The profile of young car enthusiasts continues with 21 year-old Grady. He was featured in the Hagerty Drivers Club article,“The Kids are Alright” in November 2019 .
As I mentioned in two prior profiles, that article helped put many of my fears to rest that the collector car hobby would not survive once us boomers leave this earth.
Highlights of that article were covered in my blog “The Future of the Car Hobby.” In it, I shared the trends in vehicle buying for millennials and the types of older cars that caught their interest. Hagerty’s research was extensive and informative. I recommend you check it out.
Profile from the Hagerty Article
Here are the stats about Grady as quoted in the Hagerty Drivers Club article from last November:
Name: Grady Eger
Age: 20
From: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Job: Student, YouTube presenter
Ride: 1995 Lexus LS400
Dream Cars: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0, Pagani Zonda, manual-swap Ferrari 430 Scuderia (“the list goes on”)
Grady says: “I enjoy talking about cars, but even more special than putting the stuff on camera is to get behind the wheel. I had the opportunity to drive a Ferrari F430–the most raw experience of my life. The 2001 Toyota MR2–my most successful video–was nimble, organic-feeling. Every car is so different.”
Fast Forward to December 2020
I tracked Grady down through Facebook this week, with the hope I could connect to learn what has changed in the past year. Within ten minutes of my outreach, we were on the phone getting acquainted (the other Hagerty subjects never returned my messages, so this was a bonus!). Here is what I learned:
- Grady is now 21 (hey, even I can add!)
- He no longer owns that Lexus LS400
- He bought a 1989 Mercedes Benz 420 SEL, with the plan to restore it. See pics below.
- Grady owns three motorcycles (1985 Rebel, 1986 Rebel Bobber and a 1980 Suzuki GS)
- Past cars owned include a 2015 VW Passat diesel, Audi A4, Saab, Jeep Cherokee and a Scion tC.
- He is not as active on YouTube (although he has some great content, which can be found HERE), as he is pursuing activities that help pay the bills while in college.
- Grady is a regular at local car shows (I’m pretty sure I talked to him at one 3 years ago or so) and organizes local driving events through his side gig, BaseLineRally.
- He co-hosts the automotive podcast, Late Night Car Talk
What’s Next for Grady?
As you can see, Grady has a lot going on! I am so impressed with his enthusiasm and know he will realize his dream of a meaningful automotive marketing career. He has accomplished so much in such a short time, with lots more to come!
He has a lot of great stories to share, like what it is like to chase your passion for cars without having any outside help. Per Grady, “my family doesn’t like cars so all the experiences I’ve done have been on my own.” He hopes that for anyone who is into cars and feels the world is pushing down on them, his story will give them hope.
Grady’s story does not end with this article. I’ll be following his automotive aspirations and feel confident you will see some new stuff from Grady on VehicleNanny.com in the near future.
Supporting Automotive Youth Programs
Ongoing support of automotive programs designed to inspire and educate young car enthusiasts comes from the sale of items in the Vehicle Nanny Merchandise Store. All proceeds go directly to the Hagerty Automotive Youth Program.