Classic Car Economics

Zascar

Like the very popular Bangernomics threads, lots of people are trying to cut down on their overall costs of motoring. I just wanted to share my recent experience and decision as to why I bought a classic car.

I've always been a big motor enthusiast - and since I was a child I've always wanted a really nice performance/sports car. For the last 5 years I had a Honda Civic Type R (EP3) which served me great - but it was time for a change... I really do need something with a decent bit of power - I always wanted something like an M3 - but really I pretty much refuse to pay out €1,500+ every year for road tax. Apart from that, there is insurance and also depreciation which can be huge on some cars.

I always had it in my head that I'd love a classic car, specifically an old 911. They were built back then as the everyday supercar and if well maintained they are still daily drivers for many happy Porsche owners. The great thing about cars over 30 years old is A) Tax is €55 no matter how big the engine is, Insurance is very cheap, C) No NCT (pre 1980), and D) if you buy well and look after it, they will not depreciate - and it should/may appreciate. So kind of an investment of sorts, but as least its an investment you can use every day!

I worked out that including Tax, Insurance, NCT and Depreciation, my last car cost me just under 5k a year to run. As much as I love my car it pains me to spend that amount of money. And even at that many cars would cost a whole lot more. So, I took the plunge and bought a 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 - which in the long run I think is going to cost me a tiny fraction of what it would cost me to buy any more modern comparable car. Tax is €55, and insurance only cost me €450. If you have a second car it will be about half this but this is my only car. Now there are some limitations around this, my policy has a mileage limitation of 6,000 miles, but I can raise this to 10,000 miles for only an extra €100. I definitely got a really great deal on mine - it's in excellent condition but I think I'll probably need to spend maybe another 1k in total on some minor things to get it perfect. It should appreciate well, and I know I could sell it for quite a bit more in the UK if I did want to sell.

It's certainly not for everyone but if the circumstances are right, I urge anyone who has considerd it to look into it more - I had thought about it for years until a friend pushed me into it. I am lucky as I have an garage to put it in, and I don't really do that many miles - I also have a motorbike which I ride to work most days anyway. The other aspects to note is that cars like this can get very expensive to fix if they go very wrong, and they just won't be as reliable as a modern car. There are other downsides, as I said it's certainly not for everyone - but if the circumstances are right - sometimes it can make sense - and just a nice way to have a cool car and not cost the earth in the long run if you do it right

unkel

Great post

Zascar wrote: »

cars like this can get very expensive to fix if they go very wrong

It is important to stress this. That applies to all classic cars but in particular to exotic classic cars like a high end great condition Porsche 911 from the 70s, like your motor

You're saving €4k in fixed cost and let me guess, spend an additional €1k in fuel? So overall saving of €3k per year. Put all of this difference in a fund (every year) from which you pay repairs and maintenance. So if you have an engine or transmission re-built need doing in a few years time, the money is there

And people should not underestimate the progress that has been made in recent decades in comfort / safety / reliability / how easy it is to drive a car

couldntthink

Brilliant post, well said.:D

maidhc

Some downsides:

1) It may not start when you need it to
2) It may break down in the middle of a busy roundabout for no good reason
3) The breaks may bind at some point for no good reason.
4) You may come out some day to find all your petrol leaked out all over the driveway.
5) It will rust, visibly so if left out.
6) MPG will be dire, you will flatten €70 in 200 miles without too much effort.
7) It will need constant fettling and servcing every 3k.
8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.
9) The driving experience may be hairy
10) It may have cart springs, and ride like... a cart.

I speak as the owner of Ford Capri since 2007, and all the above things are what I have experienced. It is a decent, well maintained car, and really hasn't cost much to run in the 6k or so miles I have clocked in it.

I bought a 10 yo Celica VVTi in Jan as a daily driver. It does close on 40mpg, and flawlessly reliable so far. I paid over bangernomics money for it (2.4k), but taking into account tax it is cheaper to run.

New cars are no where near as cool though!

DanGerMus

maidhc wrote: »

steering column through the brain.

maidhc wrote: »

and all the above things are what I have experienced.

