kgf3076

From the Washington Post. The car culture seems to be dying out in the US.

Legal Bill

Yup. I think there are already two or three threads on this subject. Electronic devices seem to be the "things" that capture the imagination of our young today. Makes me wonder if people will be going to antique electronics auctions in 50 years.

I use my Healey almost not at all. I keep telling myself to hold on to it until I retire and have the time to do all the things I'm interested in. But I'm concerned that market is going to collapse within the next 20 years. I wonder if I should sell now and then buy again later. But by then I'll be too old to enjoy them, so I guess I'm stuck until I retire and see if I use it more.

MsPerky

Yeah, I've commented on the young people's lack of interest in driving or cars - the +1's son being a good example. He's 22 and just now got a license and an old car to drive to school. But there are exceptions. One of my nephews is a car nut - building and racing cars with a group of his buddies. He loves my S and would like to have it at some point.

Don't sell the car, LB. You will regret it and maybe not even be able to find another one down the road. Make some time to drive it before the body wears out!

TsukubaCody

As a 23 year old guy, I feel like this is probably a topic I'm reasonably qualified to speak on.

There are still loads of car enthusiasts in my age group, if the size of the Final Bout 2 gathering this weekend indicates anything...there are too many of us.

There may be less in certain cities with ungodly living costs, however I've many friends from Chicago & its surrounding suburbs who are huge into cars, more so even than from my small, rural town of 8k.

The issue with that article is where it went, go to a track day, drift day, autocross or car show/meet and you'll see many young people. There may be less car people than have been historically, but the hobby is not dying out.

MsPerky

^ Interesting, because my car crazy nephew lives in Chicago. This is one of the things he's been up to with his buds:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-racer-feature

S1997

I agree, with Deb. don't sell it. It is better than the money, and you have a lot of personal investment in the restoration. It's a beaut!

dlq04

Don't wait till you retire to drive it. Get involved with a local Healey club and you will soon find yourself using it a lot more. I average 3,000 miles/year and even so, after using it, I ask myself why I don't drive it more because nothing compares.

As for the thread subject, its one the major auto companies are well aware of. In fact BMW has pilot programs in the states where they furnish the car on a as-needed basis. Kinda like Uber only you drive. It costs the user 1/3rd of what it would for a taxi. Of course, this works best in really crowded urban settings. But, the point being auto companies see what's coming and may become more of a service company than a sales company in that model. Then there's all the driverless car future stuff to consider.

Bob Moss

Perhaps there are enthusiasts in the 20+ age group!, however in the high school age group, not so much. I spend a lot of time speaking to sophomore and junior classes about organ donor registration. Since most get their first opportunity to address this at the DMV, we want to give them information before they apply for their first license. I always ask how many in the class are applying at their first chance and rarely get more than 1/3 of the class raising hands. I admit it's an informal survey. I used to think of California as The Car State but certainly it is now mostly a suburb of Silicon Valley.

dlq04

^ That's cause these days they don't have to wait to have a car to find out about sex!

S1997

... you mean sex with a partner?