How difficult is it to maintain a 30-year-old car?

[SparrowHawk]

Hey everyone,

So despite having access to nice Audis, I've always wanted an early/mid '90s Volvo 850, ideally a fast T-5R or R estate. I've always assumed that it would be hell keeping a car running that's that old, both in terms of time/effort/money and availability of parts. Obviously it partially depends on how well it's been taken care of previously. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience, maybe even on Volvos specifically?

To provide a bit of context, I prefer doing work myself if anything is needed, and I'm always happy to learn but also not averse to taking it to a professional where needed. I'm competent when it comes to basics (e.g. servicing, suspension, brakes, door mechanisms) and also have some experience with paintwork/detailing (e.g. fixing scratches, painting chips). I've got a decent selection of tools/equipment for these kinds of things. However, I haven't touched the inner workings of engines or done full car re-paints or anything like that.

Thanks. Matt

 

[SiPie]

I thought it would be a good midlife crisis to buy a 986s Boxster (2003) as a fun weekend toy.
The huge problem I ran into was that i like my cars to be perfect and creaks, groans, rattles, general imperfections are inevitable and all part of owning a 20 year old car and I just wasn’t suited to this. If I’m really pushing on and I go into a bend I needed to know that everything was as sound as it could be.
If you are mechanically able then most of these things you can keep on top of but if you have limited knowledge or time like me then it ends up being a money pit to keep perfect.
Just my take on a year that cost £5k to bring a good car up to scratch that I then sold.

 

[rum4mo]

I like the idea, but I would also always aim for perfection and I know that I can't achieve that, parts support is probably there for some of these Volvos and the Porsches, but as said, "money pit" which is fair enough if that is your chosen hobby as most other things would also grab lots of cash.

I have a friend that has had many older SAABs during his motoring life, up to 4 SAAB 95/96 in storage waiting for life to allow him to sort them all out as they had been bought as runners and used until needing serious work doing - that plan ended up badly as the years went by, he kept on building himself new houses - and the farm that he was using for storage changed hands quickly and the scrappy got all his old SAABs! Now he is back to that trick again, a reasonably tidy 1976 SAAB 96 is decaying rapidly, a SAAB 900 convertible has been added bought in terrible condition, but funds have been diverted to other things, he seems happy to work on them, but I'd doubt if any of them get beyond being just road legal and so any trips away could end up with being taken home early on a low loader!

I wish that I could see a way round this for him and also for me, I just loath rust! My older daughter's partner has a Lotus Esprit S4 GT3, and it just does not get the use or the attention that it deserves, so to me it has become a cheap buy for someone if he ever sells it and that the £35,000+ desirable classic he hopes that it will become.

One thing to be aware of about the Volvo with AWD, it seems that many end up with an issue maybe with the transfer box, so the shaft gets the end cut off and refitted - so bear that in mind if buying one that now only is FWD.

Of course, maybe my problem is that I just an afraid to get involved with a "hobby car", I've got the time, got the tools and double garage and enough cash to throw at it, but that is far as I've gone.

Citroen CV2 might work as it can never be described as a beautiful looking car?

 

[SparrowHawk]

Thanks for the thoughts--it's all genuinely useful information. I have too many other hobbies/interests to be putting loads of money into it, so I think I'll stick with my current reliable cars for now!

 

[Garrett 69]

Older cars if previously well maintained tend to be more reliable than newer cars. There's a lot less to go wrong with them and consequently any repair costs are much less.

As far as economy goes, despite all the figures touted, fuel economy was just as good in the 60's and 70's as it is now.

 

[jdp1962]

As far as economy goes, despite all the figures touted, fuel economy was just as good in the 60's and 70's as it is now.

Yeah, mostly because today’s models are about double the weight of their near-equivalent predecessors.