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Comments
There was a Top Gear with E30 convertibles not long ago. The guys bought them cheap and had experts look them over - they each needed like 9K *pounds* of work to be put right. German cars...
Why are 99% of all removable hardtops in pristine condition?
I used to think nothing of commuting on busy So. Calif freeways in my VW Beetles but doing so today would probably terrify me and for good reason.
I remember once driving my 1962 Buick Special straight through from Seattle to L.A. I was going to stop for the night in Redding but after eating I felt like driving on and I did! I remember driving 100 MPH for about an hour straight.
Sloppy suspension, bias ply tires, a lap belt and I was invincible!
A cop pulled me over on that trip and gave me a warning. He said he didn't want to be the one to call my parents to inform them I had been killed on I-5.
It doesn't take much to get killed in an old VW and Karmann Ghias wouldn't be one bit safer!
Probably because they get hung up in a garage and don't ever get used!
If it were another type of car, say an older Corvette, you could justify asking extra for the hardtop, or even say for an Alfa Spider---but for a BMW 325, the tops are pretty weathertight and quiet---so what's the point?
We did buy a nice black S-2000 at the auction once that had a hardtop until someone broke into it one night and stole the hardtop and the seats!
Often "reliability" in a classic car is a matter NOT a matter of it running well all the time, but rather "how easy is it to fix when it breaks and how quickly can one do that?"
So, in THAT sense a VW is always more reliable than a Mercedes, even if the VW breaks more often. I mean, you cannot take an engine out of a 560SL in an hour and order a new one for $695. You can't even get a Mercedes mechanic to open the hood probably for $695.
Also the VW doesn't have any complex systems...you want heat? Pull a knob that pulls on a cable that attaches to a tin box by means of a paper clip. Can't beat that. Oil change? A plastic bucket and an adjustable wrench and you're good to go. You don't even have to buy an oil filter because there is none.
And last of all, VW parts are everywhere. You can order so many aftermarket parts for VW (except some Ghia body panels and trim bits) and they are CHEAP.
ON THE DOWN SIDE---primitive is as primitive does. You want simplicity? Don't expect AC, a smooth ride, quiet interior, stunning acceleration, weather protection, etc.
You didn't mention having to wait 20 minutes for the ever so slightly warm air to start coming through the vents and you better hope you didn't have an exhaust leak.
I once had a 1969 Beetle that had dealer installed A/C.
Oh, they shouldn't have done that...If I was going down the freewy at 65MPG and the compressor cycled on it would slow the car down by 10 MPH!
Then there's the "pick a gear, any gear---don't tell me which one--now put it back in the H pattern and I'll try to guess" gearshift to deal with. It's like rowing an oar in a barrel.
It never seemed like a problem at the time and I kinda liked that feel.
You can spend a bundle to make a 1965 drive like a 2005!
On the thread topic, the car was my everyday car through college and wasn't too troublesome, but it did need constant maintenance and it had a few bumps along the way (transmission cooling line broke, generator died, brake line leaked and then brake seized, etc).
I briefly owned a '67 Chrysler Newport hardtop coupe with a 383-2bbl. I don't really remember too much about it, except that I thought my '67 Catalina convertible handled better. Seemed to have a bit better feedback from the road, and a bit more nimble. Maybe "wider was better"? :P
Also, my 1970 Oldsmobile 98 is still running as a daily driver and has served 4 generations of my family so far. (granted, we've rebuilt the thing a few times) and it's reliability beats the pants off my dad's 1996 Ford E-150, so I don't see that much of a problem.
If you don't know what you're doing, get something newer and japanese. But if you're gonna be taking care of it yourself, bugs are great, and old GM cars will last forever.
You are kidding, arent you?
Can someone help me with the value of a car??? I am looking at a 1967 firebird. The person selling knows little about it. It has a 326 with a 2 speed automatic. He doesn't know the mileage. He said it needs brake work. New tires. The guys said it has been painted, so he is not sure of the rust situation. The guy wants $5,500. It seems to be worth less to me, but I know very little, that is why I wanted to ask the professionals (you guys)!! Please help. What do you experts think??
Check out ebaymotors and hemmings.com for more options. No need to rush into it.
"Presentable. Runs and drives and will pass safety inspection. Generally in need, or approaching the need of a cosmetic restoration. Chrome pits here and there, small rips or tears, paint chips, a window crack, small hole in carpet, etc. NOT dented or rusted and not in need of major mechanical work"
So if the car, when you see it, seems less than the above description, deduct accordingly.
