"We looked at the Civic, but she just couldn't get enthused about it - and, for some inexplicable reason, they required that you lock the driver's door with the key rather than just locking it from inside and closing the door."
On that model (1989-1992, I think), you could override that feature by locking the driver's door while pulling on the interior release. It was meant to keep people from locking their keys in the car.
my wife is about to embark on a 1500 miles round trip to Idaho (anyone know where Kooskia is?).
Sort of. It's on Highway 12, so we must have driven through there about 10 years ago but I don't remember the town. Highway 12 is one of the most scenic drives in the country, but the scenery is better going East out of Kooskia.
And my old neighbors here in Boise retired to Orofino about 7 years ago. That's about 20 miles north of Kooskia. We were last up there visiting them about 3 summers ago. Pretty country, lots of elk. The rivers are to die for up there too.
So, if she gets stranded, give a shout and I'll ask my old neighbors for a mechanics reference. :shades:
the mirror was optional, except on the LX and above. Even my '87 DX sedan did NOT have a right side mirror, nor air conditioning. That said, I kinda liked it, as far as old clunkers go. It handled nicely, but damn that thing was slow. Build quality, considering its original price, was quite good, especially the interior, which pretty much looked new even at 15 years old.
They learned a whole bunch from generation 1 to generation 2. Those interiors were one of the things. My 80 Accord's driver's seat was falling apart toward the end. The 85 was still in good shape. It only lasted until 144K as opposed to 167K for the 80 but that's because a guy ran a stop sign and totaled it with me in it.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
On that model (1989-1992, I think), you could override that feature by locking the driver's door while pulling on the interior release. It was meant to keep people from locking their keys in the car
My 92 Civic DX (92-95 body style) did that, and my 93 Accord EX did that as well. You have to hold the door handle while you lock the door.
The 92 Civic DX didn't have a pass side mirror, or AC, or a radio. It had a "radio prep" which was 2 speakers in the front and an antenna. I almost miss that car too, although a Civic SI hatch from the same era would be preferable, or an Integra.
My 97 Civic did that too with the door handles. I bought it new and after a day went back to the dealership because I thought the door locks were malfunctioning. But it was just god old Honda ingenuity.
The 92 Civic DX didn't have a pass side mirror, or AC, or a radio. It had a "radio prep" which was 2 speakers in the front and an antenna.
My '93 Accord DX was equipped the same way. When I got it, the dealer threw in the passenger mirror and gave me the option of adding the stereo or A/C at no extra cost.
Silly me, I took the stereo and later learned that it only had 2 speakers.
And this was in Denver, where I learned that the A/C would have been nice in the summer.
Oh well .. I think that car spent as much time in the parking lot at the airport as it did in my driveway.
lol, and the closest mechanic may be in Boise and we're about 5 hours away.
That's the banana belt so the weather could be fine (heck, it was 60 here today and my tulips are coming up). Just don't clip an elk and mash in the fender (have to say though that our friends drove us around for 2 hours to all their wildlife hotspots and we didn't see squat).
I suppose you have to hit a pass or two getting there but I wouldn't sweat it.
The '82 had the same door lock operation.... Hold the interior handle open, and you could flip the lock closed, and not use the key.
Of course, I had the car two years, before I found that out... and, then, promptly locked the keys in it.. :surprise:
For qbrozen: If you had suffered through cars in the late '70s, you would understand the fascination with the early Accords... Who knew that owning a car could be so trouble free?
I'll probably never own another one, though.. (wait, my son picks up his '92 Legend, next month... does that count?).
For qbrozen: If you had suffered through cars in the late '70s, you would understand the fascination with the early Accords... Who knew that owning a car could be so trouble free?
I hear ya. After suffering with my '79 Pontiac Sunbird for 3.5 years in HS and college, getting into that 1 year old '85 Accord LX hatchback was like nirvana ... all I did in the 3 years I owned it was tires and oil changes. I took it from 16K to 55K in that time, plus the aforementioned trip to Michigan.
