Travel advice: can we hire a classic car to relive our honeymoon?

From the Telegraph (England): Travel advice: can we hire a classic car to relive our honeymoon?

Years ago, my wife and I honeymooned by touring the West Country in our old MG. Is it possible to hire a true “classic” car, to relive the experience?
L M Drinkwater

David Williams replies
It is indeed and there are numerous firms out there waiting to help, but there are important guidelines to bear in mind.

Older cars – such as that MG – look fantastic and can be rewarding to drive. But motorists used to the comfort, convenience and performance of a modern hatchback may be in for a surprise. You will find old-fashioned gearboxes slow, the brakes even slower and the suspension less forgiving. You’re unlikely to find power steering and don’t expect air-conditioning or anti-lock braking, so you might not want to plan too ambitious a journey.

Rental prices range from around £165 a day (most firms allow you a 24-hour “block”; you choose your starting time) for fun classics such as an MGC Roadster, a convertible Alfa Romeo Spider or a Morris Minor, up to around £550 for something more imposing such as a Jaguar E-type or Aston Martin DB6. Most firms have more favourable day rates if you wish to hire for a week or so at a time.

A glance at the Classic-Car Hirers Guild map (hchg.co.uk) shows that there is a good geographic spread of firms specialising in classic car hire, and there are many other organisations out there, too (enter “classic car hire” into your search engine), although without the Guild’s stamp of approval. One of the best-known rental firms is Classic Escapes, near Bodmin in Cornwall (cornwallclassiccarhire.co.uk). It is currently changing hands but outgoing owner Rob Constant – who established the HCHG – has this advice after 10 years in the business:

“Driving a classic car is a great experience, but if you are planning a tour around Britain, hire from firms in different regions. Motorway miles in an old car aren’t fun and most firms will meet you from the local station if you book. Your car will then be close to base in case there is a problem.”

Some firms also organise tours or hotels for you. Vintage Classics (vintage-classics.co.uk) in Melksham, Wiltshire offers a tour of National Trust properties in Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds, for example. You can rumble between each at the wheel of a 1965 Austin Healey (£250 a day, £625 for three days, £175 for each additional day thereafter), a Jaguar E-type (same prices as the Healey) or an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV from £165 a day.

But before getting carried away with your vision of classic motoring, check the terms and conditions of your chosen firm. As with modern hire cars, insurance is included in the price but you must still pay a deposit (typically £500) against damage. You could forfeit this unless you can prove that any damage was caused by someone else and can identify them, in which case repairs will be covered by insurance. Many rental firms will take a photograph of you with the car, too, as an additional safeguard.

Before signing for the car, check it carefully for damage and ensure that any scrapes or dents are logged by the owner. You usually receive the car with a full tank of fuel and should return it in the same condition, as fuel is not included in hire packages. Ask if there is a mileage limit; some firms allow no more than 100 a day, others allow a more reasonable 300 but most have penalties for exceeding this.

“Hiring is straightforward and not unlike any other car rental,” says the owner of Vintage Classics and HCHG member, Phil Rowe. “Take to the back roads, put on some music, then sit back and enjoy the journey. That’s what it’s all about.”