Even among carlovers, there are many levels of appreciation, and no one can say which is the best. Collectors usually want a car that looks, smells, and drives just the same as the day it was minted. For another group, their memories of cars weren't when they were new. Some had replaced engines, worn or aftermarket paint, malformed or second-hand body panels.

This has been true of Cuban carlovers for reasons of necessity, however European and Asian imports may be replacing this piece of the world car culture.

In this latter group, into which I would include my father, cars sentimentally carried them through each period of their lives, and the unoriginality added a bit of character that peppered these experiences and permanently fused the cars into their memories.

For me the best way to appreciate a vehicle is to see it on the road, in any safe condition, not under glass for only one fortunate soul to survey. Neptune, I rate myself a high 6, which is as far one can go with neither a classic car to possess nor the mechanical aptitude required to care for it.

*I edited "purvey," which means to sell, so that it correctly reads "survey." Oops!