Would you drive your one million dollar hemi car?

[1STMP]

Not I.

I bought THIS Charger, because of what it means to me, and because it's a near-ringer for mom's car (bought new) that a cousin totaled in '76. For me (and, honestly, for mom)? Priceless.

I'm not going to not-drive it to "keep it nice for the next owner". That's like not sleeping with your girlfriend, so she stays nice and tight for the next guy...Illinois dollar

Million dollar girlfriends?..../s
Drive it. If you can afford the car,
with that comes the responsibility
of maintenance. Which would
include periodic runs to what the
car/girlfriend was designed for.

 

[Ron H]

Bumper to bumper

Yeah, thinking of this post, remember how much this Cuda snagged, I think it was the most ever for a Cuda. Hedge fund guy in Chicago. He's driving in - Chicago. Heard he's driven on the expressway btw Chicago and Milwaukee, one of the busiest in the country. Also heard he owns some 25 Cuda's and Challengers. Nice making cash off of other people's cash..

 

[Beeorange]

It's far from a million dollar car but I drive the 68 Hemi GTX pretty frequently. I drive the other 2 cars a bit more than the GTX. 3 seasons a year, I drive each car at the very least once a month. They stay in garage for the winter due to New England road salt.

Yes, I would drive a million dollar car. Once a car is restored it can restored again. A very low mileage original, I would still drive, but not a lot and not very far

 

[patrick66]

I've been skittish somewhat about driving the Coronet or the Imperial these days because of the incessant and intrusive road construction going on, along with the accompanying morons on their "devices"! I was driving my wife's Enclave last week, and I about got run off the road by an 18-wheeler who just HAD to go through the narrowed sluice-box two-lane with Jersey berms all along both sides. Bastard tried to squeeze me in, while he came barreling through, using both lanes and doing over the speed limit. I laid on the horn for over a minute, while I maneuvered around the SOB. Gave him the universal single-finger salute all the while! I imagine he would've wrecked me out in either of my Mopars, just because.

 

[Ron H]

Have had maybe 10 windshields cracked, mostly rocks coming off dump trucks over the years. I'm on the 3rd with the wife's car, this one being on the car about a month. Yesterday a stone-loaded dump truck couldn't wait pulling in front of me taking a long time to get up to speed. Started backing off immediately. As he got to 30-35mph, could hear my car being peppered by little stones, far back as I was, I kept backing off more and more. As his speed increased, more peppering. Be damned, a friggin rock at least an inch in diameter, smacked the windshield. An impatient sort behind was tailgating. Thought, go ahead pard, pass me ya got 400 feet or more of open road ahead of me.
Truck didn't have his load covered or mud-flaps..

 

[Hey-O]

If I own it, I'm driving it, I don't care what it is. This saving it for someone, someday doesn't work for me. I don't want or need garage furniture. I'm not running a museum. I get it, just not for me.

 

[Just Send It]

I'd like to talk tough and say I would....but I probably wouldn't. At least not often.

And it wouldn't be for a lack of desire. I'd love to drive a 7 figure car. I'm just terrified of some idiot on their phone slamming into me. They don't care; and likely, their insurance wouldn't have high enough limits to make me whole again anyway.

The risk of damaging a $1M investment doesn't outweigh the reward to me. I have other cars I can drive.

 

[Ron H]

If I own it, I'm driving it, I don't care what it is. This saving it for someone, someday doesn't work for me. I don't want or need garage furniture. I'm not running a museum. I get it, just not for me.

Yep, good point. Can't tell ya how many times I'd save nice stuff to keep it nice, instead of USING it. At my age, I know if I don't, who gets to use it? WTF, not me.

 

[Hey-O]

Yep, good point. Can't tell ya how many times I'd save nice stuff to keep it nice, instead of USING it. At my age, I know if I don't, who gets to use it? WTF, not me.

I've spent my whole life saving for someone else, to leave some generational wealth. I love my family, but it's about my wife and I now. I have rings, chains and gold bracelets, I've had for years and really don't wear them much. There has to be over a pound worth of gold. They're the next to go, dinner money for the two of us for awhile. I was looking for something the other day and ask my wife where it was. She said I gave it away two houses ago. I'm down to fighting weight now. I know it sounds stupid, I spent my whole life collecting EVERYTHING known to god, only to give it away to people that showed me they'd really enjoy having it. Sell it, give it away or take it to the grave with me. Even sound stupid.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I'd like to talk tough and say I would....but I probably wouldn't. At least not often.

And it wouldn't be for a lack of desire. I'd love to drive a 7 figure car. I'm just terrified of some idiot on their phone slamming into me. They don't care; and likely, their insurance wouldn't have high enough limits to make me whole again anyway.

The risk of damaging a $1M investment doesn't outweigh the reward to me. I have other cars I can drive.

