Going back to an older car
Discussion
Was speaking to the guy mapping my car and I guess as you get into mid life, bit more cash, kids are growing up and you've had a few new cars, there comes a point where the rose tints come out and you want to get back into something older from your youth.
Might not be a car you've had, just a car you've wanted. Or a car you had that you modified on a budget and now want to do it "right"
For instance, one guy went from an M4 back to a skyline
I've had my 996 turbo over 11 years, so it's analogue enough to fall into that category, which is probably why I've never sold it. I've bought plenty of newer, modern performance cars since, recently a new Golf R for the wife, but modifying and working on the porker is something I enjoy as much as driving it.
Anyone hit mid life and gone back, or thought about it?
Might not be a car you've had, just a car you've wanted. Or a car you had that you modified on a budget and now want to do it "right"
For instance, one guy went from an M4 back to a skyline
I've had my 996 turbo over 11 years, so it's analogue enough to fall into that category, which is probably why I've never sold it. I've bought plenty of newer, modern performance cars since, recently a new Golf R for the wife, but modifying and working on the porker is something I enjoy as much as driving it.
Anyone hit mid life and gone back, or thought about it?
I used to run cars that were no more than 2 or 3 years old, but have also had an Evo for 20 years alongside a lot of those. For the last 8 years, all I've had are cars that are old now, the newest of the four I currently have being a Boxster from 2005.
I don't miss having nearly new cars, despite the fact that there was some quite exotic stuff amongst them. It will only be necessity that causes me to search for a replacement for our main daily, which is a 2004 Lexus IS300 Sportcross, a car we've had for 14 years. My 36 year old MR2 is the one that really reminds me why I like the cars from my younger days, it's a proper nostalgia trip.
My one concession to running something that I would call modern is my 2018 Transit Connect work van, and in all fairness it's lovely for what it is, but it was bought out of necessity as I need to have a Euro 6 vehicle for work.
I don't miss having nearly new cars, despite the fact that there was some quite exotic stuff amongst them. It will only be necessity that causes me to search for a replacement for our main daily, which is a 2004 Lexus IS300 Sportcross, a car we've had for 14 years. My 36 year old MR2 is the one that really reminds me why I like the cars from my younger days, it's a proper nostalgia trip.
My one concession to running something that I would call modern is my 2018 Transit Connect work van, and in all fairness it's lovely for what it is, but it was bought out of necessity as I need to have a Euro 6 vehicle for work.
Yes, i bought a Citroen BX Gti - i'd learned to drive on a BX and thought it might be fun to relive my youth. Being middle-aged i was also looking forward to its excellent ride comfort.
What i got was a 30+yr old car, in reasonable nick for not much money. And it was fun for a bit.
But i spent thousands maintaining it, i had several breakdowns and was left with a car my missus hated (and didnt want the kids in "not safe"), was not guaranteed to get me home and was slowly sapping my time / money / mental strength. Final straw was it s
tting its gearbox on a sunday night 120 miles from home. SOLD!
So i'd say if you're going to do it be aware that its not all rose-tinted and some parts might be difficult / expensive to get.
What i got was a 30+yr old car, in reasonable nick for not much money. And it was fun for a bit.
But i spent thousands maintaining it, i had several breakdowns and was left with a car my missus hated (and didnt want the kids in "not safe"), was not guaranteed to get me home and was slowly sapping my time / money / mental strength. Final straw was it s
tting its gearbox on a sunday night 120 miles from home. SOLD!So i'd say if you're going to do it be aware that its not all rose-tinted and some parts might be difficult / expensive to get.
Nah, I'm pretty much immune to this sort of nostalgia, and think that 99% of the fun I had with cars of my youth came from the things I did in/with them, rather than anything inherent in the cars themselves. If I paid through the nose for a 205gti or whatever now I'd just be driving my kids around or doing everyday stuff in an unreliable tin can that's objectively worse that something modern on just about any measure. It's nice to see people getting pleasure out of revisiting past glories, but they can all be sent to the crusher for all I care (the cars not the people).
I’ve had a few different cars over the years. I also had a 996 Turbo, but after some incredible European road trips, I wasn’t getting much enjoyment driving it back here.
