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Jul 13, 2009 21:47:39 GMT
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Ok for a long time now,i've been using modern cars as my daily transport.I currently have a 1999 Audi A3 1600 sport,i've had it since christmas last year. Straight after getting it i replaced the front lower arms,anti roll bar bushes and link arms. Now 10,000 miles later the anti roll bar bushes are worn again,i used genuine parts too so i would have thought the quality would be up to scratch.Add to the fact the engine has an erratic idle and when i go to pull away sometimes the engine speed drops to idle and no amount of reving will get the engine to pick up. Needless to say i'm fed up,i've been looking for another car and have so far failed to find a car to get me interested,and the ones i have found have been "pricey". one was a Honda Civic S type gt and the other was a Clio 197.But i just don't want to pay through the nose for a car. So, in my lock up i have a 1989 Austin Metro 1.3 with a blown gear box,and that got me thinking. I can fix up the metro and run around in that. And while i'm at it i can tweak that A+ engine to make it that bit more fun.
Now i know we are all retro fans here,thats obvious! but we all live in the real world too,so my question to you all is this.
Do i buy another modern and have a the reliability that goes with running a nearly new car? or, do i fix up that old metro and try it out?
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,517
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Jul 13, 2009 21:53:50 GMT
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A 1989 Metro is a nearly new car!  I don't know what kind of driving you do daily but the world is your oyster as far as reliable '80's cars goes of you wanted something more spacious than the Metro... |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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Jul 13, 2009 22:05:17 GMT
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Well before the Audi i had a pug 306 Hdi and i loved it to bits,i was doing 30k miles a year and in that time i had i rear brake caliper sieze up that was a fiver from the breakers and the usual Crank damper pulley. Now i'm doing less miles for work comuting and its more going out for a drive sort of thing now. i love driving and like a car thats fun and rewarding to drive,and i don't just mean in terms of handling/performance it can be just the fun of owning it too. The metros looks apealing,but i can't help but think that i've been a little spoiled by moderns just a bit ;D
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,842
Club RR Member Number: 174
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If the A3 shares the same front suspension setup as Passats they eat front suspension parts like no other car. Bloody expensive to replace too when you have to buy complete arms rather than bushes. My dad seems to think its how he drives which causes it ie they're designed as a steady away family car rather than thrashing around.
For the price of the cars you mentioned you could fix the metro for work use and buy something else if you want to go quick and still have cash to spare.
Matt
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croaky
Part of things
Posts: 191
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I do circa 700 miles a week in a 1991 sierra, so long as they are maintained it's not a problem really, parts are cheaper than more modern cars but you still get modern car reliability mostly. my front indicator lense came off so i stuck it back on with some builders adhesive that i am sure the filter will not allow me to type the name of, "sticks like....."
love the strange looks i get whizzing up the motorway in the outside lane from all the folks in new company cars lol
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Car Transport available - non runners - anything - PM me for a quote
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Jul 14, 2009 10:02:47 GMT
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I got fed up of my 2001 Passat TDi back in March and had exactly this dilemma. I got in the Passat every morning and it did nothing for me at all. 50mpg, Aircon, power steering, comfy, sensible, and depressing!
I sold it, banked the money, and ever since I've been using my '85 Golf Convertible daily, I love it! I'm not doing mega miles in it, and admittedly we use the wife's modern for epic roadtrips, but if I were a single man I'd use the Golf for everything!