I guess what I should have asked is, is a Firebird with a 326 worth anything, is it desirable? Don't people usually want the 400's and such? But I appreciate the comments.
If it "needs brakes immediately" I would guess it needs EVERYTHING brake related. Drums, master cyl etc.
A 400 would be more desirable but the 326 doesn't really hurt it like the six would.
Classic cars, especially during the 50s--70s, when there were so many engine options, are funny this way: If the car only had one size V8, that becomes top dog in value, but if there are numerous engines of increasing power and size, then the pecking order goes according to the engine size.
In 60s cars especially, Horsepower = $$$, and HP + 4-speed = more $$$.
Even the option of a 4 barrel carburetor vs. a two barrel on the *same* engine can affect value, and some "tri-power" carb options can affect value as much as a larger engine can.
1960s BODY STYLE Pecking order (with a few exceptions)
Convertibles
2D HT
2D Post
Wagons
4-doors
It was a 1964 Chevy Impala four door sedan.
It was a six cylinder with a three speed on the column. No power steering or brakes. Just a stripper.
Compare the value to that with an SS convertable with a 409 4 speed!
Back in those days, you could order anything. A friend's dad ordered a 1965 Chevy Biscayne Station Wagon with a 327/300 horse engine with a three speeed and overdrive.
I think it had an AM radio but nothing else.
Blackwall tires, tiny hubcaps. Talk about a sleeper!
If I was a dealer in those days, I would be scared to death that someone would order one of these oddball cars and then back out of the deal leaving an impossible car to sell.
Probably why most manufacturers no longer build cars to order.
A person who owned one was wise to just have the job done along with a new water pump around 70,000 miles.
Kinda like a timing belt job on a modern car?
Otherwise, they were pretty good engines!
One general rule is that doing clutch or transmission work is more time consuming on a FWD vehicle.
-BMW 2002 (or ti or tii)
-BMW 3.0 CS (or CSi or CSL)
-Mercedes 280CE
-Mercedes 350SLC
-Mercedes 450SLC
-Mercedes 300CD (turbodiesel)
-VW Karmann Ghia (but only if it can be modified to get up to decent speeds without wrecking the vehicle)
I know I probably won't be able to get everything on my wishlist, but I wanted:
-a backseat big enough for at least small children
-a trunk that could fit 2 carry-on suitcases
-some creature comforts like a/c and cruise (though I'd be willing to add these on)
-ideally 20+ mpg, or at least as close as I can get to that
-something fun
I know that BMW & MB repair costs can be quite expensive. But if a clean model was purchased, would $1-2k a year in maintenance costs be sufficient, or would it need more?
Also, is it even possible to modify a Karmann Ghia enough where it's not torture to drive on an interstate?
Any comments about these cars, or which you would rank as better/worse (generally, or for me specifically), would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
P.S. Shifty, the FWD/RWD question was because I read about it in the Classics archives. Though come to think of it, I think all of these are FWD so does that mean these will have greater repair difficulties?
You said you are in Florida, right? I would also worry about rust with the humid climate there. At the least you'd want a car that has undergone a body restoration with proper sealing.
You won't get 20 mpg out of a US market SLC - those old MB V8s can be real pigs. But I think you could easily keep one on the road for 2K/year if you buy a properly maintained one and know a good specialist. The smaller coupes you mention will be more economical to run, and are able of passing 20mpg on the highway.
-BMW 3.0 CS (or CSi or CSL) -- beautiful RUSTBUCKETS, expensive to fix, fussy, demonic, unreliable.
-Mercedes 280CE --- okay but kinda boring--not Mercedes best years and will never increase very much in value. Unloved model. Pretty hard to find one anyway.
-Mercedes 350SLC -- lotta car for the money but a gas hog. Watch out for AC/Heat system problems. Worth a shot. The 350s are prettier than later ones.
-Mercedes 450SLC -- ditto as above, even worse gas hog, though.
-Mercedes 300CD (turbodiesel) -- solid, economical, reliable, noisy, hard to find one that isn't a completely worn out beater. Also boring but can serve you well, and yes, you can get 20 mpg.
-VW Karmann Ghia -- more of a toy than a real car, but attractive, easy to fix eXCEPT for bodywork. Some parts are unobtanium, so the only way to buy a Ghia is in excellent condition.
Much would depend on how many miles per year you would drive it. For 10,000-15,000 miles per year, I'd plan on a minimum of $2,000 per year for maintenance and repairs, average, over five years, but probably something more than that. The Karmann Ghia might cost less than $2,000, average.