19th Feb 2012, 21:55
Most of us with classics also have new cars as well. Do it right, and you can sell the older one for more than its upkeep and insurance costs.
20th Feb 2012, 08:15
Actually, I feel you may see a poser driving a late model BMW, Mercedes, Escalade, Navigator etc, about 5-10 years old, that still looks new. Or cars that were expensive new, and depreciated to the cost of a Honda.
I also feel that car show and cruise night cars can be and are safer than newer cars. There are late models neglected and not maintained. Just gas and go. Poor brakes, tires, oil not changed, as I have seen them in my relative's shop.
A good paint job on a classic can run to 10k alone, and many have late model drive trains. Jasper or Crate motors under warranty, coast to coast.
I'd rather have money there than housing CDs that pay nothing. I have new cars also, but they are a tool to drive to work
8th Mar 2012, 10:39
We have a 2001 Toyota Sienna with 403,000 miles. It has the same engine and transmission used in the 2001 Toyota Camry. Because of a class action lawsuit concerning 2001 engines with sludge, Toyota provided an extended engine warranty for this engine.
But, we never needed the warranty. The only service the Sienna has needed has been routine oil changes, new transmission fluid and coolant every 50,000 miles, and new spark plugs and timing belt every 100,000 miles. The water pump was replaced at 300,000 miles.
When the car had around 80,000 miles on the engine, it had computer codes for oxygen sensors and the catalytic converter. Those codes happened again at around 200,000 miles. The Sienna was still getting 22 mpg and a good score on its annual emissions test. So, we ignored those engine codes and have never replaced the oxygen sensors or catalytic converter. Because the Sienna gets great gas mileage and has a good emissions score, the problem appears to be a false reading, not a problem with the parts.
The Sienna has always had a number of small oil leaks. Replacing various gaskets and seals at around 100,000 did not solve the problem. So, we ignore the leaks, and add a quart of oil every 2,000 miles.
The Sienna runs like new, but it will soon be "retired" to being a backup vehicle. We are going to remove the third row of seats and use it as a camper, and for hauling supplies for yard landscaping.
By the way, the Sienna was designed by American engineers in California, the engine and transmission are built in America, and the Sienna is assembled in America. Most of the smaller parts, such as the alternator, water pump, etc., are made by American suppliers. The Sienna is proof of the excellence of American engineering and American craftmanship.
19th Feb 2012, 19:37
What's the difference between whether an import versus domestic car needs a transmission in 10 years? The fact is that there are PLENTY of brand-new domestic cars or trucks with either American, Japanese, or in some cases, Chinese transmissions in them.
If you need a new transmission, there are many choices: Either have the one you have repaired, buy a re-manufactured unit, or rebuild and install yourself.
Also - the brand and model have everything to do with cost for any part or components - and this goes for all brands and vintages. Some older classic cars will have less common transmissions, that in some cases are rare and extraordinarily expensive. As a classic car owner, I can tell you that there are absolutely tons of guys who will gladly spend an obscene amount of money on their cars - even if the car in question was some completely pedestrian, bottom of the barrel model.
The point being, that there's not really an argument, if the argument is that classic cars are somehow better than modern cars - or "imports" as I assume was being indicated. The car manufacturing landscape of today is now so completely international in nature, with international parts suppliers providing parts for numerous companies around the globe, that the whole import and domestic argument is now very much old hat.