"Classics" as daily drivers. Truly realistic?

[Tonka]

I've managed over 300 miles so far this month in the Fiesta, the downside is it no longer looks as clean as it did on new year's day and being a 950 it can be a pain if you want to get a move on, but it's got doors, wheels and an engine and a brilliant heater, in fact it all works just as it would have done driving to work everyday when it was new 27 years ago, the only thing that has changed is our expectations!

 

The Civic is in daily use too but is a lot more civilised, there again it was an altogether more up-market vehicle when new.

 

And while all this is going on the Stagea sits patiently waiting for it's turn as the "modern" back-up vehicle.

[jonny69]

All good points so far. My Anglia is my daily and it rarely (if ever) lets me down. I don't drive it every day because I commute by bike or train, but I use it for all my car duties. So to summarise all those good points:

 

- Have a backup plan

 

Either a second car or a bike/train/trainers/whatever. It's inevitable that a very old car will break something at some point and you'll need a backup plan. I have a selection of bikes and also my girlfriend has a car that I can fall back on if need be. If it were all done my way (and if I needed the car more than I do) then my Ford Pop would be the backup plan.

 

- Have a float of spares

 

Stuff will break or perish at some point and there's a small float of useful inexpensive things that you can keep in the shed that you can use to get you out of trouble. It differs from car-to-car but it's typically things like oil, instant gasket, points, condensor, length of heater hose, length of fuel hose. Oh, and tools.

 

- Distance

 

The roads are different to 40 years ago and older cars aren't geared to comfortably sit at 70 on a motorway all day like a modern car is. It's worth bearing in mind if you're a heavy motorway user. Yes, classics were originally designed for daily use and abuse, but the motorway network didn't exist back then and journeys were a lot smaller and slower. You can do it, but get used to kicking back and enjoying the journey at a more sedate speed and plan in the extra time.

 

- Maintenance

 

You'll need to look after it yourself. Typically it's things like oil and water need checking periodically, brakes need nipping up as do wheel bearings and steering boxes. Not often, but it still needs doing. I've got into the habit of checking a car over when I get it and out of routine I replace all the small electrics and any seals or cylinders that I think might unexpectedly let me down.

[Mash]

I think I'm too lazy these days to run anything older than 90s on a daily basis. When I first started driving in the mid-90s I only had my Triumph 1300 and then a Vauxhall Victor. I did relent after a while because I wanted my cake and eat it - mint condition but use it all the time - and I couldn't keep it up. In summer it's fine but if you want to use something from the 60s in winter I think you need to accept it'll be a bit rough aroud the edges so maybe having a nice highdays and holidays one and another one that you don't care about toooo much as a daily. It's not the mechanicals, it's the frickin' body work.

 

That said, I would love to drive my Triumph all the time, I might even do that this summer, it's about time it had a bit more use and it would keep the miles down on the Alfa.

[dollywobbler]

This means that I've got no space to work on the BX which is driving me nuts with funny noises at the moment. It's almost got to the stage of paying someone else to fix one of them and to me, that is really not the point of running classics

 

Depends on your budget. When I was earning enough money, I thought nothing of spending £300 at a specialist on my £266 BX. It's still cheap motoring as long as that's not a regular thing. Lower income these days (and boring things like house costs/firewood eating my funds) so I have to do more work myself. Owning an older car doesn't mean you MUST be spanner savvy, though it is pleasing that there's so much you can do. I think it really does pay to know your car mechanically as well - especially running something like a BX. It's knowing whether that noise means stop instantly or nurse it home.

[Andrew353w]

My current daily is a '59 A35. Fortunately I don't do a huge mileage, but it does live outside and is used in all weathers.

 

 

I just LOVE that photograph! The red 'phone box and post box epitomise everything I love! Just perfect!!

[barefoot]

From 1996 until 2010 my daily was a 1979 VW t2 camper van.

It was fine if a little chilly in the winter. It occurred to me that 28 mpg on a run & 18 mpg normally wasn't that brilliant, but it wasn't until I had to buy a replacement sliding door (30 years old, two pressed steel sheets spot welded together and five hundred and seventy five pounds) that I decided it was a bit 'precious' for a daily.

This is the point where I purchased the ex Hillmanimp '87 Scirocco and suddenly enjoyed heating, performance and economy.

