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Just out of curiosity - are there any cars made in 1980-81 that are: inexpensive to buy and maintain, take 4 people, are reliable and frugal?
Not really, but Polo's, Golfs, Civics and Nissan's small cars would be the best bet - small size would be the thing to look for as the engines were not as sophisticated back then. Avoid diesels of the era as they are essentially just tractor engines!
Rysz.
Daft question but why 1980/81?
Tax Exempt!
Allegro? It's got more Vroom!
Your Mrs' 30th?
As above, small engined cars of the time, few are "cool" today, but Fiat 500 eq (126?) was quite cute, Hillman Imps too old.
I doubt mpg would get much over 35 but I am not an expert.
My mum got a Fiesta around then 😎
Tax exempt is 1971 no?
Didn't most cars back then take 4 star Leaded? Some are ok, others not. I think
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VW diesels of that era are very slow and chuggy but rather well made and bombproof. Not many around tho.
there are some [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/30-year-old-car-which-one ]here[/url]
In Eire: road tax and insurance - peanuts, no annual test, can't be prosecuted if you have a mechanical whilst driving, e.g. a bulb blows on a motorway.
I looked at Triumphs, Cortinas, Mercedes Benzes. Love the MB but isn't that inexpensive.
Al, have you actually driven such a FIAT? I have, we had one at home. 46 secs 0-62mph according to the FIAT brochure. I rest my case.
tax exempt is not 1981. The rolling 30 year rule was taken out ages ago, so you need a car from the early 70s. you're much better off getting a recent, low tax car, as nothing from the 70s will do the 60+mpg of a small modern diesel
Ebay suggests Minis, Dolomites and MGBGTs are the majority of the survivors, unless you want to go upmarket.
In 1980-81 I had a 1972 Ford Cortina 2000 GXL, with downdraft Webbers and a performance exhaust, it wasn’t economical, reliable, it didn’t even handle that well but by early 80’s standards it was fast. Got it up to 110mph (indicated) and I could see the fuel gauge needle moving 😯
I scrapped it in the end as I spent more time under the bonnet, replacing void bushes and welding the bodywork than driving it 😥
So a small modern diesel might be a better bet
hairy, I don't doubt it, you did ask for econmic-al though!
A Yaris 1.4 T4D is only £35/year tax. I'm sure a newer car would work out cheaper over a couple of years if that's the main concern.
5lab, just spoken to VRT people, 30 years or older.
I'm looking at MGB as at least recently there were guys in Richmond upon Thames who made new panels for them.
Can get a Golf Mk1 on the continent for next to nowt, or be daft and go for a [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FSO_Syrena ]FSO Syrena 105[/url]. 2-stroke engine in an-almost car 🙂
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double post
Either MGB (GT if you want 'practical').
Or ford.
Both will hold their 'value' or even apreciate, but be prepared for any savings from that to be eaten up by maintenance and fuel.
Add to that handling, brakes and crash testing were *cough* not upto modern standards.
Get a sierra, the engine, g'box and diff are worth more as kit car parts (especialy if sold together with a V5 or equivalent and are the originals off the car) than the whole car! 2l versions had stronger driveshafts (especialy uefull in a kit car). And if you keep it a while parts are peanuts and engines simple to work on.
Al, back home I would (but there I could stick a GSX-R 750 engine there - they do it in my folks' neighbourhood). Besides, an original 126p had circa 20bhp only, hard to be done for speeding when 30mph feels furious 😀
seriously - see this alot on landrover forums - save 200 quid a year - spend 2000 a year keeping the vehicle on the road - WHY !
ireland must be different to uk - its pre 1973 in the uk for tax exepmt
and your not honestly thinking of running a car daily that you do no annual test on - ive seen some of your previous car related posts - your going to be in a ditch when your car fails catastrophically ....
WORST REASONS EVER to get a 30 year old car. Im sure these rules are to ensure that classics dont get scrapped and are appreciated by classic car nuts who drive them a couple of times a year and cherrish them.
If I was buying a 1981 motor, I'd go for,
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... only in a slightly less bronchial colour.
If it's still alive now, it'll probably survive a bit longer.
I'd go for Merc, Volvo or Saab. Possibly Toyota.
Mk1 GTI meant to drive very very well.
Mk1 and 2 Escorts as well IIRC.
I'd not drive a car that old. I've seen the crash test results.
i would drive one - but not as a daily just as a bit of fun on weekends ......
@molgrips, how often do you crash? Besides, I've just been given a 1.3l Punto, you tell me a nice 1980 car is less safe than that???
@trail_rat, we should be not needing a car later this year, I have a motorbike in case it's needed, ehem 😉 , maybe I should go older? A Morris Minor?
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@molgrips, how often do you crash?
Rarely, but if I do I don't want to die.
A small car from now will be much safer than even a big car from back then. Hands down.
In Eire a car from 1980 would be liable for an annual test according to this.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/vehicle_standards/national_car_test.html
You'll have to go older than 1980 if you want to be exempt, or moe to Craggy Island.
They haven't updated the website I'm told reliably (by Vehicle Road Tax people). A couple of years older matters not.
please for the love of god dont put the kids in it .....
i still dont understand what you will save on not doing an annual test other that potentially driving a rotbox - tbh the tax i can understand them no charging but the no mot thing is just stupidity of the highest level.
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I'll be honest, if you have a car that is 20+ years old, I wouldn't generally rely on it for a daily driver.
If the bodywork isn't rotten, lots of other stuff will screw up.
Fuel economy on older cars is probably poo, as they will be carbs and without a proper tune up they'll be lumpy as ****.
Given the choice I'd get a 10 yo jap car. It'll have fuel injection, decent i.e. non rotten bodywork, parts still widely available.
@Trail_rat, it's elimination of the stupidest by the system I suppose.
I'd be keeping it safe regardless of requirements, that's why I'm just wondering. I'm sort of keen on a Merc 200d, but they don't happen cheap:
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how often do you crash?
In a Morris Minor - most people - just the once 🙁
how often do you crash?
In a Morris Minor - most people - just the once
so it's just like a motorbike then.
Not really, on a motorbike you tend to slide allong and if your unlucky hit something hard (see motoGP crashes, they often walk away after binning it at 200mph).
A Morris will pre-date collapsible steering colums so it'll just impale you above 20mph.
Saying that my parents were hit by a sleeping driver whilst in a traveler, they survived.
They were then turned into the filling in a transit and armco sandwich in an MGB, the front wheel ended up in the passenger footwell and my dad was left holding a steering wheel folded into a figure of 8 he'd gripped it so hard!
Mk1 xr2 and drop in a scrapper Zetec engine? But as others have said, it increases your risk on the road and will cost more in the end.
How soon we forget..........window winders, 4 gears, drum brakes, manual chokes, vinyl roofs.
I'd pay the tax 😕
@dunstick, 615 Euro for a 1.9l diesel-engined car, substantially more for a 3l one. And once the missus works in town it'd be our weekend toy.
@BigJohn, I lost too many friends on motorbikes to believe in this bull about sliding and walking away. On a track - yes, on a narrow road - you'll be in a wooden box.
double post again, ghrrrrr.....
My mk2 Escort 1600 Ghia was not good on fuel economy, if you put your foot down and were brave enough, you could watch the petrol needle go down. 😯
No car from back then will be good on economy, they'll all be shocking on safety and will probably be falling apart if they're cheap. Worth avoiding the tax for a shed?
At that age I'd say one that has been SORN'd and not driven...