I still got something like $3800 for it in trade when we bought our '88 Isuzu Trooper.
My 97 Civic did that too with the door handles. I bought it new and after a day went back to the dealership because I thought the door locks were malfunctioning. But it was just god old Honda ingenuity.
Chrysler products used to be like that back in the day. At least, with my two Darts, '67 Newport, and '57 DeSoto, you'd need the key to lock the door. I guess they got rid of that trait sometime in the 1970s. With my '67 Catalina, you can lock the door without the key, but for some reason you have to hold in the button on the handle as you close it, or otherwise it will unlock. I never saw the rationale in that. With the Mopars, it was done to keep you from locking your keys in the car. But how's holding in the button on a door handle going to make you remember to take your keys with you?
Well, I suffered WITH a couple of cars from the late '70s.
Funny thing is, I look back on those vehicles with fondness. For some bizarre reason, I get the distinct impression that I had more fun with my '78 Zephyr than '06 Accord. Maybe that would be a very different situation if I actually drove them closer together than 12 years. And the Zephyr was trouble free. As was my '79 CJ7 (at least mechanically).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Having more fun with that 78 zephyr than the 06 accord may have something to do with the fact that the driver in the accord was 28 years older than the dude in the zephyr. :P
Funny thing is, I look back on those vehicles with fondness. For some bizarre reason, I get the distinct impression that I had more fun with my '78 Zephyr than '06 Accord. Maybe that would be a very different situation if I actually drove them closer together than 12 years.
That might be the old "rose tinted glasses" thing at work. I have fond memories of my first car, a 1980 Malibu coupe, and my second car, a 1969 Dodge Dart GT. But, if I had to go back to driving them again, today, those fond memories might just get dashed on the rocks.
I had an experience with this in 2002, when my Mom sold my late Granddad's '85 Silverado to me. He had bought this truck new, and I used to drive it pretty regularly in high school and college. I used to think it was fast, because it has a V-8, whereas the Malibu and the Dart were just 6-cyl. Granddad died in 1990, and the truck mostly sat around, until maybe 1995 when Grandmom gave it to my Mom.
Well, when I got the truck back, and drove it, my first thought was DAMN, this thing is SLOW!! I swear 0-60 felt like it took about 20 seconds, although I've timed it with a stopwatch and it's actually about 12. I also didn't remember it being so tight on legroom. That close-in, upright driving position didn't bother me so much when I was younger I guess, but after stretching out in cars and then having to go back to it, it was a bit of a shock.
As for bad performance in the 70's, at least all of my 70's cars have halfway decent engines...a Pontiac 350-4bbl, and two Mopar 360-2bbls. So while most new cars would embarrass them, at least they have enough power to get out of their own way. I don't remember ever seeing a road test of a 1980 Malibu 229 V-6, but I'd guess it did 0-60 in around 15 seconds. CR tested a '68 Dart 225 slant six, and got 0-60 in around 14 seconds. I dunno if I could ever go back to a car that slow.
I've got a couple of timing belts you could do this summer if you're looking for work.....
Sorry, fezo. Missed this one before. You should have caught me LAST summer! Now with the arrival of the 2nd kid, I'm having trouble finding time for my own cars.
Timing belt kit for the Volvo has been on my workbench for 3 weeks, at least. I've had a half-installed tach in the 300Z for about a month now. RF modulator for the DVD in the wife's car has been in an unopened box for 3 months. :sick:
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
As for bad performance in the 70's, at least all of my 70's cars have halfway decent engines...a Pontiac 350-4bbl, and two Mopar 360-2bbls. So while most new cars would embarrass them, at least they have enough power to get out of their own way. I don't remember ever seeing a road test of a 1980 Malibu 229 V-6, but I'd guess it did 0-60 in around 15 seconds. CR tested a '68 Dart 225 slant six, and got 0-60 in around 14 seconds. I dunno if I could ever go back to a car that slow.
