12th Oct 2011, 13:17
Sorry, I have problems believing this. Last time a saw a Pinto was at a car show, and this one was a restored one being used at special occasions. I've never ever seen a Pinto as a daily driver, driving to work. Never ever in the last 10 years. Never.
The Pintos or the Chevettes weren't good cars. Mechanically mediocre, poor build quality, paint that faded and peeled after some year, pieces of the interior literally falling off as you drove, and if you drove in the rain, rusted to pieces. Trying to make a myth that these cars were any good, is, well, just a myth. Keep it that way, if that makes you happy.
I drove a second hand Pinto as my first car early in the eighties, and even at 5-6 years old it was crap and ready for the scrap yard. Compare that to contemporary Corollas. They simply were so indefinitely better. You could basically buy one second hand for a couple of weeks pay, and drive them for 5 new years without any problems. They simply had an incredible build quality.
12th Oct 2011, 13:42
There are a lot of 30-40 year olds plus at these auctions. You would be surprised. These vehicles simply haven't caught on. There are no shortage of imports crossing the block. Your argument doesn't hold water. And the imports are ones such as VW to Ferraris. It's not domestic only. If you have money for a single nicely documented car, you can pick one up and drive, or have it delivered home.
12th Oct 2011, 15:10
I will also add that a lot of the 70's and early 80's Toyota, Datsun, and Honda cars are starting to become fairly desirable and collectible. Cars like the 240Z, Datsun 510, 210, Mazda RX-7, Celica, and even a few Coronas are staring to become fairly valuable for the same reasons cars like the Mustang, Corvette, and Camaro: People my age (30's) grew up with these cars, and now they're willing to pay for what they had. I am starting to see these at car shows too. Times change.
12th Oct 2011, 18:12
I went back to school to get my degree in 1994, and bought a used 1979 Pinto to drive because I didn't want to leave my nicer cars in the University parking lot, due to high numbers of thefts, vandalism and break-ins. The Pinto had 180,000+ miles on it when I bought it. I paid $300 for it, and drove it for 4 years, then sold it for twice what I paid for it. It was a great car. Never a single repair in the 4 years I drove it. The Pinto, Vega and Chevettes were victims of urban myths. They were all very good cars, and certainly every bit as reliable as any Japanese counter-part of the day.
There are numerous 70's Pintos in our area being used as daily drivers, as well as several 70's Mavericks. I don't ever see any 70's imports except old VW bugs. There are quite a few of those, but zero Japanese cars that old. I don't think the bodies were made to last that long.
13th Oct 2011, 10:29
Well, all I can say is that I have owned the same Toyota truck for 16 years. That's right, not a few years, but SIXTEEN. I bought it new off the lot, drove it all through college, drove it all the way out to California, have driven it to several different jobs, and still own it. It's got over 250,000 miles on it thus far, and still looks, drives, and runs like new. I have had hardly any problems with it, save for a cracked exhaust manifold - a $125 part that took me 30 minutes to replace, a bad wheel bearing - again - a 30 minute job, and a starter motor. Even the paint on this thing still looks brand new.
People seem to be confused as to why people like me are so loyal to brands like Toyota. It's because most of us have exactly this exact same experience. Just try and go out and find any American cars from the 90's that are in this good a shape. You won't find them, because either they're falling apart, or already at the junk yard.
As far as California not being the whole country, well close to 40 million people live here, and thus I'd say that seeing large quantities of 70's era Japanese cars on the road here is significant, given our population is larger than entire regions of the US.
13th Oct 2011, 13:29
I live on the west coast (Vancouver BC), where people for the most part are shallow, materialistic, vain, and status obsessed. So for the most part you see a lot of newer imported luxury cars on the road.
However old cars preserve well, as there is no salt on the roads, so just go to a poor/working class neighborhood and you see tons of older domestics from the 70's and 80's unrestored, still being used as daily drivers.
Everyone just wants an imported car for status, so older domestic cars can be bought for next to nothing, with no rust, no problems, etc...
I see mostly GMs, lots of full size trucks, vans, and of course tons of full size Caprices, LeSabres, etc..
Quite a few Fords too, especially pickups, vans, Crown Vics. Not quite as many Dodges.
