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Just wondered really, how many of us use our 'Retro' car as a daily driver, & what are your thoughts on doing so? It occured to me last night on my short trip home from work that my van is quite abit older than the majority of the other cars on the road. I consider it borderline-retro and still a relative youngster, being 'only' 16 years old, but its still quite an age for a vehicle I depend upon, being started/driven/stopped at least four times a day. When I owned my Integra, its duties were quite evenly shared with the Derby - as it was nice to keep the mileage to sensible levels on both cars, the Derby now gets alot less use since the van won't fit doen the side of the house when that isn't being used In my 12 or so years of driving it is true that the older cars that i've owned have had more problems, and it must be said that the newer cars have been more comfortable & possibly more fuel efficient especially when you take into account their performance advantage. However I love the thrill of maintaining an old car and using it for how it was intended, it gives journeys a greater sense of adventure - which I find very satisfying. It is also nice to drive something out of the ordinary, and makes me smile when I overhear other people's comments about my old cars - be it complimentry or otherwise Maybe things would be different if I had to travel much futher to work - last winter whilst the van was off the road having its engine shenanigans sorted, I was using the Derby when that started to play up (coil went on the blink) So I ended up using my bike - but since I live about 2 miles from work this was not an issue
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Currently a Mercedes C240 Elegance! Not tempting fate by driving STM too much at the moment ;D It's hardly retro but it's got a nice '6 in it, good set of gadgets (cruise control, speed limiter, parking sensors) and it would look good with a set of new alloys and some detailling.. I like the fact you can set the limiter to, say, 30MPH then when you move off, just floor it. The car will do all it can to get to that speed, the suddenly realise it's limited and cut the power back. Great for irritating people around town Before hand, I used my white 1850HL all the time. Was a great daily drive, and only ever conked out on me once in 3 years, which I fixed by the road. Wasn't a problem on long journeys either. 550 miles in 12 hours straight? Not a problem ;D I have to say, nothing puts me off using any classic car everyday, all day really, unless it was something notoriously special or frail - but in that case, I probably wouldn't have bought it!
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 9:59:48 GMT by Lewis
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Aug 10, 2006 10:04:23 GMT
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As my office is in the city of London, I usually catch the train to work when I'm working 'in'. However about 40% of my time is spent 'on site', and much of this work is carried out at night between midnight & 6. This therefore means a 100 mile round trip on empty roads. YAY. I used to use my BMW for this purpose, but found that I would get much too tempted to be naughty. As well as running the risk of serious points endorsement I was also using daft amounts of fuel. So nowadays I use our Focus TD wagon that the missus uses for work / shopping / carting the kiddies about in. It's bland & anonymous, which means I'm not worried about leaving it parked in central london overnight as I was with the BMW, and does about 45-50 mpg (all at 40p per mile expensed!) so works out quite nicely. It means that I can keep the BMW ffffresh for sunday best and blatting about the countryside. I know what you mean about having more probs with newer cars, although touch wood the Focus has been great so far. Other 'new stuff' experiences have been depressing. I had a Citroen Berlingo from work for a bit which was depressingly unreliable, and recently I had a brand new (1000 miles on the clock) Ford Focus towed away by the AA less than 12 hours after picking it up. If I worked more locally I would be quite happy to use the BM as an everyday car, but it's too nice to run into the ground doing up to 600 miles a week.
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Aug 10, 2006 10:04:36 GMT
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Due to family constraints my retro/enthusiast vehicles are also my daily drivers.
It’s through necessity, not choice.
No, I don’t like having to use my vehicles in Winter/all year round but I/we have to, end of.
Then again I always think to myself if people in Russia and Cuba can manage to run an old-timer as everyday transport with limited resources then so can I !
