I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)

ab348 · August 2017

Hey Bill, nice to see you back. Some folks here were looking for you recently when some Studie talk was underway.

How do you like the '17 Cruze? I drove one recently and liked it except for 2 things: the headliner felt like it was made out of old egg cartons, and it seemed a bit underpowered to me. I wish it had an upgrade option on the engine.

ab348 · August 2017

kyfdx said:
Too bad the E30 is a 4-door...

I always loved the TR-6. What's up with the wood stops atop the bumper, though?

Those are turn signals, you dork.

The height of 1970s British automotive engineering.

imidazol97 · August 2017

ab348 said:
and it seemed a bit underpowered to me. I wish it had an upgrade option on the engine.

I wonder if your being used to the great 2.0 LTurbo in your ATS makes the Cruze feel underpowered. I know after I was used to the Cobalt when my son got the Cruze to drive and I took the Cobalt, the Cruze reacts differently when accelerating after the car is already moving in a higher gear than the Cobalt does. But it has enough for many folks. But it would be nice to see an engine that's 1.5 L turbo...

uplanderguy · August 2017

My '17 Cruze LT has the 1.4 turbo. It feels fine to me, and really takes off when you put your foot in it. Having two old-style Cruzes now, it's interesting to me to notice the differences. The new car is roomier inside, definitely. The older car is tight in the back seat, which I'd always heard. The doors in the older car feel heavier, and some of the interior plastic bits (seat recliner levers, and particularly inside hood release) in the new car feel very flimsy compared to the previous car--but I'll allow that for the improvements in room and other things.

I got what I think was a stupendous deal on the '17 back in January, but then I had GM card earnings and a Goodwill check from Chevy for a complaint letter I wrote a few years back (LOL).

I saw on a Cruze forum that some of the new turbos are experiencing a cracked piston, as have some new-style Malibu 1.5L turbos. This is disheartening to say the least. In the hot weather I've been using 89 octane. Might make no difference. I've also changed the oil twice in 6500 miles--that's just me. I see that GM's Dexos oil is now full-synthetic. I won't go elsewhere for an oil change in my Chevys than the dealer, but that's just me. The first two oil changes were free.

ab348 · August 2017

I saw similar complaints about the hood-release lever online so I made a point of checking it out during the test drive experience. It is not as bad as I had read but does not feel solid either - not GM's best engineering.

The early ATS 2.0T engines also had piston problems. Some of that can be attributed to people putting aftermarket tuning programs into the car's computer but some apparently did nothing and they still broke. Mid-2014 builds like my car seemed to have solved it, but it remains a concern to me. That is a lot of pressure to put on a small engine. I always use the recommended premium fuel in mine, Shell exclusively for me, unless I am not in range of a Shell station.

On the Cruze, I do wish GM didn't seem to succumb so easily to squeeze the last penny out of cost. The levers you mentioned and the headliner I noticed really degrade the initial experience with the car yet would not cost much to improve if they wanted to.

roadburner · August 2017

I drove a new Cruze Eco manual at a ride and drive on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway back in 2012. I was very impressed.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

uplanderguy said:
RE.: Mercury Marauders of the early-and-mid-sixties--wasn't this only a roofline? I mean, the model was still Monterey or Montclair or Parklane, right?

Yes, the model on which the Marauder package was based usually appears on the door data tag.

kyfdx · August 2017

ab348 said:

kyfdx said:
Too bad the E30 is a 4-door...

I always loved the TR-6. What's up with the wood stops atop the bumper, though?
Those are turn signals, you dork. The height of 1970s British automotive engineering.

I don't ever remember seeing those on a TR-6! Maybe, it's a Canadian model?

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

kyfdx said:

ab348 said:

kyfdx said:
Too bad the E30 is a 4-door...

I always loved the TR-6. What's up with the wood stops atop the bumper, though?
Those are turn signals, you dork. The height of 1970s British automotive engineering.
I don't ever remember seeing those on a TR-6! Maybe, it's a Canadian model?

The early TR6s had them above the bumper, as you see in the photo. In 1976 they put the bigger rubber bumper on and dropped the parking lights below---so a mixed bag of "improvements".

uplanderguy · August 2017

Yes, the model on which the Marauder package was based usually appears on the door data tag.

Or on the bodyside nameplate, even easier.

"S-55" is what they called their bucket-seat-and-console model back then.

fintail · August 2017

Wow, you are a nice dad. What will you do with the old PT? Those are a car I keep an eye on when I am driving, and not for good reasons

I know a friend of my sister has an earlier Cruze and I believe hasn't had real issues, they appear to be a solid car. 97.5K is an awfully specific timing belt interval. Tell her to take it easy on speed bumps.

Speaking of small Chevys, my sister just hit 5 years with her (non-turbo) Sonic. Zero issues other than the rear window that randomly broke shortly after she bought it. She miled it up when she initially had it - about 30K in the first year, but I think it is under 70K now. Not an exciting car, but she got it fairly cheap, and it has served her well.

uplanderguy said:
This isn't really 'spotting' an old car, but I've been away from here for a bit until today. Long story short, we bought a second 2015 Cruze LS (non-turbo)
So, by accident I guess, we own three Cruzes (a '17 and two '15's), a PT Cruiser, and a Studebaker Cruiser.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

uplanderguy said:
Yes, the model on which the Marauder package was based usually appears on the door data tag.