:eek:

L-M

i would not dream of driving a vintage car everyday. My Dad has three and they require constant maintenance, all the little things but little things add up.

maidhc

DanGerMus wrote: »

:eek:

Sorry, not that one! General flimseyness though!

Zascar

maidhc wrote: »

I speak as the owner of Ford Capri

Well there's your problem!

Ardent

I'd drive a 1L Toyota Yaris to work every day if it meant I could own one of these things and be able to bring it out for a spin at the weekends:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201209454114232/sort/priceasc/usedcars/model/928/make/porsche/page/1?logcode=p

unkel

Ardent wrote: »

I'd drive a 1L Toyota Yaris to work every day if it meant I could own one of these things and be able to bring it out for a spin at the weekends:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201209454114232/sort/priceasc/usedcars/model/928/make/porsche/page/1?logcode=p

I have one of those but I couldn't even afford to buy a 1L Toyota Yaris and tax the 928

ShadowHearth

This thread is useless without pics op *wink wink*

unkel

ShadowHearth wrote: »

This thread is useless without pics op *wink wink*

Plenty of pics of his gorgeous 911 in the Classic Cars forum



Here's the thread

maidhc

5 years ago, still looks the same though.

dgt

maidhc wrote: »

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m19/maidhc/cDSCF0639.jpg

5 years ago, still looks the same though.

:pac:

Mully_2011

maidhc wrote: »

Some downsides:

8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.

Surely but Early 70s the steering columns could collapse ??

Neilw

maidhc wrote: »

Some downsides:

1) It may not start when you need it to
2) It may break down in the middle of a busy roundabout for no good reason
3) The breaks may bind at some point for no good reason.
4) You may come out some day to find all your petrol leaked out all over the driveway.
5) It will rust, visibly so if left out.
6) MPG will be dire, you will flatten €70 in 200 miles without too much effort.
7) It will need constant fettling and servcing every 3k.
8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.
9) The driving experience may be hairy
10) It may have cart springs, and ride like... a cart.

I speak as the owner of Ford Capri since 2007, and all the above things are what I have experienced. It is a decent, well maintained car, and really hasn't cost much to run in the 6k or so miles I have clocked in it.

I bought a 10 yo Celica VVTi in Jan as a daily driver. It does close on 40mpg, and flawlessly reliable so far. I paid over bangernomics money for it (2.4k), but taking into account tax it is cheaper to run.

New cars are no where near as cool though!

Is that not part of the joys of owning a classic? Bar the bit about death by steering column

I agree with some of the list you posted but if you maintain a classic it should be reliable, I would have no problem taking mine on a long run without fear of it breaking down.

Seweryn

maidhc wrote: »

Some downsides:

1) It may not start when you need it to
2) It may break down in the middle of a busy roundabout for no good reason
3) The breaks may bind at some point for no good reason.
4) You may come out some day to find all your petrol leaked out all over the driveway.
5) It will rust, visibly so if left out.
6) MPG will be dire, you will flatten €70 in 200 miles without too much effort.
7) It will need constant fettling and servcing every 3k.
8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.
9) The driving experience may be hairy
10) It may have cart springs, and ride like... a cart.

Too much generalisation in your post in almost each point.
Points 1 to 4 may happen to you no matter what car you drive.

Fiona

Limerick man wrote: »

i would not dream of driving a vintage car everyday. My Dad has three and they require constant maintenance, all the little things but little things add up.

They can take up a lot of time and money but ya know what when people look at your car as you drive by you can't help but smile and giggle to yourself like a teenager

Neilw wrote: »

Is that not part of the joys of owning a classic? Bar the bit about death by steering column

Nobody ever told me about the death by steering column

Mr.David

Worth noting that most insurance companies will only insure a classic as a second car, not as a daily driver. Then again you would be brave if it were your daily!

I've been thinking along these lines for ages, would love a 997 or M3 but the cash requirement is killer.

Only thing holding me back is having a single parking space (underground apartment car park) and no garage. Hopefully in a couple of years time!

piston

AFAIK, all cars sold in the UK after 1972 had to have a collapsable steering column. This legislation spelt the end to some old favourites like the Austin Cambridge and Morris Minor.

