Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I am under constant attack from my family, why do you keep buying these old cars, bicycles etc, why not buy a new one, they are more eviromentally friendly, but are they, surely the manufacturing of a new car damages the enviroment more than just running arounf in a slightly less efficient oldy.

They are not as safe, but then again, they are made of metal, with big metal bumpers, so maybe not as safe for other vehicles, and they tend to be slower which surely has an effect on safety!

Not being practical, why is a mini not practical as an every day car, if it is maintained, and enjoyed what is the problem. I mentioned I will do a carboot to sell some tools when the truck is legal, but aparently it is not practical and shouldn't be used on the road! Why not? Not like I am going to be soing a carboot every day.

Then they say I will get laughed at, does this matter, if people laugh, let them, it doesn't bother me, they have laughed at me since primary school!

I asked my sister if she would ever buy an oldy, they said an outright no, so why is it so bad I say an outright no to a new car?

They go on and on, and basically, they say I need to be more realistic, more practical, but what is more practical than a pickup that can be fixed by the driver, with very cheap easy to get parts on a whole. They have to book there cars in to the garage for an oil change as it effects there waranty.

The pickup aparently has cost me alot of money, proabaly about £1300 so far, what does a new car cost? Yes labour would have been a fortune, but as I do it and enjoy doing it, that doesn't really count.

Sorry for the rant, but it is starting to really pee me off, and was wondering if anyone else has this, and has found a way to shut them up???



Cheers

Dave

[Rick]

ignore them my brother doesn't get it either, but I ignore him too, hehe

there are many many things in life that you have to be practical about (mortgages, loans, sprogs, taxes etc) so why not have a fun pastime??

and yes, environmentally re-cycling (aka restoring and running) an oldie is far less damaging to the environment than buying a new car every few years and chucking the previous one away

Rick
(just back from a drive in my 49 Austin)
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[buzzy bee]

Hi

I just don't get why I am not alowed in there eyes to drive an old car, go slow, have fun, and in there eyes waste my money, is it not up to me?

Cheers

Dave

[Rick]

course its up to you, other people chuck money at big stereos and TVs, games consoles, beer (on second thoughts..), women (!) and so on, so why not throw some ££ at an old vehicle or three. At least you can always sell a vehicle and get some/all of your dosh back if needs be. Buy some techie gadgets for a few hundred quid, and they are worthless in no time - now that is madness I reckon!!!

R
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[dpr]

I told my wife my midlife crisis could be

a. An 18yr old Lotus
b. An 18yr blonde

At least with the car she knows I'm in the garage.


Then she told me I'd never catch an 18yr old blonde.

[Scotty]

Then suggest the alternatives that you could be doing just now -

1. Shooting drugs.
2. Mugging old people.
3. Getting pissed out of your mind.
4. Anti-social behaviour.
5. Screwing around with any old bit that takes your fancy.
7. Locking yourself in your room listening to dismal songs by Leonard Cohan - Opps, no, that was me!
8. Getting arrested by the police.
9. Breaking into homes.
10. Beating people up.
11. Vandalising.
12. Burning down schools.

or -

Knowing were you are, what you're doing and grateful that your interests are not harming anyone.

Me - I know which one I'd want my son doing.

[Rick]

dpr, you might just catch the blonde if you get the Lotus running

R
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Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
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[PACresta]

Well Dave,
perhaps your family would want to see all people as stereotypes, thank the lord we still have individuals who make this world a better place to live.
At the end of the day its your choice and that should be respected. If discussions are to be had there are pro and cons for either side, but who cares?? Enjoy your lifestyle, don't get sucked into the "lets all be the same" brigade.

Keep on trucking

[pigtin]

Hey Scotty, I like the idea of driving old cars AND listening to Leonard Cohen, but they may be too noisy to hear Len's subtle declarations of misery above the sound of the timing chain and tappets?

Just remembered, none of my old cars are fitted with radios; Ho Hum, back to the drawing board.

Er! can you play CDs on a wind-up gramophone?

('there's a shoulder where death comes to cry') great stuff from Len, if you haven't problems in the first place.

When you get this old and confused, Buzzy, no one will worry what you drive, as long as it isn't fast.

Don.

[buzzy bee]

Ha!!

Thanks everyone for your coments, looks like there are a few of us out there who are slightly indervidual.

Cheers

Dave

[1.5ran]

I get it from my kids when one of the oldies breaks down but I say put one on ebay your not selling that

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I am getting really peed off now, another practacality arguement!

Cheers

Dave

[Scotty]

[pigtin]

Dammit! We're British: aren't we supposed to be eccentric? It's what won us the Empire and spread our influence to the furthest corners of the world...
Is cricket logical? Do our horses drown when we play water polo? No! of course not. It's only our endearing eccentricity that allows foreigners to run our country and make our laws.
Don't worry what other people think Dave, and remember that it is statistically proven that 50% of the population are below average intelligence anyway, and I'm sure that wouldn't include us old car drivers... would it?

Don.

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Dusted the soap box off again!
There is a lot more to this than just suffering the derision of friends and neighbours. If you consider the mileage covered by most motor cars in a year, then replacing them regularly makes no sense whatsoever. Yes the new one may have reduced CO2 emissions, may have 5-10% extra MPG etc but in comparison to the pollution, CO2 emissions etc. created by producing a new one, these pale into insignificance.
If our green politicians could really put their policies where their mouths are then they should surely be encouraging the retention of vehicles maybe with a declining road tax (hehe) scale, but that would not give them an opportunity to put their sticky fingers on our pockets in an emotionally acceptable way would it?
My wife's Fiat (produced a bit after Noah sailed) did a massive 3500 miles last year. I reckon that swapping it for the most efficient ride-on lawnmower would still leave my CO2 balance in the red if the CO cost of production is included in the calculation