Modern car hate club
- Thread starter Jonny69
- Start date
I'm not sure that I'd go as far to say that I 'hate' modern cars. To 'normal' people who see a motor car as means to get From a to b and c on the weekends a bland econobox with ESP, Fifty seven Airbags, a warranty and a nice new number plate makes sense. If a car is a tool then you want it to be as safe, reliable and as acceptable to others as much as possible.
To me a car is so much more. A hobby, an extension of your personality, hell at the risk of sounding like a weirdo, a companion, a friend. I lavish time and money on it, fixing, washing, modifying, fixing again, etc. In reward it'll give me a damn good drive everytime I want it, the sort of drive that leaves you smiling from ear to ear as you walk away and catch a cheeky glimpse of your pride and joy.
Funnily enough, 'proper' classics don't really appeal to me. I see them as a bit too 'inferior' to compete against modern cars to deal with day in, day out. Whist I can appreciate them more as art, I certainly don't want to own one as my one and only means of transport.
My favourite time for cars is without a doubt the Late 80s - Mid 90s. 95% of my 'To Own' List is from this period. E28, E30, E31, E32, E34s Bimmers, MK1 and MK2 MR2s, MKII and MKIII Supras, ST165, ST185 Celicas, 205 GTis, Afla 75s, R32 and R33 GTRs, the list is endless. I feel that the 'great' cars from this time period can well and truly give modern cars a serious run for their money in day to day usage, but offer such a more fulfilling ownership experience for a fraction of the price of the modern equivalent
Other people I know don't agree with me at all. They tell me to stop buying 'bangers' and by something nice and modern (Mother's biggest hang up is that I get something with PAS
). I let them say what they want to say because my mind is not really going to change. Whilst I might not enjoy it every time, every drive is an adventure in my 205, it is loud, uncomfortable, uneconomical the suspension is far, far too hard making it a pain to commute in around London and having no heater really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sucks, but get me on a good road, get me a chance to turn that exhaust drone into a roar, and the ticking of all 16 valves into unadulterated music, everything just makes sense.
To me a car is so much more. A hobby, an extension of your personality, hell at the risk of sounding like a weirdo, a companion, a friend. I lavish time and money on it, fixing, washing, modifying, fixing again, etc. In reward it'll give me a damn good drive everytime I want it, the sort of drive that leaves you smiling from ear to ear as you walk away and catch a cheeky glimpse of your pride and joy.
Funnily enough, 'proper' classics don't really appeal to me. I see them as a bit too 'inferior' to compete against modern cars to deal with day in, day out. Whist I can appreciate them more as art, I certainly don't want to own one as my one and only means of transport.
My favourite time for cars is without a doubt the Late 80s - Mid 90s. 95% of my 'To Own' List is from this period. E28, E30, E31, E32, E34s Bimmers, MK1 and MK2 MR2s, MKII and MKIII Supras, ST165, ST185 Celicas, 205 GTis, Afla 75s, R32 and R33 GTRs, the list is endless. I feel that the 'great' cars from this time period can well and truly give modern cars a serious run for their money in day to day usage, but offer such a more fulfilling ownership experience for a fraction of the price of the modern equivalent
Other people I know don't agree with me at all. They tell me to stop buying 'bangers' and by something nice and modern (Mother's biggest hang up is that I get something with PAS
). I let them say what they want to say because my mind is not really going to change. Whilst I might not enjoy it every time, every drive is an adventure in my 205, it is loud, uncomfortable, uneconomical the suspension is far, far too hard making it a pain to commute in around London and having no heater really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sucks, but get me on a good road, get me a chance to turn that exhaust drone into a roar, and the ticking of all 16 valves into unadulterated music, everything just makes sense.
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Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 3,164
My car is old but was fantastically modern for the time released in late 89 with digital climate, cruise control, 4 wheel steering, twin turbo's, multilink suspension, latest technology in headlight design (so good that lambo used them on the diablo), VVT, LSD.
I just love the look and design that went into it.
I just love the look and design that went into it.
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Soldato
- Joined
- 14 Jan 2009
- Posts
- 4,325
I love old cars but it's completely impractical to run one if you do a fair amount of miles or long journeys.
I would love to agree, but I can't:
I like soundproofing, I like driver aids ( without ABS I'd have hit something ages ago, and Traction Control kicks in quite often too for me) , I love as much toys/options as possible ( I really not like to drive a car that does not have heated seats, climate, a usb plug for my music, and cruise control any more, I use those things ALL THE TIME). Stuff like heated mirrors are a godsend too... I like turning the wheel by making circles with 1 hand or just steering with a finger or two so power steering is essential.
While I agree that looks wise, modern cars are ****.
Driving wise, I'm not sure I can go back to a 1960 ( ish) car and live without all my toys... Perhaps, a mid 70's yank tank would do, but only one with aircon and cruise control... I would not want to drive a late 80's car like a mazda 323 or whatever that has no options at all.
