Cars from the 80's and 90's that are worth keeping.
Discussion
Following on from 300bhp's thread about "getting old" and not seeing any Escorts/Cavaliers etc on the road anymore, what cars/models are genuinely worth keeping on the roads and why?
My BIL has a mint low mileage Sierra Sapphire Cosworth (RWD), burgundy with black leather. It strikes me as the perfect example of that late 80's early 90's period of joyriding, rave music etc.
But essentially it is a pretty ugly, averagely built, mediocre handling car with an old school big lag turbo lump under the bonnet.
He loves it to bits. Me, I'm not convinced it warrants the love/attention/cash he lavishes on it.
What do you think?
If you could save one car from that period, what would it be and why?
My BIL has a mint low mileage Sierra Sapphire Cosworth (RWD), burgundy with black leather. It strikes me as the perfect example of that late 80's early 90's period of joyriding, rave music etc.
But essentially it is a pretty ugly, averagely built, mediocre handling car with an old school big lag turbo lump under the bonnet.
He loves it to bits. Me, I'm not convinced it warrants the love/attention/cash he lavishes on it.
What do you think?
If you could save one car from that period, what would it be and why?
Fast Fords will always be the obvious choice especially if they are kept standard. Really anything performance orientated and that is original will be OK.
I think something like a nice MK1 Mondeo could be interesting, certainly not worth alot to many people but how often do you see a nice original Sierra or older Cavalier etc?
I'm really in a mood at the moment to find the cleanest Mk1 MX-5 I can and stick it in the garage. Within a few years with the popularity of these, their ability to rot quite well and now kit car builders etc adopting them as donor cars, you get my drift.
Biggest regret is not buying a 9000 mile Peugeot 205 Gentry a few years back. 1.9 Gti engine, auto box and with biege leather - Not the usual thing but absolutely immaculate, rare and in someway collectable. I could have had it for a grand but hesitated (thinking no one wouldn't want a non GTI), It was bought up by a savvy dealer who shipped it to a 205 specialist and he got 4.5K for it.
I think something like a nice MK1 Mondeo could be interesting, certainly not worth alot to many people but how often do you see a nice original Sierra or older Cavalier etc?
I'm really in a mood at the moment to find the cleanest Mk1 MX-5 I can and stick it in the garage. Within a few years with the popularity of these, their ability to rot quite well and now kit car builders etc adopting them as donor cars, you get my drift.
Biggest regret is not buying a 9000 mile Peugeot 205 Gentry a few years back. 1.9 Gti engine, auto box and with biege leather - Not the usual thing but absolutely immaculate, rare and in someway collectable. I could have had it for a grand but hesitated (thinking no one wouldn't want a non GTI), It was bought up by a savvy dealer who shipped it to a 205 specialist and he got 4.5K for it.
Well, I'm actively doing this by running a 1986 Volvo 360 as a fun car alongside my daily. Reasons? Well, nostalgia really, love the way these cars look, drive and handle. Also, I hope to teach my children to drive in it - no power steering, rear wheel drive, heavy duty car. But still reasonably safe and very crashworthy.
I feel that the modern superminis most people learn in give new drivers a false impression of the weight and danger a car can present, due to modern driver aids and the general feeling of lightness and benevolence to a modern Fiesta or Yaris for example.
A proper, heavy (but not too big) old Volvo seems like an ideal learning tool to me. The children are also learning some basic principles of mechanics by helping me out servicing it every now and again too. This should help them develop some mechanical sympathy and give them a basic understanding of of how/why to maintain their own cars when the time comes and not be totally useless in the event of a breakdown.
I feel that the modern superminis most people learn in give new drivers a false impression of the weight and danger a car can present, due to modern driver aids and the general feeling of lightness and benevolence to a modern Fiesta or Yaris for example.
A proper, heavy (but not too big) old Volvo seems like an ideal learning tool to me. The children are also learning some basic principles of mechanics by helping me out servicing it every now and again too. This should help them develop some mechanical sympathy and give them a basic understanding of of how/why to maintain their own cars when the time comes and not be totally useless in the event of a breakdown.
Volvo360 said:
Well, I'm actively doing this by running a 1986 Volvo 360 as a fun car alongside my daily. Reasons? Well, nostalgia really, love the way these cars look, drive and handle. Also, I hope to teach my children to drive in it - no power steering, rear wheel drive, heavy duty car. But still reasonably safe and very crashworthy.
I feel that the modern superminis most people learn in give new drivers a false impression of the weight and danger a car can present, due to modern driver aids and the general feeling of lightness and benevolence to a modern Fiesta or Yaris for example.
A proper, heavy (but not too big) old Volvo seems like an ideal learning tool to me. The children are also learning some basic principles of mechanics by helping me out servicing it every now and again too. This should help them develop some mechanical sympathy and give them a basic understanding of of how/why to maintain their own cars when the time comes and not be totally useless in the event of a breakdown.