I never tested 0-60 in the Zephyr. I do know it got there in the first 2 of its 3 gears. And I do know how long it took to hit 100mph in it: the distance on I-95 from Baltimore to the Delaware border.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I never tested 0-60 in the Zephyr. I do know it got there in the first 2 of its 3 gears. And I do know how long it took to hit 100mph in it: the distance on I-95 from Baltimore to the Delaware border.
I remember my Dart seemed to hit 100 mph with little strain, but I don't think the Malibu would have made it. I pegged the 85 mph speedo a few times, but it seemed like it was running out of power at that point.
I also had an '82 Cutlass Supreme with a 231-2bbl V-6. It was probably as bad as the Malibu from 0-60, but was much better at passing, and seemed like a better highway cruiser. Still not as good as that Dart, though.
One of my friends in college had a 1980 Accord hatchback with a 3-speed automatic. We timed it with a stopwatch a couple times. 0-60 would usually come up in around 25 seconds!
The Zephyr only had an 85mph speedo. That trip was the only time I ever had enough open road to get it going that fast. I was amazed when I looked down after a while and saw the needle was actually past the 85 (which was at about 4'oclock on the dial) and pegged straight down at 6 o'clock. I had no idea it would even go that far.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Good question. I've never done either of those. But I can tell ya that transverse engines are typically more of a PITA than longitudinal. At least that's the case when you don't have access to a lift.
But, come on, when are you going to get YOUR hands dirty? :P
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You sound like me with that CB750F I bought last Feb.
It is sitting in my garage mostly disassembled with the engine just sitting in the frame but not attached to anything.
The motor has to be pulled and replaced cause it is shot. I have to decide sometime soon if it is worth buying a used motor for 150-200 dollars or selling all the good parts and components I have and buying another bike.
I only spent a 100 dollars on this one so no big loss if I can't get it back together. I know I can easily make up my investment by parting it out.
Speaking of speedometers, I mentioned having test drove a Kia Optima last weekend.
Well, one of the things that struck me as both humorous and frustrating was that it had a 160 MPH speedo!
While I'm not sure what the top speed of the Optima is, I'm pretty certain it's nowhere close to 160. That's the funny part.
The aggravating aspect of it was that 80 MPH shows up at 12 noon on the dial. So, effectively, you're only using half (or less) of the speedo, which makes the increments pretty small.
Kinda like a chart in Excel that goes from 0 to 100, but the data is really only between 80 and 100.
Now, I'm not advocating that we return to the 85 MPH speedo, but I've gotta believe there is a comfortable middle ground.
My buddy's 2006 Xterra has a speedo that's somewhat annoying, too. It's a round dial, but the speedo only takes up the top half. A gauge for the voltage takes up one of the lower quarters, and the digital odometer takes up the other quarter...
I guess it's not TOO bad, since it's still fairly readable. But I'd just prefer a larger speedo that took up more of the dial face. I dunno if it'll really go 140 mph or not, but I don't want to find out!
Were it only my hands getting dirty there wouldn't be a problem. If I tried it we'd have a couple of problems - one, if I ever actually got it done there would be all these leftover parts still around and two the car wouldn't run. Other than that it would be great....
I'm old a somewhat of a klutz which is tough on these matters.....
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
But I'm so jealous - he actually HAS a voltage gauge, and I can see he still has a coolant temp gauge too.
I REALLY miss gauges. I have actually been tempted to buy a gargantuan truck like a Tundra or Sequoia, the kind I really dislike and would have NO use for, just because they still have a full gauge pack.
