Petrolheads in Crisis: Is Classic Car Culture Doomed? | With Ralph Hosier

[@Phantom-mk4kp]

I have nothing to complain about EVs, but to EV a classic car is sacrilege, ripping its heart out and replacing it with an electric motor. It's like puting a quartz movement in a grandfather clock

[@darethgillard5048]

Be the same as opting for an inflatable doll rather than a real woman

[@MLC...]

Sacrilege indeed!

[@johnparker8270]

My son has an 02 reg bug eye Subaru and he has really struggled to renew his insurance this year, from stupidly high quotes upwards of 7 grand to an outright refusal to entertain, it seems there is an undercurrent of thinking trying to push people out of ice. He did eventually get insured, using classic car status but has limited mileage which isn’t ideal as it’s his daily driver. It makes me sad, he loves his car.

[@davejohnson3474]

​@@johnparker8270how long has he had it? Is he young?

[@johnparker8270]

@@davejohnson3474 he’s 23 so quite young for a car like that, he’s had it a year now, but last year he got insured quite easily although it was expensive, nobody seemed to want his business this year, even though nothing has changed with regards to points on licence or insurance claims etc.

[@MsDavey6]

I can see where his coming from, i have always repaired serviced and looked after my own car. you just don't see many people doing that these days.

[@davejohnson3474]

Or wash there own cars

[@MsDavey6]

@@davejohnson3474 your right they are too lazy and go down to the local car wash.

[@jonboy9912]

They are making millions of cars that nobody wants! Stop the EV mandates let them sell according to demand. Keep your ICE cars!

[@ianhill4585]

That's true, we're being forced to accept EV ( if we can afford them) I swore this year (October) ,that would be my last year running a car, but when the crunch came, I bought another cheap car, but my insurance has gone up from £230 odd to £366 , tax up from £190 to £255, and increasing again dramatically again April 2025. I'm being priced off the road( that's their end goal) I've had a car practically every year since 1979 , this time next year I'll be forced to not have one through pricing......

[@jonboy9912]

@@ianhill4585 I run a 2007 Merc CLS320 CDI and a 1999 SL320 and have enjoyed then for 14 and 7 years respectively with no plans to sell them despite ULEZ and rocketing road tax because I have been able to find cheap insurance, currently less than £125 for each from Quote Me Happy. Give them a try!

[@cyprusman5908]

EV's are throwaway crap cars and very bad for the environment to make and recycle, especially when the batteries expire and it costs more than the car is worth to replace them !

[@chrishart8548]

Knowone is ever against someone keeping there old car. Hopefully everyone's old car lasts forever. I don't think there is much demand for either ICE or EV the way things are going. I've got a 13 year old diesel. When that dies I'm not getting another car .

[@davejohnson3474]

​@@chrishart8548wait till euro 7 comes out then you'll see changes plus the net zero agenda

[@Phantom-mk4kp]

A lot of cars end up scrapped because of an ECU module failure along with a 4 figure price to replace a £50 item. Manufacturers should be forced to provide tech documents allowing third party repair shops the ability to repair these items after, say 10 year old

[@paulgaida2601]

When I lived in Cairo, there were many local shops recycling and repairing old equipment and cars . Plus for a car guy lots of 50’s and 80’s cars driven. I drive electric on longer distances. Ideal second car would be a 1980’s classic. The emissions from these cars will be a drop in the ocean in the future. They need saving.

[@blackcountrygaz7080]

Been to Cuba, fabulous seeing old cars with character. We hired a massive old American estate taxi for tge day.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

I tested my mk3 Cortina on synthetic fuel. It works just fine.

[@dereknicol5284]

The difficulty is producing it in sufficient quantity.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

@@dereknicol5284 And it's not cheap either.

[@chrishart8548]

​​@CortinasAndClassics 4 times as expensive. And that doesn't include fuel duty tax. I'm happy to keep running my motorcycle with E Fuel ⛽️

[@jonstorey6414]

Not long ago, I mentioned my trouble with getting my insurance to cover car accident claims. You referred me to someone who told me I had no case. Since then, many people have shared their frustrations about their insurance companies refusing to pay for accidents that weren’t their fault. One of the most troubling stories I’ve heard is about a disabled woman who was sitting in her car with the engine turned off when another car sped by and crashed into the side of hers. After the accident, she took her car to her insurance company’s garage and received the same response I did: before any work could be done, she needed to spend thousands of pounds to make her car roadworthy. Unfortunately, she couldn’t afford the repairs, and as a result, her insurance costs would more than double. She ended up scrapping the car and now cannot afford to buy a replacement. Does this mean we now have to take the person who caused the accident to court in order to get our cars repaired if the insurance refuses to help? What about classic cars? If someone hits one, will people have to pay for the damage themself? Why are people having problems like this? Before we could go to whoever to get the problem sorted. But now they all tend to say the same thing. You have no case. Letting the insurance get away with what they are doing. It's wrong.

