[Bull]

A while back, I think that the other major Pontiac board (which I don't frequent as much since finding this one) had a thread about using older cars as daily drivers. The responses there were varied, but many people indicated that the idea was bad for reasons such as safety, fuel economy, reliability etc. I have a '93 Volvo 945T wagon that I use as my daily driver. I like it, but maintenance costs are high...if you need to have anything other than really minor work done at the shop, your wallet is going to hurt. I just got the car back after having the water pump and radiator replaced, and the bill was a painful $750. Even if I had done the work myself, the parts themselves would have added up to about $400. That made me think...back in graduate school, I was using my '77 GP with a 455 to commute from Northampton, MA to Providence, RI twice a week (about 1.5 hours each way). The only thing that ever failed on that car was the cheap rebuilt alternator. Sure, I paid for a lot of gas, but that was it. She started in the coldest temps thanks to the Edelbrock carb with electric choke, she was fun, she had a stereo, and although she didn't have airbags, she felt solid and safe. Plus, I enjoyed tooling around in a car that you rarely see on the streets. Is it unreasonable for me to be thinking of picking up some mid-70s Pontiac, 2 or 4 door, to use as a daily driver, reserving the Volvo for long trips and therefore reducing wear and tear on that car? Anyone among you all use a vehicle from the 70s as a daily driver? All opinions welcome.

[Bull]

A while back, I think that the other major Pontiac board (which I don't frequent as much since finding this one) had a thread about using older cars as daily drivers. The responses there were varied, but many people indicated that the idea was bad for reasons such as safety, fuel economy, reliability etc. I have a '93 Volvo 945T wagon that I use as my daily driver. I like it, but maintenance costs are high...if you need to have anything other than really minor work done at the shop, your wallet is going to hurt. I just got the car back after having the water pump and radiator replaced, and the bill was a painful $750. Even if I had done the work myself, the parts themselves would have added up to about $400. That made me think...back in graduate school, I was using my '77 GP with a 455 to commute from Northampton, MA to Providence, RI twice a week (about 1.5 hours each way). The only thing that ever failed on that car was the cheap rebuilt alternator. Sure, I paid for a lot of gas, but that was it. She started in the coldest temps thanks to the Edelbrock carb with electric choke, she was fun, she had a stereo, and although she didn't have airbags, she felt solid and safe. Plus, I enjoyed tooling around in a car that you rarely see on the streets. Is it unreasonable for me to be thinking of picking up some mid-70s Pontiac, 2 or 4 door, to use as a daily driver, reserving the Volvo for long trips and therefore reducing wear and tear on that car? Anyone among you all use a vehicle from the 70s as a daily driver? All opinions welcome.

[nosliw]

i wouldn't drive a mid 70's anything daily. in my experience at least, those 70's 80's and early 90's cars are crap now because of all the emissions stuff going on. just more stuff to fail imo

i drive my 67 tempest to school and back 2-3 times a week. just slap a tiny carb on 'er and your set.

[SlinkyBMX]

Dave, nice to hear from someone local. I was just in Amherst today. I use my 79 Trans Am as my daily driver. It has a 301, getting about 18mph. I'm about to take it off the road for the winter. While its off the road im putting the 455 that I am building in. Once the 455 is in, I dont think I will drive it everyday as I do now. Gas hurts already with just the 301. I travel from Hardwick to Ludlow/Palmer 6 days a week. It costs me about $10 a day in gas. I think that having an older car as a daily driver is alot of fun. Its not something that your average Joe drives to work, turns heads everyday, and its just fun. If I were to have another daily driver 70's car I would want it to be a little more fuel effecient then this one is now. Thats about my only complaint. Its built like a tank, so I feel pretty safe. Maybe I'll see you around sometime. Enjoy!

Lars

[Pontiacshack]

Right now I'm driving a 64 Lemans 389, 4 spd, 323 posi and getting 14 mpg. I don't mind giving up some mpg for the joy of driving something I like. Sure it needs stuff from time to time, but I can do all the maintainance on the car and my labor is free.

Stefan.

[68GTOConv]

I would stop driving that Volvo simply because of parts expense. If you are going to do a mid 70's car as DD, be sure it is something that will be cheap to repair. Because best chances are that you are going to be repairing it now and then ....

Mike M

[Lemans1]

I drive a 71 Datsun 240z everyday...back and forth to work is about 90 miles total. I get about 25mpg...not bad. I have driven many old Pontiacs for dd's as well...a 69 Firebird, 67 Lemans, and many years of Trans Ams. never had any major problems, and when something did go it was easy and cheap (ie, alternators, etc) Fuel economy wasn't the greatest, but what the hell, these cars are meant to be driven right?