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1967 Morris Traveller 1971 Series IIA Land Rover 1991 Golf GL 4+e 1992 Corrado G60 1986 E28 BMW 528i |
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Jul 14, 2009 11:28:13 GMT
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For a daily you want something reliable or you will be crying into your beer, believe me, been there. Reliable could be a 1958 Morris Minor or a 2006 Mazda 3 Pick your price point, see what is available at that price and buy with some care. Most reliable cars I have owned (including wife-cars) have been - '92 Mazda 626, '95 Toyota Celica, '62 Morris Minor, '73 Ford Cortina, '72 Ford Cortina, '73 Ford Cortina x2 and the current '99 Lexus seems to be doing well so far (touch wood). If you want a car with character, buy one. Buying a diesel Passat and then complaining its dull seems a bit, well, "I could have told you that", no offence.  You need to consider the functions and features you need in a daily driver and see how that maps to your budget. I like leather, aircon, V8, RWD, automatic.... so the Lexus made a lot of sense to me on my budget. its a modern, but I enjoy it. its more about getting a car you like and fits your needs than whether that car is retro or not. |
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Jul 14, 2009 11:57:06 GMT
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For a daily you want something reliable or you will be crying into your beer, believe me, been there. Reliable could be a 1958 Morris Minor or a 2006 Mazda 3 Pick your price point, see what is available at that price and buy with some care. Most reliable cars I have owned (including wife-cars) have been - '92 Mazda 626, '95 Toyota Celica, '62 Morris Minor, '73 Ford Cortina, '72 Ford Cortina, '73 Ford Cortina x2 and the current '99 Lexus seems to be doing well so far (touch wood). If you want a car with character, buy one. Buying a diesel Passat and then complaining its dull seems a bit, well, "I could have told you that", no offence. You need to consider the functions and features you need in a daily driver and see how that maps to your budget. I like leather, aircon, V8, RWD, automatic.... so the Lexus made a lot of sense to me on my budget. its a modern, but I enjoy it. its more about getting a car you like and fits your needs than whether that car is retro or not. I totally agree ^^. The passat maybe dull but having an old hack that won't start may be more interesting but it'll do your head in. I've been there maannny times. i think the key to running an old car as a daily is to find a really good one. Find the best, lowest mileage example of whatever it is you fancy then the chances are it won't do your head in by being rubbish. For example you could get an okay Merc 190 with 150k on it for 500 quid but if you found a REALLY good low mileage, fsh one for £2000 then it'll probably not cause you any problems. |
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Jul 14, 2009 12:26:20 GMT
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Hmm,some good points raised,i got my A3 sport because i thought Audi= german= reliable and boy was i disapointed. Maybe i just got a lemon,but from what i've seen from talking with other A3 owners i'm not alone. And as for the Sport version,well that just means it has no suspension,and that was after i sorted it all out. i've decided that i want something fun with grippy handling,and i'm looking at an older Clio 172,as that way i can fix up the Metro and still have a modern for the daily duties thats fun. Are there any alternatives to the Clio 172? I wish Peugeot still made the 306 i'd have one in a heartbeat!!!
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Jul 14, 2009 12:29:09 GMT
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I had an Audi. It was not a great car. It was dull to drive and the engine expired when it was only 6 years old. This despite full VAG SH. One of the few moderns I owned and it was not good.
Clio 172 seems like a car with character. Well liked, check up on their reliability and any known weak spots on a Clio forum I guess. Couldn't fault yo for buying one of them, I hear nothing but how fun they are. Not my kind of car by a long way but go with whats fun for you.
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Jul 14, 2009 13:10:19 GMT
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Mid range Audi's and VW's are well built and nice places to be but dull. I've had an 02 A4 Tdi and a 98 Passat Petrol Turbo. Both munched miles and were reliable (other than the wishbone snapping on the passat and the wheel falling off at 50mph) but are dull to drive. The mk1 A3 is basically the mk4 Golf, which is know for not being great fun to drive. The Clio 172/182 will be great to drive but they're rock hard and may do your head in if you're mile munching. For about 2-3 grand you'll get yourself a reasonably tidy Clio Williams, which is bit more retro and is supposed to be great to drive. www.pistonheads.com/sales/1128307.htm |
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Jul 14, 2009 16:47:05 GMT
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Ive got the best/worst of both worlds as a daily, A 1986 Audi 100! Golf engine so simple mechanically. Ive had my share of problems with it- infact its been the most problematic car ive owned. I don't blame the car for this however, It wasnt a mint example when I bought it and I knew id have to do some work to get it up to scratch. If I were to buy another id spend atleast £500 on a good example instead of hunting out the cheapest!
It seems to be pretty well sorted now and hasnt anything go wrong for a while. When its working it makes a great "old" daily. Different to all the other cars on the road (rarely see another) rust resistant and very comfortable and quiet, its the perfet motorway car. Fuel economy is good too. If I need any parts they are usually cheap and easy to get hold of.
The giant bleak looking dashboard and plastics inside the cabin may not be everyones idea of "character" but its all a balance I suppose. My allegro has more character but its not as good on the motorway, not as safe and definately not as rust resistant!
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.  |
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,195
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Jul 14, 2009 17:05:51 GMT
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As said, it's partially down to gut feeling when getting a car, and seeing how it performs.
My reliable dailies have been a 2000 Ford Focus 1.6 which I took up to 156k (the CVs dried out then), a 2000 Peugeot 306 GTi-6 (it did need new lower arms after 120k, but for an 8 year old car on original arms I cannot complain), and the Porker for the month (so far touch wood) has been a fine hack despite an engine hiccup, and is a great car for what I wanted (something solid, but something which can soak miles up yet be alot of fun). Again, my 1973 MGB GT was at the top of the reliability list.
Conversely, we bought a Renault Espace which wasn't quite as reliable (although it didn't massively let us down).
Mileage doesn't bother me as much anymore. The owner who had it before, and the overall condition counts for more.
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You need to consider the functions and features you need in a daily driver and see how that maps to your budget. I like leather, aircon, V8, RWD, automatic.... so the Lexus made a lot of sense to me on my budget. its a modern, but I enjoy it.
