i know most people here prefer older cars but what is the general consensus on old fast cars vs new fast cars?
example: i have a 78 datsun with an rb25 swap, but it is a handfull and semi uncomfortable (no ac ,ps ,heat,) and i LOVE it, but i see my friends now with newer cars , reliable shiny cars , with nice interiors and that are still fast, i don't want to be a felinus domesticus ...but what is yall's opinion ....
I had the Miata of my dreams and it needed absolutely nothing in terms of maintenance and upgrades. I looked for months before I found it and drove across the state to buy it. It was a great daily driver and all around fun car and would have been prefect for all sorts of motorsports.
However.
I sold it to concentrate my time and money on my '75 Datsun 280Z. I have a ZXT swap to do, complete suspension and brake upgrade, typical rust repair and repaint, and all the other stuff a 36 year old car needs.
The Miata was better in every respect, with A/C, power steering, drop top, easily sourced parts, and dealer support but the Datsun won out in the end because the emotional connection I feel with it and the uniqueness the car has. The Miata was largely ignored by the average person despite the rollbar, big wheels and lowered stance but the Datsun drew all kinds of attention and started all kinds of conversations with it's rusty spots, worn out appearance and general shabbiness. I enjoyed the later and will also enjoy remaking the car into something beautiful again.
Does that help?
NO lol, that's exactly how i feel, i think i've had one or two cars (out of 32) past 1991... even now , i have a starion and the z and a 240sx . i like them all because they are all so...soo...sooo.... "real" . idk i drive new cars all day since i work at a dealership . it's nice to drive cars with 17 miles on the odo, have radios , full interiors and still manage to have some gettup...but they are not exciting.
but then again they are all hondas, bone stock hondas. the s2k is exciting... but it's not a normal honda. i long for a wrx sti or mitsu evo ...ugh.
Pros? vs cons?
the "right" car is the one that a) you can afford, and b) you want to own. That's true whether you are looking at old or new cars.
That second factor is variable, though....what are you doing/do you want to do with it, will it ever be used for ultitarian/commuting purposes, etc.
I gave up on new cars.. I am very happy with my "slow" 318ti and Classic 900. I have no need for a really fast new car..
You're asking a question doesn't have a black-and-white answer, one that's extremely subjective. It's like you asking us what your favorite color should be, or who you should marry. Only you can answer as only you truely know all your wants, needs, and limitations.
That's $100 dollars, please.
Take all the money you would have spent on the "new" car and upgrade your RB25 powered Datsun. I assume it's a 280Z?
My RB26DETT powered 240Z has full coil-over's, Porsche 993 brakes, 17" Panasports running 255/40/17 Bridgestone RE050's, working air conditioning, 8 way power seats out of the same Porsche 993, Alpine stereo, power windows, remote keyless power locks & alarm and a fully upgraded electrical system w/HID headlights.
It rides like a dream. Is incredibly comfortable to drive long distance. I've made several trips to LA and back to San Francisco and it was great.
The only regret I have is the lack of power steering. Those 255's are a bear to rotate in a tight parking lot!
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/538/
If you do choose to get rid of the Z, make sure you call me first! ;)
Cheers, WW
P.S. There are few "new" cars that are "faster" than my 39 year old Datsun... I can give you a litany of new M3 BMWs and Porsches of various types that have tried to prove me wrong and failed miserably... ;) With the exception of power steering, they have no more comfort in their ride than I do in mine.
New is easy. Just make the payment. Old is harder, absolutely, but ultimately more rewarding for guys like us.
My race cars are newish, and while I would rather be on the track in a 240Z with all the goodies, for me its a matter of time. I work on cars professionally, and have the resources to make and compete in a very cool older car. What I don't have is the time and inclination. Racing a modernish EFI car is simple, and my list of DNF's is very short.
I should have added that I have a bone stock 5 speed 2007 Honda Fit sport that I bought new for my daily driver. It's reliable, roomy, good on gas and entertaining enough that I don't have to worry about it like I would the Datsun on my 70 mile daily commute. I did use my Miata for the same commute and it did great, even in the winter.
IMO, the key to enjoying a fussy, older sportscar with compromises is to use it occasionally and to have a newer primary car to do the heavy lifting.
Streetwiseguy wrote:New is easy. Just make the payment. Old is harder, absolutely, but ultimately more rewarding for guys like us.
Truth!
1988RedT2 wrote:Streetwiseguy wrote:New is easy. Just make the payment. Old is harder, absolutely, but ultimately more rewarding for guys like us.
Truth!
Sorta.
On the other hand, we just put the STI swapped Subaru up for sale after a very short ownership: was it fun? Yes. Fast? Absolutely. Reliable? Yes, so far. That all said, I don't have the time to keep an older car as a family vehicle. It's getting replaced by a (somewhat pricier) stock E46 Wagon. It will be fun, while allowing me to putter on a separate older project car that can wait for when I want to work on it. If the older car becomes a frustration, then it stops being fun...which is the driver for this hobby in the first place.