[@SaulidSnake]

Great interview 👌, shame I wasn’t there on Saturday I would’ve said Hi, I went on the Sunday.

[@fredfred2363]

Interesting interview. Thanks.

[@GoalSquad666]

It's not about EV vs ICE. I would say, petrol heads like me, hate, and I mean hate the EV fanbois, the government trying to force it down our throats and making car ownership a luxury.

[@chrishart8548]

Nothing to do with EV the government are just making driving a luxury. The EV is a Trojan Horse. To make us fight amongst each other

[@MarkB-33]

Both correct comments.

[@andytalbot6719]

Ralph is an amazing voice in this 'hobby'.

[@nigelcharlton-wright1747]

Electric vehicles are interesting, I know a couple of people who own them, and have driven a VW i4. Yes, it was quite an enjoyable experience, but it was similar to driving a Scaletric model car. I try to keep all of our cars on the road, using bits I have managed to collect, even using tools that someone has thrown in the skip. I remember when I was at school my sports bag handle had broken, my school mates took the mickey out of me for repairing the bag. That is an ideal I still use on the cars, even ending up servicing our 2003, low mileage Rover 75 Classic, after being quoted over £200 to change the oil. God knows how much a garage would charge to change the electric window motor. On our Humber, when the window winding mechanism stopped working, I took the item apart, cleaned it, oiled it and got it working. At the end of the day it's not rocket science. Ralph Hosier is a man who knows his subject.

[@windowseat7334]

Most classic car owners and Petrol heads don’t hate EV’s. I think most of us appreciate the technology and the applications which are suited to EV’s. The Issue they have is the deadline being given to their interest and hobby by the government. EV’s should be left alone to slowly develop and improve at a natural pace, and the better they get, the more people will warm to them. It’s old school divide and conquer by the government’s, get the infighting going and whilst distracted we will all get targeted and see our freedoms of choice and movement removed. The government is to blame, not the end users and enthusiasts. It’s all about control, and you know it. Can you imagine the uproar if the government turned around and said no horse riding will be allowed after 2035? They are removing enjoyment and freedoms that we have enjoyed for centuries which is where the problem is.

[@martinarnott4058]

Surely if synthetic fuel will be available which it already is that's going to be the logical answer .

[@chrishart8548]

It will be available It's just 4x the price without fuel duty tax.

[@uncensored5104]

It's the fanatics in governments that is the problem! Converting classic cars to electric or more modern engines is very popular in the UK, but the bureaucrats at the DVLA are making this hard to impossible to do and it's getting worse.

[@chrishart8548]

Ive looked after my cars and after 10 years they started to have loads of electrical issues dont get attached to anything after 2000 they are just made to fail.

[@filiannuzzi5871]

True. At last, some sense.

[@christopherbell7561]

I did keep my eyes open for you when I was there on Sat. But I missed you

[@BrownCarGuy]

Oh no!

[@Ghosted-fl5xt]

Having my electric bill doubled, due to my greedy energy supplier raising prices, i wont be buying a 40k basic ev, and charging it up and paying road tax for a vehicle with no emissions, no way!

[@flyinghedgehog3833]

EV...no thanks !

[@Matnrach2-mf9qr]

The problem with the argument about fixing your own car falls over with the latest generation of cars. You cannot fix it without specific equipment, especially when it pertains to the powertrain. I understand the need to fix certain things around the house but being able to dismantle and repair a 30+ year old car for the majority of people is a skill similar to being able to use a slide rule or shorthand writing (amongst many others), desirable but not necessary in the modern era . Unless of course it is your hobby, as it is with me.

[@chrishart8548]

Modern cars have got modules for everything. My rear passenger door had an issue. It wouldn't lock or un lock. Had a child safety lock malfunction. And the electric window wouldn't work. Every door has modules in it. So does the boot. Even headlights and tailights on newer cars.

[@martingardener7747]

There are many dubious statistics being bandied around in relation to poxy electric cars The government should be rewarding us for keeping something going, not punishing us. So few "experts" - who ate thesr faceless experts eho constantly assert themselves? - seem to begin to understand the argument of make do and mend! That WW2 philosophy has a lot going for it. Goodbye, planned obsolescence and absurd short life expectation! Let us assume zero carvbon emissions are possible by 2035 ( they clearly aren't its just nonsensical utterly unreal dogma). Britains contribution in being a world leader in this stupendously unachievable target will be about 1.5%. Wow! We'll be able to breathe again! Such a relief! It'll make all the difference.