Some older Mercedes are still on the road, and some VWs, but as far as Japanese cars from the 70s and 80s, they are nowhere to be seen. Once in a blue moon I will see a rusty Datsun pickup maybe, or a 80's RX-7.
Mostly tons of old GMs though, still being used for work everyday. Anything with a 305 or 350 was pretty hard to kill, and even so, parts are cheap as dirt.
14th Oct 2011, 10:32
"Everyone just wants an imported car for status, so older domestic cars can be bought for next to nothing, with no rust, no problems, etc..."
In that case, everyone there must only buy cars in general for status purposes, since anything made by a US company and imported into Canada is an import.
BTW, counted 7 1970's Japanese cars and trucks on my way to work this morning.
14th Oct 2011, 11:24
A lot of us that started driving in the early 70's are still just in our 50's now; we are not 70 years old. I have been driving very collectible cars from that period to date.
If you bought the right car late 70's or early 80's, you are sitting well today.
Some of have passed some of our cars down to our kids or have restored cars with our kids. My son is in his early 30s. He worked hard in school and got a very good job. He buys and prefers the 60's, early 70's domestics as well. But he also bought a used 2002 Viper. When he was 10 years old, he helped me redo my 1969 SS Camaro interior over the winter. The bug must have caught on.
I can see the collectibility of a 240-280z if the rust issues do not overwhelm you. Or a Mazda RX7. But I find it hard pressed to collect any Toyota from the 70s, other than maybe a Celica GT. Same with Datsun 210-510s or the like.
Car restoration, even if done solo or with some club help, is high. Especially with quality paint. People think they get a deal with a primered car, and then find out that the body and paint is very high. I would rather have a small import as a commuter or a parts runner, and start with a desirous car to restore today. If you have cash, buy the best car you can afford, it's cheaper. Some people in the winter or cash strapped times may be offering some great buys. I have re-bought back cars the past few years similar to ones I had, at many times more than when they were new. To say to someone to do a ground up restoration on a 70s Toyota Corolla today; they better plan on never selling it.
Our family restores mainly Fords and Chevrolets. But not all of them. We avoid badly damaged or rust buckets; even ones that need body and paint. You can rebuild everything else. I don't ever buy 4 doors or "orphans" that have poor parts availability or support. They are money pits. I mainly buy 4 speed, 5 speed Tremecs, or even 6 speed cars today. So far so good.
I know this is a Toyota review. I wouldn't spend too much restoring a 1992 Camry. Or dropping a V8 into a Datsun 510. Unless you never plan on selling it.
I just read that someone had one vehicle for 16 years and had 250,000 miles. That's a truck, not an entire lineup. But I understand your experience. I just traded a Durango company vehicle with almost 300000 miles, and it was a 2003! All highway miles. That's a lot of driving.
Our company also has various domestic full size trucks as well, with similar or close to mileage. Fords, Chevrolets and Dodges. We have the fleet always very well maintained, and everyone has a Wright Express fleet card while on the road. We have one Dakota extended cab long bed that is actually one of the smoothest comfortable trucks out on the road. Likely due to its long wheelbase. And it has same mileage as your truck, but much newer. It's a V8, and also all highway mileage.
It's also noteworthy to mention that the number one selling vehicle in America for over 20 years is a domestic full size truck. These trucks work and are not just for play. I am sure there are many other businesses that run vehicles all day long and rack up mileage. Staying with V8s, it's no big issue to rack up mileage on the same engine. My collector cars are weekend and cruise night cars, but they have panned out well for us too. It's been financially rewarding, it's nice for shows and also the many charity causes these cars benefit as well. Plus they are fun. I drive a lot for work, but have always enjoyed special vehicles as well. If you don't like cars and see them as plain A to B transportation, you may be missing out on a lot of fun Enjoy your day!
12th Oct 2011, 10:27
Just because you don't see as many Toyotas at large auctions, doesn't indicate anything. As mentioned before, the primary buyers of those cars are likely in their 60's-70's. Basically boomers who drove what most Americans drove back when the Big 3 controlled over 90% of the market. Had Toyota, Honda and Nissan owned that percentage, you'd be seeing Celicas, Corollas, and Datsuns on the block with the same folks bidding them up. And again - I see TONS of 70's Toyotas on the way to work every single day.