4th Sep 2012, 07:40

I agree with the "malaise period". The last of the nice cars were made in the early to mid 1970s. From the late 1970s to the early 2000s, Detroit churned out a wasteland of uninspiring, cheap drivel. It was not until 2005 when I could finally say that the new cars were finally better than the early '70s. Thanks for three decades of mediocrity. I'm glad that Detroit finally got on the stick, and has been making good cars again these last several years.

4th Sep 2012, 19:49

Just stepping in here... I was born in 1977, and although the perception is to laugh at 1970s and 1980s cars, the fact of the matter is that I personally like them a lot. I can't say how much I speak for others, but, for example, if you watch old car commercials on YouTube, you will see lots of positive comments on cars from that era (as well as negative, admittedly), so that must say something. I agree about the nostalgia thing and how it reminds one of one's childhood. I have a bit more of a problem with 1980s cars, as I feel they lost a lot of character as time went on, but even they are starting to grow on me now. I think it might also be that there were designs you may have liked in the past, but as time goes on, cars look less and less like they used to, so you begin to have a fondness for the old look.

I should also say that in my own case, the older cars get, the less enthusiastic I tend to be about them, i.e., cars from the '40s, '30s, '20s, etc., mean very little to me. Even 1950s cars, which I used to like as a kid, are beginning to look a little repulsive to me now. I think it's probably due to the fact that, even as a kid, those cars (and even '60s cars) were barely around, so they're alien to me.

4th Sep 2012, 20:11

To me, a car collector is 3 or more cars. I am an enthusiast with 2. To me a sign of a really collectible car was getting notes under the windshield asking to buy. I no longer drive mine and leave them as in the past. I get offers in 2012 at cruise nights today. I stick to Chevrolet 2 door, big block, 4 speed cars. Convertibles are even stronger. Air conditioning and well optioned is a big plus. Good luck.

5th Sep 2012, 11:23

I'm in my 20's and I am a car collector. I'm too young to appreciate cars from the 20's, 30's, 50's,60's, etc, and the late to mid 70's cars are way too expensive for me, due to all the baby boomers having mid life crises and all wanting the same late 60's/early 70's muscle cars.

I grew up in the 80's and have a lot of nostalgia for the old cars we used to have then; Chevy Caprices, Monte Carlos, full size station wagons, late 70's full size pickups, etc...

I don't care about the haters and car snobs, I drive what I want, and who cares if it's valuable or "collectable". I have a 1979 Monte Carlo and I love the car, it gets looks and compliments all the time. I also have a 1989 Crown Vic and a 1990 Caprice Brougham. Not quite yet collectable, but still gets tons of looks and compliments from people like myself who get nostalgic seeing these old cars.

I think a new generation of younger car enthusiasts like myself will mean 70's and 80's cars will be collectable soon. Besides, the 70's and 80's full size GM and Ford cars were bulletproof reliable and not too bad on gas either. I use mine as daily drivers and for long road trips; something you cannot really do with your 40's, 50's car, so the newer ones are actually practical too.

5th Sep 2012, 15:59

Gee wiz, all the GM cars from those eras that I kept long enough to exceed the 200,000 mile mark must have been flukes.

I thought getting that kind of mileage out of a car was good. I guess I was wrong.

6th Sep 2012, 09:47

Our experience with GM cars of the '80s and '90s was that they would indeed last over 200,000 miles. They generally did a good job on engines and transmissions. Problem was, everything else was falling apart long before then, because it was so cheaply made and executed. It's possible to keep any old piece of junk limping along, but what have you gained?

Yes, our 1983 Chevy Cavalier and 1989 Pontiac 6000 did just surpass 200,000 miles, but they were a sad sight. Rusted out, in the shop every month, just puddle-jumpers. Our 1993 Cadillac STS never made it to 200,000 miles, guzzling several quarts of oil between oil changes, and the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. So, let's not make out like things are better than they really were.

In the early '90s I worked at a car rental place and saw these cars new (Pontiac 6000, Chevy Cavalier). Brand new, the cheap vinyl was already pulling out of the armrests, door handles falling off, door panels peeling off the cheap glue, rattly, underpowered. They might have lasted until 200,000 miles, but why would you subject yourself to that? Car quality took a big nosedive after the mid-'70s and hasn't really recovered until the last few years. Ford came back first with good, reliable cars in the late '90s and 2000s, and Chrysler/Dodge is doing good. I still wouldn't trust a Chevy.

7th Sep 2012, 12:17

I trust GM. New Cadillac, Corvette and Silverado are my first hand experience recommendations. I have experience also with the Pontiac 6000 and a 90 Bonneville. If you bought a new 3.8 engine at the time; that was one of the best drivetrains. If you buy new GMs with the LS engine; likewise. I know of a 98 Corvette LS1 with 180000 miles. Mobil 1, new tires, battery and new idler arms. That's it. I picked a new gen Vette only to comment on how great they are. How about a new Cadillac with a 6 speed manual? A fun family car and a blast to drive.

7th Sep 2012, 17:57

Sorry, but the cars that I had at the 200k mark were not "limping along" or "falling apart", and they were not entry level Cavaliers. Full-mid size body on frame GM's and a couple of Fords were what I was referring to; these were the best domestic cars that came out of this so called malaise era.

What have I gained? For one, no car payments, and secondly, enjoying cars that I really liked for a long period of time and trouble free mileage. This is exactly what I'm experiencing now with my 96 Lincoln.

8th Sep 2012, 18:12

We have several GM cars in our family that currently have well over 100,000 miles with absolutely no repairs at all. I'd recommend any new GM car over any import. Our imports were not that reliable.

9th Sep 2012, 05:34

I wouldn't mind having a 1977 Toyota Celica GT again, fully restored. I bought mine new. The mid 70s Celicas were the best looking ever. In the 80s and beyond, the styling went away. Even the Supra lacked the Mustang styling of the 70s Celica.

Since this is a 71 Toyota review, why not find one and restore it? And then buy a new domestic sports car for a daily driver? I think it would be cool to have a 77 Celica GT and a late model Bullit Mustang sharing the garage.