ARE COLLECTORS REALLY ENTHUSIASTS?

A Review of "How Baby Boomers Created Today's Classic-Car Market—and How They Could Crash It"
In the March issue of Car and Driver, Hagerty's Rob Sass examines the automotive climate and the impending market changes as the Baby Boomers begin aging out of the car collecting hobby. Sass' take on previous generational trends is spot on, however, the problem with articles such as this is they aren't written from the perspective of which they are describing. So, here it is--from a "Millennial" who can drive a stick.

As a self-proclaimed automotive enthusiast, I have a respect for all things automotive. In Sass' article, he notes baby boomers have continued the spirit of preservation and stewardship created by their Depression-Era forefathers--dubbed by Tom Brokaw The Greatest Generation. The grand and great-grandfathers of the millennial generation aspired to own the things their parents struggled to get even a taste of, and collecting these things--such as automobiles--is both a form of respect and nostalgia. That being said, are collectors really enthusiasts?

To me, enjoying an automobile happens while moving--usually fairly quickly. It is too often we see car collectors create shrines of automobilia where they house their stagnant '50s iron or admire their mortgage-sized investment while it is attached to a battery tender. Sass describes the up-tick in restomods and vehicles fitted with modern drivetrains as a sign of things to come. Additionally, with the growing number of youth lacking the skills to row-their-own gears, Sass expects vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions to increase in value--sad, but potentially beneficial to those of us who enjoy heel-toe shifting.

Whatever the future of enthusiasts may bring, it is certain that the community will evolve. As a generation, I expect millenials to continue the tradition of collecting--as nostaglia is human nature--but as space, technology, and time all shape our future I hope the focus is on the act of driving, rather than the habit of collecting. 

To view the full article from Car and Driver, click here