Classic (old, retro) cars for sale £0-5k
Discussion
Lowtimer said:
Devil2575 said:
but then simplicity doesn't actually make classics any more reliable does it.
I think it does - what you don't have, and don't want can't go wrong. I've never in my life felt I acctually wanted or needed any of my cars to be fitted with sensors that bleep if there's a weight in a seat but no seat belt in use. And when it goes wrong, as those sensors eventually do, it's something that costs you time and money. I've got a bill to prove it somewhere.Also the lower sophistication of older cars reduces the consequences of when things do go pop. If a minor failure can be rectifield complately for trivial cost in no time using unskilled labour, that's a really good thing in my book. It barely counts as a problem at all.
Example, last weekend I had a headlamp bulb go on my old BMW 5. Replaced both bulbs, the dead one and the working one (on the grounds that the live was was probably as old as the dead one, and these things do have a lifespan). Total cost: under £20 and five minutes.
On a lot of even modest spec modern cars replacing a bulb is a big deal involving significant disassambly and faff, and on a modern 5-series with gee-whiz lights it's also extremely expensive. I think when one of the LED tail indicators went under warranty on my E91 the parts cost alone was well into three figures (though fortunately I didn't have to actually pay for it thanks to the warranty)
Nowadays you have to have all kinds of things like batteries and steering wheels and other replacements having to be coded to the individual car rather than just being drop-in replacements. Modern cars are a serviceability pain unless you want to take everything to a dealer or fully-equipped indy when it used to be a five-minute home job.
Edited by Lowtimer on Wednesday 27th April 14:28
In my experience cars just don't break down as much as they used too, they don't require half as much servicing and maintenance as they used too and they last much longer.
A mate of mine and his father run a number of classics and reliable they aint. Yes it may cost a lot to replace a bulb on a new car, and if something big does go wrong it may well cost a lot to fix but in most cars big things don't tend to go wrong these days.
I remember how often my dad's cars broke down as a child. Being left outside in heavy rain was enough to cause cold starting problems. These days car just start and go.
20 years ago buying a used car for a couple of grand was a bit of a lottery, these days it's not that hard to get a usable car in reasonable condition that will run without any major problems for a good few years.
Devil2575 said:
I'm not talking about light bulbs, I'm talking about reliability.
In my experience cars just don't break down as much as they used too, they don't require half as much servicing and maintenance as they used too and they last much longer.
A mate of mine and his father run a number of classics and reliable they aint. Yes it may cost a lot to replace a bulb on a new car, and if something big does go wrong it may well cost a lot to fix but in most cars big things don't tend to go wrong these days.
I remember how often my dad's cars broke down as a child. Being left outside in heavy rain was enough to cause cold starting problems. These days car just start and go.
20 years ago buying a used car for a couple of grand was a bit of a lottery, these days it's not that hard to get a usable car in reasonable condition that will run without any major problems for a good few years.
Depends on the car (and possibly the owner) I had a 1976 Saab 95 for several years - never needed anything nor did my MKII Escort, nor my Manta in fact I've never had any car breakdown other than a TVR.In my experience cars just don't break down as much as they used too, they don't require half as much servicing and maintenance as they used too and they last much longer.
A mate of mine and his father run a number of classics and reliable they aint. Yes it may cost a lot to replace a bulb on a new car, and if something big does go wrong it may well cost a lot to fix but in most cars big things don't tend to go wrong these days.
I remember how often my dad's cars broke down as a child. Being left outside in heavy rain was enough to cause cold starting problems. These days car just start and go.
20 years ago buying a used car for a couple of grand was a bit of a lottery, these days it's not that hard to get a usable car in reasonable condition that will run without any major problems for a good few years.
In fact the only large bill I've paid in 25yrs motoring was for a CVT gearbox on my wife's A6 (which had got 150k on it) and the AC pump on the same car - it was also the newest car I've ever owned.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C736919#
Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
golfer19 said:
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C736919#
Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
No it was an option. That was a special car when it was launched and as a 10 year old I saw them being stored in the local dealer's stockyard ahead of the big day. Looking at the reg on that car, it could have been one of them sitting in Jessup's yard in Stanford.Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
t!! It's like Mario the Plumber's wet dream under the bonnet...
Devil2575 said:
I'm not talking about light bulbs, I'm talking about reliability.
In my experience cars just don't break down as much as they used too, they don't require half as much servicing and maintenance as they used too and they last much longer.
When I had a failed LED panel on my modern BMW it definitely counted as a reliability issue: instead of fixing it myself in three minutes it means I had to take the car into a main dealer and be without it for two days.In my experience cars just don't break down as much as they used too, they don't require half as much servicing and maintenance as they used too and they last much longer.
Same when the head gasket went: that was under warranty too. It's never happened to me on a 1990s BMW.
But if that's your experience fair enough. My experience is the exact opposite, at least for decent quality German makes from the late 1980s to late 1990s. The modern stuff is really shoddy by comparison.
Edited by Lowtimer on Sunday 1st May 19:07
Edited by Lowtimer on Sunday 1st May 19:08
gforceg said:
Nope.Wouldnt do it for me. Sorry.
mx5ian said:
That is delightful. The Crack Fox said:
golfer19 said:
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C736919#
Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
Horrible things, in any level of trim/spec. Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
also comes with 35 year old tyres...nice.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
mx5ian said:
That is delightful. Amazon or P1800. A hard choice.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Monday 2nd May 21:36
Iva Barchetta said:
The Crack Fox said:
golfer19 said:
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C736919#
Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
Horrible things, in any level of trim/spec. Top of thr range Ghia model did not have electric windows back then.
also comes with 35 year old tyres...nice.
"still on original Goodyear tyres"
gforceg said:
I think that looks great. Love the wheels. Iva Barchetta said:
came with the tyres it left the
W reg,from first year of MK3 production,also no rear wiper.
also comes with 35 year old tyres...nice.
My 924 came with the tyres it left the factory wearing. First thing I did was to buy another set of wheels and put new tyres on. Some collector may want them, but I didn't fancy driving with them on W reg,from first year of MK3 production,also no rear wiper.
also comes with 35 year old tyres...nice.
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