"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
04/07/2014 at 21:45 • Filed to: None
2
13|
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
04/07/2014 at 21:45 • Filed to: None | 2
| 13 |
The first time I ever came close to buying an old car (or any car) was about a year and a half ago. I was driving down a rural road with my dad and brother, and sitting their on the side of the road in front of a house, with a for sale sign in the window, was an old Mercedes coupe. I made my dad pull over so we could take a look, and the owner came out an told us about the car.
It was a 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250 CE. It had a rare factory two-tone paint job, cream-colored body and maroon roof, with a maroon leather interior to match. It wasn't perfect; the biggest defect was a mailbox-sized dent in the back corner where someone had backed a pickup into it. But the car ran well, and was in solid DD condition. And, to my eyes, it was more than just cool; it was a beautiful car. Then the gentleman told us his asking price: $2,500. I wanted that car so bad, and what's worse, I got my hopes built up. My dad said yes, and I even somehow got my mom's somewhat reluctant blessing. But ultimately, they said that such an old car would be an unwise choice for a new driver, and, not wanting to piss them off, I let it go. It is a decision I regret to this day.
Back in the present, and I'm still chasing after cheap semi-classic cars. This includes the old W123 300TD I asked about a while ago, a host of other old Benzes, a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, a Toyota Celica Supra, and this:
What we have here, as I'm sure you can tell, is a 1984 Volkswagen Scirocco Wolfsburg Edition, and it may be the coolest little 80's econobox I've ever laid eyes on. It has a five-speed stick, which is a huge plus. On the downside, it has a microscopic 4-cylinder engine producing, wait for it, ninety horsepower. Which means that even that old tank of a Benz would've probably outrun it. But who cares? I mean, just look at it! And check out the interior pics !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Are those seats awesome or what?
This little gas-misering bundle of fun has just under 80,000 miles on the clock, and the Minnesota dealer is asking what seems like a reasonable $6,475. However, as always, I have some concerns that I will now pose to you, my fellow Opponaunts.
A) I know this car won't be safe, but just how un-safe?
B) What are the prices for parts/maintenance like, if professionally done?
C) Will it be livable/pleasant as a daily driver?
D) Is a car this old a completely terrible idea for a 16-year-old?
Any other comments/advice/suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
JR1
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 21:55 |
|
Not to be party pooper. But after knowing someone last year from my high school who wrapped their older 90s car around a tree I just put safety above everything else for a DD. Classic cars are fine for the weekend and special occasions but as a DD I wouldn't drive a classic. Just my opinion.
AthomSfere
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 21:55 |
|
I would say CP. You want something interesting from the 80's for 6.5k? So many choices!
|
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> AthomSfere
04/07/2014 at 21:58 |
|
The first thing that jumps out at me as the screaming bargain of that era is the gen-1 Mazda RX-7. Not sure if I could get my folks to agree to a full-on sports car (even one that slow) but we'll see!
|
AthomSfere
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 22:01 |
|
Bone stock that RX7 is about as fast as a modern Fiesta SE... Depending on the year, the Fiesta might be the faster car!
lone_liberal
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 22:31 |
|
If you need that car to start and get you to/from home every day then getting an older car can be a giant pain in the ass. Those little quirks that you liked when you bought the car turn in to giant annoyances. If you can put up with the vagaries of dependability and can afford the time and money to do all of the maintenance and keep on top of it then it's doable. I'll just say that I won't do it again.
midengineer
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 22:56 |
|
If you're willing to dish out around 6k for an older car you should find a supercharged mr2 in good shape.
Sir-Loinington
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/07/2014 at 23:05 |
|
Just buy the car already! My Dad would be encouraging me to buy an old Mercedes or VW..learn to wrench yourself and enjoy the timeless style. Thats exactly what I hope to do this summer.
Personally though I would go for something a bit more fun..maybe a late Mk2 16v or a w123 300td for some added stylze. Whatever.
|
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> Sir-Loinington
04/07/2014 at 23:26 |
|
Just buy the car already is what has been going through my mind for the last couple months. However, my dad (the one writing the check) has said that he will not pull the trigger on a car for another two months at least.
|
Sir-Loinington
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/08/2014 at 00:20 |
|
Ah, if Dad's buying thats a different matter.
