‘Repellent to car thieves,’ says owner of extremely rare Aston Martin – an old-fashioned feature makes car hard to steal
VINTAGE vehicles are popular among car enthusiasts for their unique features, but they also have an anti-theft advantage.
The U.S. Sun spoke exclusively to Bradford Rand, owner of Rand Luxury Vehicles, who revealed why owning older vehicles can detract from theft.
Rand is the president and CEO of Rand Luxury, a company that organizes charity events for car enthusiasts.
He boasts an impressive car collection including a 2005 Ferrari F430 and a convertible 2012 Aston Martin DBS.
The rare Ferrari has a unique color combination of gunmetal over tan with a manual transmission, making it the only one in the world.
The Carbon Edition Aston Martin is one of only two in the world that has a manual transmission.
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"I like the old cars - the old cars come in stick shift," Rand admitted.
"They're only going up in value. And they are a great repellent to car thieves. Because car thieves don't know how to drive stick shift," he continued.
"Maybe the old men, the older guys do. But the young kids, they can't steal it because having a stick shift is like an anti-theft device."
DECLINE OF THE STICK SHIFT
Rand is correct that the art of driving a stick shift has largely disappeared from American life.
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A study by CarMax revealed that manual transmission sales declined from almost 30% of car sales in 1995 to under 5% in 2020.
The study also showed that the last feature that customers wanted when buying a new car was manual transmission.
The first desired feature was Bluetooth technology, with over 93% of customers including it on their wish list.
Automatics are becoming increasingly dominant among Americans, with over 96% of the population driving them.
Many car companies are even phasing out production for manual transmissions with only a few brands making them.
Volkswagen, Mini, and Miata are among the producers still pumping out vehicles with stick shifts.
The decline of manual transmissions has made knowing how to operate these vehicles a rare skill.
That means owning a stick shift not only makes you among a small population, but it also works as an anti-theft measure against car thieves.
Manual (also known as stick shift)
Manual vs. Automatic transmissions
Although manual transmission vehicles are few and far between, many drivers prefer them for their unique features and built in anti-theft measures. Below are some key differences between the two,
Manual (also known as stick shift)
- Driver manually switches between gears
- Higher fuel efficiency since the engines are lighter
- Less expensive for automakers to install
- Greater control over the vehicle
- Can be difficult for long commutes
- Less variety due to the decline of manual production
- More difficult to drive
- Few people know how to drive them so there's a lower chance it will be stolen
Automatic
- Car automatically selects gears due to speed and road conditions
- Easier to drive
- Easier to operate in traffic since the driver doesn't have to continually switch gears
- Better suited for hilly areas/difficult terrain
- Price can be higher
CAR SHOW FOR A CAUSE
Rand Luxury holds an annual charity car show called the Hamptons Concours.
This year the event took place on Sunday in Bridgehampton, New York, and proceeds went to the South Hampton Animal Shelter.
Rand said he was excited to combine his two loves - cars and dogs into one event.
Almost a hundred million dollars worth of rare Porsches, Ferraris, and Aston Martins were showcased to the guests.
The event started in 2007 as a small brunch and has now grown to encompass a polo field with 500 attendees.
"It's really just a labor of love and it's a passion project, it's a lot of fun," Rand said.
The group doesn't profit off of the event and donates all the proceeds to charity.
Rand Luxury has produced over 2,500 events since 1993.
Rand started his business from humble beginnings and now uses the car shows to give back to charities.
"I grew up poor, I worked my butt off. I started a business. It went up, it went down, almost went bankrupt," he said.
Rand started the business with $50 and later sold it without borrowing from a bank.
"Just good old fashioned hard work - American dream," he added.
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The Hamptons Concours is sponsored by Ferrari, Aston Martin Long Island, and Manhattan Motorcars among others.
Judges fly into the event to judge Ferraris and Porsches from before 2014.