Honestly, I see both sides of this. I’ve handled a few claims where someone went just a bit over their agreed mileage, and it turned into a headache fast—lots of back-and-forth, digging through service records, even checking cell phone GPS logs. Not exactly the fun part of owning a classic. On the flip side, those mileage caps do keep premiums lower for folks who only take their cars out for special occasions, which is great if that’s your style.
A buddy of mine tried to stick to a 1,500-mile cap and ended up skipping a couple of events he really wanted to attend. He said it started to feel like he was rationing his enjoyment, which kinda defeats the purpose of having a car you love. Personally, I’d rather pay a bit more and not have to stress every time I want to take the long way home. But yeah, if you’re super disciplined and don’t mind tracking every mile, maybe it works. For me, the peace of mind is worth the extra cost.
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen folks get tripped up by those mileage caps, too—sometimes by just a couple hundred miles. Suddenly, you’re digging through oil change receipts and trying to remember if that road trip was last year or this year. It’s not fun, and honestly, it can feel like you’re being punished for enjoying your own car.
That said, I do think there’s a bit of a trade-off here. Like you mentioned,
—and I’ve met plenty of owners who genuinely only want to drive their classics to the occasional show or Sunday cruise. For them, the cap is almost a non-issue.“those mileage caps do keep premiums lower for folks who only take their cars out for special occasions”
But personally? I’d rather pay a little extra and not have to stress about every mile. I had a client once who missed out on a family reunion because he was worried about going over his limit. That just seems backwards to me. If you’re investing in something you love, why put yourself in a position where you have to ration the fun?
Honestly, I get the frustration with mileage caps, but I’ve actually come to appreciate them in a weird way. I’ve got a ‘94 SL600 that’s basically my weekend therapy, and knowing there’s a cap almost forces me to keep it special—otherwise I’d probably just rack up miles running errands and kill the vibe. I guess if you want to daily your classic, it’s a pain, but for me it keeps things feeling rare. Maybe it’s just how my brain works... anyone else sorta like having that limit?
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve always wondered—doesn’t the cap make it tough if you want to take a longer road trip or hit up a few shows in one season? I commute a lot, so the idea of having to watch the odometer would stress me out. Do you ever find yourself skipping drives just to stay under the limit, or does it not really come up?
I commute a lot, so the idea of having to watch the odometer would stress me out.
- Totally get that. The idea of a mileage cap is kind of a dealbreaker for me too, honestly.
- I keep thinking about those spontaneous weekend drives or just wanting to take the car out because the weather’s perfect... Would hate to have to second-guess it every time.
- The “skipping drives” thing is exactly what worries me. I’d probably end up babying the car way more than I want, just to avoid going over.
- On the other hand, I’ve heard from a couple folks that if you’re mostly doing shows and occasional cruises, it’s not as limiting as it sounds. But if you’re commuting? Yeah, that’d be rough.
- I’m still on the fence. The savings are tempting, but not sure it’s worth the trade-off for me. Guess it depends how much you actually want to drive vs. just show off the car.
You’re not alone in feeling weird about it. I’m skeptical too, but maybe it works for people who treat their classic like a garage queen.
