Currently driving my girlfriend's car, need something bigger because I'm getting a lot of gigs on double bass and it's difficult to squeeze a 6' bass into a little Daihatsu.

So I got looking at car listings and, typically, ended up just browsing classic car listings because they're so much prettier. But I suppose they're unreliable and expensive to maintain and expensive to run, right? Go on, put me off the idea.

I'm missing my former girlfriend's old '62 Volvo station wagon hugely - that would've taken a double bass and probably all my other bass gear too, and got me to my gig in comfort. But the price of petrol's not what it used to be.

I'd much rather have a classic car than any modern shitbox.

The honest truth is that : yes, classic cars are for anoraks that own a toolkit and get off on tinkering with it when it goes wrong.

As much as I like classic cars, I'm the first to admit that modern shitboxes are better at getting you, your passengers and your stuff to somewhere quickly and reliably. You just get there with less of a smile, less admiring looks, a non-dodgy back and cleaner fingernails.

But a classic car is the second best type of "second car" one can own (after something very lightweight, <800kg, for track days).

I remember driving, what would now be classed as a "classic" cars ,almost 20 years ago, and my cars used to breakdown all the bloody time.

I am trying to think of the last time I had a "modern" car breakdown, and seriously, i can only think of one instance, and that was a broken alternator belt.

Bottomline, if you want a reliable car, just to get you around, a modern car is MUCH better, if you want something with character, and that is "interesting" to drive, then a classic will tick those boxes.

I wish I still had my old Mk1 Celica GT , man, that car was a HOOT to drive.

If extra space is all you need, why not just get a modern'ish station wagon?

Although, some new cars seem to be less reliable than old (80's - 90's) cars. My sisters 2003 Primera has been broken almost every couple months, compared to my old '92 Primera which never had any problems that would have stopped me driving it.

Bah. Modern cars are so minging. ESPECIALLY estates - that's why I got looking at old ones.

Oh well, can't work a spanner so I should forget about it.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Bah. Modern cars are so minging. ESPECIALLY estates - that's why I got looking at old ones.

Oh well, can't work a spanner so I should forget about it.

Oh go on, be a man.

Mid-90s Escort estate? New enough to be reliable, old enough to not be offensive to the eyes or stuffed with gadgets to go wrong.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Bah. Modern cars are so minging. ESPECIALLY estates - that's why I got looking at old ones.

Oh well, can't work a spanner so I should forget about it.

Well you can learn to use a spanner on your new classic. But an old volvo estate won't be such an engine tinkerier as say an old Escort. Purely because they were well made. As long as you do all the normal visual checks regularly (oil, coolant, etc) you won't come unstuck in a hurry, parts can be an issue, but that is what owners clubs are for.