Having rewired a Morris Minor for a neighbour, I can see the appeal, it was nice to drive and lively enough up to about 40mph, unbelieveably positive steering and about as complicated to repair as a wheelbarrow. BUT DON'T CRASH ONE, the outer panels are heavy, but there is basically nothing in the way of body structure to give the shell any strength.

The Germans, on the other hand were always big into safety and a 911 should give decent protection.

Fiona

Mr.David wrote: »

Worth noting that most insurance companies will only insure a classic as a second car, not as a daily driver. Then again you would be brave if it were your daily! car park)

Why brave? Its only a bleeding car! I drive mine daily and i have it insured with Axa. I used to have a classic policy but cancelled it once he was able to get a policy in his own name.

mrs crilly

mrs crilly wrote: »

Why brave? Its only a bleeding car! I drive mine daily and i have it insured with Axa. I used to have a classic policy but cancelled it once he was able to get a policy in his own name.

I think many wouldn't consider a late 80s e30 as an actual classic

Fiona

RoverJames wrote: »

I think many wouldn't consider a late 80s e30 as an actual classic

No i dont mean for my car i mean for any older car.

dr.fuzzenstein

Seweryn wrote: »

Too much generalisation in your post in almost each point.
Points 1 to 4 may happen to you no matter what car you drive.

I've driven a 1979 VW Transporter, two 1984 W123 Mercs and a 1973 MKIII Cortina, all of the points where spot on, except the steering wheel perhaps, they where all quite safe compared to some 50's/60's cars that can only be described as deathtraps.
Well maybe the Cortina was a deathtrap. And it had the scariest handling of the lot.
All of them would leak, stop, break, overheat, eat tires, brakes, spit out oil, smoke, backfire, etc...
And unless you do a complete nut and bolt restoration, which will cost more than many a brand-new car, that's what will happen.
Remember, classic cars are just very, very old second hand cars with murky history, unknown mileage and a lot of bodging in them, unless you bought the very best for the most money and a lot of classic car enthusiasts don't.;)

piston

A 1970s car shouldn't be unreliable (unless you buy a Marina or something else from the BL family). I covered many thousands of miles in MK1 Golf diesels and never had any problems worth mentioning. In fact, I often found the people with the modern cars who pointed out how unreliable my car would be in comparison to theirs were the ones who ended up with huge bills when the engine management light came on. Buy the right car - Golf, Passat, Audi 80, Peugeot 504, Merc, BMW 2002, and it should be perfectly reliable with proper maintenance.

L-M

Big difference in a Mk1 1.6 diesel and... well, pretty much everything else!

piston

That's why I said to buy the right car, preferably German.

Buy a Morris Marina and look forward to greasing the steering every 500 miles and collapsing trunnions and oil leaks.

Big Nasty

TBH repair costs on a classic will probably be less than a major fault on any modern car.

I couldn't drive mine as a daily as it's too much of a handful and is quare thirsty. Wouldn't mind a Capri as a daily though.

Hootanany

maidhc wrote: »

5 years ago, still looks the same though.

That was my first car 16GT auto pass anything but a petrol station. and same colour Bermuda Blue.

L-M

MCMLXXV wrote: »

TBH repair costs on a classic will probably be less than a major fault on any modern car.

I couldn't drive mine as a daily as it's too much of a handful and is quare thirsty. Wouldn't mind a Capri as a daily though.

Mk3 Brooklands? Yes please!

Big Nasty

Limerick man wrote: »

Mk3 Brooklands? Yes please!

Mark II JPS or maybe something like this:

Zascar

MCMLXXV wrote: »

TBH repair costs on a classic will probably be less than a major fault on any modern car.

This can be true. A friend of mine who is a mechanic has a hatred for certain marques especially BMW's - he always advises anyone he knows against buying them as he spends all his time fixing them - so many things are almost guaranteed to go wrong on them at certain mileage - plus when you get any electrical problem it's colossal money.