Since 94, the fair lady barefoot has been doing fifty odd miles a day in an '87 944 and the thing still manages 29mpg.

 

There are three vehicles, if one fails, another is pressed into service!

[Six-cylinder]

I believe we reached a point somewhere around the end of the 1980s that heaters, heated mirrors, intermittent wipers and decent door seals mean that there is little pain or suffering involved in driving them, eg my 1988 BMW 735i SE.

 

Chris

[wuvvum]

I would agree on the motorway thing to an extent, certainly with smaller cars. I did a bit of motorway driving in the HA when I was using that as a daily - it was doing nearly 5,000rpm at 70, but it didn't seem to mind, and the engine sounded happy enough. That was the exception though - driving a Morris Minor from Bucks to Norwich was a choice between either sitting at 50 or going deaf - with the added bonus that for some reason the A-series in a Moggy sounds like it's about to throw a rod at anything over 3,000 revs - and the Renault 6 isn't a whole lot better.

 

Larger cars can be a different story though - my 1961 Humber Hawk (2.3 litres, 83bhp, 4-speed manual with overdrive) was a superb motorway car, would sit at 75 all day with plenty left in reserve and managed 30mpg on a run. Similarly with the 1956 Sunbeam Talbot 90 I drove back from Preston for a mate. Overdrive-equipped Triumph 2000s and Hillman Hunters are even more competent high-speed cruisers, as are Scimitars (although the latter do like a drink) - I daresay there are other possibilities too, but those are the ones I've had experience of.

[Angrydicky]

Just spent 20 minutes in the jetwash at Asda hosing road salt out from under my Austin. I have no intention of letting it rust again!

[freebird]

There is this fella i used to work with who NEVER had a "modern". His most modern back in the day was a 20 odd year old Renault 18 which was a pile of crap but he would still think nothing of driving it from Norfolk to Blackpool, even nursing it there and back. When i first went to his house he had an early 1960s Humber Hawk sitting under a lean to, acting as a shed. "How long has that been their?" I asked. "Since 1972", he said like it was last week......

I badgered him to get it on the road again till eventually he restored it, took him five years mind.

Its now white ( was green) and he uses it for weddings and stuff as well as using it regularly.

Its a class car and the kind of Motor i reckon id love to use as my daily, apart from it being white, mind.

[Rusty Pelican]

I know there are BMW haters out there but I drive a 1986 E30 as an every day hack , at 600 notes it was cheap enough , had a few issues mainly the rad , alternator and exhaust center box , all cheapish to fix .

had to fit new tyres 2 years in which wasnt .

Been reliable for the 3 years ive had it and much better than the 51 plate astra it replaced which was bland , boring and unreliable.

[STUNO]

Although I admit to living in a different environment with none of the salty stuff used, we still do get cold and wet. The SD1 has been my daily for some years and has been totally reliable but for 1 incident which required a new distributor cap to fix. The car has all the Modern goodies, aircon, heated mirrors etc that you need. All the usual service items are available and Rimmers could supply anything else, so no worries there. There was never a leak to be found so no problem that it sat outside work everyday. I never expected it to be a pristine showpiece and it suffered in the supermarket carpark, the latest was a good solid reversing into which bent the tailgate badly and was never repaired because it would affect my insurance ( no other driver to admit doing the damage). But it is quite possible to use just about anything as a daily once it has been made reliable. Now it has gone on to another Rover fanatic who will treat it with kindness.

 

[Lukas]

I think using a classic (old car) as a daily if fine, as long as you don´t use a museum-piece in 1A-condition and as long as you rust-proof it properly! Using a very nice condition surviver without additional and properly done rust-proofing and at least an underbody-wash a few times during winter and very carefully after winter is not OK to me!

 

I can´t use both of my old cars everyday but that´s because I am stupid and bought them in bad condition, had both of them restored for the money you could buy a new Hyundai i10 for and both are worth around 1500 Euro each. So I am just stupid, leave me alone...

[Lukas]

One thing I forgot about using an old car as a daily is the fact that I feel quite insafe in some occasions.

