Celebrate Collector Car Appreciation Day On July 14: Show Off Your Wheels Or Start A New Hobby!
The car is part of the American Dream. A symbol of freedom and achievement, it has helped workers find jobs, salespeople impress clients, families see their country, and of course it let youngsters get romantic when that was impossible anywhere else! Maybe that’s why so many Americans cherish their cars…. and collect them.
Collector Car Appreciation Day has been official since 2010, thanks to U.S. Senate resolution S. Res 513. It sparks off hundreds of events nationwide and this year falls on July 14. You can meet fellow fans and professionals, whether you are a serious collector or have just been maintaining your beloved old Chevy and could use some expert tips. Or if you simply love the look of chrome and the smell of gasoline, attending an event could be the start of a new hobby. With vintage car values almost tripling over the past decade, car collecting is more popular and rewarding than ever, enjoyed by both the famous and the rest of us.
A Line Up of Classic Collectable Cars
5 top tips for aspiring car collectors
So that you can participate in Collector Car Appreciation Day — perhaps next year if you haven’t yet quite gotten up to speed with your restoration skills and your collection — here are some tips to get you on track.
1) Calculate all the costs
Even if you are already adept at car maintenance, this hobby can be expensive. The first thing to consider is the price of any old vehicle you wish to acquire. You might not be able to buy your dream car yet, even if you fancy your chances with one that doesn’t run. Equally importantly, the parts for it may be hard to find. We hate to say it, but, unless you are a millionaire, compromise may be necessary.
2) Calculate the time you will need
Unless you can afford to employ professionals for every task, this hobby will also take up a lot of time. And while it can be a great opportunity for bonding with the kids, all that time spent in the maintenance pit can sometimes put a strain on family life. In addition, if you only have weekends free, restoring an old car can take many years, so you should calculate the likely time required.
3) Get the right tools for the jobs
You probably already know that having good tools is a joy. And restoring an old car means you are dealing with something delicate and beautiful, so you don’t want to cut any corners. By buying brand new tools you are getting the latest designs, but sourcing old equipment can actually get you items of timeless quality — check out auto forums and see what the experts say.
4) Source your car parts sensibly
As collectable cars are often old and rare, not too many spare parts may be available in your local shop. Visiting a salvage yard means you can inspect items yourself, but online marketplaces where old parts are traded are more likely to come up trumps for you. Don’t dismiss aftermarket equipment instead of original parts, which may have suffered over the course of time.
5) It’s a learning experience
Any work you do on your collectable cars obviously strengthens your skill set. And if you have kids who want to come along, it’s a superb opportunity to teach them practical skills that might benefit them later in life. To help, if you can’t get a user’s manual, look online: there may be useful videos out there and a bunch of enthusiastic mechanics who have been there before you.
Father and Son Working Together on a Classic Car
Find a safe space for your collection — try self storage
Super-rich car enthusiasts have huge showroom-style buildings for their collections, but if your passion exceeds your budget, building more garages on your back lot may not be an option. The best solution of all can be self storage, which always costs much less to rent per square meter than any residential-zoned space. With the increasing popularity of the service there may well be a self storage facility just down the road, and many companies offer specialist storage for cars.
The commonly found standard 10’x20’ unit size is ideal for most vehicles, with a storage unit in Houston, Texas, costing just $171 per month, for example, though it could be more than twice that in New York City or Los Angeles. There are also climate-controlled units for elderly and delicate vehicles, so the chrome, tires and leather trimmings will be kept in pristine condition. For the 10’x20’ size, Chicago, Illinois, climate-controlled units cost $267, for instance, while similar climate-controlled storage units in Phoenix, Arizona, rent for an average of $241.
Your car will also be safe at a storage facility, well secured with surveillance cameras, electronic locks, perimeter fences and so on. If it is not (yet) road-worthy it may need to be put in the unit on a trailer, while larger vehicles like RVs may need a larger unit or can be kept outside under a roof. You will also want to have full insurance on your vehicle — the storage provider may offer this, but there are also third-party insurers with specialist policies for your valuable vehicle.
Classic Collectable Cars in Storage
USA’s top car collectors include some funny guys
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei has famously had the world’s foremost car collection, exceeding 7,000 vehicles and including rarities such as the Lamborghini Urraco and the BMW Nazca M12, plus hundreds of Ferraris and Rolls-Royces. In the US, some top collectors are not only very well-known names but also demonstrate good taste — and a few quirks! Here is a famous five of America’s top car collectors:
- Ralph Lauren is reckoned to have the US’s most valuable collection of cars. And, as might be expected from a fashion designer, good looks and Italian style are very much in evidence. Two of the vehicles he owns are among the most expensive ever, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and a McLaren F1 LM, both perhaps now worth $50 million or more.
- Bill Gates is extra famous among gearheads for helping change US laws so vehicles of technological or historical significance could be imported. He wanted a Porsche 959, the world’s fastest and most advanced production car in 1986. The car actually got impounded for 13 years but was eventually added to Gates’ small but select collection.