[79GP6.6L]

I second Mike M's suggestion. Volvos aren't that reliable, the parts are expensive, and they are generally a pain to work on. Say no to Volvo!

[Shadowjack]

Most of us in the snow-and-rust belt don't drive our older cars for daily use year-round, even if they're beater/drivers like mine. Uses 'em up too fast. You always need a throwaway car for the winter where there's ice and salt. Hondas and Toyotas are cheap, reliable, and there's millions of them.

[68droptop]

I drive a 88 Beretta to work every day. I paid $900 for it about 3 years ago. I also have a 2000 Dakota with a 5.9 liter. In one year of having the Beretta, I save enough gas that it paid for itself. Even though I've done alot of work to the Beretta, I've still saved money by having this car. I put over 20k miles on it which saved the milage on my truck.
I would also ditch the Volvo and look for something cheaper for maintenance. That's one reason I went with a Beretta. Good luck.

[Rapdron]

Dave
I use my 72 El Camino to go back & forth to work 9 months a year. It's only about 25 miles a day round trip. I have upgraded the power train to a 350 tpi & a 700r4 trans from a 91 wrecked 91 Formula 350 Firebird.
It's great to drive, has cold a/c for the summer & gets better gas mileage than the Ford Explorer I use during the winter months.

As far as Volvos are concerned, they are a very expensive car to own & maintain, living on the reputation they gained from the 60's to 70's when they were a very good car!

When my 66 Bonneville convertible is finished, hopefully this winter, it will become my summer weekend car.

My wife however wouldn't think of parting with her AWD Toyota Highlander. She just smiles at me when ever I suggest she take one of my "old" cars anywhere. Nice car though

[GotGTO?]

I drive my 67 GTO everyday!!!!!!!!!!!Of course,I fix cars for a living and if it needs it it gets it! However,this car is in need of restoration,body-wise.It has never stranded me anywhere ,and the fuel costs are reasonable if I keep my foot out of it.It probably runs in the 14s although it hasn't been to the track yet.I can't afford to own a car that sits,nor would my wife let me own a car that isn't useful in our daily lives.It is the FAMILY car and my 6yr old and my 2 yr old always want to go for a ride. To each his own, mine is a DRIVER!!!!!!

[azbirds]

Nothing wrong with using an old car as a daily driver, it's all I have. My 68 Ram Air Bird is my driver, with a Pontiac 350 ( The original engine is tucked away)fuel injection and a Richmond 5 speed, 2:56 gears complete the combo. It gets great mileage and hasn't failed me yet. I drive it every day and use it for long trips too! Before this car was done, my daily driver was a 78 Trans-Am, before that a 69 Trans-Am. I still have the 69 but it needs to be freshened up, but these cars were built to Drive. The 69 also has a 5 speed and 2:41 gears.

[Steve O]

I guess there are a lot of variables involved in making this decision. Location is important. Salt and snow, and the resulting corrosion and rust, can wreak havoc on a car thats already 30-40 years old! Are you handy with a wrench? Can you fix the little things that might fail due to wear and tear, or do you take it to a shop for every repair? Will you have the time to frequently detail the car? Is it a solid, dependable car to start with? All weather seals relatively fresh and intact? Heater and defroster working?
Safety items, especially disc brakes (at least in front) and good tires, are essential. Your car may stop OK for an old car, but when that new Range Rover in front of you slams on the brakes (with 4 wheel discs, ABS, traction control, etc), will YOU be able to stop in time?
Other safety items include...4 way emergency flashers, wiper/washers in working order, seat belts and head restraints (just in case), cell phone and emergeny road-side service card (like AAA), etc. All electrical and lights need to be checked frequently...and make sure you have adequate tools and a few spare parts in the trunk...again, just in case.

Having said all that, you'd probably be OK using an older car for a daily driver. I know some guys that use their classics as daily drivers, and because they lavish lots of time and money on them, they usually drive their cars with just a bit more extra care than they would a late model "commuter". And they are more careful of where they park.

I alternate driving both my classic cars daily, but I'm in L.A. where extreme weather isn't an issue, and my commute isn't that bad. Stiil, I drive with just a bit more concentration and leave myself a little more room between cars.

Lots of things to consider, and I may have overstated the obvious in some cases, but all-in-all, driving a cool older car has its advantages too. I have experienced lots of thumbs-ups, and just a bit more "respect" from some of the other drivers on the road who appreciate the car and want to slow down for a better look, let me merge in front of them, graciously grant the right of way, etc. Valet guys LEAP to be the one to park my car, and usually park it in a safe, protected spot. (A little tip up-front works wonders too!) In this town, ANY slight advantage is precious.

