Refurbishment irrationality
Discussion
My wife has an SLK230 she has had for over twenty years. She loves it. It has been well maintained and has had a fairly easy life with us and was just getting a bit tired so, rather than replace it, I opted to refurbish it. It's in Readers' Cars - Defying the doom-mongers - the SLK R170. We're getting on a bit, my wife hates driving in poor conditions and if the worst comes to the worst, I could always take her in my car. There it is, the car is in the garage, refurbished, wearing summer tyres and unlikely to encounter anything troubling ever again.
"Can you get my car out?"
"Now?"
"Yes, I want to go the shops."
"But it's slippery. They've gritted the roads. I'll take you."
"No, it's okay. If you could get my car out and turn it round, I'll just pop up to the top."
Refurbished. No winter tyres. Less than ideal conditions. That poor car!
"You don't normally like to drive when it's like this."
"You've done it all up. It'll be fine."
I did my best to conceal my anxiety.
I can picture me in the summer taking the car to pieces again to chase down specks of salt.
Are my concerns peculiar to me or do all restoration and refurbishment projects go through a phase like this?
"Can you get my car out?"
"Now?"
"Yes, I want to go the shops."
"But it's slippery. They've gritted the roads. I'll take you."
"No, it's okay. If you could get my car out and turn it round, I'll just pop up to the top."
Refurbished. No winter tyres. Less than ideal conditions. That poor car!
"You don't normally like to drive when it's like this."
"You've done it all up. It'll be fine."
I did my best to conceal my anxiety.
I can picture me in the summer taking the car to pieces again to chase down specks of salt.
Are my concerns peculiar to me or do all restoration and refurbishment projects go through a phase like this?
TBH I envy you. I have yet to have a car restored to any degree of satisfaction. I'm happy to pay decent money, but I always end up with bodges I have to fix myself. I'm currently ignoring cosmetic rust from the last paint that's so thin as to be invisible because I can't bear to trawl around local disinterested car 'restorers'.
Last car I had painted, it had 19 fish eyes before we gave up counting. The guy complained, and I quote: "Bring me a sh*t car, you get sh*t results!".
Yes, that's how restoration works. Anyone know a good body shop in the South?
Seriously though, give it a good wash and I'll be fine probably... Cars are meant to be used after all....
Last car I had painted, it had 19 fish eyes before we gave up counting. The guy complained, and I quote: "Bring me a sh*t car, you get sh*t results!".
Yes, that's how restoration works. Anyone know a good body shop in the South?
Seriously though, give it a good wash and I'll be fine probably... Cars are meant to be used after all....
Edited by DKS on Thursday 7th December 09:46
Durzel said:
"It won't start, must be the deflanger"
Back in the house with a cup of tea.
More seriously - I wouldn't be driving a refurbished 20 year old classic on salted roads if I had any way of avoiding it. Should be stored up for winter with a cover on, etc.
The problem may be an element of deceit on my part where I sold the idea to Mrs C of a 'refurbished and ready to go' car but secretly imagined it being used less and less, and only in good conditions. Back in the house with a cup of tea.
More seriously - I wouldn't be driving a refurbished 20 year old classic on salted roads if I had any way of avoiding it. Should be stored up for winter with a cover on, etc.
I assume you went out, disconnected a battery lead, and then told her that the "Electroflux unit" or something is broken so the car wont start and you'll have to order a replacement?
"Sorry love, special order part from Germany that funnily enough doesn't arrive until the weather gets better and there's no salt on the roads. Huh fancy that"
"Sorry love, special order part from Germany that funnily enough doesn't arrive until the weather gets better and there's no salt on the roads. Huh fancy that"
The problem is salt is down on the roads for around 5 months a year so what do you do?
Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
911Spanker said:
The problem is salt is down on the roads for around 5 months a year so what do you do?
Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
You drive it during the spring & summer months? Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
5 months a year seems hyperbolic.. round this way they only come out when temperatures are ~1C. The gritters have only really started coming out and it's December, and I wouldn't expect to see them from March onwards. Obviously it depends a bit on where you are in the country.
Each to their own but the enjoyment of a classic or supercar is driving it in good conditions. If I had to use the wipers on my fancy cars I would have failed to check the weather forecast properly.
Durzel said:
911Spanker said:
The problem is salt is down on the roads for around 5 months a year so what do you do?
Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
You drive it during the spring & summer months? Yes you can use it when the weather is perfect but that takes away the joy of using a car for just doing things.
My near 30 year old BMW is not restored but is very decent. Had to be out in it yesterday. Was a lot of fun - an E36 on summer tyres in this weather is a bit err...oversteery. You have to be on your toes..
