I think we forget how times were.
It’s been a bit over forty years since I bought my first car. Nine years old, it was a nail. Terminally rusty, leaky, engine burned copious amounts of oil, mesh gone from the gearbox (but it taught me the art of double-declutching), ineffective heater that saw me wrapped up like Biggles during the winter. However, it was a survivor as the majority of its age were already in the scrap yard and at least I got to my first job dry instead of using two buses – no shelters at any of the stops – and then a mile walk; and saved me about an hour and a half travelling time a day into the bargain.
My next car was a bit better but about as elderly. I learned quickly and, as all cars of this age succumbed to rust, chose one where attention from a welding torch on the vulnerable places was easy to accomplish and mechanics were straightforward. (This usually meant Ford.)
Though PCP as such hadn’t been heard of, many people bought new cars (probably on finance so a similar kind of monthly outgoing) and changed them every couple of years for all the usual reasons. The folks opposite my parents said they did this to avoid the hassle of MOT tests though they did like to have a new plate on the drive the 1st of August (or was it September when they changed?). Most folk didn’t buy a new car and keep it until it was only fit for the breaker. (My father was the exception to this rule.)
My banger was invariably the oldest car in the street. These days, looking up and down my somewhat average road there are numerous cars that are 15-20 years old and they are not the embarrrassing rusty wrecks that stood out like a sore thumb 30-40 years ago. In fact, unless you are up on your makes and models, you would not know they were old without looking at the registration plate. I know numerous folk who tell me they have owned cars that have gone well ‘round the clock’: 130-140-150k (remember in the old days that the clock went back to 00000 at 100k, so that was a pretty good idea of how long the manufacturers expected them to last – Volvos were the only car I ever encountered having an extra digit) where in the bad old days when you were getting to 80k you knew you were on borrowed time engine-wise.
I bought my first classic car when I was in my twenties and it was actually only seventeen years old but already it was a model that had largely disappeared from regular use and I had no problem inusring it on one of the newly arrived agreed-value classic car policies.
My current runabout is currently entering its twentieth year. Just got another MOT certificate – passed first time. I deliberately sought a model with as few whistles and bells on it as possible. It has a lower spec old-fashioned engine but there is room in the engine bay – and even stuff I recognise – but it doesn’t require the ‘rolling service’ I regularly performed on a weekend on my bangers in the days of yore. I face a surcharge in some towns but it’s been years since I last drove into Birmingham city centre – there are buses and that’s less hassle than finding somewhere to park.
A friend’s daughter’s (BMW) Mini has just expired. I was asked my advice on a second-hand replacement and told them my criteria for such things – as simple mechanically as possible with as few gizmos – but, of course, youngsters are often desirous of a particular image.
Thus in a nutshell, in terms of life, it seems to me that, in the main, cars have never been better quality than in recent years. I can’t comment on the very latest ones – ask me in twenty years time (if I am still around and if I am still driving!).
However, the old criteria still apply when looking for an older car: Mileage, service history and generally something that has been well-looked after. The only difference now is you generally don’t need to be prepared to scrabble underneath looking for tin worm. (I did warn the daughter to stay away from the Ford Ka!)
It’s been a bit over forty years since I bought my first car. Nine years old, it was a nail. Terminally rusty, leaky, engine burned copious amounts of oil, mesh gone from the gearbox (but it taught me the art of double-declutching), ineffective heater that saw me wrapped up like Biggles during the winter. However, it was a survivor as the majority of its age were already in the scrap yard and at least I got to my first job dry instead of using two buses – no shelters at any of the stops – and then a mile walk; and saved me about an hour and a half travelling time a day into the bargain.
My next car was a bit better but about as elderly. I learned quickly and, as all cars of this age succumbed to rust, chose one where attention from a welding torch on the vulnerable places was easy to accomplish and mechanics were straightforward. (This usually meant Ford.)
Though PCP as such hadn’t been heard of, many people bought new cars (probably on finance so a similar kind of monthly outgoing) and changed them every couple of years for all the usual reasons. The folks opposite my parents said they did this to avoid the hassle of MOT tests though they did like to have a new plate on the drive the 1st of August (or was it September when they changed?). Most folk didn’t buy a new car and keep it until it was only fit for the breaker. (My father was the exception to this rule.)
My banger was invariably the oldest car in the street. These days, looking up and down my somewhat average road there are numerous cars that are 15-20 years old and they are not the embarrrassing rusty wrecks that stood out like a sore thumb 30-40 years ago. In fact, unless you are up on your makes and models, you would not know they were old without looking at the registration plate. I know numerous folk who tell me they have owned cars that have gone well ‘round the clock’: 130-140-150k (remember in the old days that the clock went back to 00000 at 100k, so that was a pretty good idea of how long the manufacturers expected them to last – Volvos were the only car I ever encountered having an extra digit) where in the bad old days when you were getting to 80k you knew you were on borrowed time engine-wise.
I bought my first classic car when I was in my twenties and it was actually only seventeen years old but already it was a model that had largely disappeared from regular use and I had no problem inusring it on one of the newly arrived agreed-value classic car policies.
My current runabout is currently entering its twentieth year. Just got another MOT certificate – passed first time. I deliberately sought a model with as few whistles and bells on it as possible. It has a lower spec old-fashioned engine but there is room in the engine bay – and even stuff I recognise – but it doesn’t require the ‘rolling service’ I regularly performed on a weekend on my bangers in the days of yore. I face a surcharge in some towns but it’s been years since I last drove into Birmingham city centre – there are buses and that’s less hassle than finding somewhere to park.
A friend’s daughter’s (BMW) Mini has just expired. I was asked my advice on a second-hand replacement and told them my criteria for such things – as simple mechanically as possible with as few gizmos – but, of course, youngsters are often desirous of a particular image.
Thus in a nutshell, in terms of life, it seems to me that, in the main, cars have never been better quality than in recent years. I can’t comment on the very latest ones – ask me in twenty years time (if I am still around and if I am still driving!).
However, the old criteria still apply when looking for an older car: Mileage, service history and generally something that has been well-looked after. The only difference now is you generally don’t need to be prepared to scrabble underneath looking for tin worm. (I did warn the daughter to stay away from the Ford Ka!)
Nick
