Digressing a bit from my thread on the vandalism to Sarah Howards 17 year old Fiat Panda made me think. She obviously loved her little old car. I'm full of admriation for her in bucking the trend.
My point is driving a classic or old car in the United States seems to be the cool thing to do. Cruising the boulevards or even day to day transport in a '65 Mustang or similar is a big wow for them it seems..
So why hasn't this caught on here?
Why are we so obsessed with driving as new as possible?
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There's all kinds of 'culture' reasons, but one big difference is that if I compare myself to similar colleagues in the US then they seem to have a MUCH better standard of living that I do. Car wise, they'll typically have an everyday sedan, a people carrier (minivan), an SUV or truck, and a roadster (or 65 Mustang etc) for the weekend.
Even if Sandra H never leaves London, I wouldn't like my wife & kids to be in crash with a Chelsea tractor while she was driving a 17yr old Panda.
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Quite a lot of old cars round where I live and work - East Somerset area - Minis, Morris Minors, a Vauxhall Victor 101, an Austin Seven van, an old Maxi that followed me the other day and even a Citroen GS.
cheers, SS
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Also can you imagine yorself driving round in what we had in the mid 60's. The big Yank tanks of those days were something to behold (either admire or laugh at).
See yourself driving around in a Ford Anglia??
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Does the better weather in certain parts of the USA not mean that more 'classic' cars have survived intact and can be used every day whereas over here people with classics have them locked up in garages and only brought out on sunny days.
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I'm just back from a month in NZ, where Minors, Beetles, Consuls, 1100s and other cars from the 60s and 70s are a common sight, and mostly in good nick. There may be a lot of ex-pats indulging in nostalgia, but I don't think it can be the climate, which is much like ours. Don't know if they ever salted the roads though.
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well point 1, I hardly think a Fiat Panda could be described as a classic, desirable or chic.
Point 2, Classic cars in the uk are far rarer than other parts of the world due to the carp way they were made and the corrosive affects of our climate, hence classics are expensive as a w/e fun hobby.
point 3 Our weather is not condusive to taking out your cossetted top down classic and go cruisin.
point 4 Our trendy youth have no class.
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Funnily enough whilst the Alfa has been off the road I've been using the TR7 and quite enjoying it. Now I've finally sorted bits of it, so its doing 30MPG rather than 18 and its quite fun.
Not worried about the safety issue despite a 75 mile commute on the M20/M26/M25/M3 aside from this morning when a plank in a new shape Jeep decided 2mm off my bumper was adequate @ 50MPH on the M25. Its so agile & quick that otherwise it feels good aside from surprising the various drivers who think their car must be faster than a 1980s sports car. Given the sun is shining it might be hood down on the way home!
Also RF classics can be all things damned expensive or very cheap, although keeping a post 73 car taxed is a drain that many can't see the point of. In fact Cousins son who is approaching 17 fancies a classic as a first car.
At least if the classic breaks either me or the AA can generally get it going again whereas modern techno marvels are A frame to nearest garage. knashing of teeth about Alfa!
Jim
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RF - re-arrange the words nail, head & hit to give my thoughts on your post!
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He's nailed the hit right on the head ?
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Nah. My posts are never that coherent.
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well point 1, I hardly think a Fiat Panda could be described as a classic, desirable or chic.
But it *is* old. That's my point. Classic or chic i'd say is the the opinion of the owner concerned..
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well point 1, I hardly think a Fiat Panda could be described as a classic, desirable or chic.
That's your opinion. Well, OK, it's mine as well as it happens. But the fact that we don't find it attractive doesn't mean that no-one can. I have a lot of difficulty understanding anyone liking the rusting lawnmower that is the average Beetle, but they seem to be quite popular.
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Yeh i think you get a few older around West Wales, i Once spotted an old Vauxhall Carlton Estate (mk1) parked by the roadside of the A40, i hadnt seen 1 in years! But you definately see a few VW Beetles around High Wycombe or anywhere else in that matter!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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If you believe that after a certain stage in development, cars - in town at least - have evolved to a level where they can't get much better - then having the latest model is a waste of money.
If , however, a new car is just bling, you'll keep buying new ones.
I can't see how all the latest cup holders make any difference in a traffic queue waiting for a green light. Or how the latest hugest ugliest 4x4 makes any ecological/economic or parking sense in town.
but judging by the people who drive them, my mindset is warped and I am incapable of parking any car neatly...(let alone 4x4s).
Never mind: when oil hits $80 per gallon watch SUV/4x4 values!:-)
madf
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