5 months a year seems hyperbolic.. round this way they only come out when temperatures are ~1C. The gritters have only really started coming out and it's December, and I wouldn't expect to see them from March onwards. Obviously it depends a bit on where you are in the country.
Each to their own but the enjoyment of a classic or supercar is driving it in good conditions. If I had to use the wipers on my fancy cars I would have failed to check the weather forecast properly.
It's a long time to leave this stuff parked away. Make sure they are professionally rust proofed and hose them down every week and think you will be fine.
I was revelling in the low speed slideability yesterday. Good fun and arguably more engaging than a summer day's drive.
I was more answering your opening question of "so what do you do?" - i.e. you drive it for 2/3 or 3/4 of the year when it's clement or ideally sunny weather.
Different strokes for different folks regarding tail out fun.. not something I would have consdered in the cars I had under cover. I had a tank slapper in a F430 on a greasy motorway and was left thinking how painful it was going to be financially. It was not a remotely enjoyable experience!
In the OP's case, it sounds like this classic car is cherished and wouldn't be sliding around (by choice).
Different strokes for different folks regarding tail out fun.. not something I would have consdered in the cars I had under cover. I had a tank slapper in a F430 on a greasy motorway and was left thinking how painful it was going to be financially. It was not a remotely enjoyable experience!
In the OP's case, it sounds like this classic car is cherished and wouldn't be sliding around (by choice).
Durzel said:
"It won't start, must be the deflanger"
Back in the house with a cup of tea.
More seriously - I wouldn't be driving a refurbished 20 year old classic on salted roads if I had any way of avoiding it. Should be stored up for winter with a cover on, etc.
Back in the house with a cup of tea.
More seriously - I wouldn't be driving a refurbished 20 year old classic on salted roads if I had any way of avoiding it. Should be stored up for winter with a cover on, etc.
Sycamore said:
I assume you went out, disconnected a battery lead, and then told her that the "Electroflux unit" or something is broken so the car wont start and you'll have to order a replacement?
"Sorry love, special order part from Germany that funnily enough doesn't arrive until the weather gets better and there's no salt on the roads. Huh fancy that"
Don't do this, she'll start to view it as unreliable and lose confidence in it. "Sorry love, special order part from Germany that funnily enough doesn't arrive until the weather gets better and there's no salt on the roads. Huh fancy that"
Just let her drive it and hose it down at the weekend.
DickyC said:
HustleRussell said:
Don't do this, she'll start to view it as unreliable and lose confidence in it.
Just let her drive it and hose it down at the weekend.
"I just get in it and drive it. It takes me where I want to go." Those are her words.Just let her drive it and hose it down at the weekend.
It's me with the anxiety.
I'm very much OCD when it comes to this stuff though. I jetwashed my fairly normal car yesterday because I wasn't anticipating needing to drive it for a few days, and drove it back on freshly salted roads the day before.
My attitude to this is quite simple - it's been refurbished, you have another vehicle you can use that doesn't need this level of care, it's a no brainer to take that car rather than one that you're going to have to spend time on at a later date as a result of this one frivolous, avoidable decision.
ZedLeg said:
Meh, it's a car. It's there to be used.
Better that than it sits in the garage for all but 2 months a year.
The guy who did much of the welding stood back to admire his work and said, "It'll see us out."Better that than it sits in the garage for all but 2 months a year.
But when it was all done it was almost like having a brand new car and wanting to keep it at its best. I just wondered if this was a familiar thing.
They can enjoy it in the spring, summer and even autumn without having to do anything to it in terms of re-refurbishment.
I get the logic that you lose some valuable time (money comes and goes, time only goes) that you could be enjoying the car, but it really depends on your attitude. I wouldn't enjoy driving a supercar in wet weather, because I'd be thinking about how I have to wash it when I get back, etc.
It sounds like this car is a cherished classic, so something that should be enjoyed in the right weather.
I get the logic that you lose some valuable time (money comes and goes, time only goes) that you could be enjoying the car, but it really depends on your attitude. I wouldn't enjoy driving a supercar in wet weather, because I'd be thinking about how I have to wash it when I get back, etc.
It sounds like this car is a cherished classic, so something that should be enjoyed in the right weather.
I have a 60 year old Mk1 Mini. It's not concourse condition but it is very good. I never drive it in winter. April to October are the only time it is out. Doesn't see salted roads. I know it's a car and built to be used but I don't see the point in causing unnecessary damage to it. In fact, I drove it one February only to take my neice to a formal.
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