Classic Cars

Jason1969

I'm in South Wales. You do have to plan ahead but there are some well looked after examples out there going for very little money especially when you think about the cost of servicing a car which is five years old and the cost of consumables. Things like lights can be upgraded, I upgraded my headlights to Halogens a while ago although heaters are poor you can install your own but it does depend on the classic you go for.

marlot

fwor wrote: »

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

I agree on the whole but I miss my Triumph 1500 saloon which would put warm air out the heater within 200 yards.

Gloomendoom

I run a 55 year old car and just insure it on a normal insurance policy. I think it costs about £150 a year limited to 6000 miles. I build up a no claims bonus on it and I can also use it for commuting. Neither of which are possible on most classic policies.

forgotmyname

Saving £100 or so on road tax is one thing what about the thousands of pounds it may need welding it up at each MOT?

Not many pre 1973 cars around that wont need welding.

iltisman

If you find a nice classic it is a shame to drive it everyday in the rain and salt. Much better to keep it for nice summer days. I recently sold a Mini I bought for 750 5 years ago for 2000. I now miss it and will be looking for another classic to play with.

pulliptears

I passed my test at 17 and drove around for 2 years in an old Metro (this was back in the early 90's). I got married, had a couple of kids and couldn't afford to run 2 cars with OH let alone insure so I didn't drive for some time. When I decided we could afford for me to have a car my insurance was again through the roof.

Around 2002 I bought a 1972 Morris Minor for £500 and insured it on a classic policy (from memory it cost around £130 to insure), tax was free. I used it daily for roughly 3 years. It was brilliant in the snow and left our modern car looking very sad indeed as it could easily get up the large, snow covered hill to our home while the modern car sat spinning at the bottom. If it broke parts were in abundance and more often that not it could be fixed by the roadside by me because it was such a simple engine. I'd grease it up underneath a couple of times a year and in the 3 years I drove it I only needed to have it welded once around the boot.

It was undoubtedly one of the cheapest cars I have ever run, and amazingly easy to maintain. When I (begrudgingly) sold it she went for £700, so I'd had 3 years of cheap motoring and made £200 at the end of it. It wasn't the best looking machine in the world, but it was great fun to actually have to drive a car rather than relying on PAS and ABS etc. The only downside was when I parked it up anywhere I'd usually return to a group of old men reminiscing around it

Incidentally, not sure if things have changed since but Direct Line took on my NCD from the Morris Minor when I then insured the modern Punto.

reeac

I own 1958 MG which I restored and put on the road in 1983 but I keep it for dry, sunny days. It would be a shame to use it for everyday running around. Zero road tax and depreciation, insurance about £180 plus an annual MOT - not too extravagant.

pulliptears

reeac wrote: »

I own 1958 MG which I restored and put on the road in 1983 but I keep it for dry, sunny days. It would be a shame to use it for everyday running around. Zero road tax and depreciation, insurance about £180 plus an annual MOT - not too extravagant.

I'm on the other side of that, 1982 TR7 Drophead. Insurance is £180 but its the Tax thats crippling on a 2 litre engine. I only use it in summer and SORN over winter but I'm fast drawing the conclusion that it's a bit pointless given the amount of actual 'summer' I get to use it. Sad to say I think I'll be parting with it next year.

Shame we never got to the rolling free road tax once promised or it would be worth keeping.

myhooose

When I was younger I drove daily various Morris Minors for a few years and tinkered with them a fair bit rebuilding engines etc.
If I were to buy one again I would look very carefully for an example with good solid underside. There are a lot of cars that have been tarted up with a quick respray and rotten underneath, covered up with a lot of underbody sealant.

In comparison mechanical issues and exterior body/ paintwork can be sorted relatively easily.
I'd recommend taking someone along knowledgeable in the particular car you are thinking of buying. Don't buy the first one you see.

lindopski_2

I would take a look at the Practical Classics magazine as they have been going for donkeys years and have a lot of information on classics and their daily use.

I think that most classic cars will take up some of your time in maintenance, not only the obvious war against rust but also the general maintenance that a classic car requires.
Greasing parts will be common, more regular oil changes and general upkeep.
You wont ever struggle for parts for a Morris Minor but if you pick something a little more exotic you may have it laid up for months sourcing parts so have to keep that in mind.

The heaters will be a joke, and the lights will be like candles in a bowl but to be honest if you like the car you wont care, you wont be bothered that the world and his dog overtake you either.

to be honest in my 1999 rover the world and his dog overtake me as well, as I don't want to drive at 45 in the 30's.

The older cars have class and a style of their own, you can tell a Morris Minor from a Triumph Herald or an MGB GT.

I can't tell what is a Pug,Citroen,Astra,Fiesta or Fiat these days on the road - a bubble with wheels is all I see whilst driving around.

I wouldn't mind a Rover P6 for my daily driver and a Mk2 Jag for play but I will have lots more grey before I can afford to do that. 20 mpg if I am lucky most probably - oh lord