Your favourite classic hire cars of 2012

2012 was our busiest year ever for classic car hire, despite some inclement weather damping summer spirits.  The wet weather may have distorted this year's list of the most popular cars chosen by our customers but even some perennially popular convertibles remain favourites even in the rain.
So here is our list of the most popular cars based on number of hires.  A few familiar faces, one or two surprises.....  It's in no particular order.

1. Jaguar E Type coupe 

Usually it's our convertibles that grab the hire headlines but this year it was the turn of our coupe hard tops.  Perhaps helped by the weather, the iconic fastback shape seems to have caught the imagination again, apparently fuelled by the E Type's 50th anniversary in 2011.  We now have two E Type coupes available for hire, one in Yorkshire and one in the Cotswolds.  We also have four E Type convertibles available for hire in Devon, Yorkshire, Cotswolds and now London too.  Whichever you choose they are still as good to drive as they look.

2. Alfa Romeo Spider

One of my own favourite cars and consistently one of the most popular available for hire.  We've had this car on the fleet from day one and, as well as being popular, it is always the most reliable.  Not bad for an Italian car.  The Alfa is perfect for a day or weekend away - or a longer holiday tour, as happened several times in 2012.

3. DeLorean

You might not want to take a DeLorean on a European touring holiday - you wouldn't get far with all those clamouring photo-opp fans - but it is the ideal car for a wedding, or just to save you have.  Both of those reasons explain why our DeLorean is in the list of our top 5 most popular cars in 2012.  It only joined the fleet in 2012 but has shown that 30 years after it went out of production it has become an icon for any child of the 80s.  We love it, but we have heard every Back to the Future joke and script line already, in case you wondered...

4. Aston Martin DB6

Like the DeLorean, the Aston proves the power of film on our collective conscious. Without Bond would the Aston be quite so feted?  Actually, we think so.  It is the DeLorean of its era - exotic styling, rarity and sheer four-wheeled presence make the Aston Martin DB6 (who cares if Bond drove a DB5) one of those cars that draws gasps of appreciation even from the uninitiated.  In 2012 once again it proved to be on of our most popular cars being used for weddings, special birthday celebrations, TV productions and even touring holidays. And why not.

5. Morris Minor Convertible

In its own way, the humble Moggy is the E Type for the masses.  Distinctive, enduring and with oodles of character, everyone needs to experience a Morris Minor at some point in their driving career. Sure it's slow and simple but that's its charm - we call them the Time Travellers because they fit you right back into an era when things moved a little more slowly.  And all the better for it.  To demonstrate how popular they are, we have 3 Morris Minor convertibles for hire, plus a rather nice 'woody' Morris Minor Traveller.

So roll on 2013. If you want to hire any of these cars or another car from our fleet of 80 classic and supercars, just call us on 01527 893733 or email info@greatescapecars.co.uk.  For more information on the cars visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk.

Read more

The camera never lies (except with classic cars)

