have it sit in a garage or pole barn, or whatever but never drive it. It is a car, and they were meant to be driven. I can understand putting a car in a museum as a show piece, or having them on display for everyone to see and drool over, but that is it. Other then that, they should be driven. I know that in reality my Cutlass is nothing special, but you don't see them every day and I get a lot of people that can't believe that I would drive it every day even for stupid little errands to the store. I bought the car for one reason, because I wanted a daily driver car that is something special and not seen every day.

There are also a lot of people that will have a really nice car and a beater POS and they will drive the POS every day but only drive the nice one maybe 100 miles a month, if that.

Guess I am just a bit different then many people, I show my love of cars by driving them every day, rain or shine, not letting them sit around out of sight. The only time my car will be parked for an extended amount of time is during the winter when there is salt on the roads.

 

[redneckracer305]

im with you 100%. a few friends of mine cant beilieve i drive my car everday, and i mean everyday if rains, if it snows it dont matter i drive it. i take as many preventetive steps as i can to keep the rot away and it seems be workin. my car has faded to hell paint but people still love it and i get to talkin to lots of people about it just cause they see it all the time. most say how can you afford to pay for gas and how can a car that old be reliable. well fuel milage aint horrible, and any car will go forevor if maintained. lately i ve even been hauling some tools and stuff to side jobs in it. others look at me funny and shamfully when they see my son in his car seat in the back, and ask how can you drive that pos with your kid in there that cant be safe.those are typically the same people that will not park remotely close to my car in there bmws and mercedes around here. a car is as safe and reliable as you make it, while i know my ls is no gnx either its still not your typical everyday driver just like your cutlass. cars were made to be driven always been my opinion nice to see somone feels the same. a friend of mine has a svt lightning, an 03 gt, and a notch back fox body, he drives a focus everyday, its almost a waste i think, cause hell if i had 3 different "cool" cars i wouldnt drive a focus everyday.

 

[crash]

Funny you mention your son in the car, I have a 2.5 and a 1.5 year old sons and have car seats in both my wife's Bonneville and my Cutlass. I don't care if anyone thinks that the car seats take away from the cool factor of my car, I didn't buy it for them to think it was cool, and besides, the look on my kids faces when they hear the rumble through the headers and flowmasters is absolutely priceless

Heck, they get pissed at me when they are in the house and I fire the car up because they aren't going in daddy's car :lol:

 

[megaladon6]

unfortunately stupid yuppies consider cars like the GNX to be investments, not cars. so they store them. if it's in storage, and never meant to be driven, why spend money on insurance?
that's why i like jay leno. not only does he actually drive all of his cars, he even helps work on them!

 

[carmangary]

Spend 5 years restoring a car to show quality and you will understand. I have a daily driver, a show car, and a car I like to tinker with. I have no desire to drive my show car daily and have some joker open his car door on it. So, I drive it on Sundays and take it shows for people to look at. My 42 year old car doesn't drive as good as my 10 yr old Jeep so why would I want to drive that thing daily anyway?

 

[megaladon6]

but you spent 5yrs restoring it and you do still drive it, different situation.

 

[redneckracer305]

thats it, as long as it get miles logged on it gets driven. there are collector cars out there that are so pristine "museum qaulity" that dont get driven at all, and those cars i highly doubt could just be taken out for a ride cause they sit for so long at a time. i dont know i think the coolest vehicles to drive would be a restored to stock specs all the way around car, cause i mean thats like stepping back into time getting behind the wheel of a car like that, sure it might not ride like a brand new now car but it will ride like a brand new then car, which isnt somthing everyone can experince but im sure its gotta be a good one. as far as my son goes hes goin on 5 months now, and he already knows the sound of dads car, if i go out to warm it up he almost instantaneous quiets down when it fires, but then gets very cranky when i come back in and grab my lunch and head to work haha, might just be coincendental but i think he is a little gear head in training already.

 

[1evilregal]

I'm with you guys... when my regal is ready for the road, it may not be driven a whole lot, but it'll def be more than just a couple hundred miles a year...

I told the wife along time ago, that I won't own a car that I'm going to be afraid to drive... whether that be something I'm always going to be paranoid about accidents/door dings, or just full out beast with way too much power...

 

[Bonnewagon]

That's why I don't go crazy with a car. When you have $6000 paint job and every little thing costs $$$$ you don't want to take a chance on ruining it. So I keep my cars decent looking but mechanically awesome. I drove a 68' Firebird to work every day for 16 years, and a Malibu wagon for 17 years. Enjoyed every minute of those cars.

 

[Oldsmoletick]

I'm with you all there too, I built my car to drive and enjoy, last summer I took the bu on a an 800+ mile trip from NY to Maryland and back just because I didn't trust my Jeep to do it, lol. I see no point in having a "garage princess", yeah I'm nervous in parking lots with it (new paint) but, oh well, pick your spots wisely (highest point of the lot limits shopping cart assults).