 

Driving is quite aggressive, not only in town, but almost everywhere. Tailgating, aggressive behaviour at junctions, too fast everywhere etc., mostly by people in new cars. When I am sitting in an old-one, I feel a lot more vulnerable than in a new car. I get to drive different new cars over the year because I am a freelancer at a car-magazine too so I have the comparison. Maybe it´s all about getting used to it.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I know there are BMW haters out there but I drive a 1986 E30 as an every day hack , at 600 notes it was cheap enough , had a few issues mainly the rad , alternator and exhaust center box , all cheapish to fix .

had to fit new tyres 2 years in which wasnt .

Been reliable for the 3 years ive had it and much better than the 51 plate astra it replaced which was bland , boring and unreliable.

 

That's lovely - I forgot you had that.

 

I drive 15-20 year old BMW stuff because they are still decent enough to drive without feeling you've gone back in time. In the summer I'd gladly drive around town in something like an 1100 or a Mark 1 Escort but winter requires something rather nicer. Some daft bint in our street drives a 1992 Mini Auto. You can hear the sorry spastic wheezing and farting down the road before you see the rust eaten shitbox with it's massive condensation. There's just no need to put up with driving rubbish like that when decent used cars are so cheap.

[Spiny Norman]

One thing I forgot about using an old car as a daily is the fact that I feel quite insafe in some occasions.

 

Driving is quite aggressive, not only in town, but almost everywhere. Tailgating, aggressive behaviour at junctions, too fast everywhere etc., mostly by people in new cars.

 

I guess it comes back to your definition of 'classic'. If we're talking about something slow and small from the 60s like an Austin 1100 or an Imp for example then I'd agree, but a lot of us here are using larger 70s/80s cars as everyday drivers with no qualms about safety whatsoever.

The only thing my Saab lacks compared to most moderns is an airbag, but it's still got a strong safety cage, ABS brakes and enough power that I don't constantly have to dawdle along in the slow lane. If I need acceleration from 80mph upwards, it's there, just as surely as it would be in any average modern car. The old '81 Vauxhall Royale I had recently was the same and I'm sure the guys running similar oldies agree.

 

Then again, like I said earlier, I don't really consider it to be a 'classic', but that's another debate....

[barefoot]

On a slightly different tack, the newest car I have ever owned was from 1989

A Trabant - surely unsafe at any speed!

[freebird]

One thing I forgot about using an old car as a daily is the fact that I feel quite insafe in some occasions.

 

Driving is quite aggressive, not only in town, but almost everywhere. Tailgating, aggressive behaviour at junctions, too fast everywhere etc., mostly by people in new cars.

 

I guess it comes back to your definition of 'classic'. If we're talking about something slow and small from the 60s like an Austin 1100 or an Imp for example then I'd agree, but a lot of us here are using larger 70s/80s cars as everyday drivers with no qualms about safety whatsoever.

The only thing my Saab lacks compared to most moderns is an airbag, but it's still got a strong safety cage, ABS brakes and enough power that I don't constantly have to dawdle along in the slow lane. If I need acceleration from 80mph upwards, it's there, just as surely as it would be in any average modern car. The old '81 Vauxhall Royale I had recently was the same and I'm sure the guys running similar oldies agree.

 

Then again, like I said earlier, I don't really consider it to be a 'classic', but that's another debate....

I think it may be an age related thing. I dont consider any new model that was presented to the public in the 1980s forwards to be a "classic."

Thats probably because I passed my driving test in 1982 so, theoretically, a Sierra was, at that time ultra modern and almost space age compared to the MKV Cortina. I cannot get that perception out of my head.

Old shite like Avengers, Allegros and suchlike were well and truly long in the tooth by 82, they were old shitters then and, to a degree, they are old shitters now albeit with charm and a greater sense of the past than computer designed MK2 Cavaliers etc.

Thats not to say that i wouldnt have an 80s car, Id like a 2.0 CDi MK2 Cav like I had in the mid nineties, something like that would piss everyday use BUT I wouldnt feel that it was so old as to have any kind of real innocence and charm.

Bloody stupid, i know.