And so: the hobby car will always be something with (arguably) more character, something older.
But buying a TDI Golf early this year taught me an important lesson: it can be VERY good to have a reliable, souless appliance for the commuter.
I once tried very hard to get out of a 97 Miata and into a 914. Shaking, rattling, and a lack of creature comforts and power assist has its appeal.
I find that the older cars, while slower, actually feel faster and are more fun. My 1980 911 was a hoot on the track but the 2011 911 I drove recently was 4 seconds quicker around the track but not as fun. I like modern EFI, though-I would like a modern EFI engine in an older, simpler car. I also loved driving a classic Mini and owned a new MINI, both were outstanding but I had to drive a lot faster in the new one to be as entertaining as the old one.
you want to feel fast while going no where quickly? AC beetle.. preferably a pre-69 Swing axle car with drum brakes in all four corners
I think it depends on what your priorities are. I like to think of this in terms of 2 classes: Tinkerer and Racer. Some people are tinkerer's, some are racers and some are a mix of both. Some are civilians, but those people dont exist in our world, they belong in limbo with their priuses 
Tinkerer's enjoy the build process. They like developing a concept from imagination to reality. My friend who comes out to autocrosses is a tinkerer. He has fun driving, but he does not have the passion for it. He has ideas of devilspawn turbo e30s brewing in his head. Although he also loves class and BMW, so his ideal DD is a 750il. I thought I was a tinkerer/racer. Turns out Im a racer.
After spending a year of my life trying to prepare a semi daily turbo miata beast for track, I gave up and sold both my cars. I finally figured out that it was not worth all the random breakdowns, wasted money, cursing and sleepless nights. Ironically, this car was keeping me off the track. I bought a 2008 Civic Si Sedan and have not looked back once. Fact is, I dont mind working on my car once in a while. I change my pads for track days, do some basic work and can help out a friend. I mostly enjoy the company and good times. Rebuilding engines? No thanks! I prefer to spend my time battling at the wheel, whether it be Autocross or Track/Solo1.
Is the car slower, quiter and less flashier? Hell yes. Have I had one breakdown? Nope. I drive to the track, in complete comfort, beat the living snot out of the car and drive back. Not even a whimper from her. Warranty is nice to have. A very good stock audio system, AC (which I have used maybe twice?), power steering are all bonuses. Catching a gutted, bolt on STi? Priceless.This car opened a lot of doors for me and ironically has allowed me to get behind the wheel of some amazing and scary cars, much scarier than even my very scary turbo miata. Because I finally started getting the seat time, taking various race schools. There is no random fabricating, lsd failures or ecu codes. I can just focus on developing as a driver. Thats my thing... I get joy from being able to get inside and unfamiliar car and beat the owner... maximize the car in whatever form and conditions I am given to the best of my abilities.
Maybe you enjoy getting a car to go to speeds that it was never engineered for 
? Then you my friend, are more of a tinkerer. Lets be honest, the GRM Challenge is all about that 
i think i'm both, i love to drive my cars, but i love to tinker too. i have tons of crazy ideas floating around and i'm unsure if getting a new car would keep me from tinkering with it and eventually it being at the same phase as my older cars...
Im all about variety so i prefer to have both. Although, my newer stuff will never be as fast as my older stuff because i dont want to put the time, effort, and money into something that i wont drive like i dont care if i lose it.
Anyway, in my case it has always been a situation of: more is better up to about 5, and it stops being fun around 8, and having 12 means almost nothing gets done.
So shoot for 5!
I'm still autocrossing a TR6, a car that made the 240Z look modern.
I did grapple with this same issue for several years, finally deciding that I did want a car that was fast and handled great from the factory so if I ever wanted to make it faster I had a good base to start with. for me that necessitated an older car due to budget.
It also meant that I could find what I wanted in the best shape possible and never had to make car payments. last august I bought a 1988 bmw M5. and it's completely awesome.
keep in mind the last car I bought was new, and I still have it. its a 2001 corolla. I tried my best to make it faster, and I succeeded. I autocrossed it for four years and won the regional championship two of those four years, but at its best, its nowhere near as quick or as fun and soulful as the M5 in stock form, and I paid less for the M5 than for the corolla. for me older is better. I am not a fan of the new electronic black box stuff coming out on the new cars.
I won't quote rwdsport, but I agree completely. If I had a track near by or the money to buy a newer car to flog that's what I would do. Alas, I have a newer bike (check avatar) as my toy, and I have older "tinker toys" such as my '89 RM250 that constantly needs work. Keep in mind I'm a youngin'. The point is that I can afford to have bikes and such laying around but cars is a no go. I work out of my garage. However, one day when I have the money, I want to buy a newer sports car.
