Best classic car for daily use.

Post by **StaffsMoggie** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:05 pm

What do you reckon? Obviously Morris Minors are perfectly capable of being used daily, (I have used mine for long enough!) any others?

Wolseley 1500s are a much livelier car than the Minor for using daily. I have also used Triumph Spitfires in all weathers and conditions, they are superb. I have ran an MGB GT as a daily driver and a Triumph GT6 (VERY fast!)

Other saloons I have used are Rover P6s, they are an excellent car, and Triumph 2000/2500s, a nice car with the manual gearbox and overdrive.

Finally, Land Rover Series 2/2A and 3 are the best of the lot for everyday, reliable go-anywhere flexibility.

Post by **pauln** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:56 pm

I will stick my oar in and say the Mk2 Cortina. Comfortable, nice big boot and with Capri running gear a 5 speed box and an 1800 Zetec quick and economical too.

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:12 am

Think I'd settle with the Minor all things considered as a daily driver. Consider fuel consumption, performance, comfort, parts availability (big one that) and ease of fixing on a Sunday when you need it in the morning theres not much that can touch it...

Having said that I've tried:
Series 2 Oxford. Nice comfortable easy going car. Fast enough, just but liked going at its own pace. Much missed.
Wolseley Six (Landcrab) So comfortable its better than the 3 piece suite - fuel consumption a little daunting, but fun when chasing reps down the outside lane of tyhe motorway. Needs overdrive though.
Triumph Spitfires: borrowed a couple from time to time. Nice but feel a little fragile for heavy use. Great leasure car though.
Triumph GT6: hmm, got one at the moment. Quick enough I suppose, but scary handling. Always feels that the comedy rear suspension is going to let go and bite back, though it may just be my slightly tired example... Feels a bit fragile build quality, like the Spitfires.
LandRovers. Had a few, all immensly practical, though you neede to be big and tough (and not right in the head)to withstand a 55mile each way daily commute through two large towns in a Series 1 with a worn 2 1/4 diesel. (Soon packed that job in but still got the Land rover!).
Marinas. Had a few and pleasant enough they are too. Some spares hard to get now but the faster ones are fun to drive. The 1300 Suntor camper I'm using at the moment 'gets under way' rather than accelerates! The 1700 ohc pickup I used to use was rather more exciting.

Hmm, still come back to the Minors as best all rounders.

Post by **Longdog** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:01 am

I was looking for a Minor for everyday use myself but as I wanted a Trav or van could only find overpriced rubbish for sale that needed heaps of work.In the end I settled for a Golf GTI which goes like a pocket rocket but returns MPG same as Mog.Parts only cost pence by comparison too.

Post by **mal** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:25 pm

I have also used Triumph Spitfires in all weathers and conditions, and a Triumph GT6 (VERY fast!)

I see a man of excellent taste

I used both for quite a number of years and are excellent as a daily driver, I preffered the Mk3 Spitty I owned for it's curvy looks, like I do the Moggy.... but alas age creeps up and they are a bit awkward to get in an out of.

At the mo; I'm using my 66 Singer Gazelle most days I'm out and with it's 1725cc engine is no slouch, nice woodwork as well..

Mal

Post by **rayofleamington** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:36 pm

SWB 2a (or an early sIII) landrover with higher diffs would be a nice option, but less good on long journeys (e.g. it takes ~6 months of daily use before you grow some new veins to stop numb bum syndrome)
My Trabi makes a good everyday car as it'll still do 40mpg in commuting traffic through town when the Minor would be down to 25mpg.

The only problems I have with classics as everyday cars are:
Not good for motorway (unless you have all the time in the world and/or like doing 50)
Not great heater in winter
Feeling guilty when driving them on salty roads.
Rear belts for child seat(s) - not all classics can be retrofitted.

I fancy a few more classics over the next 20 years including an Austin 1300, a citroen DS, a Scimitar and a few exotics.
None of which will be garage queens!

Post by **plastic_orange** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:33 pm

The best classic for everyday use I found was a Rover P6B (the V8 version). They drive like a modern, but with style. I've had 6, and kept one for 13 years - sometimes wish I hadn't sold it.

Pete

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:35 pm

Longdog wrote:I was looking for a Minor for everyday use myself but as I wanted a Trav or van could only find overpriced rubbish for sale that needed heaps of work.In the end I settled for a Golf GTI which goes like a pocket rocket but returns MPG same as Mog.Parts only cost pence by comparison too.

Ah, thats what I'd call a modern classic! No I don't want to start a debate on whats classic or not, but I'd have thought that anything 80s era onwards should be decent enough for daily use ie: easy to drive, good heater etc, whilst still being old enough to be interesting and a bit unusual whilst suseptible to rust! In the last few years I've had a Mk1 MG Metro and an Opel Manta rally car that both fell happily into this catagory and were very much the daily driver at the time.
Trying to avoid stuff that you have to pay tax on at the mo. Just being mean I guess, though at least the Marina is low tax band being a 1300....

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:47 pm

rayofleamington wrote:SWB 2a (or an early sIII) landrover with higher diffs would be a nice option, but less good on long journeys (e.g. it takes ~6 months of daily use before you grow some new veins to stop numb bum syndrome)
My Trabi makes a good everyday car as it'll still do 40mpg in commuting traffic through town when the Minor would be down to 25mpg.

