In praise of older (but not too old) cars

[dicko]

Older cars usually come with a full size spare wheel, can be easily serviced and repaired at home and the internet is just full of older spare parts too.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Unless unreliable, old and especially tatty cars are great:

- burglar deterrent (obviously nothing valuable if they own that shed)
- zero stress (who cares if it gets dented or scratched or stolen)
- zero depreciation
- no point in spending valuable time cleaning it
- no annoying gizmos

 

[Rusty Nails]

Cars are for girls.

Real men like me and @fossyant drive vans.

I would drive a van, but I need a second row of seats and windows for my rear passengers to see out of. Real vans don't have those, only middle-class pretend vans.

 

[steveindenmark]

And having wilfully lost/failed to learn the skills they then have the cheat to complain about the cost of getting work done at the garage!

I have never complained about the cost of repairs at a garage. Firstly, because I can afford it and secondly because I drive Kia Picantos and they do not go wrong

 

[Drago]

I would drive a van, but I need a second row of seats and windows for my rear passengers to see out of. Real vans don't have those, only middle-class pretend vans.

Middle-class?! How dare you!

 

[Drago]

Kia Picantos and they do not go wrong

My BiL needed a new engin engine his at 60k miles. Excessive crank end float ultimately causing the bores to wear oval. Kia took a lot of persuading (ie, threats of legal action) to honour the warranty.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Middle-class?! How dare you!

If you were upper class you'd have someone to drive for you. Probably in a tatty old Land Rover.

 

[biggs682]

It's called bangernomics

 

[dicko]

Wind up windows, ash tray and quarter lights to flick your cigarette ash out

 

[Bristolian]

Wind up windows, ash tray and quarter lights to flick your cigarette ash out

And wing mirrors that are actually mounted in the wings. Whoever decided that mirrors attached to the front doors (creating blind spots) were better than the wing mounted ones?

 

[tyred]

It's trying to find the sweet spot where the car's got all the useful stuff - ABS, power steering, air con, etc - and where all the useless ADAS stuff such as lane keep assist, speed warnings and other associated bings & bongs can be switched off and stay off (current regs make them default to on each time the car is started).
Plus where the major controls are on switches/buttons rather than a touchscreen.
My 2015 Mazda 6 Estate fits all the above criteria perfectly and is comfortable on a long run while returning 50-55mpg (diesel)

My 205 has none of the "useful" stuff and in my opinion, was all the better for it. I look forward to returning it to the road some day soon.

 

[steveindenmark]

My BiL needed a new engin engine his at 60k miles. Excessive crank end float ultimately causing the bores to wear oval. Kia took a lot of persuading (ie, threats of legal action) to honour the warranty.

Over the last 20 years I have had 2 Picantos one after the other. Neither has gone wrong. They are so cheap to buy. I did not intend getting a second one but they had added so many features it was like buying a different car.

 

[dicko]

And wing mirrors that are actually mounted in the wings. Whoever decided that mirrors attached to the front doors (creating blind spots) were better than the wing mounted ones?

They were, no wing mirrors on my Imps and Minis just a small mirror on my car door was sufficient.

 

[Drago]

Over the last 20 years I have had 2 Picantos one after the other. Neither has gone wrong. They are so cheap to buy. I did not intend getting a second one but they had added so many features it was like buying a different car.

I've never broken my leg, doesnt mean plenty of other folk haven't.

 

[Drago]

Not wholly fair, as modern cars are more or less unmaintainable without a fully equipped professional workshop and training to go with it. Changing an engine in my old Cortina was a pretty straightforward job for anyone vaguely mechanically

Never an issue for me. Its an ever evolving skillset, but none of it difficult for anyone wanting to acquire it. I have dealer level diagnostic computers for my VW (VCDS) van and the Volvo (VIDA-DICE), neither were very expensive. As long ago as the mid 00's I had PLANET for my then Peugeot, so this is nothing new.

That oft touted argument seems more an excuse than a genuine obstacle - im no mensa candidate (densa, perhaps?) and my trousers go on one leg at a time and I've not yet met a fault on a modern car I couldn't eventually get my head around. Indeed, the more mundane physical stuff such as leaking windows and trim are usually far harder to sort.