Anyone else faced with this delimma?

[bishir]

Old vs. New?

I've always like older cars. (I'm 33) Though lately the complexities of life have led me to ponder the possibility of having a modern day hot rod. For me its the new GT-500, a cts-V, or a used z06. In your case perhaps its another newer car that has your fancy.
Since my budget would require the sale of my two current toys, I'd almost feel like I "sold out." Though every time I see one I think, "Golly, that would be nice to have."

With all the modern muscle out there right now are you being lured away?

So, talk me off the cliff or push me over it. I'm sort of in limbo here. I'd love to build a protouring GNX that has the best of both worlds, but with three youngins I'm afraid of starting a serious project like that at the moment.

Oops spelled dilemma wrong in the original thread title, but now I can't edit it.

[squirrel]

Sort of...but for my wife, not for me. I still like dealing with old stuff. My wife got a new truck a while ago, then got a Prowler because I never did build any of the old mopar hot rod projects for her.

Joe succumbed. so did Bryan.

[bishir]

My wife will drive anything as long as it has a 3rd row seat and power sliding doors. Yup, here's the current mom mobile... You can't really beat it on trips though...

[groucho]

Quick answer? There's no ticking clock on the value of older cars. Newer stuff....if you're quiet, you can hear it depreciating every minute...tick tock. There's far too much HEEB in this Italian to let that happen. I do have an inexpensive late model "driver" (not hot rod) and the $$ it saves me in gas out weighs the bad

[milner351]

Modern driver to not have to hassle with or worry about? Sure, if you have any kind of commute to work it's nearly necessity.

Modern muscle over an old hotrod toy vehicle? Nope - I can't swallow that one. If life is getting too hectic, maybe it's time to sell ONE, but not BOTH.

For similar reasons, I'm not putting the ski boat in the water this year, got to concentrate on building the falcon.

[SuperBuickGuy]

did you put a bumpsticker on it that said "I traded my sweet hot rod for this"

I got tired of the all-nighter to fix my DD to get to work. Of course, sometimes I make a great warning; if I had it to do again, I'd buy a CTS-V long before I'd buy another GTO or even Z06 since those are more likely to be hammered on then a -V

[Thumpin455]

From 1994 to 2004 I drove the 70 GTO daily, and had a 76 C10 for pulling things around. The C10 wouldnt make it to Charleston from Nebraska when I went back to the AF, so I drove the GTO. 1500 miles and no problems, even got low 20s for mileage. In 04 I needed something that got better mileage than low 20s and was reliable for very long drives. 1500 to 3000 miles at a time. So I got a 98 Formula, and have been daily driving it.

I dont get the same attention with the Formy as I did in the GTO, but its a nice ride with AC and decent power. I can still fix anything that goes wrong with it, and its a bit more expensive for tires, but the reliability has been nice. The wife likes the new car better than the GTO, because the goat has a ratty interior, no AC, is loud, and just isnt nice. I wont ever sell the GTO, its is the absolute last car I would sell. Yeah a 98 is the newest car I own, dont plan on buying anything newer unless its a winter beater.

Went from this:



To this:




Driving the Formula is different from the GTO, its more like an appliance, it has some style, a bit of cool factor, but its still lacking much soul. It does great on gas, usually 26-27 mixed slower than 62 here, and gets 29-31 when I can set the cruise at 75-80 like when I am rolling through Nebraska or Iowa. Its not selling out, its providing me with the time and another ride while I get the GTO working the way I want it. Get a beater for reliability, keep the old stuff for fun.

[Gary 351C]

No real dilemma for me, the Crown Vic is the newest "muscle" I can afford. Take a new Mustang, Camaro, Challenger and park them next to old ones and I'll pick the old ones every time even with half the power and handling like a greased brick, but that's just me. New cars are fine but they have no soul like cars that have been around for 40 years.

[squirrel]

Its not selling out

yeah, right....

[Dan Barlow]

No real temptation......Oh , I think about a new camaro.........just cannot afford it. I'll probably always be 10 years behind the curve. I haven't had a car payment in 20 years though.

[Joe Grippo]

I'd put my Mustang back on the street if I could financially swing a new Cobra Jet!
And that ain't happening....

[Beagle]

I drive an appliance to work, they're not tolerant of "my old p.o.s. that I won't get rid of because I love it broke down in traffic"

warranty
air conditioning that works, heater that works, everything does what it's supposed to
could care less if some idiot jackass totals it for me

If they total my old p.o.s. that I'm in love with, I will be PISSED. I don't know if that helps you with your decision.

[tedly]

Old vs. New?
With all the modern muscle out there right now are you being lured away?

Lured away? From what? I love old cars, but there is nothing wrong with the new stuff. Cars today are quicker, faster, safer, more powerful, more fuel efficient, better handling... I got no problem with this.

[pdub]

Lured away? From what? I love old cars, but there is nothing wrong with the new stuff. Cars today are quicker, faster, safer, more powerful, more fuel efficient, better handling... I got no problem with this.

From my vantage point of "nowhere," I wonder if wrenching is not a lifestyle choice and an activity unto itself. But I don't know, because I don't know how to do it.

And around Labor Day last year we traded our 06 Fusion for a 12. My logic was, if I live long enough to retire in about 6 years, I don't want our newest-best ride to be 12 years old at the time.

Then in the next breath, in November I bought Red the 06 Mustang because he was sitting under a tree up the street from our house.

Different purposes. Appliance here, fun there. ... Grocery getter.....fun machine. And as suggested by one of you guys here, the extent to which I have upgraded Red is to install new tanks of gas. Well, and speed-rated tires.

I don't reckon you could do only that with a much older car if you intend to get around in it.

[Thumpin455]

yeah, right....

Its not when I still have around 30 vehicles from before 1979 to get to, and the GTO is going to see some miles this year, unless the electrical system sends me packin. I have been busting my ass to get two GTOs on the road again, so having the newer beaters has allowed me to do more than just keep something running. Its not like I prefer to drive the 98, its just that it has fewer issues right now. Soon, it will need some quality time in the shop, man that is going to get expensive fast too.