For the first time in my life, I currently own NO cars with a coolant temp gauge on the dash. :-(
I guess automakers think that all the dummy behind the wheel needs to see in 2010 is fuel remaining......at least we still get a tach. I remember very fondly the cars I had in the 80s that had full gauges including oil pressure and volts, and even then I missed having the oil temp gauge I was used to in the 70s.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I rented a Caliber last fall on a trip to Seattle and stopped by to see my son at college during the trip. He's totally disinterested in cars and doesn't know one from another, but the minute we started driving to lunch, he asked, "Is this an American car? It feels really crappy." I hated the car from the moment I left the rental car lot, but I was surprised that even HE noticed it. (Our regular car is an '08 VW Rabbit, and before that I had a 2004 BMW 325, which truthfully wasn't that much more fun to drive than the Rabbit is.)
Speaking of speed, does anyone know if there is a chart showing the absolute top speed of various cars and trucks. Say I took my 4runner out to Bonneville, how fast would it go? Don't know if its speed governed and I've never pushed it past 90.
Back in 1966 I and two of my Army buddies drove from El Paso to Los Angeles on what is now interstate 8 (as a 2 laner back then) in a 65 Chevy rental. Don't recall which engine it had in it but at full throttle on the flats I was doing about 115; would slow down to about 95 on uphills. Motor had a slight knock when we turned it in. Its amazing how quickly you can pass someone at those speeds. I should add, there wasn't much traffic.
I enjoyed my hot rodded 1974 Monte Carlo as well as my 1979 Arrow GT 2.6. I sold the Arrow to buy a 1973 Bavaria and the rest is history. Funny thing; I was actually a big fan of Hondas in the late '70s/early '80s.In fact, I almost bought a new 1984 Prelude. However, right before my wife and I got married we were looking for a car to replace her Renault 18i, and I had convinced her that a new Accord hatch would be the hot ticket. The problem was, this was in the thick of the Japanese automakers' voluntary import restrictions, so the cars weren't exactly thick on the ground. Every Honda dealer in the Cincinnati area tried to play slimey games and it really turned both of us off. About ten years later we were set to buy a Montero SR and the local Mitsubishi dealers pulled similar tricks. I'm certainly not saying all Honda or Mitsu dealers were/are sleazy, but when you deal with several bad apples in a row it does tend to sour you on the brand.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
There are annual buyer's guides out there that have nearly every vehicle for sale in the world listed with all specs including dimensions, hp, acceleration, and top speed but I can't find their website right now.
I'll look it up at home and get back on this tomorrow.
I bought, used, in 1966, a 1964 Chevy. It wasn't a SS, but it was a pretty white with red inside 2 door hardtop Impala. I really liked the car, and the 1962, 63, and 64 models have their own 'classic' look.
I only got to drive the car about 6 months, then my neighbors and uncle asked me to join their US Army for 2 years. I had to sell the car.
Years later, probably in early 90's or so, a car close to that car appeared for sale in the local newspaper, private sale. I took a look. I had the money to buy something like that, just to have it. The car was in good shape, so I took it for a test drive.
Wow! What a lumbering, slow, massive, bad braking hunk of steel. I was just so disappointed. The car was nothing like I remembered. I don't know what I was driving at that time, but 30 years of auto development had made big improvements in the 'feel' of a car.
We have many car similarities. When I was discharged in 1966 I bought my first new car, a 66 Impala SS 396 4 speed. Later, a 69 427 Corvette. Anyway, several years ago, I drove a friends 1962 426 Wedge Hemi Dodge for maybe half an hour.
I just could not believe how poorly it performed, my memory had totally distorted the driving experience of these cars. My current 06 Impala SS will run circles around these oldsters every time, and I say this sadly.
That is my experience, as well... did old cars really drive that bad, or are they just old now? I think it's the former.
I think there's a third factor at play here as well. Back when we (or our forefathers) had to drive those cars on a daily basis, we simply got accustomed to the way they handled. So even though they were flawed, we compensated for those flaws by adjusting the way we drove them.
