There are many great reasons to collect cars; however, I feel that the number one reason for car collecting should be to participate in car tours.

Car tours are meant for car enthusiasts to gather up and take out their cars for a cruise with other enthusiasts.  Some are simple hour or two cruises, while they also range up to a week, if not weeks for more private tours.

The main reason for having collector cars is just to have fun, since it's a hobby.  Even though there are rare and desirable that are “too valuable to drive” and only wind up in shows or stay in private collections, many owners still get to enjoy their rides my taking them for a ride!

Although shows are fun to socialize, on tours, one can socialize, party, site see, and enjoy the fun of cruising roads with just a few, or even hundreds of car enthusiasts.  Imagine cruising down tree covered, northern roads on a bright sunny day.  The light shining in your eyes through the leaves, as you follow a line of classic car owners all there just to enjoy their machines.  Doesn't that sounds like more fun that buffed and shined trailer queens with signs that say “look but don’t touch”?

The Gumball Tour

3000 miles driving

120 cars

7 days

www.gumball3000.com

A major tour called the Gumball 3000 Tour is a large and well known tour, and is even banned in some countries. It's a wild trip going almost around the entire world, country by country. It features nearly any sort of car you can think of.  From exotic cars like the Bugatti Veyron and the Saleen S7, to the Japanese tuners, to Ferraris, to almost anything else you can imagine you will probably see there.

The Gumball Tour for 2009 is in the United States.  It is scheduled to last 7 days beginning in Los Angeles, going through Las Vegas, heading down to Texas, and then over to finish in Miami.  It will have 120 cars and will travel a total of 3000 miles.

The Great American Run

Sponsor: Ultimate Bad Boy

1,250 miles

Anyone can join

May 28th - May 31st, 2009

www.thegreatamericanrun.com

Another tour is The Great American Run, which any driver with a valid license and over the age of 18 can join.  They travel starting on May 28th of 2009, and end with the Final Night Awards Party on Saturday May 30th.  There is also a farewell breakfast on the morning of the 31st.  The event will travel around 1,250 miles, starting and stopping in the Los Angeles Area.

These are larger car tours, for the wealthier, dedicated car enthusiasts.  If you are looking for something simpler, search online or check with local car dealerships, car clubs, and car restoration shops, as they will most likely have information on tours.

Tours aren't only a reason to get use of your collector cars, they are meant to bring the car enthusiasts together as well, while having fun with their machines. Isn’t that the main reason for having a collector car in the first place?

By Chris Kochan

Chris is a freelance writer.