Here is a shiny Jaguar Mk2.  When we posted this picture on the Great Escape Classic Car Hire Twitter feed in late November, with a caption highlighting what a bad car it was (or words to that effect), we received quite a lot of comments to the effect that it actually looked ok.
Which set us thinking.
The internet has made the world a very visual medium.  Whether you're buying a car or looking to hire one, it's really the photos that grab you.  And as this photo proves, a picture tells a thousand lies.
Lets start with the car and the photo.  This car was offered to us for hire about 2 years ago by a now ex-colleague whose friend owned it.  "It's a great car, ideal for hire," we were told.  He sent me some photos.  I took his word for it and agreed to put the car onto our Yorkshire classic car hire hire fleet.  Meanwhile my thankfully ex-colleague offered to fettle the car ready for hire.
I dread to think what this car was like before it was fettled.  Post-fettle it was every imaginable shade of silver, where the bodywork wasn't rust it was full of wavy filler, the engine had more leaks than Severn Trent, the chrome was entirely pitted and the interior could have been described as 'dog eared' if any self-respecting dog would have been prepared to go anywhere near it.
But it looks ok.  Sure, you can't see the interior, you can't see the engine.  But from this snap it looks to be all there.  Which is exactly how the car came to be anywhere near me.  Firstly, the owner of the car bought it sight unseen from a classic car dealer advertising on EBay.  Secondly I took the photos I was sent as evidence of a good car.
This tale is a salutary lesson in not taking photos of any classic car at face value.  Unlike other similarly murky substances, you can polish a car to a gleaming shine.  And if you haven't done your research and you don't know what you're looking at, then you'll likely be suckered in.
The same goes for classic car hire.  We've finally managed to offload the above clunker.  We've fortunately never dared put it on hire, it's just too bad for that, but it does look like someone else plans to.  We may display pretty pictures of classic cars to hire on our website.  The difference is, I like to think, that at Great Escape Classic Car Hire we really care about how good they are.
Hopefully this photo and tale will prove helpful next time you're looking at classic cars online - all that glitters is not gold.  In fact it's probably not even metal.
For more details on Great Escape visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk.  Elsewhere on this blog you'll find details of our Top Tips on buying a classic car.

Read more

Top 10 things to consider when buying a classic car

A classic car on the drive is a dream many of us aspire to.  Saturdays spent polishing it, sunny Sundays spent touring the countryside, top down or 4 up with friends.  It’s an idyllic image and one that brings happiness to thousands of classic car owners every year. 

Yet alongside those proud owners, their smiles perfectly reflected in their chrome bumpers, there are many classic car owners who rue the day they ever clapped eyes on their vehicle.  To help you fit snuggly into the former rather than the latter group, here are some top tips on buying a classic car gleaned from our experience running a fleet of 60 classic hire vehicles.  And believe me, if mistakes are there to make, we’ve made them.  But we’ve learned.

1.            Do your research

Before you spend a single minute looking at classic car adverts in magazines or online, spend as much time as possible researching the car you want to buy.  Find out what its strengths and weaknesses are.  Check parts supply and parts costs.  Check typical prices for cars of different condition.  Join the owners club, sign up for online forums, visit classic car shows.  Once you’ve done your desk research talk to owners – most are more than happy to tell you what owning a particular car is actually like.  And generally they know the clever little tricks you need to keep it running reliably and cost-effectively.

2.            Buy the best you can afford

Check what you really need to pay for the car you want to buy and budget accordingly.  Decide what sort of car you want – a restoration project or a concours queen – and budget accordingly.  There are no bargains in the classic car world, only pitfalls.  Prices for cars are all over the place and generally cars are over-priced.  If you’ve researched the model you want carefully then you should have a checklist to run through when you inspect a car – when you see a fault you should have a rough idea how much it will cost to repair.  When you view a car, take someone with you who can keep your enthusiasm in check. 

3.            Buy privately

If you’ve done your research and your feet are firmly on the ground then buying privately is the best way to go.  Private sales give you the chance to assess the previous owner properly and you get much more information about how the car has been looked after.  And above all, you avoid the retailer’s premium.  If you have not had time to do the research or you want the security of ‘someone to blame’ a dealer is the way to go.  But personally, we think better value cars are found privately.

4.            Find a local expert

If you’re not mechanically minded then you will need a local garage or mobile mechanic who can keep the car running for you.  This is not always as straightforward as it seems.  Depending on how common the classic you want to buy is you will need someone who is experienced in working on your type of car.  Otherwise you risk higher costs incurred by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing wasting their time and your money trying to trace otherwise simple problems and faults.

5.            Buy a car that has been used regularly

In the world of classic cars, low mileage is king.  But it’s a myth.  To be reliable a car has to be used.  Generally when we buy a new car at Great Escape it will take at least a year for it to be reliable.  That’s because most classic cars are rarely used, and when they are it’s during the summer months only.  Inactivity kills cars.  To be reliable cars need to be used regularly – not a lot, but regularly.  So when you inspect a car that the owner is proud to say has only done 500 miles since the MOT 12 months ago, walk away or bid accordingly.  Any car is reliable if it is hardly used – it’s when you start to use and enjoy a classic car that it’s weaknesses are revealed. 

