The Realities of Having a Massive Dream Garage

How much does it actually cost to have a museum-size car collection? Matt Farah finds out.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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If you love cars, you've probably fantasized about having a big collection. But where does reality crash into this fantasy? This story explores the costs and logistics of owning your dream car collection, from entry-level collectors to those with truly giant collections like Matthew Katz's Caretakers Collection, which rosters more than 70 cars.

Why it matters

This story provides a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of maintaining a massive car collection, highlighting the significant financial, logistical, and time commitments required. It offers valuable insights for car enthusiasts considering building their own dream garage, as well as a glimpse into the challenges faced by serious collectors.

The details

Matthew Katz's Caretakers Collection takes up two large hangars at Santa Monica Airport, with cars stacked three high. A few are rotated through Katz's homes, some others are always on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum, and Katz has a dozen or so in restoration, scattered about the world. Katz estimates the annual cost of running the collection at $650,000 to $750,000, or about $10,000 per car per year. The collection requires a full-time collection manager, Chris Vallandigham, who keeps track of everything on a Google spreadsheet, as well as a veteran mechanic, Vince Zine, who can fix 'anything you can imagine.' Katz says the challenge is not just the space, but also finding the time to actually drive all the cars, as he can only get through about three per week.

  • The story was published on March 4, 2026.

The players

Matthew Katz

The owner of the Caretakers Collection, which rosters more than 70 cars.

Chris Vallandigham

The collection manager who keeps track of everything on a Google spreadsheet for Katz's collection.

Vince Zine

The veteran mechanic who can fix 'anything you can imagine' for Katz's collection.

Paul Zuckerman

An attorney, collector, and co-host of the Spike's Car Radio podcast, who is the custodian of a fabulous spread of about 20 significant Porsche and BMW M cars, with a few choice oddities.

Matt Farah

The author of the story, who is the Editor-at-Large for Road & Track magazine.

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What they’re saying

“My problem is that I fall in love with stories and that I know the right kind of people—dealers, car hunters who find the stuff from the stories I've heard.”

— Matthew Katz

“If they were to all come back at once, I would not be in good shape.”

— Matthew Katz

“I prefer to live in total denial. My accountant knows to tell me when to stop buying cars, but I'm a junkie. Sure, cars are more societally acceptable than drugs, gambling, or women, but it's all the same disease in a different suit.”

— Paul Zuckerman, Attorney, collector, and co-host of the Spike's Car Radio podcast

“If Vince retires, I'm selling all my cars.”

— Matthew Katz

“It's fun. Matt is always buying new and ­interesting cars to get running or put a few miles on. But it's a lot to keep track of. You do have to love the cars and understand the habits of the collector you're working for.”

— Chris Vallandigham, Collection manager

What’s next

The story does not mention any definite and predictable future newsworthy moments, so this section is left blank.

The takeaway

This story highlights the significant financial, logistical, and time commitments required to maintain a massive car collection, even for those with the means to acquire such a collection. It serves as a cautionary tale for car enthusiasts considering building their own dream garage, underscoring the realities of space, organization, and ongoing maintenance that come with owning a large collection of vehicles.