Hello fellow MGophiles:
It seems to me that in our discussion of the cost of tuneups and
maintenance on new cars we are overlooking one significant thing.
We are advocates of old iron and most of us possess the wherewithall to
maintain and repair said iron. So why the hell are you driving new
vehicles which you can't maintain or repair?
I suggest that there are plenty of decent old cars which can be purchased
for a song and maintained/repaired very cheaply by their owners - you.
My annual costs for operating 3 drivers are very low. The occasional set
of tires, brake pad/shoes, and the odd necessary repair are all that's
really required plust the cost of fuel. I'd rather spend my money on old
LBCs.
My fuel costs are higher than for new vehicles but my insurance costs are
much lower while car payments and depreciation are non-existent so my
bottom line much better. My family is perfectly happy driving old cars and
are unconcerned about reliability which is excellent.
My wife drives a 1981 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham Coupe with a 305,
automatic and every option known to man. I paid $1100 ($750 US) for the
Pontiac 3 years ago when it had 185,000 km ($115,000 miles) on it. I
painted it. It looks and drives like a new car.
My daughter drives a 1981 Buick Skylark Limited Coupe with 2.8 V6 and every
option imaginable. I paid $1100 for it with 115,000 km (71,000 miles) on
it 2 years ago. I replaced the rear shocks on it.
The Pontiac replaced a '78 Buick Skylark sedan with a 3.8 V6 in it. I paid
$700 for it and my wife drove it for 2 years with no problems other than
replacing the tires. My daughter inherited it and she drove it for a year
then I sold it for $500 and bought the '81.
In December, I purchased a 1980 Chrysler LeBaron Medallion Coupe with 318
2-barrel. The car has every option available for the year and has new
paint. The interior is perfect and the car has 115,000 km (71,000 miles)
on it. I paid $1500 ($900 US) for it and to date have replaced the valve
seals which cost me $15.00.
I recently purchased a '76 Ford Ranchero with 63,000 original miles and a
blown engine. I bought another car - a '78 LTD II - removed the engine and
trans (351M and TRX trans) from it and installed them in the Ranchero. I
then sold the LTD for $100. Total cost $800 (US $500). The car looks
good, runs well and is a functional pickup truck for me.
I would get in any of these cars today and set out on a cross country trip
if I had to. I know that they will start under the worst winter
conditions, are warm and reliable and can be fixed with parts from any
junkyard or auto supply store. I don't need or want a new car. The price
of my fuel is easily offset by my insurance savings and my cars don't
depreciate, they are appreciating or at least keeping pace with inflation.
If something major breaks, I won't fix it but simply dump the car and buy
another one. This would apply if I were on a trip as well.
My regular winter beater was a '78 Cadillac Eldorado. I drove this car for
8 winters and put about 75,000 km on it and it now has gone about 1/4
million km. It is still completely reliable. It cost very little to
maintain and with the front wheel drive and 5,000 lb weight it would go
nearly anywhere under nearly every circumstance. It had fantastic handling
and ride and was absolutely reliable. I paid $2200 ($1350 US) for it and
will easily get $1,000 ($600 US) for it today. I think this old car may
have been the best I have ever owned in terms of the sheer satisfaction it
gave me to own and drive it.
My point is simple. There are lots of good cars out there lurking
forgotten in old people's garages or abandoned at the back of dealers'
lots. The bargain finders and nickel ads are full of them and the
classifieds are bulging. Go out and buy one. Swallow your pride and to
hell with the Joneses. Drive it and enjoy it. Tell the new car service
writers to hook their computers to some other sucker's wheels. You've been
emancipated. And for those of you with pollution regulations, get a really
old one. The older they are the simpler were the emissions standards and
pollution-related equipment - in most cases. You Californians now have it
easier with the new regulations.
Drop me a line if you don't want to pursue this on the list and I'll offer
"best buy" suggestions to anyone. I've owned enough cars to have a good
idea of what to get.
John McEwen
Determinedly driving the past and saving money doing it.
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