- Comedian and chat show host Jay Leno enjoys showing other fans his collection of 180-plus cars, and also using some as regular transportation. The “Jay Leno’s Garage” TV show ran for seven seasons. His favorite company is cutting-edge manufacturer McLaren, but his priciest vehicle is a 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe, valued at over $20 million.
- Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham may have the most unusual collection in his 92-car garage. In addition to an odd affection for AMC Pacers, he owns several models by legendary designer George Barris, including the one-off 1965 Calico Surfer and a replica of the original 1966 Batmobile — plus the actual car from the 1992 sequel film.
- Sitcom king Jerry Seinfeld — how come comedians seem to have the best taste in cars?? — owns so many Porsches that he may be the world’s ultimate collector of the top German brand. A highlight is a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder just like the model James Dean owned. Seinfeld was also another of the very few who ordered that Porsche 959.
2014 Porsche 918 Spyder
This July 14 you are invited to attend one of the events, perhaps driving your own pride and joy there. Anyone not able to come can meet fellow enthusiasts online and maybe take part in a web-based celebration. If you are still puzzling over how to keep your growing collection, consider self storage after doing the necessary prepping. Keeping your wheels away from home could also be handy if you don’t want your partner to know about your new passion for cars… unless of course they were that first ever person you kissed!
Under-Bed Storage Ideas: From Options to Precautions
The space under your bed is some of the most valuable (and most overlooked) square footage in your home. For anyone needing more storage in a small apartment, tiny home, a student dorm or just a space shared with roommates, that low, hidden zone can absorb off-season clothes, spare bedding and luggage without cluttering a single visible surface. But under-bed storage rewards a little strategy. Used well, it clears your floors and frees your closets. Used carelessly, it can trap moisture against your mattress and, in time, damage the very things you were trying to protect. Here are some under-bed storage ideas to help you get the upside without the downside.
RV Storage Ideas: Smart Solutions for Every Space
The best RV storage ideas work by finding space you already have but aren’t using — under beds, inside cabinet doors, on walls, above entry steps and in the overhead bunk. Most RV owners run out of obvious places quickly, but the real storage capacity in a typical trailer or motorhome comes from vertical surfaces, divided compartments and rethinking what each space was designed for.
Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas for Less Chaos
The best way to organize kitchen cabinets is to store items where you actually use them: mugs near the coffee maker, plates close to the dishwasher, spices next to the stove. Small placement decisions like these turn crowded cabinets into functional ones, and they cost nothing to implement.
Where to Donate Clothes in NYC: From Pickup to Mutual Aid
Every year, 200,000 tons of clothing end up in NYC landfills — but yours doesn’t have to. Your unwanted clothes have a real second life waiting. Whether it’s a low-income family needing affordable basics, a woman reentering the workforce looking for interview wear, or an undocumented resident accessing free community support, the donation method you choose matters. Plus, there are plenty of convenient ways to go about it. Local mutual aid groups, free pickup services, mail-in programs, workforce nonprofits, and textile recycling — each one routes your clothes to neighbors and causes that need them most. Here’s where to donate clothes in NYC, according to your plans.
The Best U.S. Metros To Own A Boat
Boating is one of America’s favorite pastimes. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, nearly 100 million Americans go boating each year, and recreational boating contributes over $230 billion annually to the U.S. economy. It’s a lifestyle deeply shaped by geography, climate, and local culture.
Packing Tips for Moving in a Hurry: 5 Ways to Speed Things Up
Sometimes a move sneaks up on you and you wind up having to move in a hurry. A job starts sooner than expected, a lease ends abruptly, a sale closes fast, or life simply throws a curveball and suddenly you’re staring at a full house with only days or weeks to empty it. That short timeline can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to mean chaos. With a focused plan and a few smart shortcuts, you can pack up quickly, protect your belongings, and land in your new home without losing your mind.
How to Store Tools Properly: Keep Equipment Rust-Free and Tidy
Good tool storage saves you time, money and the very specific rage of finding a rusted drill you paid good money for. Cleaning, drying and organizing your tools properly keeps them rust-free and findable — and it takes less effort than most people assume. True, nobody wakes up thrilled to organize their tools; it ranks somewhere between cleaning the gutters and reading the terms of service. But here’s how to do it right without the hassle.
Drive-Up Storage Units: Pros, Cons and When They’re Worth It
A drive-up storage unit is a ground-level space with an exterior roll-up door, a lot like a detached garage. Units are usually arranged in rows with wide, paved aisles between them, so you can pull a car, van, or moving truck directly up to your door during access hours. The key feature is the access, and it comes in a few forms:
2026’s Best Cities for Roommates: Irvine, CA, and Atlanta, GA, Lead in Shared Living Gains
Americans sharing a two-bedroom apartment instead of renting a one-bedroom alone can save, on average, about $6,700 per year. In some of the country’s most expensive cities, including Irvine, California, or Jersey City, New Jersey, the savings gap widens to around $13,000. For a growing share of renters, living with roommates is less of a lifestyle arrangement and more a conscious financial strategy.