I think this a a rational view of the situation. Although I drive my lesser, but still irreplaceable (to me) GTX, I'm extremely selective about where and when. A small stone chip is one thing, but having NOS trim and sheet metal torn up by some idiot texting is a nightmare I don't want to experience. Had it happen twice in my last five years of truck driving, so I know the chance is real.

 

[Ron H]

love my family, but it's about my wife and I now

Agree, we’ve given tons to our kids helping with home/car/college payments, other nice gifts. They should end up with a nice amount when we croak (as it appears now anyway). Both are hard working and have asked for money sparingly and will say I’ll pay you back. Many things we say you don’t need to pay back, have had a few loans for them we’re paying on our low rates so they don’t need to at higher rates. On the other hand, yes, spend your money to enjoy life before it’s gone.

My FIL built up a pretty wealthy sum, leaving it to his wife and she’s lived very comfortably. He bought a dilapidated biz rebuilding it nicely with his sons in the late 80’s, they’ve been running it slowly stepping back with some of his grandkids now taking over. Man he was frugal to the max and used to think, geez, spend some it to enjoy life. His idea of a vacation was a couple day car drive through the state. He was happy retiring early and then working the business. His thing he likely knew, leaving tons behind him.

 

[hacksaw]

o ya.... my S/C ain't no trailer queen. got more into her than i do my house. non-power disc no P/S no A/C heavy clutch 4 speed 4.10 gears 5-6 MPG and all...every chance i can untill the salt trucks come out anyway.

 

[Sam69sat]

When the old geezers who love and cherish these old vehicles are gone in 20 years, how much is todays million dollar hemi gonna be worth? $20 million or $50K? Is it time to sell?

 

[mrhemi]

My '69 Charger R/T Hemi 4 Spd car is not a million bucks, but it is numbers matching and has been mine for over 40 years now. Absolutely I drive it as often as I can. I have even raced it at a couple of IHRA National events (I drove it to the track), just to be part of the show.

 

[mmissile]

I drive my cars thru the carwash. I leave the antennae masts loose, for removal... prior to entering. Tore one off my Charger 500.

 

[Krooser]

The best trophies for a classic Mopar are bugs on the bumper and chips in the paint.

From '88-'91 I hauled everything from $500 parts cars to a $3,000,000 MB 540K Special Roadster.

Superbirds, 300SL's, '37 Jaguars and vintage Packhards.

My main customer was the largest 300SL collector in the world. He owned 18 gullwing coupes...25 roadsters.

He owned 300SL #2 and #4. Tried to buy #2 for $3,000,000 but the owner would not sell.

He had 60+ cars on his storage garage in Michigan...and one good battery.

Everytime I had to load a car I had to take that one battery and put it in the car I was hauling. Then leave it at his shop and use MY spare battery to unload it.

Anyway he drove one of his cars every weekend...golfing, to church, shopping etc. Cords, Bentleys, Jags, Packards...didn't matter. Whatever ran he drove.

 

[threewood]

I wouldn't own a car I didn't plan on driving. Sure I'd drive a hemi car. My sights wouldn't be set on a 71 Hemi Cuda convertible. My dream Hemi would be a 64 Dodge super stock hemi. I would be making burnout noises all over the neighborhood.

 

[N96Cuda]

Well, here is how I think about it, right or wrong. Drive ' em. But, be sorta picky about it. I would not be as concerned about the monetary loss, fenders and grills can be replaced. But, the loss to the Mopar community. A million dollar car is rare. Period. But so are many cars valued at, say $75,000 or even less in some instances can be a one of few, or even a one of one. It would be a loss to the hobby if a 1 of 1 FM3 six-pack Cuda (or whatever) were destroyed by some idiot running a stop sign. I drive mine, but I am careful about it.

 

[Photon440]

When the old geezers who love and cherish these old vehicles are gone in 20 years, how much is todays million dollar hemi gonna be worth? $20 million or $50K? Is it time to sell?

The "old geezers" who loved much older cars, like a 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport back in the 70's have likely passed on by now, but the car value keeps climbing.

 

[440 4 speed]

Have had maybe 10 windshields cracked, mostly rocks coming off dump trucks over the years. I'm on the 3rd with the wife's car, this one being on the car about a month. Yesterday a stone-loaded dump truck couldn't wait pulling in front of me taking a long time to get up to speed. Started backing off immediately. As he got to 30-35mph, could hear my car being peppered by little stones, far back as I was, I kept backing off more and more. As his speed increased, more peppering. Be damned, a friggin rock at least an inch in diameter, smacked the windshield. An impatient sort behind was tailgating. Thought, go ahead pard, pass me ya got 400 feet or more of open road ahead of me.
Truck didn't have his load covered or mud-flaps..

Here if you have a load of gravel, dirt you must have it covered by law.
Three or more of our club members were on a cruise to a car show. They met a semi with an uncovered load. They all got hammered with small stones. One of them contacted the RCMP who tracked him down. He was charged and all cars were repaired, on his insurance. One car had over 5000.00 in damage including windshield.