At least with the older cars most things are very simple. A 911 is just a fancy beetle after all - you can drop the engine and gearbox out of it really quickly if needed. Parts are not as expensive as you'd think - the normal small service parts etc are cheap - it's only when you get into the major stuff it gets very pricey. You just need to maintain them well - and that's what I plan to do with a portion of the money I am saving in comparison to buying a modern car. It's still the depreciation that is the biggest factor for me. Spend e.g. 15k on an e.g. 5 year old car, in 5 years time it will probably be worth less than 5k. However in 5 years time my car should have appreciated by that amount at least. And cost me a hell of a lot less to run in that time. For me, this was the deciding factor for my decision and I do not regret it for a second...

As I very clearly said, it's not for everyone - there are obvious downsides and things you just have to put up with. Maidhc's list had some valid points - but was a bit ITT imo - it's just up to the individual to weigh up the benefits and drawbacks for themselves. After all the title of this thread is 'Classic Car Economics' - not 'Classic Car Practicality'... Sometimes you have to sacrifice practicality for other things. For example, my motorbike is a Duati 749 - it's absolutely beautiful and puts an unbelievable smile on my face when I ride it and gets a lot of admiring looks. However I've had a rake of (small) problems with it - and with the previous Ducati Monster I had before it too. Kinda comes with the territory when you buy an Italian bike. I know tomorrow I could go and buy an equivalent Honda or Suzuki and it would do much the same job - with most likely none of the problems - but the difference is the pleasure of owning & riding a Ducati. It will break your heart on the bad days, but give you an incredible amount of pleasure the rest of the time - and I would not swap it for the world...

Seweryn

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I've driven a 1979 VW Transporter, two 1984 W123 Mercs and a 1973 MKIII Cortina, all of the points where spot on, except the steering wheel perhaps, they where all quite safe compared to some 50's/60's cars that can only be described as deathtraps.
Well maybe the Cortina was a deathtrap. And it had the scariest handling of the lot.
All of them would leak, stop, break, overheat, eat tires, brakes, spit out oil, smoke, backfire, etc...

I used to drive an S123 Mercedes-Benz as well, which I bought in Germany in 2007 and by all means it was complete opposite. I covered about 45k km in it and I had not a single problem with it. It was one of the most reliable cars I have had. Economical as well - it did approx. 40mpg on average (and better on a long run), and very practical, as it was a kombiwagen.

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

All of them would leak, stop, break, overheat, eat tires, brakes, spit out oil, smoke, backfire, etc...

Nothing like that was going on in my 25-year old Benz. And nobody knows what was the real mileage on it. It did not even burn oil between services.

Zascar

Before this I had 4 Japanese cars and I've been blessed with almost no problems in the many years I have been driving. But then again i know loads of other people with Japanese cars who've had nothing but trouble and spent fortunes over the years fixing multiple problems. There are no guarantees when it comes to cars.

firefly08

1) It may not start when you need it to
2) It may break down in the middle of a busy roundabout for no good reason
3) The breaks may bind at some point for no good reason.
4) You may come out some day to find all your petrol leaked out all over the driveway.
5) It will rust, visibly so if left out.
6) MPG will be dire, you will flatten €70 in 200 miles without too much effort.
7) It will need constant fettling and servcing every 3k.
8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.
9) The driving experience may be hairy
10) It may have cart springs, and ride like... a cart.

I speak as the owner of Ford Capri since 2007, and all the above things are what I have experienced. It is a decent, well maintained car, and really hasn't cost much to run in the 6k or so miles I have clocked in it.

Pretty much every single thing on this list is one more reason why you should buy a classic Porsche They start and stop more reliably, rust less, handle better, get better MPG, and are generally better built than anything else from the same era.

One thing I'd have to concede though is that no car from that era is anywhere hear as safe in an accident as a modern car. They're perfectly safe to drive but if you have a crash...:eek:

dr.fuzzenstein

Seweryn wrote: »

I used to drive an S123 Mercedes-Benz as well, which I bought in Germany in 2007 and by all means it was complete opposite. I covered about 45k km in it and I had not a single problem with it. It was one of the most reliable cars I have had. Economical as well - it did approx. 40mpg on average (and better on a long run), and very practical, as it was a kombiwagen.


Nothing like that was going on in my 25-year old Benz. And nobody knows what was the real mileage on it. It did not even burn oil between services.

