[lovebunny]

so i had my mind pretty much made up on my new car. i wanted to buy another pathfinder. but my friend started showing me some nice old cars for cheap. and i have a buddy who restores cars for a living and he said we could go through the car and fix and restore everything and hell show me how to do it as we go. so heres my dilemma. buy a 98-2000 pathfinder. or buy a 1960-70something car and fix it up with the help of my friend and learn about cars as i go? for get the pathfinder and save for a like 2000k old car? haha

 

[PatBranch]

What happened to the bmw idea?

 

[stevew]

I'd be all for the 60-70 era car, but how often do you like paying for gas?

If it is an American make/model, go the station wagon route....

 

[MMike]

buy a 60's/70's car car to SAVE money? ?? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA

You would also have to give up going places whenver you want....

 

[maxyedor]

Do't go for the classic car, they are way more expensive to maintain, and when you crash it, and knowing you you will, you will mess yourself up pretty good.

 

[stevew]

buy a 60's/70's car car to SAVE money? ?? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA

You would also have to give up going places whenver you want....

says the former jetta owner

 

[MMike]

says the former jetta owner

CURRENT Jetta owner

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

so i had my mind pretty much made up on my new car. i wanted to buy another pathfinder. but my friend started showing me some nice old cars for cheap. and i have a buddy who restores cars for a living and he said we could go through the car and fix and restore everything and hell show me how to do it as we go. so heres my dilemma. buy a 98-2000 pathfinder. or buy a 1960-70something car and fix it up with the help of my friend and learn about cars as i go? for get the pathfinder and save for a like 2000k old car? haha

it isnt a good idea.
old cars are very labor intensive. i guess you can learn to service your distribuitor and carburator often, but then there are also other costs, like rust (old cars rust like you have no idea), so you´d need a roofed garage (probably heated too).
then getting parts is also complicated, but thats very dependant on the car. if you use a chevy small block, its pretty easy and cheap actually.

to use an old car as a daily driver, you´d need to find one in very fine condition.
a very solid frame (you´d need a southern car always garaged, otherwise be ready to chop, replace and weld the chassis and even frame rails, which is very expensive) with a/c, you´ll probably need aftermarket disc brakes ($$) and pretty much a complete new suspension (safety first), a new interior ($$$, unless you go for the bare look with bucket seats and gauges only).
the engine isn´t actually the worse part when it comes to costs. if you get a chevrolet (of GM for the matter), and you arent a matching numbers queen and have a decent core, you can get a complete rebuild set even for $1000. if you can do it yourself a have a friend machinist friend you can save money, if you have to get it done, it gets pretty expensive.
they need a lot of maintenance, they arent set-n-forget electronic clocks. actually, when you see those pretty kick ass high $$ vintage cars for sale that look like new.. most likely (in the US) the owner is loosing money in the sale. i guess you could go that way and save a lot of complications and some money.

i put like 100-120 miles a month on my cars, i´ve figure out my costs (with $5/gal) at somewhere $1.50~$2.50 per mile, without counting any surprises (and only driving few miles a month).
but labor here is cheap, and even then i work a lot on them (i´ve been in auto-mechanics school).
since you are in the US, and labor is very expensive up there (and old cars are very labor intensive), i´d say you´d likely be talking similar money. if you drive 10000 miles a year... imagine that.

 

[Slugman]

I miss, and don't miss my old '79 Jeep.

Payed $2000 for it in 1987, and 1988, and 1989, and.... you get the point.

If it were a 2nd car that you won't use often - yes! But as your sole car... HELL NO!

 

[Ciaran]

I loved and miss my 67 Karmann Ghia. I plan on getting a 60something Mustang for the wife... But ONLY after we have two good daily drivers. (My car is on the fritz right now)

Classic cars are great, but you absolutely need a modern, reliable car while you're fixing it up, and afterwards depending on how tempermental it is.

And as others have already pointed out, they can be expensive.

Get a Pathfinder or something like that. Cars are great to have as hobbies, but in SoCal a car is a necessity.

 

[llkoolkeg]

For $2000, why not get yourself an 80's vintage Toyota or Nissan P/U? They're bombproof on maintenance, shuttles/camping-worthy and if you make sure you get one ~100K mileage w/o loads of power accessories, it'll likely serve you for another 100K. Make sure you look at the top dozen within 50 miles of home over a long w/e and you'll likely find one worth buying.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah - only do the old car thing if you don't really like doing other stuff. Like riding your bike.

 

[jacksonpt]

Go with the older car as a second car, not if it's your only car. It will be cheaper in the short term, but WAAAAY more expensive in the long run. Plus, depending on the car, parts can be very hard to find.

I say go with something newer.

 

[Upgr8r]

For a daily driver, go with a newer car. I had a 72 VW Bug that I used as my DD for 12 years. I loved the car, but got tired of working on it every weekend, there was always something wanting to be fixed/replaced. Now that i have a dependable vehicle, I'm thinking of getting another bug to tinker on

 

[bjanga]

civvie with a rack

 

[Ciaran]

Get a VW bus, smoke more pot... be a hippy.

 

[mastercycleman]

Get a VW bus, smoke more pot... be a hippy.

Tj could be a hippy, but not a tree hugger, because he killed one with his car

 

[merrrrjig]

ya, get a civic, trust me, they are safe

 

[PatBranch]

yeah....

 

[Fonzie18]

TJ.
Buy a newer car. As mentioned above, the old/classic car works as a second vehicle.

Think about it, going up to Mammoth in a 67 something and having to worry about gas/car making the trip/safety.

Of course it's you we are talking about...do they make disposable cars yet?

 

[Ciaran]

ya, get a civic, trust me, they are safe

Yes, but they are rather dorky.

Get a truck TJ. Seems like the most practical, yet non dork, option.

 

[MikeD]

Does anyone make anything in rubber?

Maybe you should buy $2k worth of bus tickets.