[@leeandjancruise]

I haven't seen an affordable EV that ticks all the boxes for me yet, I'd want exciting looks of say as an example an Alfa Romeo inside and out rather than a jelly mould or shoe box shape with a massive i phone stuck in the middle of the dash and it would need to have good performance, handling and a five year or more full warranty, then I would probably consider one.

[@Hell-Hound1]

Is there an ICE car that fulfils all your requirements?, and what is it?

[@leeandjancruise]

@@Hell-Hound1 The Cupra Formentor VZ2 but the standard warranty is just three years.

[@Hell-Hound1]

@@leeandjancruise Nice car indeed. From about £17-18k for a 3yo model. But, as you say only 3 year warranty, so buyer be ware. That's quite high depreciation too. I believe that EVs are getting better looking, always subjectable though. The Tavascan could fit your needs in about 3 years I reckon. What do you think?

[@leeandjancruise]

@@Hell-Hound1 I actually own a VZ2 310 bhp Formentor because it ticks most of the boxes for me, I paid £38k for it two years ago, it was six months old at the time, if I were to buy it now it would be £30k for my spec on Auto Trader. I think you have been looking at the 1500cc engine version that in my opinion doesn't deserve the Cupra badge. The biggest hit is the road tax at £600 but I knew that when I bought it, I like that it's a Golf 'R' in disguise, 0-60 in 4.8 seconds or less on a good day.

[@Hell-Hound1]

@@leeandjancruise Ah! my bad. That's a lot of car, and a lot of tax. I've got nowhere to use a car with that power, it's hard enough finding a 40mph zone around here. All 20-30mph and speed bumps lol. I could go up to the "Lakes" but, first sign of sun and out come the Kamikaze bikers spoiling it all by wrapping themselves around trees etc., and to cap it all off, the police have got un-marked WRX Scooby's with blue lights on, so they're not being out run. The fun is definitely being sucked out driving nowadays.

[@ArbFriJuly]

The UK/Europe is anti car, I think in the USA it will be different, they seem to be buying up a lot of the collectible cars.

[@adamsfamilydottwo]

I would like to think I am a classic car enthusiast, indeed I have just restored my first car , an HA Viva which I have own.ed for 55 years and won some road rallys in. There seems to be an obsession in classic cars about large engines and high power witch of coarse uses a bit more fuel and the governments have always loved this ,I wonder why is it because it raises more money in tax that they can then waste, surely not I also have a 1300 Chevette which I won the South East rally championship in, luck springs to mind, it revved to 8000rpm and did about 70mph in second gear, but did about 43mpg when driven normally, they didn't like that again I wonder why but I must have something wright in my engine preparation I know people who have got EVs and love them but others who have got rid of them and gone back to petrol and not pleased with the money they have lost.OK we all need good air quality but it could be helped a little by people thinking and perhaps being a little more sensible in what they drive and do ,but the government won't like that either.

[@steveambrose5580]

The type of vehicle won’t matter in the end, they want all vehicles gone , we will end up with an EV that costs £200 a day to run and then we will get properly shafted by a ( insert a government of choice)

[@LordFlashheart.11]

STOP CONVERTING CLASSICS TO EV....ITS COMPLYING WITH WHAT THEY WANT READY TO TAKE ALL AWAY

[@wonyankeesays5661]

Trump aint saving jack,,harleys and hotrods are on life support in USA,,as are all traditional recreations😢

[@stevesas632]

Oh come on, had to turn this nonsense off in the first few minutes. REAL car people do not subscribe to EV's, because simply they have a huge part of the car missing. Pretty simple. A shell with the heart taken from it, a switch to go & a switch to stop.

[@MitchellCantrell-h4q]

The real reason is that it was a fade, old people trying to relive their youth. Now that all good but the problem is that once you've seen 1 57 Chevy or 1 barracuda or 1 mustang, you have seen them all. It get very boring after a while.

[@coolboy5428]

Wot? I prefer the classic styles of classic cars, they don't get old, the tech in modern cars gets old fast.

[@GoalSquad666]

Well, you seen them, but did you drive them? As an onlooker it might get boring, but not for the individual who owns and drives it. There is different type of classic car owners - the ones who want to preserve a classic, keep it clean an pristine, taking it from one car show to the other. Then there are people like me - I use my cars, I drive them, and I don't care if it has a bit of battle scars, it gives it character.

[@MarkB-33]

...when you have seen one milk float its the same mate 😂😂😂

[@martinarnott4058]

If I had to legally convert my classic to electric that would be it for me I wouldn't bother any more with driving a classic 😢 but hopefully synthetic fuel will cure that issue 😊.

[@martinarnott4058]

How about aircraft flying around using tons of fuel on each trip if they ban classic cars they will have to ban aircraft as well can't see how a large aircraft will become electric 😂

[@martinarnott4058]

EV battery manufacturing well dodgy lithium mines fucking hell.