I'd much rather have enthusiasts with a strong mechanical sympathy driving clapped out 60 year old sports cars than angry idiots in SUVs with twice the weight and power and controls that feel like a video game.

As for the pride aspect, it's cool to be able to understand how a vehicle works from top to bottom. You can't do that with modern cars. You certainly can't use your knowledge to coax a modern car into working in the same way. The author truly owns and is the master of his vehicle. Could you say the same for any of your machines?