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,649
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Aug 10, 2006 10:08:19 GMT
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Mine is not retro at all, Well I sold the focus cus it was total sh1te and used the Nova for a while. Then I usedth BGT daily but with 15mpg it was costing a bit. even though I don't work away from home that much. So I decided to Buy new again (only bought the foucs new in august last year, Did not loose too much money actually). I need a reliable car for work, just becuase just on the off chance my MG will give problems, also using it daily aint great on it. So I bought this 3 months ago New, I love theface lift Coupe and actually it aint that dissimilar from the MGB in driving style., excellent interior, and good power too. Plus I love the mumber plate LOL 006
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 10:11:17 GMT by Nathan
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Aug 10, 2006 10:13:09 GMT
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I use a Rover 216Si for dragging the famiy around in, then get the GT out once or twice a week for work and p*ss*ng BarryBoys off round town........... ;D
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Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored Rover 75 - Barge MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer... MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored Project Minion........ Can you see the theme?
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,937
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Aug 10, 2006 10:14:13 GMT
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If it's just me going to work and back plus general running around I use the Monza..... It's not totally practical but it's bearable...
If "we" are going out then the Polo gets used as she doesn't like travelling in the Monza. Too noisy, harsh and hard for her to get in and out of...
I won't be using the Monza over the winter - not for reliability or rust reasons but because when it rains it leaks!!!!
I hope to get the Senny on the road before winter then we'll use that in preference to the Polo if we have to go anywhere.
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Aug 10, 2006 10:15:31 GMT
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I used my Starlet for three years as my daily, clocking up 44,000 miles in her, until I realised I could then afford to insure two cars & save a fortune in petrol (20mpg out of 1.3 starlet) So had a 205 91H, then escort estate 96P, then escort hatch 95N & now nothing as just sold the escort & on the lookout for something else. Poss Pug 306 D turbo if anyone knows of one?
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Aug 10, 2006 10:18:48 GMT
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Ours are all daily driven (when not SORN'd!). The newest car we own is '72 and that's of a design that dates back to the '50s. Neither of us get any enjoyment out of driving more modern machinery. At one point Katie was driving her Herald with its standard 1147 motor 100 miles a day, 5 days a week, frequently with two passengers! These days she only goes up to Milton Keynes 2 days a week and with the 1500 and other mods its a lot less wearing. With me now working from home our total mileage is much less than it used to be too. We once owned a modern car ('95 306 turbo diesel) for a year when she first started working in MK and he parents thought she should drive something "relaible". It cost the equivalent of several old cars just to run it that year (tax, servicing, insurance) and we were both bored driving it. Oh, and the throttle cable snapped leaving her stranded one time I suppose not having a garage means there's no where to squirrel away a "special sundays only" car anyway so we might as well make use of them while they deteriorate outside
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 10:20:55 GMT by Seth
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Aug 10, 2006 10:18:57 GMT
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My daily duties are shared between my A plate type 25 panel van (1.9 petrol ;D ) and my B plate Polo coupe, so yes
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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Aug 10, 2006 10:27:12 GMT
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Yep , use my Scirocco* for daily few miles to office, and for forays further afield to sites at the weekend (generally 2200 to 0800-ish so good fun for a blast). However the speed bumps daily, and the dodgy access track off-roading at the weekend will take their toll given the more 'fast road' setup of the car, and I don't want to see it ruined like that - I'd rather sell it... Hence getting CRDom's old Audi Quattro* back on the road - better set up to take the abuse. Plus I have the wife's '92 Volvo 940 to fall back on (almost retro-ish?) EDIT: I used to use the Midget (again a 'fast road' setup) for a daily 40+mile commute with no problems apart from very high wear/replacement part rate! * Both just about retro at 20 years old** ** Almost a shock to realise 'E' reg means 20 years old! Must mean I am getting on a bit too
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 10:29:39 GMT by filmidget
'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention '02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think '03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic) '09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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Aug 10, 2006 10:30:05 GMT
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i use my slammed 230e as my daily, work hack (50 mile round trip) and my family hauler. very comfortable, can keep up and out do a lot of modern traffic and returns between 28 and 35 mpg. the SEC is purely for weekend shenanigans. ;D however, this is going the journey to make way for something new. ;D
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dp
Posted a lot
DP Race Tech
Posts: 1,044
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Aug 10, 2006 10:38:01 GMT
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DerbyDan in da house: Whats your daily driver2000 Skoda Shop Hack PickUp....... DerbyDan in da house: is it your Retro?Not even close to but the looks is (or will) be quite Retro (I think/hope) when done..... This is Retro!!!! DP says: Still looking for that special Retro Ride to call mine.......
