Our classics are green than a Prius....?!

[Coxy]

OK, well they are if you look at this this way.

Most people with new cars will renew them on average, every 3 1/2 years.

Now take an average Classic Car which on average we can say is 35 years old (to make it easier for my maths!!)

So, our ownership of said vehicle means only one vehicle is required to have been built over the 35 year period, whilst Mr Green Hippy Tree Hugger who has just bought his new Prius, would have meant that over that same period, over 10 new vehicles would have had to have been manufactured.
OK, so our gas gussling classic may not be quite below the correct CO level and is not as green as the Prius at the pumps and on the road, but we have only had to have one car built over the past 35 years, yet Mr Green would have not only had to have had 10 years built over the same period of time, he would have also had to have helped in the process of getting rid of 10 cars in that time period as well. The build process of one vehicle will give as much emissions as driving our bug on the road for a few months.
Had Mr Green stuck religiously to driving his 2CV for 35 years rather than swapping and changing and trying look like he's doing something for the environment rather than increasing the pollutants level into the atmosphere via the increased emissions via the manufacturing and recycling process, then we'd be in a far better place!! and cars would be a helluva lot cooler!!

so the next time some righteous plank tells you your classic is doing nothing to help the environment, tell 'em to feck off!

[kite]

Hear Hear
How green a car is should be based on "dust to "dust".
Imagine scrapping a prius and how much energy is involved.
Keeping an "old" car running has to be better for all

[amanda]

Ohhhh I so agree and if a car is serviced and run regually it's emissions are good too