Older cars as daily transportation

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxx>]

>--- In dmcnews@xxxx, Samuel <samuel_yahoo@xxxx> wrote:
> This is a long email but what do you expect from a new person.
> 
> 
> 
> Samuel

This is a long response, but what do you expect from an aging man.

As the owner of 4 Lincoln Mark V's, 2 AMC Spirits (one of which I
drove in high school), a Ford truck, and a DeLorean (all inspected &
on the road, though not all fully restored yet), I do feel qualified
to answer this one.

Can an older car be reliably used for daily transportation? Definitely
yes. The NEWEST vehicle in my stable is the truck (1985), which has
towed purchases from as far as the Great Lakes. I regularly drive the
Lincolns 1000 interstate miles. Louie G and I recently zipped almost
to Georgia and back in one day in our D's. These vehicles are much
more than a hobby for me -- they are my daily transportation. Next
stop is a Schwinn.

BUT...

An older car rarely enters one's life in such condition. It can take
months just to debug a car and bring it mechanically up to speed.
Restoration takes even longer. I would realistically expect to spend 6
- 12 months, start to finish. The car is usually roadable during most
of that time, but in various states of interior and exterior
disrepair. It's a long, exhausting, aggravating process, but if you
stick with it, the end result is a better looking, higher quality
vehicle with longer life expectancy than anything available in today's
showrooms.

Please note: all this time spent resurrecting a "fine new ride" serves
two other very important purposes.
1) you will become intimately familiar with all aspects of your car,
almost to the point you could tear it down and reassemble with your
eyes closed. This knowledge is invaluable when something goes wrong
(it will). You can quickly and correctly diagnose the problem. Repairs
made yourself cost the parts alone. Should a third party mechanic
become involved, he is much less likely to screw something up (perhaps
innocently) if you can explain the particulars of your car, probably
unfamiliar to him.
2) you will form an emotional attachment to the vehicle. This bond
will keep you from sending the poor thing to a crusher should it ever
suffer a REAL crisis. 

The biggest problem I see with purchasing a "restored" DeLorean (other
than that astronomical price tag) is you miss the above. Our world is
full of people roaring up & down the highways in cars they understand
little about other than the sound system (and where the gas filler
door is located). These are the folks you see on the side of the road
with a raised hood and totally perplexed look on their faces. Auto
repair facilities make a financial killing from them. They mismaintain
and abuse their vehicles to a premature death, then show up next year
in someone else's showroom complaining that such-and-such car company
just can't make a car worth a darn.

Besides, auto restoration really is quite fun.

Re: using a DeLorean in particular for daily transportation, I can see
valid reasons NOT to do this:
1) the car really isn't all that practical (wasn't designed to be.
It's a two seat sports car with limited cargo capacity)
2) every time you venture onto a public right of way, you expose your
vehicle to risk. Since our pieces come from a different price book
(and some are now a tad scarce), it's wise to limit such exposure
3) daily driving = wear & tear. The more you sit in the seat, shuffle
your feet on the carpet, and push the knobs, the sooner all will wear
out. Every twist, turn, and bump in the road takes a little toll. See
replacement parts policy under 2)
4) There's no place to put a flat 15" rear tire (I plan to engineer a
removeable Land Rover-esque bracket to attach one to the hood. Will
post a message after completed)

Please note -- above does NOT mean treat your car like a precious
porcelain vase, locked away and never used. Sitting idle is EXTREMELY
bad. How many messages on the DML have as their root cause lack of use
(it still amazes me that sellers tout "low mileage garage kept" as a
virtue). Should you find your Dream D, regularly give it the exercise
it desperately needs. 

'nuff said.

Bill Robertson
#5939