Nope.

And it's a whole lot cheaper than putting a whole lot of money for rings, valve guides, and who knows what else into a high-mile beater that had probably had its oil changed every 30,000 miles before I got it.

The point is, I drove that car for years, including across the country and back, and never wondered whether it was going to start when I turned the key.



Okay, so it's got a weird water pump. That was annoying.
But you got one, and now it's good for another 30,000 miles at least.

So now that that one problem has been fixed for a year, and should be good for the foreseeable future, do you have any other examples?


To reiterate: You've answered your own question.

Sell the car. (Or give it to me - I'll burn it myself. Promise. )

- Eric

 

I will have to agree here, too. My old Ford has been very reliable. I had to have it towed twice, one my own fault for neglecting the timing belt. So every 10 years, I am stranded - not bad. I see many new vehicles broke down on the roadside, so i do not feel bad.
ANd yes, old cars are ones us hobbiests CAN work on - easily.

Also consider parts costs for the 72 Cutlass in general are some of the least expensive at the local parts store, and say Rockauto.
Once a newer car gets unreliable, you would need to get rid of it due to high repair costs in both parts and labor.
Emission control parts are very costly esp for foreign cars.

But you might also get the random WOT computer bug as well! It is still an issue that noone has actually ever found the root cause for.
http://thesafetyrecord.safetyresearc...turers/toyota/
Technology has gone too far in my opinion.

This has been about the worst common part issues I have heard of for these models. Non-AC was just not very common. Most other engine and chassis parts are cheap and easy to find. Trim and cosmetic stuff is a little different.

Yep - these old cars stand out and turn heads everywhere. How often does a stranger show an enthusiastic interest in your newer car? Rarely, if never...

 

Ha ha, of course the name has to do with hockey, my name, and my car. Couldn't resist using that name.

And yes... if this car is about to be burned in the name of spite, I would be glad to take it off your hands, before said burning of course.

 

Two things I have learned after 40 years of having collector cars...



1).You can buy cheaper than you can build!!!!!!!!!


2).DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU SPEND!!!!!!

that way you don't know!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and you and your partner will be much happier

 

That car was a beater though. So If I'm going through oil in my car I should just throw snow tires on it and drive it? I agree with your argument, but I feel like you might be comparing apples and oranges. The car you used, was an everyday DD, my Oldsmobile is not. The body is really nice, there is no mud in the car whatsoever, should I really trash it to run it in the winter? As opposed to losing money, that would be a better option, right? But isn't running an old car like that everyday a sin?




Another example, it has some type of a random oil leak, sometimes it'll go through a lot, other times it wont. This is when driving it normally with care. Some on here have advised because of the aftermarket intake(Performer RPM) the oil could be going under the intake, getting burned off and not noticable. There is no physical leak on the car, and for it to go through 2-3 quarts between changes (at 2500-3000miles) (happened once) something is wrong. Not necessarily a parts problem, but possibly bad gaskets, or some type of Oldsmobile defect? I don't know. Just another quick example.

I'm not trying to argue, just looking for advice, It'd like to sell it and wash my hands of it, but financially I don't want to take a bath on it. I would probably buy another old car, just one that mint, for the right price. I like working on them, but I hate trying to find the right parts, getting the wrong ones, losing money having to ship them back, etc. That water pump fiasco was almost $250, because there was a restocking fee and I had to pay return shipping, etc, like really? A lot of cars didn't have AC and the books are wrong. I dunno. Getting frustrated is all.

I guess I don't get the compliments you guys do, a lot of you seem to have real show cars, and a lot of the guys in my club do as well, cars worth 40-50k or more. I guess I just feel like my car mint might be worth 15k but i looks the same as theirs so why not sell it, and hope to find a nice W-30 someday that people actually want, that does appreciate in value. I mean who really wants a 1972 Cutlass "S', regardless of condition, that is willing to pay any good money for it?

 

Nope,

I am happy like a kid every time i bolt a new purchased item back on my olds.

Tried a 4x4 hobby, costs a lot more and did'nt see any changes.
bought it as a resto and selled it in pieces to financing my needed Olds parts.

and it cost less as an newer car, no road tax and mot after every 2 years.
cheaper insurance.

The only problem, i may not exeed the 3100 mile's a year.
but my cable is a bit loose and so now and than it doesn't work

 

every car hase it value,

but need the right buyer


I like to drive my car's, and with a 1968 69 455 W machine in show condition i wouldn't drive relaxed.

And when you are selling it oversea's some people mount a chebby sign on it.
They do not see the difference between a 350 or 455, a W 31 W30 or Supreme, or SX.


Paint your care like the one in the film "judge dredd" from silvester stalone and play the video at sale

 

That is why many people buy a newer car for their DD and reserve their Oldsmobile for fun. Taking that logic to the next level though depends upon IF you can afford the initial purchase price of a newer car (not get financing for it, AFFORD it). I purchased a '99 Buick LeSabre six years ago when it was still fairly 'young' but realize that it costs just as much to maintain it as it would a 70's era Oldsmobile so I am seriously considering that when the Buick dies because I can't afford a 2010 vehicle except maybe a Yugo. Plus, I will know every nook and cranny of the Oldsmobile and know how to repair it. And parts really aren't that much, in fact, I think they are cheaper. Ever price parts for a newer vehicle? Poorer fuel mileage is offset in my opinion by savings versus the initial purchase price if you figure it over the life of a loan to purchase a newer car. So I am back to Oldsmobile.

 

Poorer fuel mileage is WAY offset by cheaper purchase prices, especially when those prices are a lot cheaper.

Also, keeping an older car running and useful instead of buying a newly manufactured one saves all of the resources (energy, minerals, pollution generated, etc.) that would have gone into making the new one.

- Eric

 

Okay, that's a really strange one.

I agree, though, that the place to start looking is in the aftermarket parts.

I have had cars in the past with odd annoying problems that I couldn't figure out, and after I got too PO'd at them, what did I do? I sold them and didn't look back. Some of them, I sometimes think I should have kept and worked on a little harder, but that's life. I've got some fun cars now, and I'll enjoy them and buy others when the opportunity presents itself.

- Eric

 

If i want green, i'l put in a lpg instalation.

when i bought the 455 it was prepared.

Most of us are not that kind of all the electric in the newer cars.
So if something hapening to say my ford and citroen i have to go to the shop where i bought theme.

They ask 50 euro p/h

so my older cars are cheaper, cheaper in parts an costs.
It only costs me time,


My olds is more than 40 years old with the same electric windows.
did repair my cars that were just 10 years or less.

Bought me a ford, did want nothing electric on it that i could buy with 1 euro.
It is a 2008 ford no electric gadgets etc, and than the egr valve died

So i prever older cars quality

 

Some parts are excessively priced for what you get.
An example would be changing the gears and carrier on an Olds "O' rear end.
So when discussing things like that, I will research better options even though they're not factory Olds.

But like it's been said, you almost never get back what you put into the cars.
However, that doesn't mean you should get suckered into buying worthless
components that don't have a big return on investment in performance or style.

This is the border of going custom when you discover some things are not worth the price they're asking.