I really hate the exterior of most modern cars, 90% of post 2000 cars look ****.
Whereas imo most of the 90's cars look superb, and a larger percentage of the cars before the 80's than past the 2000's look nice...
Also, older cars look a tad simpler under the hood and you could more easily fix something than now. In some cars these days it takes ages even to change a bloody bulb
...
I like soundproofing, I like driver aids ( without ABS I'd have hit something ages ago, and Traction Control kicks in quite often too for me) , I love as much toys/options as possible ( I really not like to drive a car that does not have heated seats, climate, a usb plug for my music, and cruise control any more, I use those things ALL THE TIME). Stuff like heated mirrors are a godsend too... I like turning the wheel by making circles with 1 hand or just steering with a finger or two so power steering is essential.
While I agree that looks wise, modern cars are ****.
Driving wise, I'm not sure I can go back to a 1960 ( ish) car and live without all my toys... Perhaps, a mid 70's yank tank would do, but only one with aircon and cruise control... I would not want to drive a late 80's car like a mazda 323 or whatever that has no options at all.
I really hate the exterior of most modern cars, 90% of post 2000 cars look ****.
Whereas imo most of the 90's cars look superb, and a larger percentage of the cars before the 80's than past the 2000's look nice...
Also, older cars look a tad simpler under the hood and you could more easily fix something than now. In some cars these days it takes ages even to change a bloody bulb
...I love the e38 7 Series over the later ones even if they are undoubtedly better cars. The looks ruin them for me.
I used to prefer the Scania "3 Series" over the "4 Series" and the current "R Series" but now think a late high spec "R Series" looks the Mutts.... so I guess with time your views change....
I used to prefer the Scania "3 Series" over the "4 Series" and the current "R Series" but now think a late high spec "R Series" looks the Mutts.... so I guess with time your views change....
I love old cars, but couldn't afford the up keep!
Tax/MOT/Insurance aside (as you pay that on any car)
Manta has needed in the last 18 months:
Brake pads (£6)
Brake shoes (£11)
4 New headlamps (£50)
Exhaust clamp (60 pence)
Brake Calipers (£100 brand new)
4 tyres (£120)
Steering joint (Free second hand from the owner's club)
Golf has needed:
Radiator (£40)
Brake pads front & rear (£25 ish)
Rear calipers from a late Mk3 (£20)
CV joint (£30)
CV boot (£5)
Damn that expensive upkeep!
For fun, I love the rawness of older cars. The only real creature comforts my MX5 has are electric windows and power steering. No ABS, which doesn't bother me most of the time. The PAS is also properly weighted and relays most of the feedback, as do the pedals, gearbox, general feel of the car. Give it a bootful and you can hear all the right noises from the engine bay; the 'old school sportscar' throatiness, the induction noise, the gear change, everything. It also has an amazing chassis. I love it. It's so playful yet so composed.
But I couldn't live with it day-to-day. I like my comfort when I'm just trudging to work and back. That's why I have the Honda I suppose. Don't really wanna subject the MX5 to our crappy winter weather.
As for the upkeep, the only things in the last 16 months of me owning it that it *needed* are spark plugs, and oil pressure sender and a clutch slave cylinder. Total cost of that? About £50 and an hour or two of my time
I've spent a great deal more on it, mind you
But that's just upgrades 
When I bought it my parents thought it was risky buying something "so old". But they've been nothing but impressed with it so far. It even leaks less than my mum's 5 year old Tigra
But I couldn't live with it day-to-day. I like my comfort when I'm just trudging to work and back. That's why I have the Honda I suppose. Don't really wanna subject the MX5 to our crappy winter weather.
As for the upkeep, the only things in the last 16 months of me owning it that it *needed* are spark plugs, and oil pressure sender and a clutch slave cylinder. Total cost of that? About £50 and an hour or two of my time
I've spent a great deal more on it, mind you
But that's just upgrades When I bought it my parents thought it was risky buying something "so old". But they've been nothing but impressed with it so far. It even leaks less than my mum's 5 year old Tigra
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i class my 10 year old audi as modern and i took it to work this morning. heading up north straight from work. its quiet and comfortable, leather seats and a bose stereo. the boot is packed with stuff for the weekend. i then crossed paths with a guy i knew and we ended up having a play about so the modern car can go from comfortable and then poke the loud pedal and it rockets
Thats quite worrying.
Thats also quite worrying - its an FWD 2 litre Volvo, it only has TCS to look good in the brochure, it doesnt actually need it and by having it kick in all the time all you are doing is reducing your acceleration.
Have you considered learning to drive?
I cant remember ever reading something about your driving that didn't fill me with horror. You are the same guy who gets 14mpg from his 2.0 Volvo on the drive home from work right?
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