Hope this helps. For our hobby (obsession?), it always good to see these cars on the road as frequently as possible...plus, it just makes you feel good driving something out of the ordinary, especially a classic American muscle car! JMHO.

[Half-Inch Stud]

All the old cars need is an HEI, Internal Reg alternator, and elec fuel pump. Good to go.
HIS

[78 GHOST]

My newest vehicle is a '79 GMC pickup. This is my primary driver. In 21 years of driving, the newest vehicle I've used as personal transportation was 10 years old.

Whenever I get a new addition to the fleet, I pretty much run down my standard list of things to examine and replace. This list includes every last rubber component on the engine. I also do a really thorough job of repairing all the things prior owners have neglected.

I spend a bit of time ensuring both normal and emergency brake systems are top notch.

I won't bore you with the details of exactly what I do, but I second the AAA idea. I also carry a small tool kit and extinguisher in each vehicle.

Driving an older car defensively will more than compensate for a lack of ABS, traction control, or any other modern gee-whiz technology. Especially in my truck, you cannot get away with tailgating especially in damp conditions.

The biggest hassle I think you'll have to overcome is water and wind leaks due to worn weatherstripping. Reliability issues due to the accumulation of neglect. And, the lack of modern amenities such as cup holders and seat warmers for your sig. other.

I recently was in the market for a pickup, and after suffering mild sticker shock at the price of new vehicles and the depreciation, I looked at an older truck. While not fancy or tricked out, I've got reliable transportation for 1/10th the price of a new truck. Plus, any repairs or maintenance needed can be accomplished in my driveway.

[STXJudge]

I drive my 69 GTO every day. But I'm still incredibly careful with it. Just like Matt said, I give plenty of space all around, take everything pretty easy, and I end up washing and waxing it almost every weekend. It's certainly a chore, and much more high maintenance than a modern car..But if I didn't have stuff to do to my car all the time, what would I do with my weekends? If you can keep your foot out of it, you can pull off passable gas mileage, even with my 455. It'll never compare to a late model efi I4 or V6 in that department, but they don't compare to me in performance or the attention I get. I say, if you can do the maintenance, and don't mind the gas prices, put all the miles you want on your car. That's what it's for.

[Bull]

So, it seems as though there are mixed opinions on this topic, which is normal. I am encouraged to see that some people do use older cars as daily drivers, though. As for emissions issues, cars from the 70s aren't required to go through those tests in Massachusetts (I can't recall the earliest model year that does off the top of my head). I have basic mechanical ability, having rebuilt a few engines and worked on old Pontiacs for about 10 years now, so fixing small problems as they arise is no big deal. I won't lie, though...in the biting cold of January, without a heated garage to work in, I can get pretty lazy and annoyed at having to troubleshoot a problematic car.

As for gas prices, I try to rationalize that, or at least I did back when I was cruising in the GP daily. Many people in America are paying big money to lease new cars, or to buy them outright. I can buy a whole lot of gas before I come close to spending what someone with a new car spends on payments. The $750 that I just dropped on the Volvo could also have bought a lot of gas!

Half-Inch Stud, how does an electric fuel pump make an older car more reliable or driveable? I'm curious.

SlinkyBMX, you're the first person from the state whom I've seen on the board! Good to know I'm not alone here. BTW, your Formula is tempting and would be in my garage if I had extra cash on hand.

[68GTOConv]

I should have mentioned that there is one advantage FOR using an older car as a daily driver. But it only applies if the car is relatively cheap/easy to fix ... especially if you can do the work yourself.

A newer car (reference my '01 Monte SS) costs a damn fortune to have worked on. And things you can't fix yourself are the first to break. If you've ever paid to have an EFI unit serviced, you'd appreciate the low cost of rebuilding a carb! If you've ever paid $1,000 to get your power windows operating, you become thankful for crank windows!

If your stereo goes out and you lose all ability to cancel the pesky alarms that show up on your dash, you will be thankful for "simpler" features of older cars. I could go on ....

Mike M

[meanolegoat]

An older car makes sense as a daily driver. As long as its in good shape mechanically. Factor in the cost of car payment, insurance, property tax, repairs..... I drove a 75 T/A up until the mid 90's, with a 77 Suburban as a backup (sold the Sub a couple of years ago). If I ever finish my 68 GTO I plan to drive it a good bit
(only on sunny days though). Until then I will continue to put 60+ miles a day on my 91 740 Volvo. Whick I havn't done anything to except for tires, brakes, oil changes.
"mean"