You hope to teach your children to drive in a old Volvo without PAS? You should be reported to the NSPCC sir. I feel that the modern superminis most people learn in give new drivers a false impression of the weight and danger a car can present, due to modern driver aids and the general feeling of lightness and benevolence to a modern Fiesta or Yaris for example.
A proper, heavy (but not too big) old Volvo seems like an ideal learning tool to me. The children are also learning some basic principles of mechanics by helping me out servicing it every now and again too. This should help them develop some mechanical sympathy and give them a basic understanding of of how/why to maintain their own cars when the time comes and not be totally useless in the event of a breakdown.
I'd say a volvo 300 series as well, cos a few of them were my first cars. I also (as a child) spent a lot of time in the back of one.
Not sure if it'd be a 360 (most of them had PAS anyway) or a simple 1.4 - but driving one without PAS wasn't an issue. Taught you not to dry steer
Surprisingly unheavy though - I think the 1.4s were under a tonne?
3 door, mk2 facelift (pre-85), in light metalic blue please
megatrip 220.jpg by 5lab, on Flickr
Not sure if it'd be a 360 (most of them had PAS anyway) or a simple 1.4 - but driving one without PAS wasn't an issue. Taught you not to dry steer
Surprisingly unheavy though - I think the 1.4s were under a tonne?
3 door, mk2 facelift (pre-85), in light metalic blue please
megatrip 220.jpg by 5lab, on Flickr
Edited by 5lab on Tuesday 13th December 14:23
v8will said:
Biggest regret is not buying a 9000 mile Peugeot 205 Gentry a few years back. 1.9 Gti engine, auto box and with biege leather - Not the usual thing but absolutely immaculate, rare and in someway collectable. I could have had it for a grand but hesitated (thinking no one wouldn't want a non GTI), It was bought up by a savvy dealer who shipped it to a 205 specialist and he got 4.5K for it.
No your hunch was correct, no one will ever want a 205 1.9 automatic, no matter how niceI would save a Mk1 MR2 from the late 1980's. Fabulous fun.
Oh, I appear to have done that!
(btw, regarding the mention above of a Peugeot gentry, my father has one, a J reg, used by his wife to potter about in so about 40k miles if my memory serves me, in immaculate condition and well looked after. Have made him promise to let me know when he wants to sell it so we can have first refusal)
Oh, I appear to have done that!
(btw, regarding the mention above of a Peugeot gentry, my father has one, a J reg, used by his wife to potter about in so about 40k miles if my memory serves me, in immaculate condition and well looked after. Have made him promise to let me know when he wants to sell it so we can have first refusal)
SWoll said:
My BIL has a mint low mileage Sierra Sapphire Cosworth (RWD), burgundy with black leather. It strikes me as the perfect example of that late 80's early 90's period of joyriding, rave music etc.
Joyriding and rave music are not things that should be remembered. However, the Ford Cosworths are definitely cars worth saving, they were the kings of the road in the day. My car to save from that era would be my MR2 Turbo. It strikes me as an incredibly engineered car, a real piece of fearless design. For me, the MR2 Turbo is the epitome of 1990's Japanese design. In that decade, the Japanese economy was in a serious boom and they were producing fantastic cars across the board. Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Mitsubishi - they were all producing cars at decent prices that could go toe to toe with the best cars in the world at the time. No other country was pushing the envelope like Japan at the time.
Why save the MR2 Turbo? Well, where else can you get a mid engined, RWD sports car? Another MR2? The choices are fairly limited. Where can you get a mid engined, RWD sports car with a turbocharged engine? The choices become even slimmer. And you won't get a Lotus Espirit Turbo for the price of an MR2 Turbo. Nor will the Espirit go the distance against an MR2. They are very, very tough. My car is 17 years old now. When washed and polished, it looks nearly new. It still feels 'new', everything feels solid and 'correct' when you're driving it. The throttle is sharp, the gearshift is short and accurate. The brakes have feel. You may have never felt a brake pedal response like this if you've never driven an older sports car. It's just a car that is alive with feedback, you feel truely connected to the road. The sounds of the tyres and the engine, the sharp, pointable steering. All this, in a terrically fast car with sparse driver aids. It will soon teach you what driving a sports car is all about, and you will be forced to drive it properly or it will chew you up and spit you out without warning.
For me, this car is a real beacon of making serious performance affordable. It joins other cars in that category like the Sierra Cosworth, the Lancer Evolution, the Escort Cosworth and many more. Strange to think it's a 1989 design as it still looks so fresh, and smart from every angle.
It's also a good prospect for day to day running. It seems that insurers are not overly terrified of it, it'll return low 20's mpg when given a good spanking now and it's extremely comfortable to sit in, meaning the daily commute is almost as carefree as it was in my Volvo S60.
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