I need to change my perceptions

[dollywobbler]

Perhaps I'm just daft (this is very possible) but I don't feel unsafe in the 2CV. However, I DO certainly pay attention when I'm driving it - I'm not immune to the dangers but then I don't really want to crash in any car. I do seem to have to got rather soft in my old age though. If I'm going to be covering more than 200 miles in a day, I wimp out and leave the 2CV at home. That's a bit sad and pathetic really. Two winters ago, the BX froze its heater matrix so I was forced to use the 2CV to drive to Devon and then Sussex. Didn't half clock up some miles. Apart from having to alter the ignition timing on the 2CV on Christmas Day (a five minute job once you know how) there was not a single problem. Yes, it's bloody noisy at speed (an indicated 70mph is about 63mpg and getting on for 5000rpm) but then even a BX feels a bit revvy at speed compared to some moderns. At least you actually feel like you're moving quickly.

[Des]

I've done much motoring in things that predate seatbelts and always feel as safe as if I were in the latest puffed up airbagged to buggery crumple zoned monstosity available. Best bet is to not crash at all, but that means staying at home so it's a matter of being careful out there, good tyres and brakes obviously, favour the inner lanes on motorways and where you can, distance yourself from others in all directions. There's usually better visibility from older stuff, and you can 'feel' the road, sense the grip your tyres have, and hopefully avoid trees or lamposts getting in your path as they'll mess you up whatever you're driving, next biggest risk is meeting someone on your side of the road while they're overtaking or confused, and that's where it pays to run as big and solid a car as you can, make sure you take the greatest share of crumple zone available.

[freebird]

I've done much motoring in things that predate seatbelts and always feel as safe as if I were in the latest puffed up airbagged to buggery crumple zoned monstosity available. Best bet is to not crash at all, but that means staying at home so it's a matter of being careful out there, good tyres and brakes obviously, favour the inner lanes on motorways and where you can, distance yourself from others in all directions. There's usually better visibility from older stuff, and you can 'feel' the road, sense the grip your tyres have, and hopefully avoid trees or lamposts getting in your path as they'll mess you up whatever you're driving, next biggest risk is meeting someone on your side of the road while they're overtaking or confused, and that's where it pays to run as big and solid a car as you can, make sure you take the greatest share of crumple zone available.

Lots of truth in that.

My modern has all the visibility of an Albino in a snowdrift.

I realise that moderns are "safer" in a collision but is there really any need for windscreen pillars that are thicker than an Elephants knob?

No wonder there are so many T bone accidents.

[stilo_active]

I'd certainly agree that late 80's stuff is ideal as a daily driver. It has certainly worked for me so far, and on the cheap. My daily driver is 1987 205 1.0 Junior. Bought it £400 with 6 months tax and test. Had its MOT last week where it failed on a couple of wheel bearings and a brake pipe but before this in that six month period (excluding petrol and insurance) I'd spent £30 on it - engine service items and wiper blades. Nothing else has been needed. It's been (touch wood) exceptionally reliable - it has failed to start once and I could understand it - it was bloody wet and we had red flood warnings in the neigbouring town. One of the cheapest yet best little cars I've bought.

 

The modern car we have, however, is a temperamental little prick of a car. 'Er Indoors bastard Corsa has been a royal pain in the arse and an expensive one. The Spaztronic gearbox system decided to throw all its toys out of the pram, and in addition to the stuff it needed for its MOT it cost us about £800 in the same period of time the Peugeot cost £30. It can also be a right cantankerous bitch in the cold (the car can as well!). It does have a little more power than the Pug, but then again so does my food blender, but is easier on longer journeys. That said, whenever I need to drive anywhere I will take the Peugeot every time. The old car, in our case, seems to be the back up car for the modern pile of misery when it inevitably breaks down again. I've tried reasoning with the wife but she loves it. Her mother gave it to us for free. I still think we were ripped off.

 

Most of the work that the Pug will ever need I can do meself. The Corsa, forget it. It's all electronic and plastic covers etc.

[joethornton1986]

i gave up modern cars years ago in favour of classics, my daily drive has been a Morris Minor for a while now... not the same one (ive had 8 over the years lol) but i find they are ideal for pottering about in, cheap to run/reliable and easy to maintain... the best bit IMO is having something you can find in a carpark... not a eurobox like all the other cars u see day in day out

[Adrian_pt]

I only use the 1985 Saab about once a week - I commute by foot or, if I'm lazy, public transport. However I always found it more than suitable for either nipping around town or long motorway journeys (usually at rather entertaining speeds). 400 miles over Christmas was no problem whatsoever, even in the torrential rain. Moderns are of course a lot more refined, but frankly I don't find myself _needing_ electric windows or power steering or that kind of thing. And it of course has a lot of charm and, if anything, appreciates in value. You can't expect it to be a new car (so for example I have to leave a big braking distance on the motorway), fuel is eyewateringly expensive, and there are always a few comedy things which go wrong - my recent favourites being a shagged speedo which told me I was doing 115 while stopped at a red light, and a CD player which only plays the one CD and you can't turn off - but, for the time being, I can't see myself in a modern.

