A challenge of faith

[MSS]

Originally Posted by rustymotor

Think the 75's are getting to be project cars rather than daily drivers ..............

I think it really depends on how the car has been looked after. I see my CDT as a daily car that will probably go on for another 150k miles. I have used it for a 45-mile journey to/from work every day and would happily cover 100 miles a day in it.

Similarly, I see my 19-year old Omega as an everyday car.

One of the problems with our cars is that most are sold/bought for so little that people do not feel they can justify spending the money on them.

[Mike Trident]

Bang on MSS!

you have to really consider why you want to own a 75 or ZT, or any other ageing car for that matter.

If it's just for transport then a small cheap reliable car would be better for your needs.

If you love it, you don't even consider the cost

[Heddy]

Ah the old better the devil you know. I suppose I've been lucky, got an 04 for 1300 quid and it's fine, no major expenses yet. I could spend on it cosmetically and make it pristine. I guess I'm not a purist, if the 75 (or any car) was stretching my finances.....it would go. What I'm saying is that I'd rather spend on holidays, nights out etc than a car. The 75 offers me cheap reliable motoring, comfortable motoring, long may it last.

[Bullnose75]

I've been driving nearly 45 years now. Have only owned 10 vehicles in that time. Still have four of these and two of the others I only sold in the last year,had owned both of these two for over 10 years. Bought my Tourer earlier this year to use as a daily driver to replace the X reg Ford Focus.
Really like the Tourer and would like to/plan to keep it for ages like the other cars i've had but time will tell if that turns out to be possible.
The Tourer has proved reliable so far but I have already had to spend a fair bit on parts that have needed replacing,money I wouldn't have had to spend on the old Focus,but there's just something about the Tourer that makes the extra expense of parts needed and the time it takes me to fit them that makes it worthwhile somehow. For now anyway !
Would it have made more sense for me to have bought a newer Focus to replace the old X reg one ? Yes,of course it would but then i'd blend in with all the other similar cars out there and lose it in the car parks. Apart from the old Focus i've always preferred to be different and run cars as daily drivers that not many other people do.Has it always cost me more to do so,yes,but while I could/can afford to do so the smile factor I get from driving
something different is more than worth it.

Right,off outside I go,job to do on the Tourer !

Paul

[P-Nut]

Originally Posted by Heddy

What I'm saying is that I'd rather spend on holidays, nights out etc than a car. The 75 offers me cheap reliable motoring, comfortable motoring, long may it last.

This is the thing that's causing me most conflict, I've been hit with a unexpected bill that has totally annihilated my budget for the restoration of this car, now it's not the cars fault but the thought of setting aside another few thousand when I could use that for 5 star holidays and achieving future goals that it really becomes a tougher decision.

[AndyN01]

Trying to find a nice one (or, indeed any "nice" car more than a few years old) now is getting more & more difficult.

The whole car thing is becoming a bit of a lottery. Newer cars seem to have built in self destruction from obscenely expensive parts that pack up - 'cus they're too clever for their own good - or corrosion that really shouldn't be happening in this day & age. But that's another story.

Having spent £££££££££'s you'll be exceptionally lucky to see even a small amount of that back if you sell her.

For what it's worth I'd keep her - carry out routine maintenance - and drive her until she breaks and whatever has happened is too expensive to be viable to repair - then put her up on here for spares/repair.

Remember - there's absolutely no guarantee that another car will not turn into a truly deep money pit.

Good Luck.

Andy

[Sheraton]

I'm in a similar Boat - I bought my Car as an Experience hoping to get hands on with maintenance/repairs and improvements and maybe learn a wee bit - although this is the first and only Car I've owned

I also live at the opposite (to the road) end of a block of houses - so have the same practicality issues


my Car has thrown me a bit this YEAR - be Careful what you hope for I hoped for a fully rebuilt Engine, as an ideal - my Car has given me the Opportunity to do so (Piston Damage)


for me - I'm happy to go on with the "Experience" - even if my Car doesn't make it back on the road, I'll hopefully have learned something maybe



I for one would Love to see your Supercharger Project come to light that said - If it has a negative affect on other aspects of life it is time to reconsider - maybe try and find a compromise, tip the balance in favour of Real Priorities while still allowing for a bit of Hobby Indulgence - adjust your expected timeline for completion - earlier in the Year my Car was planned to be Sorted and back on the Road before Summer finances/circumstance etc.. meant i had to either Throw in the Towel or Adapt and change my PLAN of attack


we don't do it because it's the "Sensible" thing to do - we do as it's the Interesting thing to do

plus - we Learn more when things don't go as Planned or Hoped and it's a Good feeling when we adapt and overcome the issues to achieve the desired goal




Paul.

[BillyMG]

I've always had to fix my own cars out of financial necessity - anywhere, anytime - it can be done. It's a lonely old place on your back under a car in bits on a freezing Winter Sunday as the light is fading and you can't feel your finger tips as you try in vain to thread a nut onto a bolt in the most ridiculously inaccessible place whilst the family are having tea without you and you need your car to get to work in the morning! There really isn't much romance about it - character building yes but a great experience, probably not. A pop up gazebo helps, as does a decent foam matt to lie on and a portable floodlight / decent hanging torch... Worth saying tho that these days I fix my cars, not for financial reasons but because I know how to and don't trust anyone else to do the job as well as me - only learned through those rough times. And i fix them much faster than I did years ago - not always but most of the time. And it really is a great feeling to be able to say, 'I did that'.

[T16]

Originally Posted by Dawn

Windscreens are available again now. I had one not long ago. It was just a complete batch was faulty so no supplier could draw one from stock except Rimmers. I paid £185 for rain sensing.

And the brand was?

If Pilkington are still available, great.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by T16

And the brand was?

If Pilkington are still available, great.

No its not Pilkington at that price but when your car is filling with water does it matter about the brand? It stopped my leak so I was happy. Although Rimmers have Pilkington if you want and can afford original. ☺