Careful about classic cars!!

Gel

Is it crazy buying a classic car if you can't maintain it yourself? I think so!
I have a lovely Karmann cabrio but because I've no mechanical skills or restoration skills and I've had to rely on so called experts who have charged me a fortune!
Okay, the car is really solid now but it has cost me way more than I can afford. I now have to sell the car and try to make some money back because I'm almost broke! Santa will be a mean so and so this year!
I was considering buying a different cheaper car maybe an MG midget but I''ve just got the bill for my latest work on the cabrio so it's totally out! I'm giving up on classic cars! They're a bottomless money pit!!

junkyard

Personally I don't think using a classic car for everyday use is a good idea. Don't get me wrong I love classic cars, I have enough of them myself, but you do have to have the basic skills to keep them alive. A lot of people think its a cheap alternative but in reality its not. Considering that these cars are thirty years or older the basic design and construction are old to begin with.I think you would enjoy your classic car more if you use it for weekends and special occasions. If your looking to replace your classic car with something more practical and you like VW's you should consider a mk 2 VW golf gti, they really are a super car and very cheap to buy and keep on the road. I can appreciate that they aren't classic yet but its only a matter of time before their prices rise and they still turn heads with the right colour and spec. Good luck with your choice.:)

ds20prefecture

You make a good point, Gel. You definitely need a strong commitment to classic car ownership before, during and after purchasing. However I disagree with both you and Junkyard.

I knew absolutely nothing about cars mechanics, classic or otherwise, when I bought my car 3 years ago. I use my car daily, and have had to get it serviced and maintained at a local specialist. My car would be widely regarded as one of the most complex cars ever mechanically, primarily because its approach to most things is "different". Yet the total cost of ownership of this car has cost me less than that of my 00 Škoda. Labour rates are approximately half that of the Škoda dealers. Parts are much cheaper. Tax is a fraction of that of a modern car. Insurance is the same.

But the real gain is depreciation, or lack of it. The Škoda has lost almost 60% of it's €19k value in 5 years. The Citroën has not lost a penny.

I'll grant you I now know a helluva lot more about cars generally and my car in particular as a result of ownership. Personally, I don't see this knowledge or experience as a burden or hardship.

corktina

ds20prefecture wrote:

You make a good point, Gel. You definitely need a strong commitment to classic car ownership before, during and after purchasing. However I disagree with both you and Junkyard.

I knew absolutely nothing about cars mechanics, classic or otherwise, when I bought my car 3 years ago. I use my car daily, and have had to get it serviced and maintained at a local specialist. My car would be widely regarded as one of the most complex cars ever mechanically, primarily because its approach to most things is "different". Yet the total cost of ownership of this car has cost me less than that of my 00 Škoda. Labour rates are approximately half that of the Škoda dealers. Parts are much cheaper. Tax is a fraction of that of a modern car. Insurance is the same.

But the real gain is depreciation, or lack of it. The Škoda has lost almost 60% of it's €19k value in 5 years. The Citroën has not lost a penny.

I'll grant you I now know a helluva lot more about cars generally and my car in particular as a result of ownership. Personally, I don't see this knowledge or experience as a burden or hardship.

hear hear! and to add to that...if you buy a simple car mechanically, then you can easily do all your own work at no cost.....i dont ever pay for mechanics (although i cant weld or paint) ...i maintain my 5 cars myself....fortunately I know loads of Cortina buffs who will advise me on what needs doing and how to do it.....and before 1998 I hadnt lifted a bonnet for many many years.........(had a company car you see.....

Abelloid

Hi Gel, I have only ever owned classic cars as daily drivers since I started driving, and at first it seems like there is an endless list of work to tackle,
but as you adapt to it you realise that it's really not that bad.
I wouldn't worry too much about bodywork- if it is solid yet a little crusty around the edges, mechanically the beetle (presume it's a beetle and not a ghia?)
is one of the simplest cars to maintain, you can service a beetle very cheaply if you do your homework, get a copy of John Muirs "How to keep your Volkswagen alive..."
It's a great book, not too technical and well illustrated.
Do you have any pictures and info on the work done already?

MercMad

I also agree with DS, Cork and Justin !

I have used my 1964 Merc almost daily for over 4 years now, sometimes covering big mileage all over the Country !

I AM able to do the mechanical work on my car, thats a huge bonus, but I havent had to do anything with it this year except grease the suspension and change the oil regularly !

In 4 years it has cost me about €2,500 - 3000 but that included all the parts for a full engine rebuild, I did the labour and I knew about this before I bought the car so it was priced accordingly.

This year sees me sort out the bodywork, which will cost me big money but then the car will retire and I will use another classic for daily use ! All in I reckon I'm still quids in compared to the money I'd spend and loose on a modern !

I simply wouldn't drive anything else but a Classic !!

8~)

I also use classics for daily transport - granted they're not 30 years old plus; my current 3 are all young at 18-22 years old.

Get a good solid car that isn't too bad on fuel, keep on top of the servicing and investigate odd noises when they start and it's feasible. (I did try and run a 4.2 Daimler for a -very- short while as a daily driver... scary.)

Like MercMad, I intend to take my Mercedes off the road for a while next year to get the body done and start using another old car for a while.

Another alternative is to have an everyday banger and save the classic for weekends.

Abelloid

Oops, I should mention that since about a month ago I have been driving a Punto daily, the beetle is in hibernation as it's not very practical in it's current set up.
I did drive my other beetle daily for 6 years and that included regular commutes from Dublin to Galway and Dublin to Cork.

8~)

"I should mention that since about a month ago I have been driving a Punto daily"
Heh, Beetles are great in the winter - you scrape the ice off the outside of the screen then do the same inside...

Gel, a thought - if you've already spent all that cash on your car why not use it for a while and enjoy it a little before selling? If the work was done properly then it shouldn't deteriorate for a long time. As pointed out already, classics don't really depreciate. You could use it now and sell it in 6 months for the same or more than you'd get for it now.

Oldmerc

I have a 69 Mercedes, not quite daily driver as I work in town and I wouldn't bring a car in anyways. I drive it at least 3/4 times a week. I would say I spend a little bit more than others, perahps 3k to 4k pa, but I have been a bit unlucky to have had one big item each winter to sort out. Other than that its a simple service, about €250, every 5,000 miles. I never lift the bonnet if I can avoid it as I would screw it up. I had a new golf gti before I got the merc, lost a load each year, and would NEVER go back.

Its a bit of a pain sometimes, got a fuel hose leak now coming up to crimbo which needs to be sorted but hopefully done this week. Definitely more problems in the winter but utter joy in the spring summer.

My car is from the US west coast so no rust issues (yet) but if I do it again, whish I will, I would go for less electrics, I have found sunroofs, windows, AC to be nothing but hassle and electric motors hate Ireland.

Gel

Hi,
Thanks to all who replied.
I'd like to keep the car but she's up for sale at the moment if anyone is interested.
You may have noticed I mentioned changing to a cheaper MG Midget.
I have had a couple evaluated in the UK. Anyone have experience of these?
Are they too small to drive on our roads now with all the bigs trucks around. I can imagine a driver not even seeing the car and driving straight over me!!

junkyard

I'm selling an MG Midget at the moment if your interested.

Gel

Possibly, tell me more.