Or on the bodyside nameplate, even easier.

"S-55" is what they called their bucket-seat-and-console model back then.

Well yes HAHAHA...but I often come across customized 60s cars, so the ID plate is sometimes the only answer.

I see lots of de-badging or switch-badging, so I have to be careful.

uplanderguy · August 2017

My wife is driving the old PT and says she'll drive it to school and back starting next week--about 15 miles round-trip.

It has virtually zero trade-in value.

We've had it seven years, and I bought it for $6,900 when it was two years old. The worst thing I'll say about it is oil has gotten into the brake booster. Discovered this in very cold weather maybe three years ago when backing down our driveway in the morning and pedal was rock hard for probably 7-8 seconds. Dealer put a booster on for free. Next year in bitter cold, did it again. Dealer put a second booster on free. Last summer, I asked the dealer just to look in the booster for oil. They put a third booster on for free. LOL I didn't buy the car there, and I bought it used.

It's getting blow-by. It had 45.8K miles when I bought it and had been a Thrifty Rental Car. But I think it's been worth what I paid.

jwm40517 · August 2017

Back in 1966 my father had the 63 model S-55 Mercury and I had a 63 1/2 Galaxie 500XL. Both 390s his auto & mine 4speed. Talk about a difference in rooflines between the two.

ab348 · August 2017

Some years ago I got a PT Cruiser as a rental. Odd in that I have only had a few rental cars that I really disliked, but that was one. Everything seemed off - controls, switches and gear lever felt misplaced, and I didn't particularly like how it drove. When I turned it in the rental agent asked how I liked it and I told him "not much". He said it was odd, that people who got them either really liked them a lot or not at all, like me, not much middle ground.

texases · August 2017

A PT Cruiser rental almost got us stranded at Yosemite. We went out in the morning, couldn't get the key to turn. Tried everything. Rental car company sent out a replacement, and (of course) the PT started up fine when he got there. Worse, the replacement was a. late model Monte Carlo, a car I've never liked. Oh, well.

fintail · August 2017

My mom had a PT rental once. The window switch placement irritated her like nothing I have seen in a car before. She was 60 years old and thought it was dorky, that says something.

uplanderguy · August 2017

Yeah, that setup saved them the cost of having controls on the driver's door then again on each passenger door.

tjc78 · August 2017

Chrysler did that a fair bit for awhile. The Shadow/Sundance had the buttons only in the center console.

Ford did it on the Fox body Thunderbird and Cougars too in the 80s.

berri · August 2017

So jwm - which did everyone like best the Merc or the Ford? Both were nice looking cars.

fintail · August 2017

MB put window switches in the console for decades, only moving to the door in the 21st century for most cars, I think. No doubt there's RHD/LHD ease too, although in my experience, cars with console switches seem more likely to have broken switches. I think the PT was on the dash, which was really weird to my mom, I think she ended up looking in the manual to find them, as it wasn't obvious to her.

uplanderguy · August 2017

I always chuckled; there are "Daimler" names on tags under the hood of our PT; apparently was still "DaimlerChrysler" in 2008.

kyfdx · August 2017

Nice V-12 850 at a local car show. Semi-rare, but no big deal, until....

stickguy · August 2017

ah. car show. I was going to make a crack about why the hood was up on it! Cool looking car though.

kyfdx · August 2017

..... I looked inside, and.... what?!

fintail · August 2017

The PT was introduced at the height of the DCX era. Those were some interesting days.

That 850 looks amazing, must be an enthusiast. Sure looks like a W140 or 90s era MB V12 badge though.

roadburner · August 2017

BMW had the window switches on the console for decades; I liked the placement and hated it when they moved to the door...

roadburner · August 2017

kyfdx said:

..... I looked inside, and.... what?!

There's another manual 850i on BaT.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

That's a big boat to row with a stickshift, but once you get the freight train rolling in open country, it's a very nice ride.

kyfdx · August 2017

First V-12 I've seen with a stick. And, to stumble upon it, in person. I was stunned.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

IMO kinda silly on a car like that, but somebody must love it.

kyfdx · August 2017

6-speed manual in 1991. Can't be too many of those.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

Here's one, but it needs about a $38,000 price reduction.

http://www.carscoops.com/2012/07/1991-bmw-850i-with-6-speed-manual-and.html

kyfdx · August 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:
Here's one, but it needs about a $38,000 price reduction.

http://www.carscoops.com/2012/07/1991-bmw-850i-with-6-speed-manual-and.html

You think an 850i is only worth $9500?

