Why I drive old cars.

[Rustyrodknocker]

the wife's 2011 Challeger started loosing power steering. It was leaking. I couldn't find a pump on the car but some internet research lead me to an electric pump behind the wheel well. Turns out it's common for these to have an oring failure or a crack where the reservoir connects to the pump body. Autozone had a kit with a new reservoir. $90. Had to buy a vacuum pump for bleeding the system $60. New plastic rivets to reinstall the fender liner $10. They did not have nor could get the electric pump type fluid. I had to go to the dealer for a quart. $33 a pint.
So if I have good luck I will be in for $220 a sore neck and back from trying to get inside the wheel well with the spindle and A arm assembly.

If my luck is bad I get to buy a $1000 pump and spend another day inside the wheel well.
I have been listening to Cool Hand Luke on the drive home at night. Another day in the box Luke is what was in my mind.

I'm over it but the wife loves it and it only has 50k miles on it....

It truly is a shitty car in my opinion, it's getting the late model mopar front end sag. Gonna need struts and springs with the new tires this year.
I figured 20:1 on the repair labor vs my old cars. I could put 20 pumps on 20 cars in the time I will have in this. Without a sore neck...

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I had to put front air struts on my wife's Jeep GC. What a pain in the ***. Disconnect the sway bar end link, sure if it was new, so now it has a new sway bar end link. Left the driver's side connected and pried it down since passenger side broke.
That air suspension is a dealer wet dream system. Nobody understands it everyone thinks it's a big mystery/secret so I'm sure the change this, look at that, cash register is just singing if you brought it to the stealership. Actually quite simple to diagnose and keep it full of nitrogen and your good to go.

 

[Just Carbs]

the wife's 2011 Challeger started loosing power steering. It was leaking. I couldn't find a pump on the car but some internet research lead me to an electric pump behind the wheel well. Turns out it's common for these to have an oring failure or a crack where the reservoir connects to the pump body. Autozone had a kit with a new reservoir. $90. Had to buy a vacuum pump for bleeding the system $60. New plastic rivets to reinstall the fender liner $10. They did not have nor could get the electric pump type fluid. I had to go to the dealer for a quart. $33 a pint.
So if I have good luck I will be in for $220 a sore neck and back from trying to get inside the wheel well with the spindle and A arm assembly.

If my luck is bad I get to buy a $1000 pump and spend another day inside the wheel well.
I have been listening to Cool Hand Luke on the drive home at night. Another day in the box Luke is what was in my mind.

I'm over it but the wife loves it and it only has 50k miles on it....

It truly is a shitty car in my opinion, it's getting the late model mopar front end sag. Gonna need struts and springs with the new tires this year.
I figured 20:1 on the repair labor vs my old cars. I could put 20 pumps on 20 cars in the time I will have in this. Without a sore neck...

Preview of coming attractions.

 

[patrick66]

Not touching anything newer than 2010, with the exception of my 2014 VW Passat, which is the absolute BEST post-2001 car or truck I've ever owned.

 

['66 Fury I]

Our C Bodys were when built, among the best engineered cars on the road. They were built to be driven in demanding circumstances and survive. Well, the cars we own are testamony to this! Barring serious exposure to the dreaded road salt and major collision damage, they have triunphed over 50 plus years of service!
These cars were also built to be serviced and repaired. Even today we service and repair our terasured jewels with very little exotic equipment. On the rare occasion when one lets you down, you probably have a very good idea what is wrong before you open the door to get out. Many times the repair can be accomplished on the side of the road!
I consider "new" cars to be "disposable" and as such I will not buy one until it is several years old. This way, I have little invested in it and can dispose of it readily.
I wish others well with new vehicles. If nobody bought the new ones, there would be no old ones for me! So, we are working together! Lindsay

 

[King Hooter]

the wife's 2011 Challeger started loosing power steering. It was leaking. I couldn't find a pump on the car but some internet research lead me to an electric pump behind the wheel well. Turns out it's common for these to have an oring failure or a crack where the reservoir connects to the pump body. Autozone had a kit with a new reservoir. $90. Had to buy a vacuum pump for bleeding the system $60. New plastic rivets to reinstall the fender liner $10. They did not have nor could get the electric pump type fluid. I had to go to the dealer for a quart. $33 a pint.
So if I have good luck I will be in for $220 a sore neck and back from trying to get inside the wheel well with the spindle and A arm assembly.

If my luck is bad I get to buy a $1000 pump and spend another day inside the wheel well.
I have been listening to Cool Hand Luke on the drive home at night. Another day in the box Luke is what was in my mind.

I'm over it but the wife loves it and it only has 50k miles on it....

It truly is a shitty car in my opinion, it's getting the late model mopar front end sag. Gonna need struts and springs with the new tires this year.
I figured 20:1 on the repair labor vs my old cars. I could put 20 pumps on 20 cars in the time I will have in this. Without a sore neck...

I can't complain about my 83,000mi 2010 Challenger SE. Bought it back in '15 and really haven't had any issues. A few little annoyances have started lately. An on again off again hard start most likely fuel pressure regulator.
But she gets a bad vibration when it drops below 30 degrees. The colder it gets more severe it gets. Feels and sounds like driving a flat right rear tire until everything warms up.

