RANT: Why do I bother with old cars ??

[Gayle]

Being a technofreak, I also dislike late model cars in the way the electronics were implemented. I prefer mechanical finese rather than electronic trickery. Cars must be more raw if there were gasoline powered. If they were electric powered, then its a different story altogether!.

You have it exactly. Mechanical finese and raw.

[callen]

The vette is a full time job in itself...

I know how you feel..same here...just bought wife "newer" car so to get rid of one of my "older vehicles"
Plus neighbors think I'm freakin nuts due to my constant work on cars.
71 vette
89 735il
91 535i
94 530i
99 Benz...low miles...yippee.

[Garlic Breath]

The fleet is :
1990 BMW 535i
1987 Volvo 240 Wagon
1977 Corvette
1989 Kawasaki KZ1000P

Everything needs work. BMW Is apart as the headliner is being redone. Had to do exhaust manifold gaskets and a trans kickdown cable on the Volvo in the last 48 hours. When will it end ? Why am I not leasing a new car and quit screwing around with this old crap !!!

A) It's cheaper to maintain a used vehicle rather than buying a new one
B) Older cars have a soul

[callen]

Freedom is the answer.....do complicated computers or high expenses....

other thing is buying a new vehicle then getting in an accidednt and having a judge read black box out and use it against you.....that's the biggest problem with new cars.

[uberhahn]

'72 Datsun Z 240

'68 Alfa GTV

I look at it this way. The work on them is 60% of the experience. The rest is pure driving enjoyment. If I look at it any other way, I would simply buy just-another-cookie-cutter-car that every OEM is selling now.

Character.

uberhahn

[zygoteer]

New(er) cars are too impersonal and are engineered to 'divorce' you from road-reality, by de-skilling the driving.

Mid-range modern saloons from Ford, VW, Audi, Skoda, Toyota, Mazda and many many more are so similar and boring, that I can't be bothered to make a definitive list.

[callen]

you have the z and alpha currently?

[uberhahn]

yup. Both the Z and GTV are driven hard. Both see track time, but are used mainly on cooler days when I want no radio, no AC, and no passangers. Just me, car, road,... and a few tools in the back, just in case.

Nothing sweeter than the sound of 3 2barrel Webber 45 DCOE carbs on the 6-cyl Z sucking air at 5500 RPM, or a 4 wheel drift in the Alfa.

I think I was born in the wrong decade.

[emw525E34]

New(er) cars are too impersonal and are engineered to 'divorce' you from road-reality, by de-skilling the driving.

Yep, thats the essence of the argument against newer cars. Too business like , formal, no character, no soul, pretty much faceless!.

I guess most enthusiasts wanted to portray a certain style that their car, says similarly about them and their tastes. To me driving enjoyment is what my BMW gives me. It challenges, cajoles, intimidate, sometimes flaunts its power!. Thats the fun, it gives and no Audi can match RS or quattro.

[joe maniqz]

A) It's cheaper to maintain a used vehicle rather than buying a new one
B) Older cars have a soul

you guys are right about that soul thing...i spend more time in my 92 e34 than my practically troubleless 2001 prelude...there's something about that old bimmer...that i can't explain.