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 10:38:55 GMT by dp
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Aug 10, 2006 10:41:24 GMT
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I know what you mean about having more probs with newer cars, No, I actually meant I've had more problems with older cars, I know alot of people who had problems (some very serious) With their new/nearly new cars - but I think generally modern cars are very reliable. Despite what we all say about our Retros being reliable & cost effective - I certainly wouldn't recommend retro motoring to the non-car person who has no interest in even lifting the bonnet to check the levels.
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Aug 10, 2006 10:54:50 GMT
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Really? The only times I have 'failed to proceed' have been in cars under 2 years old.....
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Aug 10, 2006 10:57:00 GMT
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Good call DD! I’ve often wondered how many of us here just have their retro thing as a bit of fun or use it/them all the time.
Apart from a brief period of company car driving I’ve been in the latter camp for 12+ years now. First one was a Violet SSS in which I was doing in excess of 20k a year, and lots of mostly reliable Datsuns have followed since.
Due to lack of funds/time to get other cars sorted, the Starlet is currently the only one I have on the road right now. Last weekend it delivered an armchair to my sister-in-law, yesterday it got used to go and do a survey, and it gets me to work every day. It was never meant to fulfil this role, but I love the way it drives and its frugality and like others have said there’s the fun of driving something a bit different. It does the same job as most of the shiny modern blobs on the road but giving much greater satisfaction to me and doing it a lot cheaper.
Mrs SL does drive a more modern car – a 10yr old Carina E – which fulfils a role as family wheels but to her cars are just a means of transport so she would prefer not to put up with the downsides of running something older. It’s in good nick and we’ll probably end up keeping it for many years as it suits us so well, so eventually maybe it will be ‘retro’?
In many people’s eyes I suspect even a pre-51 letter-plate car is old nowadays, whereas it’s rare for me to have something that has a letter at the front…..
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antdat
Part of things
Posts: 712
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Aug 10, 2006 11:02:36 GMT
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mine is a 1998 Primera GT, but i jump between this and my C32 Laurel, during the summer months i use the datsun quite a bit
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Last Edit: Aug 10, 2006 11:04:03 GMT by antdat
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Aug 10, 2006 11:05:53 GMT
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My most unreliable daily was a six year old, low mileage Escort 1.8i Ghia saloon.... When it let me down three days in a row I bought the old Sapphire GLX for £200 and proceeded to put 70 miles a day on it for four months with no problems! Therefore I drive my '91 2.0i every day. That doesn't give me any grief either. Did a couple of hundred miles in it on Sunday, quickly, and got 40mpg. PAS, central locking, electric blah blah blah.... Good enough for me! I will just point out that I don't like to think of mk2 Sierras as particularly retro, just old... Otherwise I might start feeling old myself...
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My fleet: Suzuki GSX-R600Y SRAD with bald, melted tyres A borrowed Mondeo
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Aug 10, 2006 11:08:13 GMT
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My Mini was my daily driver for a good few years - clocked up over 150k miles in it since I`ve had it. But about 3 years ago I got a Focus for the daily drive as I got fed up fixing niggling little faults on the Mini every other night, added to the stress of worrying about where to park it safely. Also as it is obviously a looked after car I was always getting harrassed in traffic as the other driver assumed I`d give way as I didn`t want to bash my car As someone said before the Focus is a nice boring unassuming car that I can hammer to work without being glared at, I can park it where I want without anyone giving it a second glance as well. In fact, 2 work colleagues have had their cars (Golf Gti and a Saxo VTR) broken into while parked next to mine ... I also find I enjoy driving the Mini much more as I choose when to use it and if I want I can do long drawn out jobs on it without worrying I need it for work on the Monday. No pics of the Focus I`m afraid, I`m not that sad ;D But I have a pic of the wifes car that I use when the sun`s out and I`m feeling gay
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Aug 10, 2006 11:24:23 GMT
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mine is a 1998 Primera GT, but i jump between this and my C32 Laurel, during the summer months i use the datsun quite a bit These are good cars
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