What 20 year old car would you choose as your daily drive?
Discussion
f1nlay said:
Thought I recognised the car. I was behind you driving up the Felling Bypass and City Bypass on the 23rd in my mk1 Eunos (my current daily)
Sounded amazing when you went under the 55* North roundabout
I remember you, I normally make a bit of noise through the 55* tunnels but I saw you had no roof so thought I'd go the extra mile Sounded amazing when you went under the 55* North roundabout
Classic Impreza, with the right mods still doesn't look too bad, and the engines are more reliable than a lot of other kit of that era; I probably see more old Subarus knocking about than equivalent age BMW's or other more premium marques.
That or maybe an GTR-33. And if money was no object - Mk3 RX7 and an oil tanker to follow me in it
That or maybe an GTR-33. And if money was no object - Mk3 RX7 and an oil tanker to follow me in it
I daily drove my 306gti for quite a while and will be going back to using it for a 100 miles a day pretty soon.
I daily drove my 205gti for a while a couple of years ago, but that was 15 miles of nice back roads. It really didn't like motorways.
I'd happily drive most 20+ year old cars as a daily. Especially 90s cars, they are very easy to live with classics that can still cut it today.
I daily drove my 205gti for a while a couple of years ago, but that was 15 miles of nice back roads. It really didn't like motorways.
I'd happily drive most 20+ year old cars as a daily. Especially 90s cars, they are very easy to live with classics that can still cut it today.
My daily was an Impreza Turbo 2000 estate until earlier this year when I had to get rid of it after it was crashed in to last year so ran it up to the MOT and sold it for parts
Also used to daily an S13 200SX, loved that car, wish I'd never sold it
Would choose either of those again in a heartbeat, but would go for the JDM versions - Impreza STI Version 6 or 180SX Type X
Also used to daily an S13 200SX, loved that car, wish I'd never sold it
Would choose either of those again in a heartbeat, but would go for the JDM versions - Impreza STI Version 6 or 180SX Type X
lee_erm said:
Almost 20:
In 1.6 Zetec form. The perfect every day car in my eyes.
Or one of these if I fancied something a bit posher:
This is funny because for last two years my daily's been 2004 1.8 petrol 3D Mk1 Focus and I'm thinking about switching to e39. Although it is very difficult to justify it over the focus as it's been absolutely trouble free, is very practical and is quite entertaining to drive (even on daily commute).In 1.6 Zetec form. The perfect every day car in my eyes.
Or one of these if I fancied something a bit posher:
Edited by lee_erm on Monday 29th May 22:42
The only reason that I'm not still using my e36 328 is because someone wrote it off for me.
And the biggest reason for not using this still as my daily, is that you cannot leave it parked anywhere.
ETA, I should add that my mother is still using her Ford Puma as her daily driver.
And the biggest reason for not using this still as my daily, is that you cannot leave it parked anywhere.
ETA, I should add that my mother is still using her Ford Puma as her daily driver.
Edited by LanceRS on Thursday 1st June 22:14
This 23 year old 4.0 XJS is my daily driver and serves as my sensible family car.
I aught to move it on as the children are beginning not to fit but I'm still enjoying it too much and after two years there's nothing I want to replace it with.
I aught to move it on as the children are beginning not to fit but I'm still enjoying it too much and after two years there's nothing I want to replace it with.
Edited by dantournay on Friday 2nd June 01:12
white_goodman said:
I watched the first ever episode of Midsomer Murders with my wife on Netflix the other night and couldn't believe it was 20 years ago and that the show was still going! Questionable plot line aside, one of the things I enjoy most about watching old shows is seeing what cars the characters were driving back then. Barnaby and Troy were tooling around from murder scene to murder scene in a mk1 Mondeo, a once hugely popular car, although one that I haven't seen on the road for ages. This got me thinking. 1997 was a fairly interesting time on the roads with half of the newer designs being recognisably modern i.e. airbags, ABS, thicker doors due to crash protection structures etc and half older cars without any of these features, carburettors and cardboard-thin doors etc and yet not that many cars of this vintage survive. Are there any cars on sale new in 1997 that you would happily use as your daily driver today?
There are the obvious modern classics: Ferrari F355/550 Maranello, Porsche 993 Carrera, R129 Mercedes SL etc but these are all appreciating classics, so I'm not sure whether you would want to be piling commuter miles on them.
Peugeot had some pretty decent hot hatches around at the time: 106 GTi/Rallye/306 GTi-6 but having run a 205 GTi as my daily at 12 years old, I'm not sure whether a 20 year old Peugeot is the best choice. Quite a few 4-seat coupes and 2-seat roadsters available at the time but nothing really jumps out at me.
Which brings me on to luxury cars. I can kind of see people's obsession today with German cars if I look back 20 years, as there are some fairly modern, comfortable and handsome options and the perceived difference in build quality between a mass-market Ford/Vauxhall/Rover/Peugeot/Citroen/Peugeot really did exist back then. I'm thinking the then all-new C5 Audi A6 quattro, D2 Audi A8, E38 7-Series etc. The Jaguar XJ6/XJ8 X300/X308 and Lexus LS400 probably deserve a special mention too.
On balance though, I think that I would choose a BMW 528i SE in dark metallic blue/green, no real preference on transmission, a slightly predictable but good choice I think. Other than the original, I think it's the best looking 5, modern power, better fuel economy than the E34 and still with most of the comfort and convenience features and space of a modern car. It may even ride better too!
So, if you had to run a 20 year old car as a daily (so we're talking P/R-registration cars here), what would you pick?
A Peugeot 406 Coupe 3.0 manual trans, a true 4 seater, with great handling, great comfort, huge boot, good looks & a PininFarina badge on the sides, the 3 litre engine is good with a good service history, some of the French electrics can be dodgy but 406 saloon electrics fit & b available.There are the obvious modern classics: Ferrari F355/550 Maranello, Porsche 993 Carrera, R129 Mercedes SL etc but these are all appreciating classics, so I'm not sure whether you would want to be piling commuter miles on them.
Peugeot had some pretty decent hot hatches around at the time: 106 GTi/Rallye/306 GTi-6 but having run a 205 GTi as my daily at 12 years old, I'm not sure whether a 20 year old Peugeot is the best choice. Quite a few 4-seat coupes and 2-seat roadsters available at the time but nothing really jumps out at me.
Which brings me on to luxury cars. I can kind of see people's obsession today with German cars if I look back 20 years, as there are some fairly modern, comfortable and handsome options and the perceived difference in build quality between a mass-market Ford/Vauxhall/Rover/Peugeot/Citroen/Peugeot really did exist back then. I'm thinking the then all-new C5 Audi A6 quattro, D2 Audi A8, E38 7-Series etc. The Jaguar XJ6/XJ8 X300/X308 and Lexus LS400 probably deserve a special mention too.
On balance though, I think that I would choose a BMW 528i SE in dark metallic blue/green, no real preference on transmission, a slightly predictable but good choice I think. Other than the original, I think it's the best looking 5, modern power, better fuel economy than the E34 and still with most of the comfort and convenience features and space of a modern car. It may even ride better too!
So, if you had to run a 20 year old car as a daily (so we're talking P/R-registration cars here), what would you pick?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff