Man explores collection of over 200 abandoned cars in South Carolina and finds 10 that are incredibly special and urgently need saving

A man exploring a collection of more than 200 abandoned cars has uncovered 10 incredibly special vehicles that could soon be lost forever.

Hidden around a sprawling lot, the cars range from early BMWs and classic Mercedes-Benz models to a rare Saab and a diesel Volvo.

Many have been sitting untouched for years, while others have already been partially brought back to life.

Now, the clock is ticking to save them before they are reduced to scrap metal.

The abandoned cars include some seriously important classics

The collection belongs to a car enthusiast and YouTuber who admitted he has around 200 old cars but simply doesn’t have enough time to restore them all himself.

That makes this more than just a tour of a huge collection of forgotten vehicles.

The YouTuber, tc.drives, aims to identify the particularly special cars and encourage other enthusiasts to help get them back on the road.

First up is a 1976 BMW 320i, one of the earliest examples of BMW’s 3 Series.

The E21 was the model that laid the foundations for decades of BMW sports sedans, and this particular car has an original factory aero kit, Alpina-style wheels and an interesting history that saw it travel from Germany to Brazil and eventually to South Carolina.

There’s also a 1985 two-door Jeep Cherokee, a model that helped redefine the idea of a compact SUV.

This example has four-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and a sunroof, although it has clearly spent a long time sitting around.

A Mercedes-Benz 420SEL is another standout.

Unlike some of the rougher cars in the collection, this one has an impressively preserved interior and virtually no visible body damage, making it look like a relatively straightforward restoration project.

The Volkswagen Jetta is another promising candidate.

It’s a five-speed manual and has already been coaxed into running, with its electronics and radio still functioning, but the main issue discovered was a missing axle.

Then there are two early BMW E30s, including one that has been resprayed in the famous Techno Violet color.

The other suffered a fire and needs an engine swap, but both are manuals, and both represent one of BMW’s most beloved generations.

The list continues with a turquoise-blue BMW 2002, a model that helped establish BMW’s reputation for lightweight, rear-wheel-drive sports cars.

These 10 cars urgently need saving

The collection also contains a Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC with almost 288,000 miles on the clock.

It has a blue dashboard and leather interior and was reportedly owned by the same person for almost 20 years, but now needs a serious restoration.

There was also a 1983 Saab 900 Turbo, complete with its original interior, turbo badge and manual transmission.

Its history makes it even more interesting, having originally belonged to a school teacher who drove it from new before it eventually ended up sitting at the lot.

Finally, there’s a Volvo 240D that has already been made to turn over and is described as being in remarkably good shape.

It’s a manual with overdrive and a rare diesel specification, making it another car that would be a shame to lose.

Tc.drives biggest concern, however, is that there simply isn’t enough time to save everything.

He pointed to rust, neglect, and the destruction of older cars through programs such as Cash for Clunkers as some of the reasons desirable classics have become increasingly difficult to find.

His argument is that enthusiasts can’t only save pristine garage-kept examples.

Sometimes, the abandoned cars sitting forgotten in fields and collections are the ones that need saving most urgently.

And with the possibility that some of these abandoned cars could become scrap metal within weeks, these forgotten classics may not have much longer to wait.