[TR] Cardiff University group studying LBC ownership motivations for buying/owning LBCs - your input welcomed

[Alain]

I was contacted by a group of Cardiff University business school students
working on a project on the LBC market for TRs, MGs, Healeys and Morgans.

They are interested in learning more about the motivations for buying and
owning an LBC.

Below are their brainstorming efforts.  They are working on a project to
help the hobby and I offered to poll our Triumph Team Net on their behalf.

Any help you can offer will be much appreciated I am sure by their group and
I will forward and relay results to the group or anyone interested.

Alain

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*Motivations for why you bought your LBC*:
1) *recapture youth* - pertains mostly to customers who came of driving age
from 1945 to 1982 when cars were made.  So a driver in 1982 at age 18 was
born in 1964 - is now age 45 years old, so the recapture youth segment (it
was first or second car in their driving life) may apply to the 45 years old
and up market.

2) *family memories* - father, mother or family member drove the cars in the
1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s and I would like one of those cool cars - ages 25 to
45 years old.  People born beyond 1965 may fall into this segment.

3) *like to work on simple classic British cars* - Healeys, MGs, Triumphs,
Morgans and early Jaguars are all basic cars, easy to work on and attract
groups from 30 to 90 years olds who like to work on their cars.

4) *avoid British car taxes* - MOT - this is a motivation in the UK, but is
not a motivation in the US as car insurance is about the same for classic or
non-classic cars -- if used everyday.  Classic car insurance is cheaper than
regular car insurance in both countries, but in the US, you can only drive
2,500 to 3,000 miles a year with classic insurance, not a practical solution
with the large commuting distances often traveled.

5) *fun relatively affordable weekend, sunny day, summer car* - classic Brit
cars appeal to men and women who have enough disposable income to afford a
second car for sunny, summer driving.  LBCs are luxury toy that doesn't cost
as much as a Lotus, Ferrari, Lambo, Maserati or higher-end second-hand
sports cars.

6) *inherited cars* - cars are increasingly being acquired and passed on to
sons, daughters, nieces and nephews as family heirlooms.  Fathers, mother,
aunts and uncles may try to interest their kids, etc., in enjoying, keeping
and enjoying the British classic car experience.

7) *British classic car experience* - friendships from classic car clubs
(the non-car experience), the social networking side of the classic British
motoring experience.  The picnics, dinner, luncheons, pub meetups, driving
tours, trips to chateaux, lakes, wineries, etc.  This is a key motivation
for the owner and co-owners who often happen to girlfriends, wives/spouses.

-- 
67 TR4A
71 TR6