You mean W123? What engine is in it?
Of all the cars I have driven and owned in my life I love none more than the early 80's W123 Mercs, be they diesel, petrol, auto or manual (had both of each), big, lazy cruiser and as tough as they get.
Mine where Irish examples, i.e. intergalactic mileage, bad engine swaps, nonexistent maintenance, never garaged, rusty as sh*t, no fluid apart from oil (every 5 years I'd guess) ever changed, collapsing suspension "fixed" with bits of wood wedged in, in short what you would expect when buying a 20+ year old car here in the back in the 90's before the advent of the NCT.
For anyone giving out about the NCT:
It has brought about a shift in attitude and improved second hand car conditions here by at least 1000%.

Fiona

Zascar wrote: »

It will break your heart on the bad days, but give you an incredible amount of pleasure the rest of the time - and I would not swap it for the world...

That sums it up pretty well

Seweryn

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

You mean W123? What engine is in it?

Yes, the W123 series. My one was the S123 (S = Stationenwagon = Estate). The engine was the OM617 5-cylinder 3-litre Diesel, normally aspirated, 300TD model. I still have a photo of that car:

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Of all the cars I have driven and owned in my life I love none more than the early 80's W123 Mercs, be they diesel, petrol, auto or manual (had both of each), big, lazy cruiser and as tough as they get.
Mine where Irish examples, i.e. intergalactic mileage, bad engine swaps, nonexistent maintenance, never garaged, rusty as sh*t, no fluid apart from oil (every 5 years I'd guess) ever changed, collapsing suspension "fixed" with bits of wood wedged in, in short what you would expect when buying a 20+ year old car here in the back in the 90's before the advent of the NCT.
For anyone giving out about the NCT:
It has brought about a shift in attitude and improved second hand car conditions here by at least 1000%.

Yeah... I agree all the way .

The 123-series is a class in its own. It was my dream car once I got a lift from a friend when I was a kid. I am sorry I sold that car. There is no way I can ever find a better one again. That one had the optional Getrag 5-speed transmission and it was a dream cruiser!

dr.fuzzenstein

Seweryn wrote: »

Yes, the W123 series. My one was the S123 (S = Stationenwagon = Estate). The engine was the OM617 5-cylinder 3-litre Diesel, normally aspirated, 300TD model. I still have a photo of that car:

Yeah... I agree all the way .

The 123-series is a class in its own. It was my dream car once I got a lift from a friend when I was a kid. I am sorry I sold that car. There is no way I can ever find a better one again. That one had the optional Getrag 5-speed transmission and it was a dream cruiser!

Love the car, always wanted the T, never had one.
My dream W123 would have to be the 280 C though. All the way, no faffing around with a 2.3, nope, six cylinder 2.8 that does 14 mpg on a good day.
And just look at it:

Seweryn

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Love the car, always wanted the T, never had one.
My dream W123 would have to be the 280 C though. All the way, no faffing around with a 2.3, nope, six cylinder 2.8 that does 14 mpg on a good day.
And just look at it:
...

That is a lovely one. The Coupe looks fantastic and with the M110 engine it is quick enough, but as you said the fuel economy could be better . Anyway, your 14 mpg is a bit pesimistic. I recon 23-28 should be no problem with light foot.

cadaliac

Zascar wrote: »

.....
As I very clearly said, it's not for everyone - there are obvious downsides and things you just have to put up with.. For example, my motorbike is a Duati 749 - it's absolutely beautiful and puts an unbelievable smile on my face when I ride it and gets a lot of admiring looks. However I've had a rake of (small) problems with it - and with the previous Ducati Monster I had before it too. Kinda comes with the territory when you buy an Italian bike....

It is naive of you to say that the 911 is your daily driver when you do not rely or depend on this mode of transport to get to work.
Your car is simply stunning however and I always loved that colour combo. As you pointed out previously, its not for everyone, but it is my dream also.
I will have a classic someday, but it will strictly be a Sunday driver (i'd imagine)

john reilly

maidhc wrote: »

Some downsides:

1) It may not start when you need it to
2) It may break down in the middle of a busy roundabout for no good reason
3) The breaks may bind at some point for no good reason.
4) You may come out some day to find all your petrol leaked out all over the driveway.
5) It will rust, visibly so if left out.
6) MPG will be dire, you will flatten €70 in 200 miles without too much effort.
7) It will need constant fettling and servcing every 3k.
8) You die if you crash, most likely instantly by way of steering column through the brain.
9) The driving experience may be hairy
10) It may have cart springs, and ride like... a cart.