To use one example, I think my '57 DeSoto handles horribly. Acceleration and braking actually aren't too bad. From road tests I've seen, 0-60 should come up in about 9.5-10 seconds when in proper running condition, and while it has drum brakes, they're also relatively monstrous 12" drum brakes, and each front wheel has two cylinders, it actually stops quite well, at least until it goes out of adjustment. But in tight cornering, emergency maneuvers, etc, forget it. The bias-ply tires, bus-size steering wheel, and lanky 126" wheelbase do not exactly make for an autocrosser.
However, the main reason the people I bought it from held onto it for so long was because the wife LIKED the way it handled! She said it did especially well rain and snow, that she liked the way it would just dig in and take off, rather than spin its wheels. I have a feeling though, that if I tried driving it in the snow, I wouldn't have quite the same experience that dear old lady did.
However, if I had driven that car for years and years, became intimate with the way it acts, and hadn't gotten "dumbed down" by newer cars that communicate to you in a completely different way, I'm sure it would be fine.
It feels really crappy." I hated the car from the moment I left the rental car lot, but I was surprised that even HE noticed it. (Our regular car is an '08 VW Rabbit, and before that I had a 2004 BMW 325, which truthfully wasn't that much more fun to drive than the Rabbit is.)
Well, yeah! Compared to German cars, of course it is crappy.
I've found the Rabbit to be darned nice for the money. I was looking for one, but never found a used 4-door in my pricerange yet. Again, though, it really doesn't compare to a Caliber given the size/cargo space. I'm not sure what the Caliber compares to, actually. Aside from its rebadge mates, that is. The Element is probably closest in function, but certainly not price. Oh, there is the Scion xD. Tried to push my sister to the xB at the time, but it was "too ugly" for her.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
My 71 impala handled pretty well as I remember --350 v8 but the brakes seemed a bit slow. There is a reason why folks pay huge amounts to rebuild the 50's and early 60's show cars with new drivetrains, suspensions, brakes and a/c etc. They drive like you know what,
If it was just the engine then sure but I bought this thing as a Cafe Racer conversion that someone got tired of working on.
I need left and right side controls, brake calipers all the way around so three total as the F models have dual front discs, I need to mount some kind of minimal gauges too as it has none now.
The seat is good but the gas tank is not and will need to be creamed on the inside and a dent taken out on the outside. I have to rebuild the forks and put new tires on it which I would probably have to do on any bike of around that age.
Still trying to decide what I want to do.
Then the last PITA is I have no title which isn't so much a problem as a headache. I can make up a "mass registration" and probably get it registered in CT with that and a CT bill of sale.
Comments
The Civic was never really the same thing for me as the old Accord was. The Ody is OK but there's nothing you can do to make an exciting van.
On that model (1989-1992, I think), you could override that feature by locking the driver's door while pulling on the interior release. It was meant to keep people from locking their keys in the car.
It must have been an option!
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Sort of. It's on Highway 12, so we must have driven through there about 10 years ago but I don't remember the town. Highway 12 is one of the most scenic drives in the country, but the scenery is better going East out of Kooskia.
And my old neighbors here in Boise retired to Orofino about 7 years ago. That's about 20 miles north of Kooskia. We were last up there visiting them about 3 summers ago. Pretty country, lots of elk. The rivers are to die for up there too.
So, if she gets stranded, give a shout and I'll ask my old neighbors for a mechanics reference. :shades:
:P
my money's on it doing fine, I just hope she doesn't have to chain up!
But, I appreciate the offer...
On that model (1989-1992, I think), you could override that feature by locking the driver's door while pulling on the interior release. It was meant to keep people from locking their keys in the car
My 92 Civic DX (92-95 body style) did that, and my 93 Accord EX did that as well. You have to hold the door handle while you lock the door.
The 92 Civic DX didn't have a pass side mirror, or AC, or a radio. It had a "radio prep" which was 2 speakers in the front and an antenna. I almost miss that car too, although a Civic SI hatch from the same era would be preferable, or an Integra.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
My '93 Accord DX was equipped the same way. When I got it, the dealer threw in the passenger mirror and gave me the option of adding the stereo or A/C at no extra cost.
