Everyone reading this site must have had the conversation at some point: what would be in your dream garage if you ever won the lottery. We guess, though, that few have ever thought about what keeping that garage would cost.
Fortunately, Harry Metcalfe is here to tell us how much keeping a garage full of classics really costs. And in a year like 2020, it’s actually almost reasonable.
Tallying up all the servicing he’s done in 2020, Metcalfe quotes us a total of £1,800 ($2,400) for all his cars, and another £1,000 ($1,350) for his bikes. Once you add the £7,700 ($10,350) in insurance, which allows him and three other people to drive any and all of his vehicles, he figures it cost him £10,500 ($14,000) to run his 35-vehicle garage the past year.
Watch: How To Keep Your Car In Good Running Condition During Storage Lockdown
Considering the fact that he has a Lamborghini Countach, a Lancia Fulvia Zagato, and a couple of Jags, among other less-than-reliable fare, that’s a surprisingly low price.
However, it must be noted that Metcalf’s number includes no major projects and servicing for only a handful of the cars. In 2019, for example, his Lamborghini Espada cost him £30,000 ($40,350) in engine restoration alone.
So, in Metcalfe’s case, his 35-vehicle garage is expensive, but perhaps not quite ruinously so. You’re living on a knife’s edge, though, any single repair could end up costing tens of thousands of pounds.