Best classic cars to actually drive | Page 3 | FerrariChat

Best classic cars to actually drive

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by Bullfighter, Jan 4, 2023.

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  1. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    if we’re talking carbs

    Fiat spider
    And an x19 is great especially if redone with-a great motor.
    C2 vettes always work.

    if we’re talking classic style attributes
    While it’s not old a new lotus Emira looks to have the classic ingredients b6 stick and looks.

    I’ve semi daliyiwd
    My e 46 m3.

    a new mustang or camaro in stick with b8 is sorta a classic
    Previous gen Aston b8 vantage in stick

    the list is endless, they still
    Make some few new classics

    a lot of the older ones don’t work that great in modern traffic
     
  2. JohnMH

    JohnMH Formula 3

    Jan 28, 2004
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    I still run weekend errands in the Testarossa. I used to commute in it until I changed jobs and lost my assigned parking spot.

    I occasionally take my '01 Porsche 996 to work and use it all the time on weekends. With a few details attended to it is a great daily and fun to drive. A fraction of the price of a 993 and faster (and you cannot see the headlights while sitting in it).
     
  3. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 26, 2005
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    I was thinking of classics as older cars. In general modern cars are easier to drive and get serviced, and safer. For example, I think a 1968 MGB is a fun car for a weekend drive in the country, but you would be roadkill on the I-5 here in Southern California, or getting laughed at in the nearest Pep Boys when asking about lever shocks or Lucas warranties.

    In contrast, a 1980s 911 is an old car but if maintained it would be fine for a commute or drive down the coast.



    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  4. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    I agree with you, but other than a 911 its hard to think of a classic that works in the modern world in any type of traffic or daily context, and is still fun to drive. maybe some amercana like camaros mustangs and trans ams. the early 70s camaros drive reasonably too. Some late 70s saab 99 turbos perhaps.
    Jag XJS if you can keep it going. A Testarossa would work too, as would a mondial 8 and 328 theyre also reasonably safe . 550 is imo modern bland.

    I guess I am trying to point out that there are some moderns that really have the attributes of classics in terms of styling and driving, but work as moderns.
    last gen MR2, Miata, Lotus elise all take the MGB slot.
    New Minis are still cool.
    Muscle cars have never been in better form and are still stick shift rumbly V8s, but post 23 the challenger is going away as is a non digital stang.
    The new euro stuff though, thats all turbos and paddles although the Gulia is a great drive in and of itself, hard to go wrong there otehr than modern blah styling.
    I do think the new boxters if you get a Gts or GT4 with the flat 6, are the modern day rendition of a dino.
    The new morgan +4 looks great too.
    Ive heard it said that a jeep wrangler is a classic car.
    The astons from the 70s-2005 all work.

    You could reliably daily a 60s C2 vette or mustang, from the 70s safeish id say camaro, or 911. From the 80s 911, 928 or mondial etc. Maybe a BMW M6. jag XJS.

    Old cars from the 60s and even 70s, they're for a weekend drive on light traffic roads or if you live somewhere rural with little traffic, they canm be enginered to work well but simply are not that safe unless say its a rolls shadow or period caddy... For a cool car to semi daily, its a function of working ac good steering and reasonable crash protection. The fact is most roads today, most outings during the week encounter traffic, and 1/2 the drivers out there are not really looking or are looking at their cell phone, all while feeling safe in the subconscious knowledge that the car will beep at them, and or airbags crumple zones will protect them. As cars got safer, people paid less attention to driving/self preservation.

    in one year in Florida I've seen two people get killed on motorcycles. The first time it was two harleys getting hit from behind by a meth head who kept on going over them. the second time just an idiot in a car. How many times do you see a fender bender on the highway, pretty much every day at 5pm someone jam,s on their brakes and the car behind wasn't paying attention and hits them. Its broken plastic in a car from say the 80s on, before that, not so good. i drive down the highway leaving gaps so i have options and then someone squeezes into that gap. If traffic stops im looking in the rearview mirror to see whether mom in the suv, or Mr text has noticed or I gotta go for the emergency lane.

    modern traffic is just how it is, choose your wheels accordingly. Country roads and weekend drives, thats a different story.

    saw a guy in a MGB coming back from the beach, the thing looked tiny.
     
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  5. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    Driven a few 996s, think they drive great, and at 15k-20k for a decent one hard to go too wrong
     
  6. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

    May 22, 2002
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    I think a BMW 2002 would work as a classic daily driver.
     
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  7. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Pre-ish 1990 daily drivers that were a blast for me, and I'd still DD one now, that I think would be classics.

    1990 (right on the ratty edge) 911C2 I could still drive that today with no issues, it was a great car. Nissan 300ZX TT - maybe a ratty edge classic but my DD for a couple years that would still be a great car now.

    1977 911S - was my DD in the early 80's, not as modern as the 1990, but once you sort the mechanicals out, it makes a great DD.

    1975 Datsun 280Z - absolutely, with A/C would make a great DD now. This was my DD for 75-77.

    Of all my DD's, and I've had a bunch, these are closest to classic, and still worthy of DD wheel time today. Generally reliable, a blast to drive.

    And I second the non-nomination for MGB. my '71 (my very first DD) was terribly unreliable and even though only two years old at the time, left me stranded on more than one occasion.

    D
     
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  8. JOEA2

    JOEA2 Formula 3

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    My BMW Z8.

    Joe
     
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  9. rmolke85

    rmolke85 Formula Junior

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    I had a very well setup Lotus Elan S3 SE and it was the most amazing thing to drive.
     