Silly me, I took the stereo and later learned that it only had 2 speakers.
And this was in Denver, where I learned that the A/C would have been nice in the summer.
Oh well .. I think that car spent as much time in the parking lot at the airport as it did in my driveway.
That and the moonroof are the 2 options I refuse to live without.
VWs used to make you use the key to lock the door (don't think there was any other way).. At least it made it impossible to lock your keys in the car.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
lol, and the closest mechanic may be in Boise and we're about 5 hours away.
That's the banana belt so the weather could be fine (heck, it was 60 here today and my tulips are coming up). Just don't clip an elk and mash in the fender (have to say though that our friends drove us around for 2 hours to all their wildlife hotspots and we didn't see squat).
I suppose you have to hit a pass or two getting there but I wouldn't sweat it.
Of course, I had the car two years, before I found that out... and, then, promptly locked the keys in it.. :surprise:
For qbrozen: If you had suffered through cars in the late '70s, you would understand the fascination with the early Accords... Who knew that owning a car could be so trouble free?
I'll probably never own another one, though.. (wait, my son picks up his '92 Legend, next month... does that count?).
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
I hear ya. After suffering with my '79 Pontiac Sunbird for 3.5 years in HS and college, getting into that 1 year old '85 Accord LX hatchback was like nirvana ... all I did in the 3 years I owned it was tires and oil changes. I took it from 16K to 55K in that time, plus the aforementioned trip to Michigan.
I still got something like $3800 for it in trade when we bought our '88 Isuzu Trooper.
With all the legendary Windstall stories I have that Rabbit was still the worst car I ever owned.
Chrysler products used to be like that back in the day. At least, with my two Darts, '67 Newport, and '57 DeSoto, you'd need the key to lock the door. I guess they got rid of that trait sometime in the 1970s. With my '67 Catalina, you can lock the door without the key, but for some reason you have to hold in the button on the handle as you close it, or otherwise it will unlock. I never saw the rationale in that. With the Mopars, it was done to keep you from locking your keys in the car. But how's holding in the button on a door handle going to make you remember to take your keys with you?
Well, I suffered WITH a couple of cars from the late '70s.
Funny thing is, I look back on those vehicles with fondness. For some bizarre reason, I get the distinct impression that I had more fun with my '78 Zephyr than '06 Accord. Maybe that would be a very different situation if I actually drove them closer together than 12 years. And the Zephyr was trouble free. As was my '79 CJ7 (at least mechanically).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
That might be the old "rose tinted glasses" thing at work. I have fond memories of my first car, a 1980 Malibu coupe, and my second car, a 1969 Dodge Dart GT. But, if I had to go back to driving them again, today, those fond memories might just get dashed on the rocks.
I had an experience with this in 2002, when my Mom sold my late Granddad's '85 Silverado to me. He had bought this truck new, and I used to drive it pretty regularly in high school and college. I used to think it was fast, because it has a V-8, whereas the Malibu and the Dart were just 6-cyl. Granddad died in 1990, and the truck mostly sat around, until maybe 1995 when Grandmom gave it to my Mom.
Well, when I got the truck back, and drove it, my first thought was DAMN, this thing is SLOW!! I swear 0-60 felt like it took about 20 seconds, although I've timed it with a stopwatch and it's actually about 12. I also didn't remember it being so tight on legroom. That close-in, upright driving position didn't bother me so much when I was younger I guess, but after stretching out in cars and then having to go back to it, it was a bit of a shock.
As for bad performance in the 70's, at least all of my 70's cars have halfway decent engines...a Pontiac 350-4bbl, and two Mopar 360-2bbls. So while most new cars would embarrass them, at least they have enough power to get out of their own way. I don't remember ever seeing a road test of a 1980 Malibu 229 V-6, but I'd guess it did 0-60 in around 15 seconds. CR tested a '68 Dart 225 slant six, and got 0-60 in around 14 seconds. I dunno if I could ever go back to a car that slow.
