Morris Minor Owners Club

Who actually still uses a classic car as daily transport? Classics are now a very rare sight on the road. I do a 50 mile trip to work in either my Dolomite, Minor or Midget and never see another old car. A few shiny ones have appeared recently flashing their lights and waving at me. I obviously ignore them.... It is those of use who still use these cars as they where intended who keep up the supply of spares. Sadly some of those spares are of disgraceful quality.

I use mine every day to go to work - about 10 miles each way

Which is what they were made for.. Its a shame we have not had any snow, Moggies are great in it.

i use mine all the time... 1968 landrover and moggy......
don't have a modern anymore

I use my Series MM most days when it is practical
(As seen on The One Show)

I can't help being shiny, it's the two-pack paint that does it, and I only get one wash a year unless the weather has been FOUL. But I've done nearly 500 miles since last thursday and only ground to a halt once (my petrol pump falls to sleep now and again). My owner doesn't like (or understand) new cars so I think I'll still be around after he's gone to meet his maker!
TFM

We use our two Travellers as every day cars (we don't have anything newer) and regularly see 2 or 3 other Minors in the area being used in the same way.

Mine also gets used every day. The wife goes to work in her Vauxhall Mokka and I trundle around in my traveller. Wouldn't have it any other way - come rain or shine - as others have said '' that's what they were built for '' and regular use stops it getting arthritis so to speak. Each to their own, but I prefer a ''usable'' ( looked after ) classic and not just a show piece.
Having said that, it's quite rare I see other classics on my gad-abouts ?

StaffsMoggie wrote:Who actually still uses a classic car as daily transport? Classics are now a very rare sight on the road. I do a 50 mile trip to work in either my Dolomite, Minor or Midget and never see another old car. A few shiny ones have appeared recently flashing their lights and waving at me. I obviously ignore them.... It is those of use who still use these cars as they where intended who keep up the supply of spares. Sadly some of those spares are of disgraceful quality.

Why is it obviouse that you ignore them? Are you better than the shiny owners? or just a snob.

I only drive on evenings and weekends as I commute by cycle, however my 2 ladies have clocked up 5.5k over the past 12 months. I see a classic Porsche, Volvo Amazon that get used often locally, but usually at weekends.

I always wave back at any classic driver who waves or flashes their lights at me, regardless of what car they are driving - don't want people thinking that Minor owners are rude! Cars are intended to be driven but how often is up to individual owners as people's circumstances are different and not everyone has the need to drive a car daily, classic or not. Anyone who owns / drives a Minor helps to keep up the supply of spares - it's the demand for cheap parts that is keeping the quality of some parts poor, not the number of people who use their cars daily.

I am on my third Minor and have used every one as my every day car, just this past weekend my 1965 has been to the tip twice and done the supermarket run!! I always acknowledge other classics in the same way as I always wave to other motorhomes when in the camper( my other vehicle that is 15 years old) but do understand the reluctance of the original post as I have been on the receiving end of some unwarranted comments from other members . I also beleive the cars should be used as they were intended and a 50 year old car should look like a 50 year old car, however I appreciate the work anyone put into their car, each to their own, we need all different types of owner to make a club, I havn't got much spare cash but do the best I can but once got a stern talking to off a club member for using my split screen in the rain, and he the proceeded to pick it to pieces stations how I had the wrong bonnet on etc, made out I did not deserve to own one. He then insisted I look at his pristine cheque book restored model that did look great but I could not help noticing his Ford Fiesta seats!!

Yes, as you say, each to their own, live and let live. I'm now on my 5th Minor and have never been bothered by what others have said or thought about them

What she said ^^^^

I used my Traveller as a daily driver for 13 years (apart from a year or so off for a re-build) and have done so again recently since the Hop in September, every day. In fact I'm off to work now in the traveller!

drive it when you want...
paint it how you like...
put on it or in it whatever you like...
its your car so its your choice....
just enjoy it

StaffsMoggie wrote:Who actually still uses a classic car as daily transport? It is those of use who still use these cars as they where intended who keep up the supply of spares. Sadly some of those spares are of disgraceful quality.

And those who buy a complete car lot of parts for a restore/rebuild but I think there is a double whammy here of declining numbers of cars left and less usage. If a part that won't last long goes on a car that isn't used much then it doesn't show as much as when put on a "daily". This leads to declining quality. When was the last time anyone bought some spares that came in (and were made by) one of quality manufactures like GKN, Lockheed, Borg&Beck etc?
Anyway on a plus note....I am still on my first minor ( for more than 28 years), it is the second and newest car I have ever owned. It is in (almost) daily use although in semi retirement now and used to do 30k some years. I do see a few classics here in Norfolk but they tend to be older people who look like they are making it their last car.

My Rover 2000 is a daily driver and only (functioning) car. Cover about 4000 miles a year, which is nothing mammoth, but it's all that driving requires of me as I live so close to work that it's quicker on the train.

M25VAN wrote:If a part that won't last long goes on a car that isn't used much then it doesn't show as much as when put on a "daily".

There's a lot of truth in this. In many ways, the 'occasionals' (whilst often of a higher cosmetic and mechanical standard owing to high levels of investment and low usage in the pursuit of perfection) are more appropriate recipients of the cheaper pattern parts, as the limits of those parts with never likely be tested compared to a daily use car, where the extra 10%-15% performance/life expectancy/durability will be required and used.

But I wouldn't begrudge anyone fitting them. The cheap/poor parts problem is a self-perpetuating circle - we see this in the Rover clubs - you canvas members to ask them if they'd be prepared to pre-order a rare part in order to get it remanufactured. They all agree that quality needs to be top, and claim to be prepared to pay for that. But when it comes to hand-in-pocket time, everyone's cash suddenly dries up and the part hits the market at a much lower price and quality. We've found that we can legitimately ask top dollar for rarer trim - and the quality of those parts is better than original in some instances - but people want to pay less for mechanical parts. Limited batch production seems to yield better satisfaction for unobtainable mechanical parts. But then we have far fewer cars to service than Minor circles, and most Rover owners compare their part prices to Jaguar prices, meaning everything seems like a bargain, even if that is still £350 for a bumper.

I use my 61 landrover most of the winter and the TR or Lotus all summer, my wife uses her 20+ year old MX5 every day, our 1 month old modern spends 99% of it's time parked outside the house! only getting used when we need to take more people on a long motorway trip.

StaffsMoggie wrote: A few shiny ones have appeared recently flashing their lights and waving at me. I obviously ignore them....

Why?