“Just drive the car”

I grew up next door to a mechanic…his daughter went to school with me. Cool guy. Every time I saw him, I’d ask how she was doing. He seemed to respect that, and in return, he’d let me in on what he was wrenching on in the garage.

That garage became a classroom. I learned which cars needed constant love, which ones just ran forever, and which ideas made him shake his head with that “you’ll learn” look. In the classic car world, those head shakes matter…they keep you grounded.

One time, I had this bright idea to buy a 1970 Monte Carlo, fix her up with him, then flip it. Looking back, that was short-sighted. Sure, it's 2025 and everyone’s hustling for a buck, but some things aren’t about money.

Classic cars? They're about memories. They make life feel worth living. The best advice I ever got was simple: Just drive the car.

Feel the engine. Stay on top of the tires and trim. And step into the community each car naturally brings with it. Don’t let it sit tucked away in the garage gathering dust. Muffy Bennett, a top classic car appraiser, put it perfectly:

“Letting your car sit too long is the worst thing you can do. Fluids break down, seals dry out, fuel systems gum up, batteries die, and tires get flat spots. Worse, rodents move in and issues go unnoticed until it’s too late.”

So if you’ve got one sitting still, take it out. Give it a life. Or hand the keys to someone who will.

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And check out Muffy and her husband at HusbandandWifeCarTeam.com — they know what’s up.