Sorry, fezo. Missed this one before. You should have caught me LAST summer! Now with the arrival of the 2nd kid, I'm having trouble finding time for my own cars.
Timing belt kit for the Volvo has been on my workbench for 3 weeks, at least.
I've had a half-installed tach in the 300Z for about a month now.
RF modulator for the DVD in the wife's car has been in an unopened box for 3 months.
:sick:
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I never tested 0-60 in the Zephyr. I do know it got there in the first 2 of its 3 gears. And I do know how long it took to hit 100mph in it: the distance on I-95 from Baltimore to the Delaware border.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I remember my Dart seemed to hit 100 mph with little strain, but I don't think the Malibu would have made it. I pegged the 85 mph speedo a few times, but it seemed like it was running out of power at that point.
I also had an '82 Cutlass Supreme with a 231-2bbl V-6. It was probably as bad as the Malibu from 0-60, but was much better at passing, and seemed like a better highway cruiser. Still not as good as that Dart, though.
One of my friends in college had a 1980 Accord hatchback with a 3-speed automatic. We timed it with a stopwatch a couple times. 0-60 would usually come up in around 25 seconds!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I dunno. This dad business is givingus a whole different Mr. Q.
But, come on, when are you going to get YOUR hands dirty? :P
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
It is sitting in my garage mostly disassembled with the engine just sitting in the frame but not attached to anything.
The motor has to be pulled and replaced cause it is shot. I have to decide sometime soon if it is worth buying a used motor for 150-200 dollars or selling all the good parts and components I have and buying another bike.
I only spent a 100 dollars on this one so no big loss if I can't get it back together. I know I can easily make up my investment by parting it out.
Well, one of the things that struck me as both humorous and frustrating was that it had a 160 MPH speedo!
While I'm not sure what the top speed of the Optima is, I'm pretty certain it's nowhere close to 160. That's the funny part.
The aggravating aspect of it was that 80 MPH shows up at 12 noon on the dial. So, effectively, you're only using half (or less) of the speedo, which makes the increments pretty small.
Kinda like a chart in Excel that goes from 0 to 100, but the data is really only between 80 and 100.
Now, I'm not advocating that we return to the 85 MPH speedo, but I've gotta believe there is a comfortable middle ground.
And, there was the guy who got nailed by photo radar in Phoenix doing 137.
But, I wonder if those were V6's. I test drove the lowly 2.4L 4 banger.
I guess it's not TOO bad, since it's still fairly readable. But I'd just prefer a larger speedo that took up more of the dial face. I dunno if it'll really go 140 mph or not, but I don't want to find out!
I'm old a somewhat of a klutz which is tough on these matters.....
I REALLY miss gauges. I have actually been tempted to buy a gargantuan truck like a Tundra or Sequoia, the kind I really dislike and would have NO use for, just because they still have a full gauge pack.
For the first time in my life, I currently own NO cars with a coolant temp gauge on the dash. :-(
I guess automakers think that all the dummy behind the wheel needs to see in 2010 is fuel remaining......at least we still get a tach. I remember very fondly the cars I had in the 80s that had full gauges including oil pressure and volts, and even then I missed having the oil temp gauge I was used to in the 70s.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Back in 1966 I and two of my Army buddies drove from El Paso to Los Angeles on what is now interstate 8 (as a 2 laner back then) in a 65 Chevy rental. Don't recall which engine it had in it but at full throttle on the flats I was doing about 115; would slow down to about 95 on uphills. Motor had a slight knock when we turned it in. Its amazing how quickly you can pass someone at those speeds. I should add, there wasn't much traffic.
