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New European Quality vs Old? 2,000,000 miles on P1800 tells different story
Wonder how many of the newer and cheaper European cars will stand the test of time as this Old Volvo P1800 of Irv's has done. Saw this Car & Owner at the Volvo Ocean Races here in South Florida 2 years ago and what an intersting man. He drives this car hard he told the group assembled around his car looking on in Awe. Keep your post '90 cars. Give me Simplicity. A car is a tool to get me from point A to Point B safely and dry. Cars are not, for me, a fashion statement, a look at me" I've arrived" statement. Irv sure gets a lot of attention with his old car-the right kind.
Http://www.motorcities.com/contents/02HCB240309654.html - 22k - Cached - Similar pages Last edited by miamimike; 01-10-2005 at 02:53 PM. |
#2
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Probably few, if any. However, does that sell today? I mean, people are not projected to keep a car that long today. Go to the Chevy or Ford dealership and see how many obsoleted parts you find. Pretty much a car over 10 years old and you can see most of it obsoleted.
To many people, they want the whiz-bang goodies. I won't buy a car without power locks and power mirrors and power windows, for instance. I'll bet his car doesn't have all of that. How would you sell it to this generation that wants the gadgets?
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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke 99 E300 Turbodiesel 91 Vette with 383 motor 05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI 06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow 04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler 11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow |
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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke 99 E300 Turbodiesel 91 Vette with 383 motor 05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI 06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow 04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler 11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow |
#5
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There are many places to still get parts for the 80 era MBs and Volvos(240s). I have never had a problem finding parts either new, used or pulling them myself at the U-Pulls located locally. These Electronics(on new cars) can be truly frustrating and speaking strictly for myself,something I have little tolerance for or the high diagnostic prices to locate these glitches. I still use a Zippo Lighter so what does that tell you??
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I have found the diagnostics a lot easier to put up with than to scrounge for parts. Besides, I haven;t had too much trouble with them. What does that tell me as far as your Zippo goes? You smoke and you like to be able to light up in the wind?
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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke 99 E300 Turbodiesel 91 Vette with 383 motor 05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI 06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red 03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow 04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler 11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow |
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On the Zippo--its old fashioned- has only a few moving parts,overly engineered and carries a lifetime guarentee should it fail. People keep 'em for years as they do old MBs and Volvos. I think the bulk of present day car buyers are of the Bic-Lighter mentality--toss 'em after a few weeks use and get a new one. Same for many car owners--instead of repairing the old one they trade 'em in for a new one. This works for some not for E veryone. Not for me. New car manufacturers would go Bankrupt if they had customers like me. This is good for the US economy I suppose but gimme the old stuff. Another thing I don't like about new cars is they all look the same-for the most part(PT Cruisers,ect are the exception not the rule) I like going to the U Pulls also to grab stuff for my eBay selling.
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Sadly we live in the era of disposable commodities, this means that throw away everything which is old, including your parents as well, long life is totally out, it doesn't make economic sense anymore, superficiality is in, useless un-necessary vanity gadgets, toys, gizmos, electronic aids like brake balancers etc. are the norm of today, marketing department creates a hype of forced obsolescence leading to a customer panic of replacing the car every four years or less, funnily most are convinced they are getting the latest and the best when the reality is far from the truth. All they are getting is a cheaper, inferior package custom designed to bring in good revenues for the company.
Earlier MB cars and engines would be pricey but there was a charm of paying that high price, one was sure that it would give you reliable, trouble free service for years to come so it was an investment for the future, sometimes your next generation too. One took pride in the ownership of such vehicles and that didn't necessarily include MB but cheaper cars as old Subaru, Datsun, Honda Civic hatchback, Toyota Corolla and pick ups as well. All these gave a relationship with their owners which meant, you take good care of me and I will never leave your side. Now, if you don't like your wife or husband, you go shopping for another. Same is the case with autos, you dont need long term commitment, you need entertainment and variety and that too for cheap, not only has the expectations of today's media influenced buyer become unrealistic, it has lost any shades of humanity. |
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In 1980, my dad gave me his 1966 P1800. I did a bit of work on it and for a couple of years it was a great car. Durable engine, smooth transmission (except for that wonky overdrive), great handling car. It wasn't real fast, but it sounded like it with those dual carbs. Talk about a head turner! I sold that car to a friend for a couple grand so I could buy a new Honda Civic. What an idiot! If I'd have kept it, I'd have a really cool car that I liked worth a ton by now.
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1984 300Sd 210k Former cars: 1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break. 1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter 1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer |
#10
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Tenknots-Hindsight is always 20-20. I think the same with my old first car-a cherry '51 Merc coupe Flathead 8 with OD-3 on the column stickshift. sold for maybe $250 in '65-now worth $$$$$$$
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85 300CD 83 300TD 78 240D (daughter) |
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