  10. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

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    How was the reliability?
     
  11. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    #61 peterp, Mar 3, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2023
    This is like that scene in that "Twister" movie, where they are sitting around the table talking about all the horrible "Category 4" storms they've been through, and then the new lady to the group asks "what about a Category 5 storm?" -- and then there is just long, complete silence, as the rest of storm-chasers can't believe she just blurted that question out loud :)
     
  12. rmolke85

    rmolke85 Formula Junior

    Mar 11, 2013
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    …….. it worked perfectly 100% of the time 30% of the time.

    but seriously, out of the many I’ve been through, this was exhilarating beyond compare. Mainly due to its size and the incredible gearbox. Absolute death trap.
     
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  13. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

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    LOL Well you know everybody was thinking it somebody had to ask:D
     
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  14. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    I'm a huge lifelong fan of the old "added just a bit too much lightness" Lotus's. They are an absolute blast to drive, but I've have had the discipline to not buy one just because of the reliability. I talked to an Elan owner at Lime Rock on a vintage racing day and his Elan was concours perfect. He rebuilt everything completely in the entire car twice in his long-term ownership, once, and then again after it had a fire. I asked him if it was reliable now that he's sorted everything out, and he said absolutely not -- he said still spends a few hours wrenching for every hour he drives it :(.

    I still am going to pick up an "as sorted as possible" Europa when once have the garage space -- I watch every Europa auction but (fortunately for my sanity probably) can't pull the trigger till I have space.
     
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  15. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    Fortune favors the brave !!! :):)
     
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  16. NYFAIM

    NYFAIM Formula 3
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    This is my daily driver - 1986 500 SEC imported from Amsterdam. I added a beefier rear sway bar to help with the cornering, and replaced the steering box to fix the sloppy steering. Love this car. It's a keeper.

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  17. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    I love the "sleeper" cars. To me, the Mercedes 190e-2.6 6-cylinder was an excellent car and better in all around use than the 16-valve 4-cylinder versions (190e 2.3-16 or 2.5-16) at a fraction of the price.

    I'd happily daily drive my old 190e-2.6 (6-cylncer) today. I love my Macan, but it's way too complicated and I really don't need any of the complications past around mid-2000.

    If you're going to autocross or track -- get the 16-valve 2.3-16/2.5-16 -- but for street the 2.6 2-valve 6-cylinder is a better car in my opinion. I think there were some manual 2.6 190e's, but they're pretty rare in the US.

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  18. ddg599

    ddg599 Rookie

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    I am with you on this-sold my C4S in 2008 and always have regretted that decision.
     
  19. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I like it. This fits the profile for a classic you can drive without being in constant fear of breakdowns or serious injury. Plus it looks better than the newer Mercs.

    And Mercedes can probably still service these at the dealer, without drama.
     
  20. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    Exhibit A on modern cars being too complex (and stupidly designed): The Macan has no oil dipstick, only a digital oil level display on the dashboard. That would be okay, except for the fact that whenever oil is added or removed, the oil level display says it cannot display oil level, and it won't show the level until you drive it a LONG time. So you're basically driving blind with regard to oil level.

    This apparently trips up the dealers also -- when I had the 30k done last year, the next day (when oil level started reading again) I got a "1 quart low" message (so I had to add a quart). I just today picked up the same car from its 40k service, once the dash updated, it said the oil was overfilled, so I had to drive it back and have them drain some oil. Did they drain enough, or too much???? I can't know, because after 25 minutes of driving to come home, it still says it cannot display the oil level :mad:.

    This is why I like really like 2000's cars for daily driving -- all of the creature comforts, none of the stupidity.
     
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  21. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

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    ^^Things like that drive me nuts. It’s the dumbing down of the consumer. The first time I drove my WRX in snow/ice the tires spun a little and a light on the dash starting flashing on and off. I realized it is a light to tell me that my tires are spinning! Good thing they installed a light to let me know. I actually started laughing so hard at the stupidity of it that I almost drove off the road which would of been ironic.
     
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  22. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    Well, it took more than 50 miles, but the oil level finally started reading again, and, <drum roll please>, it's a quart low :mad:

    For those keeping score:
    Step 1: 40k service filled it with specified amount of oil
    Step 2: Drove 50+ miles for oil to read -- and get "oil level too high, have car serviced".
    Step 3: Drive back to service, have them drain some oil
    Step 4: Drive 50+ miles for oil to read -- and get "oil low, add 1 quart max"
    Step 5: (TBD) Drive back to service, have them add a quart back in
    Step 6: (TBD) Drive 50+ miles for oil level to read, hope to god it's not overfilled again

    New cars suck
     
  23. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

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    What happened to German engineering? If they are not going to put in a dipstick and are going to expect you to use a readout instead than it should tell you in the display the amount of ounces you need to add and without waiting. If they can’t do that than they should put in a dipstick.
     
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  24. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

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    Unfortunately, German stubbornness is far more powerful than German engineering -- it took them 10 years, from the 996.1 until the 997.2 to figure out that the IMS wasn't a great idea. They even "doubled down" with the IMS on the 996.2 by inexplicably making the IMS smaller at the same time they increased engine displacement (3.4 to 3.6). That didn't age particularly well. Then there were the 911 timing chain tensioners they didn't fix for decades. I love Porsche, and have owned many, but they've done a lot of stupid crap over the years despite their brilliance in so many areas.
     
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  25. ChipG

    ChipG Formula 3

    May 26, 2011
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    love it
     

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