Classic cars... Is it me or are most just crap to drive?
Discussion
buzzer said:
I have driven a few lately and loads in the past... They all seem to have one thing in common, they are rubbish to drive.
I took a TR8 out the other day, it felt slow, old, which I guess it is. Give me a modern car any day.
From a driving point of view, I just don't see the point?
most are slow, most are old obviously.I took a TR8 out the other day, it felt slow, old, which I guess it is. Give me a modern car any day.
From a driving point of view, I just don't see the point?
but, nostalgia, sound, lightweight, a certain buzz and soul.
give me a 250 GTO any day
Have you driven any decent classics? I ask as a bad car will always be a bad car regardless of age. Driving a classic is an experience that you should enjoy. Handling. Speed etc are not the defining qualities of most classics whereas a mix of nostalgia, fun, enjoyment and satisfaction are.
Horses for courses I guess.
Horses for courses I guess.
jagnet said:
If you need to have it explained to you, you wouldn't understand any way.
A classic car engages you in a way modern cars can't. The simplicity, the rawness, the emotions, the sounds, smells, the look of the car, the feel from the drivers seat.
Bingo - The (admittedly) wonderful technical efficiency of something like an Aventador, or a Miura/early Countach? 599 GTO or a 288 GTO? SLS or 300SL, and so on.A classic car engages you in a way modern cars can't. The simplicity, the rawness, the emotions, the sounds, smells, the look of the car, the feel from the drivers seat.
Presumably if you just want absolute ability/speed, you buy a road going track day special. However, the total ownership experience (hackneyed phrase, admittedly) is about so much more & the classics tend to be rather good at the other stuff.
There's also the angle of what you lusted after as a boy (or girl). Why else would some Yank muscle cars make such strident prices (apart from the other stuff as above)?
Me and Mrs Luxury-Yacht hired a '65 Sunbeam Alpine to drive round the North Norfolk coast one weekend recently.
The company brought it to the hotel and collected it the next day.
It was slow, uncomfortable and noisy, and the indicators packed up - but it was the PERFECT vehicle for this kind of holiday sodding about in the sunshine. And everywhere we went, people loved it.
But it would be a pointless waste of time to own in my opinion.
I have also recently sold a bit of a classic Ducati bike, built in '91. I used to think it was characterful and nostalgic to ride. But thinking about it now, it was just noisy, uncomfortable and not very fast.
So yeah - they're an important part of our history, can engage you when you feel like it, but are frankly mostly crap
The company brought it to the hotel and collected it the next day.
It was slow, uncomfortable and noisy, and the indicators packed up - but it was the PERFECT vehicle for this kind of holiday sodding about in the sunshine. And everywhere we went, people loved it.
But it would be a pointless waste of time to own in my opinion.
I have also recently sold a bit of a classic Ducati bike, built in '91. I used to think it was characterful and nostalgic to ride. But thinking about it now, it was just noisy, uncomfortable and not very fast.
So yeah - they're an important part of our history, can engage you when you feel like it, but are frankly mostly crap
Yup, mostly crap to drive, slow, thirsty, dodgy handling, crap brakes, no aircon, MP3 facility, airbags or crumple zones. Then add chokes, points dwell timing, balancing carbs, rust and tappet adjustment.
Bit like those old paintings by Carravagio or Michaelangelo, a quick snap on the iphone does it much better.
Bit like those old paintings by Carravagio or Michaelangelo, a quick snap on the iphone does it much better.
Any car that makes you feel good is the bestest.
Whether that's something you've always wanted since you were a child, something that Bodie and Doyle drove or something brand new and painted the same white as Elton John's piano, that's up to the individual.
Some classic cars are great to drive, others aren't. Same as new cars in fact.
Whether that's something you've always wanted since you were a child, something that Bodie and Doyle drove or something brand new and painted the same white as Elton John's piano, that's up to the individual.
Some classic cars are great to drive, others aren't. Same as new cars in fact.
Personally I would say that a classic car is better than a modern car to drive. Modern cars rely too much on safety and computers taking the fun out of driving. In a classic it is far more basic, more driver involved. Even into the late 80's/early 90's the cars are better than todays. Take my dads 944 for example. There is no traction control, there are no drivers aids, just an engine at the front, gearbox at the back and a driver in the middle. Basic, fun motoring. I confess there are some bad classics out there, the Morris Marina for example, but I believe there are far better classics than that.
I drive a rather boring but efficient company car daily, but I still look forward to the next time I can drive my 1979 RS2000 simply because it is so much more raw and unrefined (and in my case it is actually quicker than my diesel A4 slug 
). I'm hoping to sell the RS to buy another 'classic' in the form of a 90s TVR Chimaera, which could have power steering, air con, electric windows (but no ABS or airbags). The brief drive I had of one (thank Jon ) confirmed I like the way they drive/handle and as a weekend toy it doesn't really matter if it isn't as 'efficient' as a daily driver (not just talking mpg here either).
However, as someone else said, if you don't 'get' them, there's not much point trying to 'convert' you to classics...but consider that the insurance can be very reasonable even for a 4-5 litre car on a classic policy: My RS is under £160 a YEAR as a second car, with zero no claims needed.
). I'm hoping to sell the RS to buy another 'classic' in the form of a 90s TVR Chimaera, which could have power steering, air con, electric windows (but no ABS or airbags). The brief drive I had of one (thank Jon ) confirmed I like the way they drive/handle and as a weekend toy it doesn't really matter if it isn't as 'efficient' as a daily driver (not just talking mpg here either).However, as someone else said, if you don't 'get' them, there's not much point trying to 'convert' you to classics...but consider that the insurance can be very reasonable even for a 4-5 litre car on a classic policy: My RS is under £160 a YEAR as a second car, with zero no claims needed.
buzzer said:
I have driven a few lately and loads in the past... They all seem to have one thing in common, they are rubbish to drive.
I took a TR8 out the other day, it felt slow, old, which I guess it is. Give me a modern car any day.
From a driving point of view, I just don't see the point?
How stupid.I took a TR8 out the other day, it felt slow, old, which I guess it is. Give me a modern car any day.
From a driving point of view, I just don't see the point?
t not the other way round. In terms of performance, they're crap compared to modern cars.
I was lucky enough to do a few hundred miles in an Aston DB6 and even that was slow and handled like a boat compared to a modern hot hatch.
However that is not what they're about. They're fun in a completely different way.
I went out for a 'hoon' on a nice day a while ago with my housemate:
Sometimes we were driving flat out and being overtaken by people just driving normally.
I've never laughed so much while driving as I did that day when driving down an undulating back road and getting the suspension of the vehicle and seat (very springy seat in a Ford Pop!) into such a rhythm that I was bouncing up and down and hit my head on the roof.
Horses for courses!
I was lucky enough to do a few hundred miles in an Aston DB6 and even that was slow and handled like a boat compared to a modern hot hatch.
However that is not what they're about. They're fun in a completely different way.
I went out for a 'hoon' on a nice day a while ago with my housemate:
Sometimes we were driving flat out and being overtaken by people just driving normally.
I've never laughed so much while driving as I did that day when driving down an undulating back road and getting the suspension of the vehicle and seat (very springy seat in a Ford Pop!) into such a rhythm that I was bouncing up and down and hit my head on the roof.
Horses for courses!
Edited by blank on Sunday 7th August 23:31
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