BL rubbish and other assorted crap

Because it's much more rewarding to keep an old car running yourself, than being forced to rely on expensive main dealers. I admire people who keep old cars running, for taking the trouble and putting in the effort and at the end of the day, it still gets you from A to B. Well usually!

It's a bit of a fallacy that you can keep an old car running yourself - but not a modern one.

Modern cars have much simpler servicing - no grease nipples, no points, plugs usually last near forever. Fluid and filter changes no different - except not so frequent. True an engine management fault may defeat some - but then so could say a gearbox fault on an old model. So in each case sometimes specialist help will be needed.

What tends to happen is many look under the bonnet of a modern car and say 'I can't cope with that', so don't even bother to do an oil change. Which is actually rather easier on many cars than before.

If it's anything like my experience of BMW, the main dealers could put you off the marque for life. Luckily mine is out of warranty so I don't have to go near them.

And of course a carefully bought 'classic' will have zero depreciation if looked after - and may even go up in value.

I don't lust after any of those you've mentioned, though. ;-)

On some modern cars yes, but on the majority it is more difficult, older cars can often be drained just by leaning into the under bonnet area and slackening the visible drain plug, then twiddling off the oil filter which again is easy to reach, most stuff now needs at least jacking up, often remove undershields and then have the specialised key to drain the oil. finding a modern oil filter often needs dismantling other bits first, just finding the filter is often a puzzle, try changing a kuga diesel oil filter ! or a crv oil filter. having managed to get the oil out and a new filter in, you search in vain for a dipstick (I am thinking mercs here) having put in the specified amount of oil and checked that the electronics agree it is full, you take it for a drive and when fully hot the dash lights up telling you to stop immediately as there is too much oil in it. aaargh.

Because a new BMW is B O R I N G. You need a computer just to check the tyre pressure, for f*ck's sake!

In half a century, the worst car I ever drove was a 1.3 Marina *auto*. It was truly dreadful in every way.

Something for you to aim for, perhaps?

Chris

Oddly enough I was given a 1.3 auto marina coupe, it was really excellent, it had the best engine of that type I ever came across. I raced it in open banger class against 3 litre granadas and similar, it managed around 6th place regularly and was the subject of much interest in the pits, everyone expected it had the 1.7 or 1.8 with a manual box and were amazed at how well it went.

Yes, the 1.3 auto Marina sounds like the girl for me. Although, if we want to descend into *real* crappiness, what about something like an FSO Polonez? On reflection, there would be no joy in keeping one of those abominations on the road, would there?

Terry.

An army mate of mine in the 70s had a marina from new. It let in so much water he called it a mariner.

If I was to have an old brit motor I think I'd go for an anglia.

Steve

I was thinking of my BMW. Oil Filter at the top of the engine. Compared to my first car - an MG Magnette, also with a oil filter element, but a fiddly canister which could leak just by looking at it. And awkward to get at.

Any auto that small in those days would be a trial. The 1800 Marina auto wasn't too bad though. As Marinas go. My brother loved his Marina estate. ;-)

All this being a bit before my time, I had cause to look up the Wikipedia page on the Marina. It's noticeable that all the cars pictured are various shades of brown...

Theo

Nah,why not go for `real` quality,buy a Trabant. LOL.

doug.

En el artículo , snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com escribió:

Isn't that the one with the square steering wheel?

Funnily enough, the one I drove was a hire car I had for two weeks. When I opened the boot to check there was nothing left in it before I returned it, the water level was above the spare wheel...

Chris

Nah, it was 'quartic'!

It was actually only fitted on a few early models.

Chris

Well, an FSO would be a rarity these days: it'd be /exclusive/.

I drove one. It was an odd experience if you let the wheel slip back through your hands :-).

It was a 1750 SS a mate bought as a winter shed instead of his motorbike. It was quick, until you got to a corner.