6.            Put it on a ramp

Most classic cars are shiny because their owners like polishing them.  The underside is a different matter.  When you inspect a car try to get underneath it.  This will give you a window into the owner’s real maintenance regime.  Firstly, the underside should be relatively grime free, showing that the owner jet washes the car properly on a regular basis.  The car needs to be undersealed to protect the body but if the underseal is fresh, ask what it is trying to conceal.  Check for leaks and spray back from the engine.  Check the suspension components – how clean or new are they, have they been recently checked and maintained?  Look for signs of corrosion or of welding – a car with significant localised welding will be worth less than a more original car. 

7.            Check the history file

Most classic cars will have a thick history file.  If not, ask why.  Leaf through the file and check that the weaknesses and maintenance requirements of the car have been addressed – that it has been serviced regularly and items like cambelts renewed on time.  Don’t be alarmed by a high number of previous owners – but be suspicious if nobody has ever kept the car very long.  Ask the owner about his experiences with the car – ask direct questions about what has gone right and what has gone wrong.  Why is he selling?

8.            Drive it

However much you love a particular car, if you’ve never owned one before then the chance are you haven’t driven it.  Do so as quickly as possible – ask a club member for a drive or take some test drives at a dealer.  You may find that the dream doesn’t quite live up to reality – if so, admit it and move on.  It will be much cheaper that way.  Similarly, make sure your family or maybe even your friends like the car too – it will make owning it through the ups and downs so much easier.

9.            Be realistic

It is very easy to get caught up in the dream of classic car ownership.  Try to step back.  Ask how often you will drive it, do you have somewhere to park it, can you afford to own and maintain it?  If the answer is maybe or no to any of those questions, think again.  There are other ways to enjoy a classic car, including hiring one, which may be cheaper and less hassle.

10.          Budget for failure

However well you research and buy the car of your dreams, the chance are it will not be plain sailing.  Things will go wrong.  You will discover things about it that you want to improve.  This is inevitable and unavoidable.  All you can do is minimise the chance of it happening.  So budget accordingly – expect to spend 20-30% of the purchase price in the first year making it better.  It will be worth it – you’ll be investing in the car and creating a vehicle that you can enjoy any time of the year.

Great Escape Classic Car Hire is the UK’s largest classic car hire company with a fleet of 60 classic cars to hire from Yorkshire, Devon and Cotswolds as well as several other sites.  Find out more at www.greatescapecars.co.uk or call 01527 893733.  Mention this article and claim 10% off the total cost of any hire car.

Read more

7 days & 500 miles round England in a Morris Minor Traveller

Here at Great Escape Classic Car Hire we work hard to make our classic hire cars reliable so when our 1957 Morris Minor Traveller was booked for a 7 day tour of England, we were up for the challenge.
The Morris was booked by Nicola Beauman of specialist publishing house Persephone Books for a book tour to celebrate the publication of the company's 100th book.  Persephone reprints books from the interwar years so the Morris Minor was perfect for the tour of book shops and reading groups throughout Wales, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Somerset.
You can read about the Morris Minor's trip here on the Persephone Books blog.
The Morris Minor Traveller covered 500 miles on the tour, performing faultlessly during the 7 day trip and receiving rave reviews wherever it went.  The car will shortly feature in an article in The Observer colour supplement.  The Great Escape car is a 1957 Morris Minor Traveller 1000 finished in rare dark green with olive leather interior.  It is 'Delux' specification so features a heater, which was normally an optional extra.  The car has been in the same Birmingham family since new.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire has the largest fleet of Morris Minors for hire in the UK, including Morris Minor Convertibles and Travellers.  You can find out more by visiting http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk or call 01527 893733.  Prices start at just £95 for 24 hours.

Read more