Old Cars Don't Seem Old Anymore.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

When I was younger cars that were over 10 years old seemed old. I remember in 1997 I bought a 1976 Mini clubman, it was 21 years old at the time and it seemed absolutely ancient. I remember friends driving cars from 1979 / early 80s during the mid 90s and they seemed ancient too. My first car was an 11 year old 1988 1.6 GTI and it seemed like an old banger at the time.

 

Somewhere along the line though cars have stopped getting old in my head and I'm wondering if anyone else suffers from this? I still think of J reg (1992) as being pretty new. Our family car is a 406 Coupe that's an R reg, this seems almost brand new to me!

 

I also can't think of a 205s as being old anymore, they still seem fairly modern.

 

What's happened to me? Please help shed some light on this issue.

 

 

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

i agree with you and think we all have rose tinted glasses on but i am happy to stay that way! my wife is 27 and my car 20 and when i bought it she retorted " why are you buying a car thats nearly as old as me? " i told her she would never understand as she doesnt drive but i dont regret buying my 3rd 205 gti and am keeping this one for ever now!

Edited March 23, 2012 by sensualt101

[Anthony 1,003]

Somewhere along the line though cars have stopped getting old in my head and I'm wondering if anyone else suffers from this? I still think of J reg (1992) as being pretty new. Our family car is a 406 Coupe that's an R reg, this seems almost brand new to me!

I suffer the same thing - I still mentally treat anything with a new style numberplate as a new car, when that could still be over 10 years old, and my V-reg 306 I still think of as a modern car

 

The only reason that I can come up with is that I got my driving license in the late 90's and hence my mind is still stuck back then. I was speechless when someone at work said that their 56 plate car was "getting on a bit now"

 

It tends to hit home occasionally though when you realise that you have the oldest car on your road, and that you'd struggle to find an older car in the work car park - and that's the 306, not even the 205!

[Zara 41 1 Cars]

i like the fact that you look at an 02 plate and think omg that 10 years old already but when i think about my 309 and my 205 one is 20 this year and the other 23 lol it doesnt feel like they are that old. but i would still rather have my older car than a newer one.

 

i look at newer cars and think ha that 10 plate is 2 already....but then i dont even think about mine growing old aswell. best part is when i bought my 5th 309 last year it didnt rattle either! it was like being in a new car! haha

[GLPoomobile 958]

I think the transition in to the 80s is a big part of it (for those of us in our 30s or older), as asthetically there's a huge difference between cars with small metal bumpers and cars with bigger moulded plastic bumpers.

 

But I suffer from this same mentality. My first car was an 86/87 reg Astra, which when I bought it would have been about 12/13 years old, and I did think of it as being old. Between then and now all my cars have been from a similar era - '89 GTI, '91 Civic, '91 GTI, '90 GTI, '89 GTI. Until I bought my first 'sophisticated' car 18 months ago, an '02 Saab 9-3. Then my '99 Alfa 166. And now a 2000 Volvo V70. The Alfa and Volvo and are both 12/13 years old, but I don't think of them as old. Certainly not in the same way that I have about my previous cars when they were the same age.

 

Another (quite specific example) is the BMW E46. I still think of the E46 as a really fresh and modern "new" car, but they can be up to 13 years old now too!

[Miguelhbx 2]

I've driven many recent cars and until now none has even come close to the feel that my XS gives me on the road.

Of course they're all much safer and have useful stuff like a/c and abs but I hate driving a piece of metal around that I don't feel connected to.

And older cars seem much more beautifull to me, the designs we're more innovative and intresting, nowadays most cars just seem the same, and they're all metalic grey lol (atleast over here aha).

Oldschool FTW!

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

People always ask me why don't you buy a new car?

I reply that i'm proud to keep mine going.

Why? Must cost a fortune to keep it going. People ask.

I reply: "Where do you take yours when it goes wrong?"

"Dealership..."

"and how much do they charge..."

"ah I see your point"

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Every car park I park in, I have the oldest car

I do see new cars as being bland. '91 reg car seems good still to me. 306's seem even newer but they're getting old.

[Jer309GTi 3]

Every car park I park in, I have the oldest car

 

Me too I always have a look around and I've nearly always got the oldest one!

[m_attt 31 1 Cars]

People always ask me why don't you buy a new car?

I reply that i'm proud to keep mine going.

Why? Must cost a fortune to keep it going. People ask.

I reply: "Where do you take yours when it goes wrong?"

"Dealership..."

"and how much do they charge..."

"ah I see your point"

 

and ask how much finance are you paying monthly.

[BusEngineer 7]

The newest car I have ever owned was my S plate Primera GT, but I strangely dont feel like im missing out!!