The only problems I have with classics as everyday cars are:
Not good for motorway (unless you have all the time in the world and/or like doing 50)
Not great heater in winter
Feeling guilty when driving them on salty roads.
Rear belts for child seat(s) - not all classics can be retrofitted.

I fancy a few more classics over the next 20 years including an Austin 1300, a citroen DS, a Scimitar and a few exotics.
None of which will be garage queens!

Yep good points. I've got Rover P4 diffs and an overdrive on the present Land Rover, plus a Transit diesel which when it all works makes a fairly practical example of the breed. Still not a relaxing drive though!
HAve fancied a Trabi from time to time, just for a change and to see what they're like (The present GT6 falls into that catagory).
I tend to average around 60mph on a long motorway run, wether in Land Rover or Minor. GT6 is a bit faster I admit, but currently semi in bits for a paint job...
...which lead to the guilty feeling when using them on salty roads. The Series 2 convertible I noticed was showing a few scabby bits after being the main car over the winter. Not sure wether its best to just use one car and then resign yourself to fixing it afterwards, or try and spread it around over the fleet. Normally dont have a choice, its whatever runs really.

Post by **mal** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:47 am

GT6 is a bit faster I admit, but currently semi in bits for a paint job...

Ian, If you're interested I have a brand new 3 piece Burr walnut dashboard for sale which would fit the GT6... still in bubble wrap and packaging.. bought it for my mk 4 Spitty but never got round to fitting it..... you can have it for what I paid for it

Mal

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:40 pm

Trying to avoid stuff that you have to pay tax on at the mo. Just being mean I guess, though at least the Marina is low tax band being a 1300....

Ah, well a tax exempt Marina is the only way round that - however that is very unfair on the later Marinas which are dissapearing much faster than the icecaps.

Not sure wether its best to just use one car and then resign yourself to fixing it afterwards, or try and spread it around over the fleet. Normally dont have a choice, its whatever runs really.

To avoid the guilt my aim was to very cheap eurobox over winter... However I also rarely get a choice

and drive whichever car is on the road. This winter I used the Trabi alot and the seams are starting to show signs of aggressive salt

Other than wear and tear the Trabi is as good as a Minor for everyday use - with not quite enough power from the heater in winter.

Post by **chrisd87** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 pm

I suppose it comes down to what you need from a car, which will depend on the kind of driving you do. If your annual mileage is small then fuel consumption will not be much of an issue, for instance. Some people will need to regularly transport lots of passengers/luggage in which case size will be important. Likewise if you do most of your driving in town and on minor roads then speed will not be an issue whereas if you undertake regular motorway trips then it will.

For me the Minor is a good everyday car for all the reasons people have already mentioned - reasonably cheap to buy, good cheap parts availability, easy to work on, good fuel consumption, enough room for most stuff I'm likely to lug around, comfortable and fast enough for the odd motorway trip.

As for other stuff, I can think of only a few others that I'd be happy to depend upon for everyday transport. An MGB GT would be equally as good - obviously a bit less space and higher fuel consumption but more competent on the motorway. An MG Midget would also be acceptable but would mean practically no room for any bags. The Rover P6 would be another, especially the V8 model as the engine is very durable - although the fuel consumption would be a bit of a killer. I'd consider a Scimitar as well, although they too are a bit heavy on petrol.

A series Land Rover is a possibility but have some quite significant cons. The fuel consumption again is very poor, but they're also slow, noisy, have a rather bumpy ride, poor steering and handling, huge turning circle and are pretty cold in winter. I still love mine though

Post by dp » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:16 pm

2cv. Had one as my daily a few years ago. Bit slow on motorways and noisy but v reliable, quirky and fun

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:18 pm

The fuel consumption again is very poor,

My 2.25 S3 diesel would do 30 to 35mpg on a run (with range rover diffs). The high gearing made it much less noisy but it really wouldn't go up hills - especially when towing. Great off road though

Have to agree with the other list of cons though

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:45 pm

The wife's lwb Series 2 pickup does around 14-16mpg and has and enormous turning circle, which got even worse once when a nut came loose in the steering box and jammed it when turning right (that was an interesting drive then - three point turns just to turn right etc...).
Very quiet and light to drive oddly, the engine noise (2 1/4 petrol) is blotted out by the row from the knobbly tyres....
Not an ideal daily driver really, but very useful to have about.

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:01 am

The minor, obviously, for me's been an excellent every day car - I've racked up some horrendous mileage on Rebecca, and when the heater was freshly flushed stayed nice and toasty warm. It's now silted up, again, I presume ('cos it's got roughly the same heat output as a dead mouse), so needs to come out and be flushed... but that's on the huge-great-list of jobs.

The DAFs would make excellent every day cars if I could actually get bits for them in a bit more of a hurry. I'm not a member of the DOC (yet) and so all my parts come from Holland, which isn't next-day by any-means. But I love driving them, they're quirky and entertaining. The 844cc twin's a bit low on power - it'll chug along the motorway at 60+, but holding 70 is a bit of a trial, mind you I've not tried it with the fueling set up right and no leak in the intake manifold. The 1100's probably swift enough (never driven one).

I think though, so long as you can get the bits and are happy to look after it, most things can be used as a daily classic, it's just how much time you want to put in