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How many cars from the 1970s and older are in decent shape at a low cost? I see some young people driving vehicles 20 to 25 years old. Driving cars built in the 1960s and older usually means no power brakes, no disc brakes, no power steering, no seat belts, and sometimes higher insurance rates (depending on model). Even 25 year old (1989) vehicles have power brakes, front disc brakes, power steering, seat belts, and usually (depending on model) lower rates.
My youngest drives a 16 year old car...does that count? He does know how to check and add the oil, coolant, and washer fluid, and change a headlight bulb. All things being equal, he would prefer to bike, be picked up, or walk. He does not really like driving. When offered the opportunity to take the vehicle with him to college this year, he declined.
My oldest prefers to drive newer, safer, and more reliable vehicles after an expensive fix it experience with an older clunker (tires, brakes, electrical system, brake line, and tranny all within 6 months - and he's a GOOD driver! He unloaded it before he replaced the tranny). He bought a new model vehicle 2 years ago and it's been a dream for him! My middle would prefer to not drive...he likes the big city life with excellent train, bus, taxi, and Uber options. When he does drive, he usually remembers to glance at the gas gauge to make sure it is over E.
Autotraderclassics.com currently has 4 1969 Mustangs, all with V8's, under $13,000. 3 of those have less than 80k on them, the other one says true miles are unknown. V6's are even cheaper.
So, the problem is not affordability for older cars, it's lack of desire. Kids today want a car (those kids that even care about cars) that can play their songs through bluetooth, that has all power features, and all the latest options.
Their parents want them to have airbags, and antilock brakes, and have good reliability and a warranty.
Classics cars have none of those things, and without even the lure of nostalgia for a kid today... Why would they even look for a classic car?
What's classic to them is going to be late 80's/90's cars.
You have a link to this? I just looked and found one only on a nationwide search, they wanted right under $13k for a coup, which are the least desirable ones; fastbacks are the nicest looking and most desirable.
Not saying good deals do not exist, but they are far and few between to the point of being relatively rare, enough to dissuade someone unless they were a serious hobbyist.
I second the view that the young aren’t into cars much. Looks like the boring side won and convinced them that a car is just for transportation. It is not just cars. I ride motorcycles and one of my wife's fears was that the boys could not resist riding it and would hurt themselves. Let me tell you something. If that 800lb hunk of steel disappeared from the garage they would not notice. Not once did they expresso any desire to ride it. I don’t know what it is but something has died inside boys.
That's sad... but I guess also a good thing at the same time.
I ride too, though I sold my last bike about 2 years ago. Have had at least one bike for the past 20 years. Sold the last one when we decided to start a family. I know how dangerous riding can be (typically not the rider, but the cars around them) and I'm not sure how I'd feel if my daughter wanted a motorcycle. If she never wants one or cares about them at all, then I guess the silver lining is that she won't get hurt on one either.
You have a link to this? I just looked and found one only on a nationwide search, they wanted right under $13k for a coup, which are the least desirable ones; fastbacks are the nicest looking and most desirable.
I think plenty of kids/young adults are into cars, maybe more than ever before. There is plenty of street racing events (illegal and legal) and they aftermarket is huge. Sure, the specific interest is different than years ago, but it is still an interest, and it has shifted to cars that really, it is all they can afford (the rise of the Japanese performance cars).
Even in at the height of the muscle car era, true muscle cars were not all that common, hence their rarity today and even 20 years ago. While there were a lot of camaros, not all of those were the v8 monsters, many were just six cylinder weaklings. The camaro ss or the boss 302 was hardly the standard car back in the day (thank goodness for engine swaps!)
They are all coups, no one likes coups, the desired ones are fastbacks. It is not the point of merely having a classic car, it is about having the one everyone like, like the fastback mustang.
Yea, I went back and edited my post; I accidentally selected six cylinder.
But the v8's are all coups; reality is a person can just do an engine swap, no big deal, but trying to find an affordable classic car that is desirable is more difficult. The fastbacks were always the desirable ones, the coups have not been.
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He does know how to check and add the oil, coolant, and washer fluid, and change a headlight bulb. All things being equal, he would prefer to bike, be picked up, or walk. He does not really like driving. When offered the opportunity to take the vehicle with him to college this year, he declined.
