Sad reduction of my escort use

[herb capri]

It is with great Sadness I have to say that envious eyes, extreme values and lack of secure parking is influencing my escort use, in something I don't like but I put it down too old fart paranoia! I just keep thinking I'm being followed or that someone is going to damage it, I almost wish the value of the car was declining then it would then be easier to use, less of a risk and probably more enjoyable. value has a double-edge  to it .

increase the value and maybe use it less, I am considering doing a deliberately rough capri to increase my use of it, and therefore reduce the risk of theft or damage .

I think I am over thinking it . Does it effect others this way?

[Vista]

For me it's more of a case of life taking priority. Though admittedly when I do take the car out it's purely for the drive and I no longer use it just for the purpose of going somewhere. Principally because I no longer feel I can leave it unattended. 

[Mexican Gerbil]

I sort for secure hidden parking for the charity run I just went on. No way leaving it in a pub car park over night. However it was left for lunch stops.

I'm lucky to have secure parking at work too so sometimes it's taken there. 

Hopefully the bubble will pop and people will realise paying £30000 for a rusty old Ford is stupid. 

[Rally Pack 2000]

Unfortunately its not old age paranoia unique to you its the reality of owning classic cars now. It doesn't help that old Fords have very easily accessed and worn locks. My Mk2 was my every day driver for decades. It was never parked under cover and was on the street for 25 years. Now I pretty much don't drive it anywhere that its out of eyesight and its chained up under cover. You certainly cant take it to the shops any more (mind you my new insurance prohibits that) It is sad, I would like to take it almost everywhere like I used too. I used to leave it in the middle of the bush or beach and go for overnight hikes when I was younger. That seems like a bit of a dream now. My last attempt just to get a pizza and it was out of my sight for 5 minutes I found someone had stuck a screwdriver in the lock. Car clubs and shows are popular because they become creches for cars and the only time you can walk off and leave them where others in similar positions watch them for you. My weekly drive to the reservoir with the dog is purely based on my ability to walk a fair distance and still being able to see the car. My Twincam has a great immobiliser that came with it when I bought it. It has this heavy right angled bolt that is inserted into a socket below the back seat that cuts the power off from the battery in the boot. I always suspected it was some kind of rally cut off. I have never see anything as good for the MK2 in all these years only dodgy electronic switches easily bypassed and noticeable. I have seen others on the forum sadly sell their cars from lack of use. They arent static pieces of furniture so many start to feel its no longer worth keeping if they sit idle for so long. I wish their was an answer, the constant theft of our cars just makes me less respectful and suspicious of people at large.

[Matta777]

Such a shame, I’m only 20, I bought my 2 door mk2 October last year. After getting it on the road around March time this year I’d been using it daily until beginning of May when I was followed for a good 20 minutes on the way back from work one morning, between midnight/1am. They followed me around my village/town until luckily came across a police car. The car that was following instantly disappeared and I got escorted home by the police. Since, it’s been in the garage every night and I’m a bit worried to use it now. But, what can you do? 

[meXEco]

Thinking the same to be honest-if and when my mk1's ever built and finished I don't think i'd like to take it anywhere-I have no secure parking at all where I live and as RP said you can get into them with a lolly pop stick. My bonnet can be opened from outside and with 8k's worth of Twincam in there it wouldn't surprise me if the engine went walkies one day if not the whole car. Its a shame as I used to use it as my daily for a few years and really enjoyed the attention it got-I don't think i'd like the attention it gets nowadays unfortunately. Would be looking for a classic without the bad attention or value to replace her. Don't want to get rid of it as its the car me and my father were looking forward to doing before he passed 18 months ago-it was his car and it means a lot to me but i'd rather sell it than it get nicked sadly...

[Rally Pack 2000]

2 hours ago, Matta777 said:

Such a shame, I’m only 20, I bought my 2 door mk2 October last year. After getting it on the road around March time this year I’d been using it daily until beginning of May when I was followed for a good 20 minutes on the way back from work one morning, between midnight/1am. They followed me around my village/town until luckily came across a police car. The car that was following instantly disappeared and I got escorted home by the police. Since, it’s been in the garage every night and I’m a bit worried to use it now. But, what can you do? 

Notice that was your first post. Welcome to the forum. Please introduce yourself and tell us more about your car in the introduction section. You do have to be vigilant those last couple of miles to your driveway. You did well to spot them.

One time I was followed home I ended up confronting the guy before I got to my house to find out he wanted my wheels for his Twincam. Had to get a new air-conditioner installed and no tradesman wanted the job although trying many for years. He did the job in exchange for getting parts for his Twincam that he couldn't find. Its a tough world when you have to blackmail tradies with rare parts.

[katana]

Unfortunately I feel the same way regarding ownership! The garage has already been broken into and the original Pinto got nicked - increased physical security has kept any further attempts at bay but knowing the actual car security means that there is no way I could leave it anywhere and expect to find it still there when I got back to it. Pisses me right off - what was a 50th Birthday prezzie to myself is potentially a liability! So when I get the wiring finished and all squared away, I'll drive it once - get it mapped and it gets sold - someone else can have the stress, I have too many toys anyway and the storage cost is just a financial drain!