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

Yeah, $9500 to around $12,500. That's what they bring at collector car auctions, and buyers set the market, not me. Naturally you will find outliers here and there but that's "the market". Of course, I don't see why a real cream puff couldn't pull $15K if you waited long enough.

kyfdx · August 2017

If you really want to own one, you'll get what you deserve for that price. You'd be better off paying $15K-$20K to buy one from someone that loves it and takes care of it. I think that goes for a lot of cars, though.

jwm40517 · August 2017

Berri I liked both the Merc and the Ford at the time. Dad alternated Ford & Merc from my earliest memories of a 49 Merc through the 63. In the muscle car era of mid 60s I sold the 63 Galaxie for $750 when I had a chance to buy a 66 Chevy II 327-350 hp in May 1967 for $1900. Even after that I always thought and still do think the 63-64 Fords looked better than the big Chevys of the same years.

The Merc of 63 with its rolldown rear window permitted cruising with buds sitting with body above roof and legs inside the car when I was 16 until reports of it reached my parents.

fintail · August 2017

I'd imagine a genuinely mint no-needs car would be worth a bit more than 10K. Local high end high price specialty dealer Park Place had one some time ago, I forget the price, but I think it was like 30K or more.

This would be an interesting way to spend 10K - you'd be a Cars and Coffee hit no doubt.

uplanderguy · August 2017

That S-55 Merc could also be had with the fastback Marauder roofline.

explorerx4 · August 2017

A red GTR. Got a ride to a friend's cottage at the shore, unfortunately didn't see anything else interesting.

ab348 · August 2017

fintail said:

This would be an interesting way to spend 10K - you'd be a Cars and Coffee hit no doubt.

It's all fun and games until you need to call the rollback truck.

ab348 · August 2017

kyfdx said:
6-speed manual in 1991. Can't be too many of those.

BMW's competitor to the Cadillac Eldorado and Lincoln Mark VIII of the same vintage?

tjc78 · August 2017

In 91 it would have still been the Mark VII. I can't imagine anyone cross shopping the two. In all fairness the Mark VII was a grown up air suspended Mustang. I wouldn't throw one out of my driveway

The 91 Eldorado was a joke

kyfdx · August 2017

The Mark VII was ahead of it's time when it debuted in 1985. Not sure it aged all that well by 1991.

Doubt they were cross-shopped. Just a guess, but the 850i V-12 MSRP was probably double that of the Lincoln.

Any other manual transmissions with 6 forward gears in 1991? (US models)

ab348 · August 2017

kyfdx said:
The Mark VII was ahead of it's time when it debuted in 1985. Not sure it aged all that well by 1991.

Doubt they were cross-shopped. Just a guess, but the 850i V-12 MSRP was probably double that of the Lincoln.

Any other manual transmissions with 6 forward gears in 1991? (US models)

I have to think a manual trans in that BMW was more of an affectation than anything else.

I made the comparison to the Lincoln and Caddy because my first view of the pics led me to believe the BMW had button-tufted waffle-pattern seating. But then another look revealed it was a deck chair cushion someone had placed on the passenger seat. Guess those M-series chairs weren't cushy enough. Have to think that all 3 makes were used as boulevardiers more than sporty cars though.

kyfdx · August 2017

Well... a 1991 4-speed automatic would have been a pretty crappy transmission to pair with that engine, but I agree.... take rate on the manual might have been 1% on that car.

My aunt/uncle bought a brass-hat '85 Mark VII in 1986 (I think.. long time ago). Moving on from a Coupe DeVille. They shopped a BMW 528e, but it was so dog-slow compared to the 5.0 Mark that they just couldn't pull the trigger. They loved the visibility on the BMW, though. (all automatics, of course). Plus, the BMW was $8K more (used, as well).

I really liked that Mark VII. It was an LSC model. She drove it for six years, and lost it in a t-bone accident.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2017

fintail said:
I'd imagine a genuinely mint no-needs car would be worth a bit more than 10K. Local high end high price specialty dealer Park Place had one some time ago, I forget the price, but I think it was like 30K or more.

This would be an interesting way to spend 10K - you'd be a Cars and Coffee hit no doubt.

Yes but remember that buyers set the price not dealers. Besides, when you start asking $30K for an old car like that, buyers can choose some very tasty BMWs at that price point, like M3s, M6s,

850 for $13K asking

A mild custom for $10K

I bet you could get this low mileage example for $15K

fintail · August 2017

Much cheaper, but to be fair, those aren't pristine super low miles cars, nor are they manuals.

But no doubt, when you hit 30K and want a classic BMW, an E30 M3 (OK, those will be more)/E28 M5/E24 M6 has to be tempting.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Yes but remember that buyers set the price not dealers. Besides, when you start asking $30K for an old car like that, buyers can choose some very tasty BMWs at that price point, like M3s, M6s,

fintail · August 2017

Be sure to have towing on your insurance

But really, I doubt it is that nightmarish, one would just want to be sure to have a mechanic lined up before they bought the car. I find it weirdly stylish.

ab348 said:

It's all fun and games until you need to call the rollback truck.

explorerx4 · August 2017

Wife took this picture and asked me what it is.
Figure I'll throw it out there for the crew.

I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)

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