High import duties, recent economic slump mean upkeep's a tough task
High import duties, recent economic slump mean upkeep's a tough task
There were a few tense moments at Sunday's vintage car rally in the city when one of the cars, an MG TC, caught fire.
Though the fire was quickly controlled, it threw up the question whether the maintenance of vintage cars has become such a costly affairu00a0- what with the costly spares that have to be sourced from all over the world and the duties to be paid on top of it allu00a0- that it has actually become unsafe to be in one.
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Setting the road on fire: The car catches fire at the Palace Ground during the vintage car rally. Pic/Vinod Kumar T |
Slowdown brakes
It seems the economic slowdown of the recent past has taken a toll too. Also, hotels and others are no longer willing to sponsor vintage car rallies.
The recession raised its head to limit the number of vintage car rallies in the city to only two this year. Given the scenario, yesterday's turnout should be said to be good.
Sulaiman Jamal, industrialist and president, Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club, says, "Since many of the members are professionally occupied, they were not able to attend, and recession also played a role in the low number of rallies this year."
Another major reason was lack of sponsor enthusiasm. Such rallies depend heavily on somebody to host the event, and hotels usually fill this role. This time, many hotels were not in a position to because of the recent slump.
Big money game
Maintaining a vintage car involves serious money. Sulaiman says, "It all depends on the age and model of the car." To keep a car going, the car needs to be tuned, waxed, polished and maintained.
"One needs to spend about Rs 15, 000-Rs 20, 000 a year just to keep it alive," he says.
Another member, M Rajendra Prasad, an agriculturist with 18 vintage cars, says, "A figure really cannot be put to it, but on an average it's Rs 2,000 a month."
Still, not a bad show
A total of 93 cars and 48 bikes took part in the rally, which was flagged off at the ITC Royal Gardenia and culminated at the Palace Grounds. Sulaiman says, "This is a chance for owners to showcase their cars to the public." But the market for vintage cars has almost dried up and today it is merely a status symbol.
Gerard Santamaria, a businessman and owner of a Citroen 1947 model, faces problems when it comes to maintenance. He says, "Getting sparess is a problem and fabricating is just not the answer."
Rajendra, who has an Austin Healey 1956 model, says, "Body parts can be fabricated but it's not possible with carburettors. The problem gets worse with a 200 per cent import duty."
The vintage car rally, held in association with ITC Royal Gardenia, was advocating the cause of a cleaner Bangalore and greener Bangalore.
| Some collection! |
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Dr Ravi Prakash, secretary of the Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club, began collecting vintage cars as a hobby, which then turned into a passion and now is an obsession with a collection of 125 cars and some 50 bikes. He plans to set up a museum on a four acre plot with a built up area of 2, 50, 000 sq ft. He wants to make this museum a tourism attraction. |
