Why I sold my Polo and am taking a break from old car ownership

My VW Polo Breadvan was sold at East Anglian Motor Auctions on 9th September. As I mentioned on my social media I have donated 10% of the money raised to a local charity supporting those struggling to afford food in these economically challenging times.

I have always liked the clean design of the MK2 Polo. When I first saw my Tornado Red 'Breadvan' in person it looked sharp and I was impressed by the paint job. But it wasn’t until I actually sat in it I fully appreciated the true extent of its design and nostalgic charm. Settling into the driver’s seat was like sinking into a familiar armchair.

For someone like myself, being in the Polo elicits the warm glow of a much simpler time: It’s a car that regularly turned up on driveways across the UK, returning from the local 'Somerfield' supermarket with a boot full of produce to make a hearty Sunday lunch. It’s a rose tinted vision for sure, but one that is well worth indulging in this rapidly changing world.

I bought the Polo because I fancied something different that could provide a real classic car ownership experience, but also still be useful transport. It delivered and I had several summers taking it to classic car shows and runs as well as using it for the occasional errand and visiting family.

The car was in very good condition when I bought it for its age, due in no small part to the fact that it had significant work done to it beforehand. The quality of the work had been good overall, but in places a few corners had been cut and things had been missed. Nothing major, and much of it I remedied. But I have been finding increasingly less time to improve it.

I had hoped to keep hold of the car for a long time as it definitely had a lot of potential. However now I find myself selling it on after 3 years of ownership. There is a balance to be struck between the investment of time and money in a hobby and the value you get out of it. Part of the pleasure of old cars for me is maintaining them myself and while I’ll miss the car being on the driveway, the reality is I had been spending less time tinkering with it or even driving it.

It’s been great owning a modest but widely appreciated classic car in good condition that has taken me to many shows. It got a lot of attention and started plenty of conversations. But after much consideration it made logical sense to me to sell the car. And perhaps a break might be no bad thing.

I believe it’s important to have a healthy distraction from the world and that there’s always room in life for some sort of a personal hobby or passion. So old cars will still be in my life in some capacity in future. But also not owning a retro car for a while should give me some perspective on my relationship with them.

After nearly 10 years of taking risks buying classics and working through their inevitable issues so I can enjoy them I’ve learnt a lot, but that’s definitely long enough that taking a step back from it could be useful. A break from the financial implications of running a classic car wouldn’t hurt either. I don’t care what anyone says - this is a hobby you pay for the privilege to enjoy, not one you make any money from.

Overall I think the key to enjoying old cars and getting the most out of classic car ownership is simply to use them as often as you can and look after them to the best of your ability. That’s all there is to it really. But the satisfaction it can bring and all the fun and interesting moments in between are well worth the effort. And when you hand over the keys, it’s important to remember you’ve done your bit to preserve something of value and now it’s someone else’s turn.

Thanks for reading. Watch this space as one day there will be more adventures and tinkering to come.