 

[Dan Scully]

This lawn mower simple is my daily driver.

 

[3175375]

All of my vehicles are 2004 or older, except for Bruno, our 2010 Holiday Rambler Endeavor diesel pusher and Lucy, our 2021 Ford Bronco.

The complexity of newer vehicles has become excessive and we (wife and I) don’t want anything to do with it!
My wife traded in her 2017 Cadillac XT5 for the Bronco and I think that was a great move, before the Cadillac started falling apart.

 

[Just Carbs]

I readily accept the increased maintenance and more frequent incident of repair that comes with the old cars.
The alternative is not good. A new car every five years or a five-year-old car that's out of warranty.
I am nervous without the air bags but have decided to drive without them.
That and I'm in love with the old cars 10 inches of suspension travel.
My soon to be sold 98 Deville has 4. That and it also has a new unfixable ailment every week.

 

[patrick66]

Look at the price of headlight assemblies! There are sensors incorporated in those that can't be serviced individually, so the entire assembly must be replaced if a light or sensor goes tits-up on you. Most run anywhere from $1,500 to over $4,000. That's ridiculous.

 

[MoPar~Man]

Wow, I did not know that something as old (or new?) as a 2011 mopar had electric power steering pump. My daily drivers since 1999 have been 300M's, and my '04 M needed the high-pressure PS line replaced (due to rust) but I've never had to service a pump or rack or deal with a PS leak other than that rusty line. The LH cars are, in my opinion, a great tradeoff between longevity, durability, technology, and DIY repairability.

I've built up a hoard of spare parts thanks to ridiculously low rock-auto prices. My 5 M's will last me for a decade more I think.

 

[Rustyrodknocker]

Hell of a place to put a component that requires service. I know some cars have a battery behind the wheel well which would be a more ridiculous set up.
The only way I can see justification of buying a new car is if the buyer has discretionary income greater than the monthly cost and replaces the vehicle within 5 years. These newer cars seem to require more big ticket repairs than old cars. The fact that every town has a list as long as your arm full of transmission shops should be a hint. It blows my mind how many of them need a trans in 8 years or less. Last spring my nephew and I did a surprise motor and trans swap for my father inlaw the th350 had crazy miles on it and still worked. It $650 to get it rebuilt on a carry in. I bought a company truck a few years ago for the engine because the repair quote for the trans rebuild was 7k. Truck has 160k on it and the company deemed it a poor investment.
Vehicles are required for business and I consider that a separate scenario. I'd love to buy a new diesel every 3 years but I don't have a business that requires that.

 

[LocuMob]

The only way I can see justification of buying a new car is if the buyer has discretionary income greater than the monthly cost

That's why I bought the Scat Pack, I had money burning a hole in my pocket, and I don't plan on selling it, it's the last newer car I'll buy. I love the old cars, and I love driving them, but I did want to get something newer and faster for some other fun miles. I won't trade the planned trips in my Monacos any time soon, nothing beats a windows down trek across the country in an old car.

 

[57fury440]

I love the old cars. My 57 Plymouth has been mine since 1964. The 1972 Barracuda I ordered new is still in my garage. I also own a 2011 Challenger and a 2021 Jeep Renegade. The older cars have more character than most new cars and they are simple to repair compared to most new vehicles. That said the newer cars are much safer and I disagree about them being disposable. If anything the older cars were not designed to last either. With the new engines today, it is not that uncommon to see cars with 300,000 miles still running. In the 50's and 60's most cars were done by 100,000 to 150,000 miles. I've had pretty good results with newer cars but I have also had good results with a few 50's cars as daily drivers.

 

[Just Carbs]

I think part support and cost of repair will play a big part in the disposability.

 

[patrick66]

Wow, I did not know that something as old (or new?) as a 2011 mopar had electric power steering pump. My daily drivers since 1999 have been 300M's, and my '04 M needed the high-pressure PS line replaced (due to rust) but I've never had to service a pump or rack or deal with a PS leak other than that rusty line. The LH cars are, in my opinion, a great tradeoff between longevity, durability, technology, and DIY repairability.

I've built up a hoard of spare parts thanks to ridiculously low rock-auto prices. My 5 M's will last me for a decade more I think.

I'll keep that in mind if I end up with the Concorde LXi this week.

 

[patrick66]

Hell of a place to put a component that requires service. I know some cars have a battery behind the wheel well which would be a more ridiculous set up.

My wife's former car, a 2008 Enclave, has the battery behind the right front seat in the floor. Definitely a PITA to access. My son's 2001 Dodge Stratus had the battery behind the wheel well. My old '96 Corvette had it behind the LF wheel, requiring a bit of disassembly.

Some engineer, somewhere, who graduated last in his class, probably designed these just to get even.

 

[57fury440]

My brother's 1957 MGA has the battery behind the rear seat, so does my friend's 1969 Corvette.

 

[commando1]

My brother's 1957 MGA

Can't imagine feeling comfortable in that car.

 

[57fury440]

Actually, it is nice to sit in and drive.