brandon 455

I have a work buddy that just went and purchased a 06 gto. He has been talking how good these newer model muscle cars are so much better than the old school. In my opinion I like the old muscle better. I would just like to see what some of yalls opinions are on this.

Kyle's 77 Cutlass

Of course the old beauties are better. Built with pride in those days

66 Olznut

I'm mixing the old with the new on mine so I get the best of both. I test drove a new Challenger R/T last week and it was a bunch of fun. 370 hp, 6 spd, posi and all kinds of niceties that can be had for $25k. Yes, I still love my '66, but this thing was a blast to drive!

brandon 455

I agree the new ones are nice and fun to drive but anyone can have one. To me it takes a real car guy to own some old school muscle.

gearheads78

I have both but prefer the old ones.

66 Olznut

One thing I forgot to mention, the new cars have no soul in my opinion. Ya, they're fast, fun to drive, run 12's in the 1/4 while sitting in the a/c, listening to the Sirius radio, getting 25 mpg and talking to your buds on the bluetooth but it's lacking the character of ours. With me adding some of the new to my '66, efi, electronic ignition, a/c, overdrive etc etc, I'm hoping to give it some of those creature comforts without losing said soul as I really don't want to be messing with carbs, etc, I just want to get in and GO! Maybe I'm getting old?? LOL.

oldcutlass

Lets see how the 06 GTO holds up 40 years from now.

DarrylJ

They will still be around. The average age of a car on the road right now is 11 years old! When I was younger if you had a car over 5 years old without rot or falling apart you were doing good. The old cars are great but he new stuff is awesome also!

cwracer

Old school is certainly more fun, but nothing can touch the new stuff for all around performance. A recent trip to the drag strip, I turned 11.9 in a 4 door E63 with passenger and achieving 25mpg getting there.

Funkwagon455

I am more concerned about how or if I will hold up 40 years from now!

allyolds68

The 2004-2006 GTO's will be more collectible than Corvettes in 40 years. Low production, high performance, rear wheel drive.

TK-65

Probably a lot better than 60/70s cars did in the snowbelt. Back in 1970 the quarters were already rotted out on his 65 442. New cars are mostly plastic, they dont rot anymore.

oldcutlass

I sold the GTO's and G8's as used cars. The electronics, electrical, and form and finish were typical newer car assy's. They came apart and broke constantly. The bodies may not rot away but the rest of the car will deteriorate dramatically.

RetroRanger

Ha tell that to my 10 year old New England plow truck, it looks good on the exterior panels, but the bed is rotted thru, I've replaced the rear shackles because of rot any there are other under truck parts that are going to limit the life of the vehicle because of rot, I expect 2 more years of use before it's to far gone to drive. They just rot where you can't see it easily now. I'm not complaining it's out in the worst parts of every storm so it's always getting the full impact of the salt etc.

They do make a greater effort to keep them looking good longer w stick on moldings vs holes in the body panel etc. but things are different now, back then no one would commute 100 miles a day for work now it's not that uncommon.

I think the real limiter on newer cars is gonna be the electronics, the expected lifetime of an IC is ~10 years, I would guess in 20 short years there are gonna be enough system failures per car ( even ones that aren't driven much) to make them not worth keeping.

brown7373

New cars are awesome. Very powerful with good mileage. But, when they get a few years old and need some service it can be VERY expensive. And some of it require tools and testers that are for one year only that no one will have at their disposal in 20 years. It will be worse in 30 or 40 years. And if you have to get into some of the electricals, you better make sure your remove all the components in the correct order, and then reassemble them in the correct order, or it won't fit.

When I was a teen or in my 20s in the 60s and 70s, I could pull a part at the junk yard and fix my car. That is not so easy now days for a 10 or 15 year old junker. And it can be too expensive for the average teenager driving one of these cars like we did. And plastic panel may not rust, but they car rot. Other plastic assemblies in the car will become a nightmare when they crack or the hole strip out. Our old cars had plastic, but not nearly as much as newer cars.

brandon 455

I agree. In ten years when everything has changed it will be a pain to fix the electronics in these cars.

