Prejudice against newer/new cars?

[JinormusJ]

Plus, no OnStar tracking my every move and listening in to my conversations.

Old cars for life!

Big Brother is always watching

[Cletonius]

I agree with most of what's going on here. I bought a dakota brand new in 2000 and kept it for 12 years. It was a great vehicle but there's something about driving a vehicle built long ago. I always had an older car for my beater and it does come in handy having a second mode of transit. Before I got my E30 I drove turbododges. It's nice driving an old car. You can find it in the parking lot, it's not the same as every other car on the road, and they're emissions exempt. :D My favorite part is that they're serviceable. Everything was designed to be rebuilt and repaired as needed, with a new car it's all designed to be replaced as a giant assembly. Plus, no OnStar tracking my every move and listening in to my conversations.

Old cars for life!

[VinniE30]

I love this thread!!!
I would go on a long rant but most of what I have to say about this has already been said and saying it to you guys would just be preaching to the choir

[uofom3]

Interesting thread - I agree with a lot of the points here.. So much so that I have been thinking about sellin my 06 e60 DD and picking up something 18 years older... For all the reasons listed above.

[Holland]

There are very, very few new, or made in the last few years cars I like. They exist for sure, but few and far between.

[K1CKBAC]

Some of the new cars seats feel like they are upholstered with Brawny Paper towels.

[Vivek]

New cars really are meant to be thrown away. They're all computers (that are still serviced by mechanics, but that's another rant) and simply aren't designed to be around in 20 years. IMO, anything past an e46 isn't built to last.

[JinormusJ]

Your a boss when you actually plan to sink new car money into it.

THIS

That's what I love about rescuing these old dogs. Every coolant hose, every clip, every bolt, every screw; all of them give so much satisfaction once you've personally fixed it. My IS is still a crap hole, but Everytime I open that trunk and that hood, I can't help but be proud of my own work

[BlackbirdM3]

As a person who has resisted cars newer than 1969 until I bought my M3, new cars are made to be thrown away. They are poorly designed, you can't see anything behind you, (the rear windows are just too high for anyone to see out of.) Why buy something that you don't like? Screw what other people say ("Why buy an old car?") Just because most people don't like to drive, and I don't mean get from point to point, I mean go out and find the twistiest, technical road out there and roost it, doesn't mean you shouldn't. Quite the opposite, you should buy something that is different, and is what you really want.

Heck, I'd take a stock 318 over any Toyota for sale today. Go buy something with personality, that can stand out in a crowd. If you go for a e30, you can find some pretty nice cars for less than $10K, and the good news, you'll be able to sell it for what you paid for it as long as you keep it in good shape. A new Toyota? Right, good luck with that.

Will

[Herr Faust Schinken]

e30s are cars that give back to you every time you fix a small thing that was broken theres a since of satisfaction there

[ELVA164]

I agree that the MUCH lower cost and improved driving experience of older cars are big advantages, but the most rewarding part of E30 ownership for me is setting a day aside and just spending time making little things better. Cleaning and repainting a rusted cruise control stalk, making the interior lights work, fixing the glove box latch...that stuff is extremely rewarding and I don't believe is nearly as enjoyable or user-friendly on newer vehicles.

[jlevie]

I've not seen any late production cars that I'd be willing to buy. There are a few that I'd be willing to drive, but someone with an obscene amount of coin would have to buy it and give it to me. I'd much rather drive a 90's or earlier BMW (most any model). The driving experience is so much better.

And yeah I've had later BMW's up through early 2000 models. I don't have any of them now, but I do have three E30's. One is a race car, one is a restoration project that in now only lacking paint, and one is a future project. The goal of my restoration project is to make the car look and run like it did when it was delivered early in 1987. Almost there.

[CrusherCurtis]

/rant
and congrats you think like 100% of r3v. Welcome home buddy.

and you know your really home once you realize you've sunk new car money into an old car. And your a boss when you actually plan to sink new car money into it.

[previasc96]

I don't believe that I should spend my money buying something that I don't want.
There are cars that I love that came out in the late 1990's when I was a kid. Now that
I am older and need to rely on a vehicle for commute to work, most folks around me say stuff like "why would you want to buy a car with over 120k mi. on it?" or "it's beyond me why you would want to by a 20 yearold car!"
Cars are made of interchangeable parts, that can be replaced with reconditioned or new parts. If I can by a 1997 toyota corolla that runs fine with 120k mi, cold ac, timing belt already changed, new water pump and good tires for $2300 cash, why not? Throw another 2k on replacing all the shocks, front end parts (ball joints, cv axles,), new brake rotors and wheel bearings all around, and the car will be riding like it came off the show room floor... From this point on, a good tune up and regular oil changes can have the Corolla riding trouble free for a good 4 or maybe five years without any major work needing to be done.
Sure that is spending 4 grand to be driving an old car, but if it's what I love, i don't see anything wrong with it. The other side of the coin is to put down $4k on a 2012 corolla and which will probably Go for about $16k...Then make payments for 5-6 years on it and by the time I make my last payment probably spent about $22k. Buy the time the payment is done, the same money that would have been dropped into the 97' Corolla will have to be spent on the 2012 Corolla anyway, unless I trade it in an get myself into another car payment.
With half of what i would spend on a new car, I could probable replace every bolt on a 90's car LOL! And the 90's style is what I love so why give that up!? Only way I am gonna make payments on a vehicle for my own personal use is if it's something special that may become a collectable in the future. I will help my wife make payments on a newer/new vehicle for her comfort and peace-of-mind, but I can't justify doing it for me, I see no point in spending so many thousands of dollars on something that serves the same purpose and function of something I can get for a fraction of that cost.