Daily drivers

[James R]

I was was thumbing through Classic Cars magazine last night. The main reason I buy this magazine is because of the adverts : I like to look at what I might own one day (either with / without a lottery win). I started wondering why anyone would buy a new car when there are plenty of modern classics that will cost far less to run as well as being much more satisfying to own and drive. It is very satisfying to own a new car but when you take depreciation into consideration it does seem a rather costly thing to do.

For example, a late W124 with less than 50k miles on it would be a superb car to run and, it seems to me, even better built than a new E-class.

Any views or thoughts ? Does anyone use a modern classic as a daily driver, including W116 ? What are the downsides ? I'd be interested to know what your experience has been.

James

[Des]

I drive a 1977 W123 230 daily, 30 years old makes it a classic right?

with the colder mornings now with us, frosts, its is becoming a bit grumpy, spluttering, stalling occasional, and hesitation when cold, its only a 4-5 minute drive to work so doesn't really worry me that much.
I could put a carby rebuild kit through it and fix it, we'll see.

its slow but works well for a daily car, reliable transport.

[oscar]

When I buy a car mag it's usually Unique Cars (Aus publication) for the same reasons as you James.  And kick myself for buying a Ford Territory as our main car, then I kick my wife for suggesting it in the first place.  Because it was bought thru my wife's work as a novated lease thru salary packaging, it's a great way to buy a new car ie a $53,000 car will cost $49,000 after the 5yrs even after a $12,000 residual.  It's like an interest free loan with a discount on top.  But it's still $48,000 out of our pocket after we already owned a 99 Ford station wagon.  The Terri is a good car but 2yrs into it, I see the classics for sale and think what or how many could I have bought for the same money.

If we're talking savings long term, you can't do better than buying a reliable quality car like a 2nd hand MB for example.  Your bound to get close to the money it cost in the first place if you sold, plus the ability for DIY servicing is another saving.  Keep it for good, you really can't go wrong compared to replacing a car with a new one every 3-5 years like so many do.  Twice we've bought new, a Mazda 323 in 95 our first.  But I swear (except in the event of a lotto win), as of this moment, I will never buy new again.

What would $50,000 - 20,500GBP buy these days for a classic daily driver?  I'm off to kick myself again.

[James R]

You'd get a pretty good car for that kind of money, Oscar. Top of the range new Ford or bottom of the range new Merc - that kind of area. However, a 10 year old W124 E320 estate with 60,000 miles on it would only be £7k or £8k and, as you say, if you kept the mileage sensible and looked after it, you'd likely sell it for what you paid for it.

We have a new shape Land Rover Discovery which I bought 6 months ago new. Paid just under £35k for it and with 7k miles on it, I bet its lost 10% - 15% of its value already. How many cars (modern classics) could I have for that kind of money ??!! Jamesette doesn't see it like this of course !

[Des]

What would $50,000 - 20,500GBP buy these days for a classic daily driver?  I'm off to kick myself again.

If I had $50k right now in my hand I would get this:

http://www.carsales.com.au/used-cars/private/MERCEDES/600/details.aspx?Model=600&__Nne=20&__N=1090+0+4294966325+834+285+257&Make=MERCEDES&State=All%20States&silo=1003&state_id=0&distance=25&Cr=0&seot=0&__sid=111D2B0A6CE9&R=753442&__Ns=pCar_PrivateSpecialFlag_Int32|1||pCar_ImageCount_Int32|1||pCar_LastModifiedDate_DateTime|1&trecs=1



Throw $10-12k into a top quality respray, use the change for mechanical work if and where needed.

[Nutz]

I drive my classic E24 BMW daily 

[oscar]

Now Nutz, despite you saying BMW, I can understand a car like that could do for just about everything.  Same as 500eguys 500E.  I'd rather something older but given something like your Beamer, I could get use to it very quickly.

Des, there's a nice black one too on carpoint I think   I'd love one too but I could n't take it out frequently like a daily driver.  I think I'd stick to a strict regime of care and maintenance and log the driving hours as though it were a restored ww2 fighter.  Actually, i'd soon get lazy and drive it as often as I could

And James, the newer Discovery came out the year we got the Terri.  I loved it but it was just too much $ unfortunately.  Always liked them but anyway.  I face a similar problem with oscarette not comitted to coming round to my way of thinking.

[James R]

You can get a 600 for Oz$50k in Australia??!!!! Blimey - that's cheap. They're BIG money over here

A 500E would be a perfect car as a daily driver, I reckon. Sad that they only came in left hand drive though. Guess I'll wait for the E55 to come down to sensible money.

A 600 for $50k. Hmmm.

[Des]

you can drive LHD cars in the UK though?

I guess its a pain with everyone else on the other side of the car,

McDonald's drive though would be a bugger too

[Nutz]

Now Nutz, despite you saying BMW, I can understand a car like that could do for just about everything.  Same as 500eguys 500E.  I'd rather something older but given something like your Beamer, I could get use to it very quickly.

The E24 goes back to 1975
Her with the old shoes on before the wheel upgrade

[oscar]

Nutz, excuse my ignorance.  Dare I say it but they look better than a 107 .  They just looked more modern I thought they were 80's coupes.

And yes, which volcano is that?

[Nutz]

Haleakala Crater. I go up there often before the sun rises for the amazing view and to cure my Alaska homesickness (32 degrees F. early  )

[500eguy]

The 500e is a great daily driver modern classic.... i would recommend it. It is amazing, makes you question the need for a sports car. I recently test drove the new E63 AMG, i loved it but i felt very disconnected from driving. I would not sell my 500e to get the E63

[bahnstormer109]

My daily drivers have always been over 20 years old and one was over 30 years old when i sold it.

first daily: 1972 280CE for 2.5 years.
second daily: 1978 280SEL for 2 years.
current daily: 1981 300TD.

being under 25 i find driving cars over 20 years old makes insurance cheap. when i got my 280CE it was 29 and i was 18, comprehensive insurance would have been around $2000 per year. the next year i was 19, the car was 30 and insurance was $400 per year because the insurance company considered it a "classic".

also i bought the car for $5500 and sold it for $7500.

so, while classics are a bit thirstier and require servicing more often, theyre cheaper to insure, and dont depreciate while being more fun if youre into cars and if you can do work on it yourself they can be the same if not cheaper than a new car to maintain. obviously there are people out there that dont have a lot of interest in cars and see them as an appliance like a washing machine. they just want a new one with a warranty that they dont have to do anything to until theyre stuff or sick of it and then go get a new one.

and a 116, especially a 280 makes a great daily driver.

[robertd]

G'Day
I will add my two bobs worth. My everyday driver is a 1989 300E BlueBlack, electric
leather seats, two way sunroof, electric windows, all the other usual extras. I have owned this car for 4 years, it had 73,000kms when a purchased it, now it has over 125,000kms, during that time it has had nothing but standard service, brake pads and one set of tyres. This car still makes me smile when drive it, why? because it still drives like a new car. In fact I have driven new demo C200 compressors and my car drives better, it is more comforable has more room and goes like the wind when its needs to. On top of all that I get 600kms to a tank of fuel approx 60Lts.
Regards Robert
I will keep driving this car until I can find its equal.