64Rocket

plus in the years to come smog laws will kill any kind of up grade.
But like was said, where will they be in 30 to 40 years.

Gene

Lady72nRob71

Both classes have goods and bads.
The new will be very limited in selection of good styles, as the bubbleness will stay for aerodynamics. There are only a handful of classic muscle car styles out there also. Most everything now has boring the space-egg look.
As much as I wanted a new Charger, the maintanence and repair costs of a new vehicle is keeping me from getting it, or anything else new. I would keep it way past the warranty duration so it will be scary after then. The Caddy I have now is starting to make me concerned. I have no desire to throw a of $$ into a depreciating asset.
No way do I want to pay $600 for a power window to be fixed due to complexity and having to disarm 3 airbags.
The old cars (for the majority anyway) will always be economically feasible to repair and restore. Mechanical parts can even be fabbed in your garage but programmed electronic modules, not. I have seen ebough issues with car radios over 15 years old. Just think about all those body and chassis control units........
While plastic does not rot with salt and water, it rots with age. I have seen that a lot with newer cars. I have also seen that a lot in 80's vintage audio equipment that I work on also. The hose port of that expensive plastic tank or sensor is just waiting to break off.
Everyone will have opinions about old school and new. However it is all just that - opinion. No right or wrong, just preference. And my preference is in old, mainly as I love those older styles and the ability to restore or repair them myself. .

oldcutlass

What makes the old cars desirable is the simplicity. Anyone with a basic set of hand tools and some reading can basically repair one. The new cars require ...

citcapp

The newer cars will never, ever make the status of time machines. Just can't happen. My two cents

OLD SKL 69

I agree. I really love old cars but can appreciate the newer ones too. Newer ones are easier to live with, but the electronics (OBD II) scare me as they get older. Some of those gremlins are really hard to track down or troubleshoot. I am very comfortable driving in my 85 Riv everyday. Reliable and gets 24 mpg on the highway. It is a little more complicated being OBD I, but I am very proficient with that operating system. 28 years later, still going strong.

plonka

As far as older cars not lasting as long as new cars, I think that depends where the car spends it's life. In 1987 my first car was a 77 Cutlass. It was 10 years old and already rusted throughout due to snow, road salt, lot's of rain etc... I now have an original 76 that is 99% rust free. It has spent all it's life in the Carolina's. I've seen newer cars up north in the winter time and the rockers are shot.

Keegan

It's a tough subject. One of my friends has an '05 goat with an LS2 with a cam job and whatnot. Cutouts, too. That thing is literally like sitting next to a NASCAR stock car when the cutouts are open, and just about as fast. But they'll never have the simplicity or kick-*** style of the classics. Just my opinion.

droptopron

For performance the newer stuff can't be beat. 400 HP with a smooth idle & 25 mpg and docile enough to drive everyday. That being said, they have no soul. Your friend's GTO may be fast but lose the hood scoops & give it plastic hub caps & it would fit in well & Avis with the Chevy Cobalts.

allyolds68

The kids today that are really "car guys" understand them like we used to when we were kids. They do engine mods and adjust the electronics systems to match. Much like we all look for untouched classics as the most desireable, so too will the kids of today look for the stock GTO's, Mustangs, Chargers and numerous front wheel drive cars that they enjoyed in their youth.

jensenracing77

It is all in you definition of better. To me... better is that I can hunt for and buy an old classic, enjoy it, run it hard now and then, Show it, family fun, and then sell it if need be and not loose much if any money. New stuff drops like a rock from day one and anyone can find one on the dealer lot.

gearheads78

My 69 Camaro was not cheap and last month not even for sale I was offered 7K more than I have in it after only a year.
My 2012 SS Camaro was bought at a deal 7 months ago with with 12K miles. If I tried hard I could get about 3-4K less than I paid.

hookem horns

I think the future will be preservation of computer age cars, not restoration as we know it.

