To celebrate his magazine’s 30th anniversary, SCM Founder and Publisher Keith Martin, a veteran of countless driving tours in vintage cars, planned a tour of his own — and invited magazine subscribers to join him. Keith’s impressive guest list included Miles Collier, SCM columnist and founder of the Revs Institute; […]
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Keith’s Blog: The Post-Purchase Inspection
Here is the note I just sent to Barbara Grayson at Consolidated Autoworks. That’s the shop that has ministered to our 1971 Jag V12 2+2 since it arrived in April. Dear Barb: I have now put 1,700 wonderful miles on the Jag since it arrived 8 months ago. Bradley and […]
America’s Bargain
Rip Van Winkle wasn’t a car guy, but if he had been, his longform napping would’ve put him in good stead as a collector. By most reckoning, new cars depreciate for the first decade or two of life, then after they’ve bottomed out for a while, they start to climb […]
Keith’s Blog: Sell What to Buy an Audi R8?
Our modern supercar expert, Philip Richter, has been waxing enthusiastic about his 2008 Audi R8. With a gated six-speed gearbox and 4.2L V8, he traded his AMG SL 55 for it. I accept his enthusiasm and endorsement of the car. He just pointed me at a 20,000-mile V8 with an […]
Risky Business
Some shy away from doors that open to unknown places. I have always been drawn to them. I don’t recall what caused my instant and all-consuming obsession to own a 928, this most-unloved of exotic Porsches. But once I got onto the roller coaster and the safety bar clicked down, […]
Keith’s Blog: Alex and Her Epic Motorcycle Ride
One afternoon in the early 1990s, we were on a Sunday drive to Mt. Hood in our Mercedes W123 240D automatic. Alex was just a couple of months old. We stopped at Merit Realty in a small strip-mall in Welches, and I asked the agent, “What do you folks sell […]
Keith’s Blog: Do You Ever Regret Selling a Car?
I saw this question posted on the FB site of Avants – Drive Everything. Avants is a free-wheeling membership group that exults in the fun of being behind the wheel of anything! It’s the brainchild of Adam Cramer. If you have any gearhead in your DNA it is worth exploring. […]
Toyota Corolla, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Datsun 240Z
1986 Toyota Corolla SR5 #37232. S/N JT2AE86C8G0227932. 229k miles. “1.6-liter inline 4, 5-speed manual transmission, red over gray cloth, Nardi steering wheel, aftermarket stereo, Konig wheels, Weber carburetor, window sticker.” Condition: 2-. SOLD AT $10,695. Bring a Trailer, 10/2/2020. Brian’s take: The Toyota Corolla SR5, one of the icons in […]
A Busy, If Not Boisterous, Market
Enthusiasts are buying and selling cars. Although the market is not boisterous, it is busy. The current COVID-19 situation has not eliminated or diminished our love of cranky old cars. Rather, it has caused us to find appropriate, safe ways to enjoy our cars and each other, all while modifying […]
1986 BMW M5
Sold at $102,359 (€90,200)RM Sotheby’s Online-Only — The European SaleFeaturing the Petitjean CollectionJune 3–11, 2020, Lot 358 Chassis number: WBSDC910401018399SCM Condition for this car: 2- I was shopping for a new car in 1988 and never considered the M5 until I started poking around my local dealer’s inventory of 535is […]