The Burrow
Oct 13, 2022
There’s something about the nostalgia of driving a classic car, and the timelessness of their designs, that means they’ve seen unwavering popularity over the years. And, due to their rarity, they often stay in high demand. So, for a lot of classic car owners, not only do they get enjoyment out of caring for and driving their car, but they know it could be a good investment, too.
With vintage cars seeing no signs of slowing down in popularity, we wanted to see where’s best in the world to drive one. Looking at several factors, such as petrol price, road quality, traffic density and more, it’s time to find out the best country to own a classic car…
To see a version of this table using AUD, please click here.
With 27,005,995 classic cars on the road, the USA loves a nostalgic ride around, with more vintage cars than any other country. Plus, with petrol prices at the third lowest across all countries, at US$1.05 (AU$1.52) per litre, it means that driving out on the roads in your classic car doesn’t have to be too expensive.
In second place is India, with the second longest road network length, at 6,371,847 km, and a staggering 5,100,000 classic cars owned across the country. Whilst the road quality value might not be the best, there’s clearly an interest in vintage cars in India, with search volumes for them reaching 8,100 a month, and the third highest number of social media posts in the world, at 7,480 between January and August 2022.
Mexico is the third best country to own a classic car, with petrol prices fourth cheapest in the world, at US$1.08 (AU$1.57) per litre. They also have a long road network length, meaning there’s more space to drive your car around – and with 1,300 monthly searches on average for classic cars, it’s clear to see their popularity is here to stay.
Japan and Australia make up the top five, with the UK coming in at position six. When looking at petrol costs, which is a major factor, Australia comes in at the seventh lowest, at US$1.21 (AU$1.75) per litre, whereas the UK comes in at the seventh highest, at US$1.99 (AU$2.89). Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands all have the highest petrol costs.
Alongside the USA, the UK has the highest amount of search volume for classic cars, at an average of 33,100 a month, showing the interest around purchasing one; with social media posts high too, at 25,057 during 2022 so far.
Classic cars are expensive – both from a purchasing and upkeeping perspective. But not only are they a great investment, they can be a lot of fun to care for and drive, which is part of the reason why they’re so popular across the world.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a vintage car, then make sure you read these top tips, to help keep it in great condition for years to come.
Because vintage cars can be more susceptible to the elements, it’s important you protect yours by storing it in a garage. However, you need to make sure that your garage is well-ventilated and dry, as any moisture can be damaging. Storing your vehicle in a garage can also help to reduce the cost of car insurance premiums, given it is considered that there is less risk for potential theft in a secure area.
If your classic car has a soft-top, then make sure you store it with the hood up; otherwise, moisture could get into the folds of the material, leading to potential mould.
To avoid any corrosion and keep it looking squeaky clean, make sure you treat your car to a hand wash once a month, as well as every time you’ve taken it out on a trip. After all, vintage cars are more at risk to the likes of salt and grime, which can cause them to corrode.
Make sure you give your car a good clean all over, paying attention to hard-to-reach areas like the wheel wells; before applying wax once it’s dried, for a glossy finish.
If your fluid levels are low when you turn your classic car’s ignition on, it could cause damage to the engine, so it’s important that you perform regular checks on its fluid levels.
This means not just looking at the oil levels, but brake and transmission fluid too, as well as antifreeze in the winter months.
Regardless of whether or not you drive a classic car, you’ll need to take out car insurance for your vehicle, to cover you should anything happen. Compare prices with us to help you find a policy that is appropriate for your circumstances.
Car insurance could help cover the cost of any potential damages to your vehicle, whether they occurred while on the road or stored in a secure location. When the time comes to select a policy for your vehicle, it’s important that you always check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to understand any limits, exclusions or inclusions. For example, performing DIY work on your car could limit your ability to make a claim, and this would be stipulated in the PDS.
This dataset ranks 40 different countries across the world, based on how good it would be to own a classic car there. To do this, 7 different factors were used. Once the factors were collected, they were normalised, to provide each factor with a score between 0 and 1. The normalised values were then summed, to give each country a total score out of 7. As the UAE has a ban preventing cars over 20 years old from driving on the roads, they were automatically given the lowest rank. The other countries were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores. The factors used are as follows:
The factors were indexed as follows:
Data gathered is correct as of 14/09/2022. The most recent data possible was used in compiling this dataset.