[scooters]

It's the old tools vs toys debate again

 

I have cars that are tools and cars that are toys

 

a tool can be a toy as well but a toy isn't a tool but can be used as a tool every now and then.

 

Essentially you budget thus:

tools - these are cars you have no emotional or blood spilt attachment to you and are there to provide transport they need to be reliable. They can be toys as well - many 1990s cars would fall into this category

toys - these are exactly what they say

 

you can have a classic (by that I mean 50's 60's and 70s) by all means use it as a tool but understand that it might be unrealistic to expect 100% reliability so I would have a back up. If you need to drive then you really need 2 vehicles.

 

For instance with me:

 

'96 Volvo 940 Sport - tool - family car used for long distance and family trips and by wife daily. Also used as a toy by me due to increased horsepower and 'Q' fun

'98 Ssangyong Musso - tool - used in the blasting business daily as a tow can and for accessing difficult client sites

2002 Iveco MWB twin axel PTO compressor van - tool

'90 BX Meteor - toy but used as a back up tool

'90 BMW Baur - toy but used as a back up tool and sometimes as a daily in the summer

'74 Triumph 2000 - toy but is summer daily, comes off the road in the winter not becuase it is unreliable but to save it from excess road salt

'80 Lancia Beta Coupe - project toy but will eventially be a toy used as back up tool

'04 Mondeo TDCI - tool, currently rented out as a taxi

'02 mondeo TDCI - tool - was a taxi might be turned into family car tool

 

Resource spend priority goes thus:

 

04 Mondeo

Iveco

Ssangyong

Volvo

Triumph, BX, BMW all the same

Lancia

 

As things stand, due to January cash flow problems we are resourcing to Ssangyong level - the Ssangyong being run as the family car and I am using the IVECO as a daily driver (not ideal). When this changes the Volvo will be repaired and I will then use the Ssangyong as a daily. If the Volvo repair gets complex/expensive then I will recommision the BMW or BX to use as a daily until it is back on the road.

 

So - yes - it is practical to use a classic as a daily driver/main car BUT you must recognise that it will require more maintenance and iot is a good idea to have a back up. A mate of mine uses a Ford Consul for his main car, however, he also has a Ford Ka which cost him £300 as back up for when he needs to maintain the Consul or can't afford the petrol! Consul Toy that is a tool - Ka - tool

[Tonka]

Jumped in the Fiesta to drive home from work tonight in the pouring rain and the rear wiper has stopped working....says it all really

[Des]

If you can run a car that's younger than yourself, you're a winner.

[Lord Sterling]

Jumped in the Fiesta to drive home from work tonight in the pouring rain and the rear wiper has stopped working....says it all really

 

Your lucky really, the front wipers on my Rover stopped working a few weeks ago just as I pulled into work.

[binhoker668]

Currently? Living in constant fear, as I havenae the cash (or the skills!) to get the timing belt changed. Awful whine coming from that area of the engine.

When (fingers crossed) replaced, I'd happily plan a euro-trip in it.

I think I've been very lucky in all my shitters - They've never let me down on big ole trips etc.

But I do put cash into them, and have work done, when I cannae do it myself....

I never look fer a modern though - and recently, I could have bought one (well, fairly modern) had I chosen to...

[Tonka]

Jumped in the Fiesta to drive home from work tonight in the pouring rain and the rear wiper has stopped working....says it all really

 

Typical, moved stuff round so I could get it in the garage, took trim panel off tailgate broke most of the clips despite using fancy Snap-On removal tool put power to motor and hey presto it works decide to delve into shed for box of switches (must have a Mk2 switch somewhere) which means shifting 8 wheels/tyres to get in, no suitable switch found, oh well just stick switch back in dash and source one elsewhere at scene tax price, push switch out of sheer desperation and wiper works, and again, and again.........FFS, so now I need to find some trim clips..........