Supercar Or Donkey?

The following article was originally published in Reside Magazine in November 2010. The author is Bernard D'Monte, a lawyer and car fanatic at Bircham Dyson Bell specialising in car claims.

"How often have you been on the motorway and noticed a tow truck with a TVR or a Lotus being piggybacked by the AA or the RAC? The fact is that supercars are highly strung and can be temperamental. That is the reality of ownership.

I have always been interested in fast cars and have been fortunate to own a few (before my children were born). My interest was piqued at a very early age when I used to watch and help my older brothers strip down and rebuild engines. I also saw films such as the original (1960's) Italian Job, which I watched as a boy and was horrified to see several supercars destroyed.

Fortunately, since the 60's more car makers have produced iconic cars and over the years many of those have made it into the marketplace with the result that used super/luxury cars, are no longer the preserve of only the super rich. Therefore, supercars such as Lotus, TVR, Maserati and even Ferrari are now more affordable.

While some fortunate buyers will be able to buy the best new products from McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, the majority of us will spend a lot of our savings to acquire our dream car. This need not mean compromises are made.

We are often blinkered by highly polished bodywork and a salesperson who usually knows very little about the car he is trying to sell. Even buying a conventional vehicle is a potential minefield and a customer should be aware of all of the safeguards available to prevent mistakes being made and buying a donkey.

This may sound like commonsense, but the purchaser of any car should consider practical things like what the car will be used for. This applies equally to supercars. For example, a customer might buy a used Lotus or TVR to use at the weekend or on 'track' days at Brands Hatch. A word of caution; if you are involved in a crash on a track day, your normal car insurance will probably not be valid. This could be mean liability for damage to your own vehicle and the unfortunate other, and potentially the circuit!

Did you know that cars over 20-25 years old can be...