First Classic car
Author
Discussion

Speedy1995

Original Poster:

189 posts

170 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Hi guys i was wondering what would be the best classic car to start off with .

Considerations :
Rare
Reasonably reliable
Right hand drive
relatively cheap to buy and maintain
any other points i have missed out on .

Hammer67

6,435 posts

213 months

Friday 31st August 2012
quotequote all
Vitesse.

Warning: biased owner post.

stuarte

1,082 posts

213 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Vitesse is a good shout. What are you looking for though; sports, saloon etc?

occrj

378 posts

207 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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What era are you interested in - 1950s? 1960s? 1970s? or modern...

RJ

pwrc

2,357 posts

181 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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rare AND relatively cheap usually points you to cars that would have been intended for the family, such as saloons, hatchbacks etc. You need to specify really, but you could be looking at austins, triumph saloons, rovers etc. - basically BL stuff that nutters go for tongue out

S2Mike

3,065 posts

179 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Well from your likes list, mentions Mini.
How about a Riley Elf / Wolesley Hornet , mini running gear and base but a little different.

sjp63

1,997 posts

301 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Herald or Vitesse had them both

niagra

267 posts

207 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Austin Healey Sprite, but not the Frogeye for cheapness. Rare compared to it's Midget sister and obviously great for spares.

52classic

2,638 posts

239 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Volvo 144, BMW 2002, Dolomite, Morris 1300, MG Metro.

williamp

20,380 posts

302 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Here was my first car, which I learnt to drive in:



Unhapily I wouldnt recommend a P4 as a first classic. I would stick to something with electronic ignition at the very elast: it'll start on cold morning then. Maybe fuel injection so it'll get you there, and by default these would point to an 80s classic, so you'll get a heater too. And maybe a stereo cassette for your 'toons.

zygalski

7,759 posts

174 months

Friday 31st August 2012
quotequote all
Triumph GT6.
A fair bit rarer than a Spitfire or MGB & much more fun.
Also, parts are fairly easily obtained & there are plenty of specialists out there to help.

MoggieMinor

471 posts

174 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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Good call the GT6, had one a while ago and still miss it.

Some other ideas: Rover SD1 (when did you last see one..) Rover P6B, MGB GTV8 and perhaps the most under rated classic of all, the Reliant Scimitar GTE.

felixlighter

228 posts

176 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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If it's BL cars you fancy, when was the last time you saw a Montego, they even did an MG version.

varsas

4,075 posts

231 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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IMHO it has to be something you really really want, otherwise you'll get fed up with it. My first classic was a spitfire, but any 'chassis' Triumph (spit, herald, GT6, Vitesse) is easy to look after, fun to drive and cheap.

Skyedriver

23,320 posts

311 months

Friday 31st August 2012
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As above about era
And what do you consider cheap?

Speedy1995

Original Poster:

189 posts

170 months

Friday 31st August 2012
quotequote all
I was thinking when I'll be at the age to afford a classic it will be stuff from the 1985-2005 period . As for body style, well i don't mind as long as its not an Austin allegro (que my assassination by an Austin fan shoot). The budget will be about 10k in today's money don't know what that will be worth 10 years down the line .

williamp

20,380 posts

302 months

Friday 31st August 2012
quotequote all
Speedy1995 said:
I was thinking when I'll be at the age to afford a classic it will be stuff from the 1985-2005 period . As for body style, well i don't mind as long as its not an Austin allegro (que my assassination by an Austin fan shoot). The budget will be about 10k in today's money don't know what that will be worth 10 years down the line .
so what you need is something which isnt going to lose any value (and maybe increase in value). Sports cars? MGF, Fiat barchetta, Suzuki Cappauccino. Lots of shed options including V12 XJ, 7 series, S class, XM, alfa 164

Coupe? XK8, Rover 800 coupe, merc w124 coupe, 8series, honda legend,

e36 bmw with the right engine and colour/trim will do well in the future, as might the MG ZT with the v8. S-type R?

(old) Mini, range rover...the list is endless and covers something for everyone. Have fun choosing!

Pistom

6,403 posts

188 months

Saturday 1st September 2012
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From the OPs username, I assume he/she may be 17 in which case insurance costs may be a factor.

I believe the cheapest car for starter drivers to insure is a 1200 Beetle.

I was lucky in that when I was that age I could insure a GT6 for little money but those days are gone.

My regret from my youth is that I never owned a Mini or a Beetle.

Edited by Pistom on Saturday 1st September 09:32

iSore

4,011 posts

173 months

Saturday 1st September 2012
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Unless you really want something that is prehistoric and not especially nice to drive, I'd look at some of the lower value seventies and eighties saloons. Mark 3 Escort, Mark 1 Astra, Avenger, Chevette, FE Victor, E21 316 etc. They're all cars you can buy in good condition for around grand and with regular cleaning, Waxoyling and servicing will keep plodding on. They all go alright have okay brakes, wipers, heater etc.
It's stuff like this that folk like to see on the road because they're so rare now. I wouldn't cross the road to look at a Triumph Spitfire because there are still loads of them left along with MGB's etc.

john2443

6,540 posts

240 months

Saturday 1st September 2012
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OP, what's your definition of classic!? If your username is the year you were born, then maybe anything pre-90 is classic = for me a 205 isn't a classic, but may well be for you!

One consideration is free road tax which gives a split between 72 and 73, after that there's the gradual change from cars that you mostly wouldn't want ot use every day to those you would due to elec ign, discs, better safety and comfort.

Bearing in mind price, how about TR7 or wedge Austin Princess, nice and comfortable, performance must be OK from the 2200, or Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam (not Lotus/Ti!), Mk1 Cavalier or 60s/70s saloons - sports cars and Escorts generally get expensive.

Try filtering on ebay for the years and price you would consider and see what comes up.