Classic Cars

Jason1969

I wonder if it would be worth buying a small classic car built before 1973. You would save on road tax i.e they are tax free. They are reasonably easy to fix and can sometimes be fixed at home. You are saving the environment because you are not buying a new car which has a significant impact on the environment through its manufacture. Most offer good petrol consumption, okay they don't go as quickly but everyone on the motorway these days seems to be travelling at 60mph??

poppasmurf_bewdley

Older cars are nowhere near as reliable as modern cars, and require much more maintenance.

I owned a 1967 MGB until two years ago and it never went more than a month or two without something going wrong and that was not being used on a daily basis.

It wouldn't be cost effective to try and use a pre 80's car as everyday transport or everybody would be doing it.

karatepet

I have a 1972 austin princess vanden plas that gets used daily and very really breaks down.Only downside with a classic is the insurance.You need a new car so your classic counts as a second car,my insurance for austin is £69 a year.or you can make your classic car the only car but insurance will go up and you will lose your no claims as there is no claims on classic car insurance.

Jason1969

My car doesn't meet the 73 threshold but I suppose is a classic being built in 79. I use it daily (Triumph Spitfire), it is hard work on the motorway only because people are flying past you at 90mph but it is good on fuel and the insurance isn't too bad at £250. I am tempted to look at an older car, as long as you spend time on it and look after it there are not too many problems - I hope.

karatepet

£250 insurance is cheap that on a normal everyday insurance where you build up no claims.?i was quoted over £500 for a ford orion (modern classic)

Jason1969

I just used a specialist through the TSSC club. I am over 40 though so that helps:(

karatepet

I was just asking because if its on classic only then if you sell it and by a new modern car you will have no ncd.And i am also over 40 lol

david29dpo

If a car hasn't got a cab and points i am not interested!

Jason1969

Your probably right in terms of buying a modern car and transferring no claims discount. I think they will recognise the time you have been driving though especially if it is accident free - I hope.

karatepet

My uncle also drives a classic and also had a mondeo,he decided to sell the mondeo to save money but the insurance people said after 2 years he would lose all no claims and have to start from scratch,he now has to decide wether to buy a modern car or lose his no claims.

what part of the uk are you?

fwor

I had to move from classic to modern car recently, and the new policy gave NCD for all of my claim-free years, even though the classic policy had no NCD. If you write to classic policy issuer they are apparently obliged to give you a written statement of the number of years since your last claim or the start of the policy.

Here are some things that people tend to forget about driving old classics in the winter:

Their ventilation/heating systems are primitive and they can be cold and very prone to misting up when it's damp.

Their lighting will be appalling compared to a modern car.

The windscreen wipers will probably be rubbish, and if the windscreen has not been replaced it will be scratched and make night driving unpleasant.

The fuel consumption will be poor compared to any small modern town car.

Whenever you have to work on it you'll have to fight with rusted components.

There were many things I liked about my '72 Scimitar, but driving in the winter wasn't one of them...