I don't mean restored, either, but new--or pretty darn close. Last week I drove a 1990 Miata sporting about 8000 miles on the odometer. My passenger was one of the engineers on the project. We both own first-gen Miatas, but even he couldn't remember the last time he drove one that was so new. (I'm also going to assume that a 25-year-old car qualifies as somewhat old.)
How much of a difference could you feel between "new" old and old old?
My mom has a 1988 supra turbo with 19k miles. I've never driven a worn out one to compare but it seems pretty nice and solid. No real rattles, maybe only minor slop in the suspension which I suspect was like that originally and the chassis is pretty flexy especially with the top off. I'm shocked at how well the a/c works on an 80's Japanese car that has never been recharged.
http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4656851107.html
Yes, I did. A friend purchased a 1966 Fiat 850 coupe while looking for parts. It was all original with 14,000 lightly used miles. It was housed in dry controlled atmosphere designed for a very expensive automobile collection. It used just enough to warm it up the oil and keep it fresh. I found it so rare to find such care for such an inexpensive car. It was perfect right down to the tires and drove like a new 1966 car. Some of the padding in the arm rests and the like was turning to yellow powder.
CGLockRacer wrote: How much of a difference could you feel between "new" old and old old?
You know, not a ton, and part of that is probably thanks to the fact that Miatas age so well. Still, it was neat seeing everything so stock under the hood. Every clamp, hose, etc., was the right color and in the right place. The tires were fresh, though.
Close enough, friends 76 Skyhawk, an actual case of driven by old lady. Had under 50k on it when he got it, now it's his DD, so the number is higher. Dead stock besides the cat delete, right down to the THM-200 3 speed and AM radio. It drives like a miniature Buick with oddly fast steering and surprisingly big swaybars.
The thing that got me the most was how nice the floor mount high beam switch was, after you get used to it they're amazing.
My 92 Ford Taurus was bought new by my mother and only had 4,700 miles on it when I got it in 07. It still just has 31K on it. It still looks, runs, and drives great. I replaced virtually all the rubber parts, tuned it up, and charged the AC which has a medium rate leak. I plan to keep it until it begins to need more maintenance than I want to do.
Besides my Ranger I bought new in '88, all my vehicles have had well over 100kmi, so I'll just live vicariously through this thread!
Oh, know what we both noticed that felt so different on the "new" Miata? The seat! The foam wasn't all squished down. We both actually felt a little too tall in the saddle.
"new" old cars are kinda weird if you ask me... all the rubber is there, and may look ok, but 50 years takes its toll.
Drat opened this hoping GRM had a Singer 911 in the press fleet for next month.
The0retical wrote: Drat opened this hoping GRM had a Singer 911 in the press fleet for next month.
That would be cool. We had a Singer at our Monterey welcome party. It pretty much stopped traffic.
Yes,
A friend of mine recently put her bought new '93 Miata with 7,500 miles on the market. It is Red with a tan top with all the goodies they had in '93. Of course it drives like a dream! Since my garage is full, I referred another friend to her. He paid $7,500 and is convinced it was a steal. Everything works and the car has not a mark on it!
So why did she sell? She now has two standard poodles which she takes to agility trials and they didn't fit into the Miata with her driving. She bought a low mileage 560SL Merc. instead. The dogs now fit and it has a soft top as well, but she doesn't much like the Merc.
The automatic transmission is a bit much for her. I have to agree. I have three stick shift cars. I don't even consider anything but a three pedal car.
Rupert wrote: The automatic transmission is a bit much for her. I have to agree. I have three stick shift cars. I don't even consider anything but a three pedal car.
Thankfully I was able to brainw... I mean convince my wife that we shouldn't consider a non-stick car.
A long time ago, I know . . . but back in 1989 I inherited my grandmother's 1962 Chevy II Before they were called Novas. It had just a handful of miles on it, well under four thousand, and driving it was insane ! ! !
I just couldn't stop laughing. If my wife needed eggs, I was off to the market. Hell, if she needed sanitary napkins, I was ready to roll.
Just LOVED driving that little jewel ! ! ! !
Traded it across the board for an equally nice 1971 Toyota Corolla.
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