455man

The new cars seem to be trying to look like the old cars. The smog controls hold back that technology. That's why we can hang with the new cars. Also they are heavy. Lots of plastic but look at the weight of the newer cars. Very close to the old metal cars. Convenient to start up and drive off but I'm not old enough yet to find my old carb and drum brakes a pain to drive. Also my Cutlass rides so much smoother than any of the new cars I ride in.

Finn5033

I am only 32 but ever since I was little I have always loved the look of old muscle cars. Now days I feel even more strongly about that then ever. The look of newer cars just doesn't do it for me, even the new challengers and camaros. They are ok but don't compare to oldies. I get so many compliments and thumbs up from people when I take my car out that I would never get in a new camaro. Thats half the fun of it for me.

Oldsguy

Old is a relative descriptor too. We are referring to 70's muscle. I frequented the H.A.M.B (look it up) and they refer to 30's, 40's, and maybe 50's cars as old and they prefer them more than the 70's muscle cars.

L69 equipped

Some really good posts on the topic.

As far as the newer GTO's compared to the older ones:

Mechanically, the newer more complex models may be superior and perhaps even more durable. But for that matter, so is your new washing machine.

Cosmetically, are you kidding me ? The newer model GTO's are nothing less that BUTT ugly rebranded Chevy Cavalier's.

Classic Cars are works of art for many reasons.


I would rather "stand out" as a classic rather than "blend in" with all the cookie cutters that are out there now.

In my opinion, there are a few exceptions :

1.) 2014 Stingray
2.) newer model Camaro
3.) newer model Challenger
4.) newer model Mustang
5.) Viper

Just my .02


Dave

waterzap

In 20 or 30 years, when the electronics start giving problems, no one is going to fix it. Wires break. Plastic breaks. I had a 76 Seville with FI. The car was great, the FI was not. Should have converted it to carb. Make no mistake, when it ran, it ran great, but the computer was the weak point in the car. I even sent it in to be rebuilt. Rock Auto had some rebuild service. Sent them my computer, they charged me $30 or something for diagnostic fees, and sent the computer back, saying it is broken, and they cannot fix it. Really…..If it wasn’t broken I would not have sent it to be rebuilt. Maybe someone will rebuild the computers of today, maybe not. Usually the OEM’s don’t release their software. Never, ever.
Im in my mid 30’s, but I like my old cars. The other day went to Autozone, and chatted with one of the employees while he was putting in a battery for two guys. Acura something or other. One guy was sitting in the car, playing on his phone, the other one was standing outside, looking pretty. I don’t see either of them fixing anything. At all. Ever.
I just don’t see the plastic parts of modern cars holding up, or anyone spending the time and or money to diagnose electrical or computer problems when they pop up. These old muscle cars can be kept on the road almost indefinitely.

gearheads78

I ran in to this computer situation last week. I drive a 93 Toyota Corrola back and worth to work. Its never let me down in 3 years driving it but last week on the way to work it just shut down. I towed it in and was told its either the distributor or the ECM Toyota wanted $700.00 for a distributor and $950.00 for the computer (if they could find one since its been discontinued for years) There is no A/M computer from anyone and no luck calling LKQ. I found a distributor at Rock Auto for $150 and took my chance it would fix it. Luckily it did but had it been the ECM I might as well have just thrown the car away.

Redline442

I turn 50 in 2 weeks. I prefer my 72 for cruising around, but not as a daily driver. But, that is because I want to keep the mileage down, plus not being the same old same old day in and day out. And the older models are easier to work on!! And more fun!

Allan R

I just like old school design and stance. They just look cool and have style compared to the newer cars. Ask anyone what GTO means and most of them don't know it's heritage without looking it up.

olds 307 and 403

No comparing the handling on our Challenger to the Olds. Unless you job is very close, no way I would use an old car as daily driver. My Olds is fun in straight lines but has many flaws including awful soft suspension and vague steering. Ford and Dodge did good in the looks department, GM **** the bed.