The other half has a 55 plate 206 which is a very new car in my eyes even though its now well over 75K, I hate it!! it just doesnt do anything for me. Its very rare I see a new car, of real world money that I think id like to own, I can appreciate certain aspects and some new tech is very clever, but in general im very happy with my old tech cars . . . . . They just seem to suit me

[omega 82]

also these new number plates cant get the hang of them

[GLPoomobile 958]

Hardly much of a surprise, but this topic has turned in to the usual banter about how crap modern cars are and how great old cars are, which I don't believe was the point that Davie was making....

 

Somewhere along the line though cars have stopped getting old in my head and I'm wondering if anyone else suffers from this? I still think of J reg (1992) as being pretty new. Our family car is a 406 Coupe that's an R reg, this seems almost brand new to me!

 

I also can't think of a 205s as being old anymore, they still seem fairly modern.

 

What's happened to me? Please help shed some light on this issue.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

I could see it starting to happen. Started off so promising.

 

 

At least it hasn't erupted into an arguement yet though

[Jer309GTi 3]

I still see my V reg Partner van as pretty new, need to replace it soon but everything else is too new with so much to go wrong!

[Flozman 4]

I feel the same cant really get my mind past the fact its 2012, think we all live in a time vortex otherwise we wouldnt drive such old dogs. I rarely see another person driving a C-reg, I almost want to wave when I do!

[Baz 421]

Another (quite specific example) is the BMW E46. I still think of the E46 as a really fresh and modern "new" car, but they can be up to 13 years old now too!

 

Same here! I still regard them as 'modern' for some reason, even when i should know better as my gf's dad got one brand new when they first came out, when i was 15.

Edited March 24, 2012 by Baz

[Leon 24]

I suffer the same thing - I still mentally treat anything with a new style numberplate as a new car, when that could still be over 10 years old, and my V-reg 306 I still think of as a modern car

 

The only reason that I can come up with is that I got my driving license in the late 90's and hence my mind is still stuck back then. I was speechless when someone at work said that their 56 plate car was "getting on a bit now"

 

It tends to hit home occasionally though when you realise that you have the oldest car on your road, and that you'd struggle to find an older car in the work car park - and that's the 306, not even the 205!

 

Exactly the same for me, I had an M reg Mondeo about 5 years ago and considered it "new" and still would!

 

My F reg 205 is (by some considerable margin) the oldest car in my works' car park which must hold over 500 cars.

[BlueBolt 156]

Going back to the original post, one of the problems you may have is that you have a 406 coupe as your family car...

In my eyes these are absolutely stunning!! Ok I may be a little biased on my opinion as I used to own a D8 v6 SE, but they are very forward in their thinking as far as I'm concerned... One of the best looking mass production cars from an "underdog" when it comes to such things...

Ok, so Pug got Pinin to design and engineer the car, and many of them were made at their factory, but none the less, they are still very modern looking with the right very subtle mods...!!

 

Agree with the rest too though!!

[jeremy 71]

IMO cars are only old when they have chromed metal bumpers, a different key for all locks (even though a teaspoon fits all), no plastic covers in the engine bay, and mettalic paint was not an option.

[MiniGibbo 142]

I have a '04 transporter and tbh its miles better than the 205 for daily..

 

I know what youre saying though, i remember back in 02 when my parents bought a new car "when i first really started taking notice of cars" and i see them now and think thats pretty new... its TWELVE years old

 

How does time go so fast..!

Edited March 24, 2012 by MiniGibbo

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

If you remember a certain car or range of cars being new or current models, you'll always look at them that way .

[DanteICE 72]

i agree with you and think we all have rose tinted glasses on but i am happy to stay that way! my wife is 27 and my car 20 and when i bought it she retorted " why are you buying a car thats nearly as old as me? " i told her she would never understand as she doesnt drive but i dont regret buying my 3rd 205 gti and am keeping this one for ever now!

 

My 205 is older than my girlfriend and she's never seen the car because it has been in storage for ages, but I was saying that next week when I'm home I'll go and fix it up ready for use again. She said she'd like to see it, she retorted that she'd never met the 2nd love of my life; to which I responded: "erm...you mean first love of my life! She was in my life before you I'll have you know!".

 

I mean, how dare she suggest she was first, pfft!

 

Geoff

[MiniGibbo 142]

My 205 is older than my girlfriend and she's never seen the car because it has been in storage for ages, but I was saying that next week when I'm home I'll go and fix it up ready for use again. She said she'd like to see it, she retorted that she'd never met the 2nd love of my life; to which I responded: "erm...you mean first love of my life! She was in my life before you I'll have you know!".

 

I mean, how dare she suggest she was first, pfft!

 

Geoff

 

LAD..

[harryskid 193]

O come on lets face it. Its because your getting old too!