Torque Talk 2026

by Lee Jones

I’ve been asked so many times by friends, family, work colleagues, people at shows and complete strangers, “Why do you bother with an old car?”

To be honest, it’s a question I’ve asked myself more than once. Never more so than when my kaput Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit was being loaded onto the back of a recovery transporter in the middle of nowhere in Normandy, while a French mechanic calmly announced, “le joint de culasse est hs.”

Why then do we bother with old cars that have questionable reliability, the stopping distance of an oil tanker, and about the same fuel economy and environmental credentials as a Saturn V rocket?

For me, the answer is simple: nostalgia. Not nostalgia for the car itself necessarily, but for a time gone by. A time when we aspired to the cars of the day, or when someone we knew, perhaps a parent, owned one. Maybe we worked for the brand as an apprentice, or simply admired it through our adolescent eyes.

It’s nostalgia for a connection to our youth. For happy memories, a more optimistic view of the future, and perhaps even our first taste of romance with a cheeky snog in the back seat!

Modern cars are better, but that’s not the point

Modern cars are undeniably better, that much is certain. They start on cold mornings and usually last well beyond our parents’ 100,000-mile ‘it’s knackered, son’ milestone. They have air conditioning, heated and cooled seats, so no towel or visit to the burns unit is required just to get in one on a hot day.

Their headlights are brighter than a UFO from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Those same lights now swivel around corners, guide you to your front door and provide ambient mood lighting for the outside of your car.

Why own a classic car?

And if, on returning home from a hard day in the office without autonomous driving engaged, you should have the misfortune to collide with a tree you never knew existed in your driveway, you can be sure you will instantly be wrapped in a protective bubble. The car will call the emergency services, submit an insurance claim and book itself in for repair, and if it’s a Tesla it will drive itself there without you too!

Modern cars, then, are good. They are reliable, comfortable and safer. But they cannot replace the feeling of a classic.

What a classic car gives you that a modern one doesn’t

A classic delivers a more engaging, connected and analogue driving experience, with genuine feedback through the controls. It provides a sense of occasion that modern cars simply cannot replicate.

Owning a classic often provides a golden ticket into a motoring fraternity such as Haddenham Classics, with all the camaraderie, social opportunity and, yes, the occasional politics that brings.

Owning a classic vehicle is a lot like owning a dog. The public love them and will always stop for a chat. Many a time I have taken mine for a spin to the shops or to get some petrol, only to have someone come up to me, say “lovely car”, and for a conversation to ensue.

Friendships blossom with a classic, in a way you simply do not experience with a modern car. All facets of ownership, from joining clubs and touring to fixing, buying, selling, showing and discussing all things classic, create opportunities to meet people. I personally have made so many wonderful friends that I simply would not have done without owning my classic. I have even created a car club and put Haddenham on the automotive map simply because I have the car.

And let’s not forget that nostalgia trip. The feeling you get every time you drive your car is like connecting with the past. It takes you back to a time when life was a little slower, or perhaps when you were a boy racer. Either way, it is a connection, a memory and a small thrill, sometimes bordering on the spiritual, as you sit in the driver’s seat and quietly pray it will start when you turn the key. What modern car can deliver that?

The social side nobody talks about

Men in particular are a funny group. We are taught from an early age to be tough, to show little emotion and to keep a stiff upper lip. Being British means we are often a reserved bunch who like to keep to ourselves, rarely asking for help or even directions when lost.

As you get older, your social circle can grow smaller and, with it, isolation sometimes creeps in. This is by no means limited to men, as all genders suffer from it, but proportionally it is higher in men. The pressure builds, life throws a few curve balls and you may find yourself facing job loss, divorce or the death of a long-term partner. For some, this can lead to loneliness, isolation and a loss of purpose.

Classic cars are not a miracle cure for society’s ills, but they can offer a possible escape route. Owning one can push you to get out, to join a club and to meet like-minded people who share a passion. Simply talking can improve someone’s mental health, and through the opportunities a club provides, people can regain a sense of purpose or belonging. That might be through attending events, stewarding, or helping to run the club itself.

Driving classics brings people together in a unique way that is increasingly being recognised within the mental health sector and the media. Initiatives such as Men With Machines are spearheading this approach, and it is genuinely working, through engagement with mental health charities and other organisations devoted to improving wellbeing.

Education is another by-product of classic car ownership. You need to learn about them, often very quickly. Haddenham Classics partners with local companies or club members to run workshops that help educate people about the automotive industry or allow them to pick up new skills.

In addition, owning a classic, particularly if you are not a mechanic, means educating yourself on your car’s specific set of quirks and peculiarities.

Why we keep doing it

We have all been there, and it is a question I asked myself recently when my Rolls threw yet another very expensive problem my way. With a heavy heart, I decided it was time to throw in the towel and sell the car at a massive loss. I even considered bailing out of the whole car scene and taking up a less expensive pastime. Running a car club had also become a significant responsibility and, at times, a thankless one.

But the more I reflected on it, the more I realised I would be throwing away an entire social circle that had become a huge part of my life, one that had quietly kept me going for the past seven years. Without a car, I would no longer be able to participate or be part of the gang.

Despite the sleepless nights, quirks and breakdowns, I still enjoy being involved. I came to realise that the car is an essential part of who I am. So I did what any sensible car nut would do, I bought a Bentley!

So if, like me, you reach the same conclusion, please do consider joining our club. We are a very friendly bunch, and we are always looking to include people just like you.