And the winner of dreamer of the year is...

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Well tbh with you it they probably will be a classic in the future in this country as they will be remembered for their quality just like old carinas and corolla from the 80's are remembered now.

I suppose they will be a classic (with a small "c") one day purely because they will be old, but I can never see them being sought after in any major way - they were common as muck, had very little going for them other than reliability, and the electronics (little and all as there was in them) will likely be unreliable and tricky to replace with age.

Gravelly wrote: »

I suppose they will be a classic (with a small "c") one day purely because they will be old, but I can never see them being sought after in any major way - they were common as muck, had very little going for them other than reliability, and the electronics (little and all as there was in them) will likely be unreliable and tricky to replace with age.

They were are very pleasant car to drive, economical and had a certain quality to them, everything was built to last, even the wiper linkage for example had metal bushes instead of plastic and very rarely wore out. Door hinges and bonnet wearing out is very rare too unlike other makes.

Even mega mile examples drive like the day they left the factory with no rattles and are tight with don't feel loose like some other cars can get with high miles.

Electrics aren't unreliable at all in these, they don't give any electrical problems even the electric windows don't give problems with regulators or motors like you see on other cars.

Some people look down on them but most of the time those people never have actually owned one and go by what certain journalist say intead of real world experience.

colm_mcm wrote: »

The old stuff was reliable against a backdrop of rubbish cars from other brands though.

Ya but they were still quality cars, much more so than the two succeeding models and many other cars from the 00's.

Gravelly wrote: »

I don't have to go by what a journalist says, as I owned one in my dim and distant youth. I'm not sure what you mean by "pleasant to drive" - certainly they get you from A to B, but in no better or worse a way than any other basic car of the era, but they were, at best, unexciting, and most people don't buy a classic car so they can be bored - thus you will see loads of MGB's, hot Escorts, Jaguars etc. at classic car runs, but very few Montegos, Rover 200's or Morris Marinas. These don't even have the "oddball" factor that makes people buy other boring classics like Reliants or Ladas.
I didn't say the electrics are unreliable, I said the electronics (little and all as there was in them) will likely be unreliable and tricky to replace with age. which they will - it is unlikely that the electronics will last forever, and probably won't be available off the shelf.

By pleasant to drive I mean they had a nice light clutch, a smooth gearchange, they were quiet and comfortable and offered decent performance and economy for a 1.4 engine.

As regards to electronics, you can say that about any car ebay is your friend in that situation for whatever electronics you think will go on them? I can't think of many if any, even the central lockingn on these is extremely robust.

Also a car doesn't have to be a hot hatch or a prestigious car to be a classic. The reason why montegos and marinas aren't seen at classic car shows is because most of them have already fallen apart years ago because the were buckets of sh1te in every way.

To be fair to John I see plenty of 70s, 80s and even 90s Corollas at many classic car shows around the country and I don't see why the e11 won't follow suit. The boring and mundane, as they get on in years, become very appealing to some people (I am one of those people) who enjoy seeing them at shows. I think its mostly nostalgia than attracts people to the older ones, which I can get behind.

I remember reading a while back that the classics most people fall for are the ones that were current when the person was in their teens - thus, to someone of my age, the Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 911 were the exotics we loved, while the Gti's (205 & Golf) and the Xr3i were the more everyday cars that we loved. I now look at Sierras, Merc 190's and Renault 4's with an interest they scarcely deserve. I suppose to someone who was 14 or 15 in the 90's the e11 would hold a bit of nostalgia that passes someone of my generation by.

selectamatic wrote: »

There's method to it though its not simply these were the cars on the road when i was young. its more these were some of the good cars that were around when i was young.

Take the e10 corolla si which with only an eco 1.6 4afe engine was faster that the mk3 gti golf. I reckon they're a shoe in for future classic status and they'd only a little econobox as The yanks would say. Actual performance orientated ones like the fx gt 20v are already classics tbh. Same goes for many other brands and models civics, pulsars/almeras, Colts etc...

The Japanese cars of the 90's simply battered the rest of the world when it came to "mass produced performance" especially in the 4 cylinder segment.

Just wait till 10 years time when we'll be debating whether a 3dr gt tdi golf will be a future classic :P

True enough, the cars I listed above were the desirable ones - the thing is though, most people wouldn't be able to spend what it costs to get a 1980 GTi or Xr3i as a weekend toy, so many of them will buy a bog standard Golf or Escort of the era, and make do, so maybe there's hope for the 1.4 e11 yet - just not for me!

Wonder would this qualify.

2005. Left hand drive. Polish registration. Non M-sport. 7000!



https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/bmw-530d-left-hand-drive/16405049

I might not get something... But 2004 Legacy, with leak from valve cover and dents all over the place, regardless how fast it is, for TEN big ones?
Try to insure this, it looks a bit modded too...

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/subaru-legacy-gt-jdm-2-0turbo-manual-280hp/16333076

Top Dog wrote: »

Wonder would this qualify.

2005. Left hand drive. Polish registration. Non M-sport. 7000!



https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/bmw-530d-left-hand-drive/16405049

He must still think he is in Poland at that price.
That's more or less what they go for there.. here not so much.
Then you'll have the vrt and tax upfront and the joys of listening to the insurance company laughing at you.

bear1 wrote: »

Apart from the leak, is it really that overpriced?
Seems to have a lot done on it.

Honestly? I wouldn't give anything more than a grand for it.

georgefalls wrote: »

Would it kill them to get the spellings, and info correct. Spelt 'Bertone' wrong twice, and its a JTD, not a TDi.

At that price, you could easily buy two

If that really is Alfa GT Butone, this is a sure deal and future classic... UNIQUE ONE!!!!

Even the base models were designed by Bertone. That's just a Sportivo.

Different strokes man.

Its a little pricey alright, what do you reckon they should go for? They're fast becoming a rare sight nowadays like.

I'd really love another, the 4age blacktop is an amazing lump