Are new cars better than classics

[charger69]

Originally Posted by old-git

Likewise my Elan. had it over 30 years already! Other cars I drive (other than the Robin Hood) are just a means of transportation so can be anything. Modern cars are so good now, compared to 20-30 years ago, that I don't care what I drive. If you ignore the One Make jealots and the odd bad experience, all cars are much of a muchness when driven like an old man wearing a hat and smoking a pipe

i don't agree that modern cars are better.

[pgarner]

copied to a new thread charger rather than attack the original.

can you explain, why you think older cars are better ?

[old-git]

Originally Posted by charger69

i don't agree that modern cars are better.

Depends on your definition of 'better'

By better, I meant that the engines are far more reliable, the seats are more comfortable, the air conditioning works, they handle and stop better, less liable to rust, rarely overheat, crashes are more survivable, etc, etc. I was referring to the sort of cars that normal people (like us) could then and can now afford.

I am guessing that your definition of better is more to do with style, power and nostalgia - And I am with you there as well.

Correct me if I am wrong, I won't get upset

[HDi fun]

Modern cars do serve their purposes brilliantly. In general they're reliable, safe and easy to drive. And modern dishwashers are reliable and safe.

When's the last time you required your dishwasher to be fun? Convenient and practical, yes! Fun, probably not!

Old cars can be fun. Possibly moreso when you're in no hurry to get anywhere because the joy of driving such a machine is the objective.

But, for A-B with time constraints the modern C size metal box is hard to challenge.

[prevtec]

i think that old cars are put together better than new 1s, apart from the safety aspect though

[charger69]

Originally Posted by old-git

Depends on your definition of 'better'

By better, I meant that the engines are far more reliable, the seats are more comfortable, the air conditioning works, they handle and stop better, less liable to rust, rarely overheat, crashes are more survivable, etc, etc. I was referring to the sort of cars that normal people (like us) could then and can now afford.

I am guessing that your definition of better is more to do with style, power and nostalgia - And I am with you there as well.

Correct me if I am wrong, I won't get upset

power and nostalgia, yeah. dunno, but there are things that i don't like at new carslike ASB, ESP systems. they're all worthless by my opinion. the good thing at new cars is the gas usage controlled by computers or electronicly, also good thing on new cars is more power and the way the take out that power. but talking for chasis of new car and old car, old cars are unique, these new cars are just plastic toys.

[charger69]

old car could handle more, and their bodys are better, do you know what would be the ideal car? the engine of a new car putted in a old car, this would be the best. i agree new cars have better engines, but old ones have better bodies and they are way more safe than new cars, those airbags and stuff are all worthless.
an accident that happened in my country before a while between a 1968 opel rekord and a citroen c3 pluriel was like this: the people in the citroen we're all dead, while those in the opel survived, and the opel wasn't that damaged as the citroen, the citroen was that much damaged, that u wouldn't even recognise it what car it was.

[pgarner]

in agree with charger older cars have more character than newer cars, however newer cars are better build in most cases, better functunality and of course better and engines.

charger if i went out and bought something that was built to take a heavy impact such as an old car and put it up against the newer cars that have all the crumple zones then the newer one is not going to come out of it, which i do think is better as too many try to repair a car thats been badly damaged.
However if it had been 2 old cars that were strongly built then i would hae said any occuants would have walk away

[HDi fun]

Nostaglia is taking over here. Modern cars don't rust. They don't need weekly under bonnet attention. They don't need enigne rebuilds every 10,000 miles.

Crash safety is immensely better than old cars. Crash avoidance and stability is far superior.

Performance is generally better, although older cars are usually LIGHTER (yes, you heard it here first!) than modern ones so require less power to make 'em go nicely.

[herb]

well the only way i can honestly say classic is better than modern is the fact that they are better to look at, they are easier to work on, and they are not a common sight on the road so get more respect of a car enthusiast than your every day mundane focus ever will

i would love to argue your corner charger69 cause i prefer classic to modern but its a loosing battle mate you cant argue the facts that have been said already sorry

[HDi fun]

Classics are brilliant to work on. I'm not a great mechanic but I remember fondly the days when you could climb into the engine bay whilst the engine was still in there. Changing plugs took about ten minutes on a 4 cylinder engine. Some modern FWD v6 engines require removal of the intake mainfold to replace the three on the rear bank. But the plug change interval is often 80,000 miles or more, so there is a tradeoff there too. Taking this further, a set of 6 plugs of that type can cost over seventy quid!

[herb]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

Classics are brilliant to work on. I'm not a great mechanic but I remember fondly the days when you could climb into the engine bay whilst the engine was still in there. Changing plugs took about ten minutes on a 4 cylinder engine. Some modern FWD v6 engines require removal of the intake mainfold to replace the three on the rear bank. But the plug change interval is often 80,000 miles or more, so there is a tradeoff there too. Taking this further, a set of 6 plugs of that type can cost over seventy quid!

there is also see a major downside of taking a manifold off every 80,000+ miles nut threading or snapping if your a diy mechanic this has happened to me with less than 80k on a manifold

[HDi fun]

I agree. It's ridiculous to have to do this. Much like removing the front bumper of a current Golf to simply replace a fog light lamp (which is the correct term for bulb). In, current Fiesta - reare light cluster. Lamp replacement requires Torx (R) wrenches.

[herb]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I agree. It's ridiculous to have to do this. Much like removing the front bumper of a current Golf to simply replace a fog light lamp (which is the correct term for bulb). In, current Fiesta - reare light cluster. Lamp replacement requires Torx (R) wrenches.

same as my car mate if i want to remove my head lights its a bumper off job and thats just a joke why would you need a tool to change a rear bulb most cars even modern its only clips !!
i see another plus here for classics the manufacturer never purposely made it difficult for the diy'er unlike modern cars

[HDi fun]

Vauxhall was, to my mind, quite subversive with the early MkI Vectra's with the fitment of a fibre tensioner gear in the cambelt drive assembly. Notorious for failure thus leaving owners with a massive invoice for rebuilding an engine after the gear collapsed and left the cambelt in free air.

Has it done the brand any favours? NO.

By devaluing the trade-in price as a result Vauxhall has had to discount its new cars simply to keep its existing customer base.

In some ways the DIYer will be left behind with good reason. We all demand more from our cars: power, drivability, comfort and so on. But we don't want to spend any more at purchase.