I bought a 50 year old Scimitar GTE, in very good condition, possibly the best available & really enjoyed driving it. But, it needed constant fettling, left me stranded at the roadside a couple of times, to the point that I spent a lot of money on it & lost faith in using it, so I no longer have it.
I’m after something else, though as I don’t have the time & patience for ongoing maintenance at home, it’ll be newer. Not to say newer cars won’t break down, but certainly less chance than a 50 year old car.
I bought a 50 year old Scimitar GTE, in very good condition, possibly the best available & really enjoyed driving it. But, it needed constant fettling, left me stranded at the roadside a couple of times, to the point that I spent a lot of money on it & lost faith in using it, so I no longer have it.
I’m after something else, though as I don’t have the time & patience for ongoing maintenance at home, it’ll be newer. Not to say newer cars won’t break down, but certainly less chance than a 50 year old car.
As a rule I run two cars at a time, I currently have a BMW M4 which is my modern car and daily and in the garage I have an R53 Mini Cooper S which is over 20 years old on a 52 plate, prior to that I had a Porsche Boxster on an 02 plate and before that i've had a Focus RS Mk1, an MX-5, a Fiesta ST150 and another R53 Mini, all cars from when I was in my early 20's, I think I have a subconscious draw to that era of cars.
I don't much like the current generation of BMW's or car's in general so if for example my Current M4 was written off tomorrow i'd likely buy another one the same
I don't much like the current generation of BMW's or car's in general so if for example my Current M4 was written off tomorrow i'd likely buy another one the same
Older cars are just better than newer stuff, most of which is dull as hell.
Appreciate needs change over time (including mine) but there is no reason why you can't use something older as a daily IME.
Do need to keep on top of maintenance e.g. rust but there's far less to go wrong.
Choose your car carefully though and have a load of fun!
I have an E36 BMW 328 which is awesome - very usable daily and I would happily drive it across Europe if needed without a second thought. It's in very fine fettle though.
Needed a safer newwer car with proper safety, Aircon etc for the family so picked up a 130i. I am about £14k into it at the moment but it's a fun thing and I hope to be driving it for the next 10 years. Nothing for remotely that cash will do what it does...
Appreciate needs change over time (including mine) but there is no reason why you can't use something older as a daily IME.
Do need to keep on top of maintenance e.g. rust but there's far less to go wrong.
Choose your car carefully though and have a load of fun!
I have an E36 BMW 328 which is awesome - very usable daily and I would happily drive it across Europe if needed without a second thought. It's in very fine fettle though.
Needed a safer newwer car with proper safety, Aircon etc for the family so picked up a 130i. I am about £14k into it at the moment but it's a fun thing and I hope to be driving it for the next 10 years. Nothing for remotely that cash will do what it does...
no need for me to 'go back' yet, but i'm now at the point where cars i wanted when i was younger ie stuff from the noughties, is now in the affordable price point, so am working my way through them.
in ten years time do i think i'll be hankering after my first car again? probably not, given it was a peugeot 306. perhaps my third car, which was a NB mx5, but those things are classic and timeless already - and all the NB mx5s will have long since rusted away in ten years time.
in ten years time do i think i'll be hankering after my first car again? probably not, given it was a peugeot 306. perhaps my third car, which was a NB mx5, but those things are classic and timeless already - and all the NB mx5s will have long since rusted away in ten years time.
It's not a car from my youth but my daily is now 17 years old. I paid £6995 for it when it was 5yr old on 32k mikes so it doesn't owe me anything.
Yes the tax is over £700 now and it averages 25mpg but I don't do many miles and it's less than £200 to insure.
I've looked in to changing it for something newer which I'll likely keep for a similar length of time if not longer but the costs to change are eye watering.
Yes the tax is over £700 now and it averages 25mpg but I don't do many miles and it's less than £200 to insure.
I've looked in to changing it for something newer which I'll likely keep for a similar length of time if not longer but the costs to change are eye watering.
I never went forward really, like you with the 911 turbo, I stuck with Supra's for years.......one of them was only 5 years old when I bought it (most a lot older)
For me if you can live with being 10-15 years behind the tech/fashion curve then you can enjoy some great motoring, not without some risk but definitely without hefty depreciation.
However years in a newer car, will often impact your ability to go back as you just get used to the general niceties/'moderness'.