Regards, DQ
Funny thing; I was actually a big fan of Hondas in the late '70s/early '80s.In fact, I almost bought a new 1984 Prelude. However, right before my wife and I got married we were looking for a car to replace her Renault 18i, and I had convinced her that a new Accord hatch would be the hot ticket. The problem was, this was in the thick of the Japanese automakers' voluntary import restrictions, so the cars weren't exactly thick on the ground. Every Honda dealer in the Cincinnati area tried to play slimey games and it really turned both of us off. About ten years later we were set to buy a Montero SR and the local Mitsubishi dealers pulled similar tricks. I'm certainly not saying all Honda or Mitsu dealers were/are sleazy, but when you deal with several bad apples in a row it does tend to sour you on the brand.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I'll look it up at home and get back on this tomorrow.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I bought, used, in 1966, a 1964 Chevy. It wasn't a SS, but it was a pretty white with red inside 2 door hardtop Impala. I really liked the car, and the 1962, 63, and 64 models have their own 'classic' look.
I only got to drive the car about 6 months, then my neighbors and uncle asked me to join their US Army for 2 years. I had to sell the car.
Years later, probably in early 90's or so, a car close to that car appeared for sale in the local newspaper, private sale. I took a look. I had the money to buy something like that, just to have it. The car was in good shape, so I took it for a test drive.
Wow! What a lumbering, slow, massive, bad braking hunk of steel. I was just so disappointed. The car was nothing like I remembered. I don't know what I was driving at that time, but 30 years of auto development had made big improvements in the 'feel' of a car.
Nice story about your uncle and neighbors. How very nice of them to invite you!
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
I just could not believe how poorly it performed, my memory had totally distorted the driving experience of these cars. My current 06 Impala SS will run circles around these oldsters every time, and I say this sadly.
I think there's a third factor at play here as well. Back when we (or our forefathers) had to drive those cars on a daily basis, we simply got accustomed to the way they handled. So even though they were flawed, we compensated for those flaws by adjusting the way we drove them.
To use one example, I think my '57 DeSoto handles horribly. Acceleration and braking actually aren't too bad. From road tests I've seen, 0-60 should come up in about 9.5-10 seconds when in proper running condition, and while it has drum brakes, they're also relatively monstrous 12" drum brakes, and each front wheel has two cylinders, it actually stops quite well, at least until it goes out of adjustment. But in tight cornering, emergency maneuvers, etc, forget it. The bias-ply tires, bus-size steering wheel, and lanky 126" wheelbase do not exactly make for an autocrosser.
However, the main reason the people I bought it from held onto it for so long was because the wife LIKED the way it handled! She said it did especially well rain and snow, that she liked the way it would just dig in and take off, rather than spin its wheels. I have a feeling though, that if I tried driving it in the snow, I wouldn't have quite the same experience that dear old lady did.
However, if I had driven that car for years and years, became intimate with the way it acts, and hadn't gotten "dumbed down" by newer cars that communicate to you in a completely different way, I'm sure it would be fine.
LOL!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well, yeah! Compared to German cars, of course it is crappy.
I've found the Rabbit to be darned nice for the money. I was looking for one, but never found a used 4-door in my pricerange yet. Again, though, it really doesn't compare to a Caliber given the size/cargo space. I'm not sure what the Caliber compares to, actually. Aside from its rebadge mates, that is. The Element is probably closest in function, but certainly not price. Oh, there is the Scion xD. Tried to push my sister to the xB at the time, but it was "too ugly" for her.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I need left and right side controls, brake calipers all the way around so three total as the F models have dual front discs, I need to mount some kind of minimal gauges too as it has none now.
The seat is good but the gas tank is not and will need to be creamed on the inside and a dent taken out on the outside. I have to rebuild the forks and put new tires on it which I would probably have to do on any bike of around that age.
Still trying to decide what I want to do.
Then the last PITA is I have no title which isn't so much a problem as a headache. I can make up a "mass registration" and probably get it registered in CT with that and a CT bill of sale.