Zibodiz
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/08/2014 at 02:09 |
|
A. Car safety is a relative thing. I've been in accidents in old and new vehicles, heavy duty trucks and cheap Chryslers, and pretty much nothing goes as expected. From experience, I can say that 80's VWs are pretty tough little econocars, and in small 'fender benders', you won't even notice when someone hits your shock-bumpers, but they'll have a $500 hole in their plastic bumper cover. (not sure if the Scirocco had shock-bumpers or not)
B. Parts usually seem to be a lot cheaper on older cars, but maintenance will be about as much, however since potentially more things will be wearing out, you'll possibly spend more in the long run.
C. I love DD old cars. But I'm a 'manly man' who despises creature comforts on principle. Give me a convertible in the winter any day. That having been said, any car can be fun as a daily driver, if you can find something to love about it. If the car's comfortable but doesn't stir any emotions when you look at it, they you've chosen the wrong car. If the car makes you smile when you see it in the parking lot, even if it's got a ton of really annoying quirks, you've found the right car. Also, on another note, old VWs are deceptively fun to drive. A lot more fun than what VW was churning out in the '00s.
D. In my humble opinion, yes. Get something you don't care about. Save the nice car for your second ride. The first car you own should be a beater that you can learn to hate. Then, in a year or so, you can sell it for what you paid for it (one of the hidden beauties of a junker; you pay so little for them that they've already reached their peak value-loss, and a few years later you can sell them for as much as you paid, and essentially you got to use the car for free), then when you get the car you really want, you'll love it all the more.
I know that sounds crazy, but it really makes the nice car a lot more enjoyable. I did it to myself recently. I knew that I couldn't afford what I wanted (a Honda Fit or Cooper S — now a Fiesta ST, but at the time it didn't exist), so I knew I'd have to settle for second best. In order to not be really disappointed by that, I bought the worst thing I could stomach (a '93 Civic) which I really learned to hate over the course of 12 months, then sold it and bought a '98 Escort Wagon (nicest thing in my price range). I now absolutely love the 'Scort, and honestly, even though I could afford a Fit or Cooper S now, I'm quite happy with my 'Scort, and instead have been investing in upgrades for my current car. The thing is sporty (Mazda engineers make everything better, and it's seriously much more fun than the Civic), efficient (33mpg with a full load of tools — about the same as the Civic, but with twice as many tools in it), reliable (well, it's never left me stranded anyway, and I haven't had to fix anything major like I did in the Civic*, so it's reliable in my books), and roomy (soooooooooo much bigger inside than the Civic).
*Honda Civics have a good reputation, but I think I got the lemoniest lemon of them all. In one year, I had to replace a transmission, head gasket, brake master cylinder, clutch, valve seals, and piston rings. All at different times.
Tl;dr: Driving that awful Honda really made me love my Ford. If I hadn't driven it, I'd probably not be content with my Ford, and I'd still be jealous of the Fits & Coopers.
|
Zibodiz
> Zibodiz
04/08/2014 at 02:11 |
|
Oh, and I forgot to mention; I would never buy an old car from the midwest. Not unless it's been a 'summer only' car, and you've had it carefully, professionally inspected for rust. Just not worth it.
Jobjoris
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/08/2014 at 04:51 |
|
A) I know this car won't be safe, but just how un-safe?
To todays standards really unsafe: NO active safety like ABS, ESP, etc. and NO passive safety like airbags. VWs have always had good structure and safe roadholding but never compare it with todays standards.
B) What are the prices for parts/maintenance like, if professionally done?
Don't know how it is in the US, VW-parts in europe are not cheap but they're really common so maintenance never is an issue. And most of the time those old-school VWs are bullet-proof when it comes to technical failures. When it's poorly equiped (look: it has a voltage-gauge!), not much can go wrong, can it?
C) Will it be livable/pleasant as a daily driver?
It really is a step back when it comes to comfort. Much noise. 90 bhp seems not to be much but the car isn't as heavy as modern cars and due to that same noise it will appear not to be that slow. If your daily commute is mainly on the Highway it could become tiresome. Best answer should come from you yourself though: just try it for a good long testdrive.
D) Is a car this old a completely terrible idea for a 16-year-old?
No. Never. You're only 16. You're allowed to make mistakes. And I'd rather learn something about cars from an 80's econobox than from any car of the last decade.
Not sure about the price of this Scirocco though, seems a bit high to me (but I'm in Europe)!
catkam623 misses his 944
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/12/2014 at 22:17 |
|
get that w123 turbodiesel 41 mpg utility that is a station wagon and it's built pretty strongly.