I speak as the owner of Ford Capri since 2007, and all the above things are what I have experienced. It is a decent, well maintained car, and really hasn't cost much to run in the 6k or so miles I have clocked in it.

I bought a 10 yo Celica VVTi in Jan as a daily driver. It does close on 40mpg, and flawlessly reliable so far. I paid over bangernomics money for it (2.4k), but taking into account tax it is cheaper to run.

New cars are no where near as cool though!

speaking from beyond the grave. surely you could give us something more enlightening

Big Nasty

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Six cylinder 2.8 that does 14 mpg on a good day.

14 mpg out of a 2.8 6-pot? I get 16 no bother out of a 3-speed auto 6.6 V8 Trans Am on a motorway drive. Granted I get a whole lot less just tooling around!

dr.fuzzenstein

MCMLXXV wrote: »

14 mpg out of a 2.8 6-pot? I get 16 no bother out of a 3-speed auto 6.6 V8 Trans Am on a motorway drive. Granted I get a whole lot less just tooling around!

That figure was just a guess, but whatever it is, it won't be great!;)

Big Nasty

I've been thinking a good bit about all this over the weekend. With the increases in fuel and motor tax, decreases in wages due to USC et al I'm approaching breaking point driving a 3.5 as a daily. The annual tax on same is €1683 but I usually pay by qtr which is €475 or just shy of €160 a month! Fcuked if I'm going down to a 1.6L car though! :eek:

I could loose the daily and drive the weekend car but it's a bit of a handful to drive and a gussler (6.6 V8) so would negate any monetery benefit. I could however loose the daily and buy something like a MkII 3L or very early MkIII 2.8L Capri. Roughly same fuel costs as the more modern 3.5 V8 I would imagine and €52 tax. Best of both worlds!

EDIT: Ooh! Look at this bad boy!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3030590

dr.fuzzenstein

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I've been thinking a good bit about all this over the weekend. With the increases in fuel and motor tax, decreases in wages due to USC et al I'm approaching breaking point driving a 3.5 as a daily. The annual tax on same is €1683 but I usually pay by qtr which is €475 or just shy of €160 a month! Fcuked if I'm going down to a 1.6L car though! :eek:

I could loose the daily and drive the weekend car but it's a bit of a handful to drive and a gussler (6.6 V8) so would negate any monetery benefit. I could however loose the daily and buy something like a MkII 3L or very early MkIII 2.8L Capri. Roughly same fuel costs as the more modern 3.5 V8 I would imagine and €52 tax. Best of both worlds!

EDIT: Ooh! Look at this bad boy!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3030590

'deed and it would!:eek:
Ever thought about LPG?
Love the Capri, but some of those 70's Fords can have dodgy handling.

Big Nasty

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

'deed and it would!:eek:
Ever thought about LPG?
Love the Capri, but some of those 70's Fords can have dodgy handling.

LPG? Not for me thanks! I would be saving €150 a month with this plan anyhow.

Handling wouldn't bother me.;)

dr.fuzzenstein

MCMLXXV wrote: »

LPG? Not for me thanks! I would be saving €150 a month with this plan anyhow.

Handling wouldn't bother me.;)

Had a '73 MKIII Cortina (similar to the Capri underneath methinks) and it was genuinely scary on a twisty backroad.:D
I'd be working hard, sawing away at the wheel whilst whatever modern Eurobox behind me was just cruising away, itching to get past me.

Big Nasty

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Had a '73 MKIII Cortina (similar to the Capri underneath methinks) and it was genuinely scary on a twisty backroad.:D
I'd be working hard, sawing away at the wheel whilst whatever modern Eurobox behind me was just cruising away, itching to get past me.

I've a 79 Trans Am, I reckon the Capri would be a piece of piss to drive in comparison!

dr.fuzzenstein

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I've a 79 Trans Am, I reckon the Capri would be a piece of piss to drive in comparison!

Americans not knowing what a corner is?:D