It's a state of mind that perhaps gets more likely as you get older (and the now old cars are some you/friends used to drive)
For me if you can live with being 10-15 years behind the tech/fashion curve then you can enjoy some great motoring, not without some risk but definitely without hefty depreciation.
However years in a newer car, will often impact your ability to go back as you just get used to the general niceties/'moderness'.
It's a state of mind that perhaps gets more likely as you get older (and the now old cars are some you/friends used to drive)
I went from a 2019 Mk4 MX5 to a 1998 Mk1 MX5.
The Mk4 was superb on the weekend, but a compromised daily when my commute is mostly motorway. Replaced with an EV which is superb at doing the boring stuff.
The Mk1 is modified, turbo \ coilovers etc, more characterful and fun than the Mk4, but even more compromised.
Older is great for a toy that you don't need to rely on, especially if you enjoy working on it (it locked me out recently, so spent last weekend fixing the door lock mechanism>, but would soon get tiresome if it was my only car. I *have* taken it to work on sunny days, but with some regret. Taking the long way home is great, but sitting in traffic with a paddle clutch is not fun on the way in!
The Mk4 was superb on the weekend, but a compromised daily when my commute is mostly motorway. Replaced with an EV which is superb at doing the boring stuff.
The Mk1 is modified, turbo \ coilovers etc, more characterful and fun than the Mk4, but even more compromised.
Older is great for a toy that you don't need to rely on, especially if you enjoy working on it (it locked me out recently, so spent last weekend fixing the door lock mechanism>, but would soon get tiresome if it was my only car. I *have* taken it to work on sunny days, but with some regret. Taking the long way home is great, but sitting in traffic with a paddle clutch is not fun on the way in!
My wife has a brand new Mazda and my XKR is 2008 vintage so I get to see both worlds.
I love the connectivity of the Mazda (Android Auto or Carplay for her) but that is it.
The lane assist, "BRAKE NOW" (the car is stopped to let me through you moron), auto full beam, change up you use too much fuel warnings, are all numbing, and infuriating.
If I could update the binnacle graphics and the head unit to 2024 spec I'd be a happier man in the XKR.
I love the connectivity of the Mazda (Android Auto or Carplay for her) but that is it.
The lane assist, "BRAKE NOW" (the car is stopped to let me through you moron), auto full beam, change up you use too much fuel warnings, are all numbing, and infuriating.
If I could update the binnacle graphics and the head unit to 2024 spec I'd be a happier man in the XKR.
I got to my E46 M3 and it was as technologically advanced as I ever really wanted, so I stopped there.
Not bought a new car for 17yrs. I'll probably add Apple Car Play to it at some point, but that's about it.
I drive more modern stuff from time to time but I just don't crave the obsession with tech. Good for those who want it, but every time I drive a holiday rental with things like lane departure warning the level of interference just drives me nuts.
I am however rather fascinated by the idea of the self-driving car. The moment I can summon one up from the pub via an app on my phone I will be all over it, so I'm not a total dinosaur!
Not bought a new car for 17yrs. I'll probably add Apple Car Play to it at some point, but that's about it.
I drive more modern stuff from time to time but I just don't crave the obsession with tech. Good for those who want it, but every time I drive a holiday rental with things like lane departure warning the level of interference just drives me nuts.
I am however rather fascinated by the idea of the self-driving car. The moment I can summon one up from the pub via an app on my phone I will be all over it, so I'm not a total dinosaur!
I've gone back to 90s cars. They have all the modern stuff and many came with options that new cars don't even have as standard like a sunroof.
There's really nothing they lack for me except finding new genuine parts can be difficult and eventually corrosion takes over.
I am happy there is no start/stop, no screens everywhere, easy to read analogue clusters, and real physical buttons. In fact, what real advancement has there been for comfort since the 90s/early 2000s? I don't consider TMPS, auto-braking, and radar cruise etc important at all.
There's really nothing they lack for me except finding new genuine parts can be difficult and eventually corrosion takes over.
I am happy there is no start/stop, no screens everywhere, easy to read analogue clusters, and real physical buttons. In fact, what real advancement has there been for comfort since the 90s/early 2000s? I don't consider TMPS, auto-braking, and radar cruise etc important at all.
Edited by Gericho on Wednesday 18th September 13:01
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