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[Deleted]

Whilst enjoying a read through the latest issue of Take Five and the report of the National, I was struck by the pictures of the award winners.

Now I don't mean to be unkind in any way whatsoever, but check the guys out and try to figure out their age!
Is it me or are there no 'youngsters' owning P5's ?
I am nearly 52 so I include myself in this.

Certainly very few 20 or 30 somethings in the P5 club I would imagine.

What can we do to encourage more younger owners?
Wide alloy wheels, 1000 watt bass sound systems, under-floor neon lights, drive around with all headlights and fog lights on?

Happy Rovering

Adrian

[shed]

Hi Adrian,

Unfortunately the Rover is looked upon as an old mans car. In general I'm sure the majority of classics are viewed as "old man cars" unless its "cool" and recognisable like an e-type / DB6 etc...

I'm now 28 and own a P5B saloon that I use everyday and a Jensen Interceptor as a toy. I've always been into classics from a very young age - my initial interest was passed on from my father who was and still is a car guy. The first car I cut my teeth on was a VW beetle that I had when I was 15 and spent 2yrs restoring ready for my 17th birthday. I wouldn't and couldn't have done it without the support of my parents... perhaps this sort of support needs to be encouraged?

Very few of my friends have ever had a clue what any of my cars are! Ignorance is bliss eh?

Cheers,

Steve

[Multi-Tech]

Adrian what are you saying I'm in that picture line up and I'm only 23 but i must say Ive grown my hair back since so i can hide the fact that I'm starting loose my hair

I see your point most people i talk to my age have no idea what a P5 is and when they do just look at me in that way as to say why haven't you got a 1.2 saxo with a big plastic body kit and 2 tons of filler......
ok so my BMW is having leather and DVD players fitted over xmas but i have to work on them kind of cars everyday and yeah sometimes you may get a nice car that someone has money to spend but i would prefer to work on classic cars.

Ive been a member of the club since i was 16 and have always enjoyed helping me dad restore his cars since i could walk but i think it is just the way most younger people are at the moment, maybe if they did a film with rovers in racing around then they may become the next must have. ;D

[Deleted]

Nice centrefold though eh?

[Deleted]

Yeh... nice pair of hooters!!!

Well chaps, nice to know there is some young blood in the club - thank God for that.

BTW, my first car was VW Beetle, 12v 1500 model, 1967.
Great first car but I would not want one today - too cold in the winter!!

We never cease to get asked about our P5b where ever we go, particularly in petrol stations !!

Cheers

Adrian

[Andy - SE London]

I sometimes feel a lot older than 33 after spending a day polishing the car!!!!!!!
I have owned my P5b for 4 years now, I fell in love with them after seeing one being bangered when I was 17, I just liked the shape and sound of them, It took me from 17 to 29 before I decided to take the plunge and buy one!

[Deleted]

Dear Adrian , In reply to your question how do we encourage more younger owners ? Easy.Hookers and booze! Always worked for me. Scarlettwill

[johnwp5bcoupe]

My other car is a CRX Del Sol 175bhp went to a few outings and was welcomed by the younger guys so I feel the same about younger guys with P5's "WELCOME" we don't all wear cloth caps! I still have my Racing Lid it wont look right in my Coupe though ;D not to sure about

"Wide alloy wheels, 1000 watt bass sound systems, under-floor neon lights, drive around with all headlights and fog lights on?"

[gp3trainee]

The age profile of the owners at the National might also have something to do with the fact that:
(a) older owners may have more time to attend shows
(b) perhaps older owners have more opportunities, funds and confidence to restore their vehicles well and then display them to all

Even though I'm not young, when I owned a loved but quite tatty P5B, I wouldn't have dreamed that it was a suitable car for bringing to the National

On a quick trawl through the profiles of posters to this board a few weeks ago (where age was shown), I was impressed with how many people in their twenties and early thirties there were.

[Colin McA]

I am 25 year old v8 coupe owner.

I have always had an interest in old cars but didn't start playing with cars for real until I was 20 and had a bit of , she was an unloved 2200tc p6 bought for £100.

Always loved the five but finally took the plunge this year.

The Rover is defiantly got an old mans image but beyond that they are great quality cars.

I think the reason for the lack of youngsters is that the cost to buy an old car and a modern car is quite high. The classic insurance cowboys are also not helpful. It can cost a Young guy £1000 to insure his everyday car. few give a classic policy to under 25's which really pissed me off paying £700 for a second car. Now my policy cost about £200.

If the club hires max-power babes to drench the cars at shows I think interest will increase.

How many female members are there? I would like to encourage more young females to join the club
Colin

[lagain]

When I bought my car in 1975 I remember the father of the Farmer that I worked for saying, 'what does a young lad like you want with an old man's car like that' ( I was 22 ), he drove an Audi coupe, I haven't seen any for years , so obviously the quality of the staid old Rover has lasted much longer. Unlike many classic cars the P5 is perfectly capable of keeping up with modern traffic, even if they are a bit slower around the round-a-bouts !

[andymaslen]

I'm a month shy of 45. I think there's a lot of good points here, from cost to restore to show-worthy condition, to time to attend the National.

I think it's true that the sort of classics we talk about on this board ie 1970s and earlier probably do appeal mainly to "older" guys - after all these were the cars we either grew up envying or actually driving.

Younger guys are more likely to be into Mark I Golf GTIs, Audi Qattros and the like (assuming they're not driving pimped up Saxos - lots of those here in Salisbury. Hard to say which is louder: the paintwork, the body kit or the fat exhaust tailpipe!

Two thoughts on geeting younger people interested in P5s. One, get Kate Moss photographed in one (it worked for Burberry). Two, get them popular with gurrls ('cos I treckon that's what young guys think about more than cars (and even us older types!?)) ;D. Mind you, the latter would be a bit hard.

Andy

[Deleted]

Andy, girlys dont get it mate! Yesterday I was sitting in my coupe 'a gently revvin My V8' and my neighbours girl of 15 walked by with her friend, the friend remarked loudly in true cathrene tate schoolgirl voice, " Is that s'posed to be a car or sumfin?" chicks ... they dont get it, just like monkeys with typewriters - enough of them start banging away sooner or later one of them is gonna write something ! with your woman , enough of them in cars sooner or later one of them is gonna learn to drive!! scarlettwill

[eightofthem (Andy)]

Time to put my pennysworth in, i looked at buying my first p5b coupe in 1988 a burt grey one owner with 60,000 miles on it bit of rot here and there but i was in love so arranged a loan no problem, but could not get insurance on it,they thought that a v8 was a bit to big for a 17 year old. I was gutted but still in love and years later (2006) my time and car came i am now 35, the morral of the story and the question is this if you like it then you will buy it, nothing to do with age or status but desire these cars were made with a certain market in mind hense the build quality, but with time and age they have found there way into all areas of our lives and with a bit of luck they will continue to do so. Anyway they say youth is wasted on the young happy motoring no matter how old you are

[Deleted]

Don't know about that;last year I was sat at traffic lights and Sophie(my wee girl-see Dec issue) was In the front with me when I spotted a beautiful girl walking across the pedestrian crossing.My eyes were popping out my head when the girl started to walk towards me! I thought she was going to tell me off for staring at her but she came right up to my window and leaned in and said," Nice car mate",and walked away leaving me with a red face in front of Sophie!!

[fortnum1977]

I'm 28 and i bought a P5B coupe this year and I love it... I think the styling is somehow very contemporary and it turns heads of all ages.

Just one of those timeless designs I reckon that will stand the test of time.

Althouh I did have an acquantance in my car the other day and she asked me if it belonged to my grandad!

no idea, no idea at all...