Koda

People rebuild ECMs. Aftermarket ones exist. Hell, there's one on ebay for 35 bucks right now.

I am not sure how to define "soul." Everyone has nostalgic views of what cars they were raised with and what should be "right." Soul, for a car, seems to be a combination of slight malfunctions and performance parameter variations, along with various bumps, squeaks, and road noises that give the car a unique operating experience.

I drove one of my old cars to a friend's place a hundred miles away in late September. I had not driven with the headlights on in a year, and the left third of the dash did not light up. Over the course of the next 20 mins, via the remaining lit bulbs drying out the dash and bumps on the road, I picked up another light bulb every five minutes or so until the dash was completely lit up in all its gauged glory. Perhaps soul is merely intermittent electrical connections and sporadic shorts.

Is a car more special each year because it has survived this long? Does less other cars of that year and model make yours more special? More valuable, certainly. My Olds is a project and doesn't drive very well, but I drove my other old car yesterday for about the last time this year. I took it to a gas station, and the same model car, but 8 years or so newer was behind me, and it was nice. An old biker wanted to know the year of mine. Rarity helps value, but I don't think it adds soul. On the other hand, you can't just buy one new anymore, so who knows.

How about what happened in the car, or who it belonged to? My two old cars, one my granddad bought new. He's been gone since 87, and I knew him not as well as I would have liked to. Maybe he would have disapproved that I replaced the rusted factory single pipe with duals, but I hope he's glad I still drive it. The other one I bought as a project (still is) to work on with my good friend. It's helped me meet people, and I hope to have it done in a couple years. Maybe the car picks up soul from the owners.

Maybe it's what happened in the car with you. My granddad's car got stolen when I took it to college. This was a decade ago, and the car was not worth as much, even though I shouldn't have done it, perhaps. However, I had a great time with it as a daily driver, kept it in a parking garage, and, when I got it back from the impound yard after they found it, I repaired the damage done and kept it in more secure parking. But, I won't forget the fun. Four people jump in after the ballgame, and cranking the engine while the bowl fills from the leaky plugs in the carb and, about when my friend started asking if it would ever start, the blast from the initial firing setting off three car alarms in the lower level of the garage. Or downshifting and ripping the exhaust on frat row at 3am, or anything like that. Maybe that's soul.

I don't know, but it seems silly to say old cars have soul and new ones can't. I'd rather say they don't yet have it. I work for a car company, and at my home plant, all the cars go out the ship line door under their own power to the marshaling yard. Where they go from there is different for each one, and I think they start getting their soul then.

eazy

I am 22 years old, I'm about to finish a bachelors degree program at a Technology College (so I am supposed to be on top of this electronics stuff), and I have little to no confidence in the future of modern vehicles electrical systems. Boards fry and connections burn out, and this type of issue can be a true guessing game to troubleshoot. As stated above, a FEW guys/girls that are really good with cars and computers can handle working on and modifying these vehicles. The rest of the younger generation of gearheads seems to be realizing that things got confusing once we get any newer than approximately '05.

As for me: I bought my '71 Cutlass Supreme in May. At the time it was un-inspected and sat in a garage and was only driven on a RARE occasion. I gave this beast a little TLC and put the pedal to the floor. I drive it every day and sometimes take a 6hr roundtrip in it to go home for the weekend. I love it, its reliable, and if there is a problem it is easy to address and fix.

Newer GTO's and Challengers are wicked cars with a lot of power and a comfortable ride, but nothing beats the old school muscle when it comes to coolness. People that have no interest in cars whatsoever are constantly asking me what my car is and if it's "fast."

jag1886

I really just depends on what you think is better. I love my 65 but if I could afford a new SHO Taurus in the garage beside it, I know the Cutlass would get driven a lot less.
I do think that the newer cars will be harder to maintain as they approach old age but I would bet that that everything for the GTO's, Camero's and Mustangs will be readily available.