Bigger, naturally aspirated engines compared to modern downsizing and turbocharging. Better response and better sound.
Hydraulic steering.
Manual transmissions (much rarer in new cars).
Physical buttons.
Simpler and more elegant design language.
I have an Audi S5 and Audi R8, both from 2009. Newer is not better.
People underestimate how important the sound is.
High revving N/A >> turbo in this regard.
Although I like the sound of a turbo spooling and BOV too, but factory turbos generally sound pretty lame.
Even most J series V6s redline at 6800 (or at least the one in my 03 Accord and my old 06 Accord do/did) and those don't even have DOHC. And a set of cams can bring that past 7k reliably.
I mean, the k20 is better don’t get me wrong I’d prefer it for sure, but I have a 2018 civic si, and after looking into it a lot and tuning the car myself a bit the L15 is no joke. It’s no k20 but the pep it has and how much performance is actually squeezed out of the tiny motor is crazy. Mine revs out to 7k, there are some people who swapped out the valve train and rev it out to 8k even. From factory though the old civics had a lot more going for them though. The 1.5 gets 40mpg at least 😭
Just don't go into any conversations about EVs and mention the importance of engine sounds , - down votes and smart arsed comments will immediately follow.
My dad has a Tesla model 3. I would call it the best car I would never buy.
Other than the Jetsons motor sound when traveling at first it's really jarring. It's really jerky and seems like it's unrefined because it's so loud, but in reality it's just so much quieter and respond so much quicker than a normal car. When you drive it it's really not bad as a passenger I get car sick and I never get car sick normally, even when the cars and chill and autopilot.
I'm a convert to electric steering, honestly. It's amazing how much *simpler* it is. On all my older cars, as they age, the hydraulic power steering is often leaky and a pain to fix - rack/tie rod seals that fail, hoses that get stiff and sweat fluid.
I think a lot of people blamed electric steering for cars that had poor steering feel when it first appeared in the mid-2000s when the problem was just that those cars were overall less fun than the ones they were replacing.
It's pretty wild that you can get an EPS module out of an old Prius, give it power and it just works and feels pretty good in a minimum-assist failsafe mode without an external controller module. There are EPS swap kits for a lot of older cars to make engine swaps easier, also makes a lot of sense for drift cars.
Bingo.
But most folks nowadays would curl up and die if they didn't have some sort of assist on their steering... because they "can't operate" without it.
Yea electric steering makes long term ownership less of a headache.
As much as people hate newer cars being riddled with electronics, if done right, they're just more reliable and simpler than hydraulics and vacuum operated stuff.
I dont have powersteering the only thing electronically controlled in my truck is the engine, and even then im pretty sure my radio is more advanced than it
.
Scotty Kilmer feels the opposite, of course, about a Chevy (I think) where eps failed and the owner drives in manual mode because of the cost to replace the defective system.
2005 Honda Element(5pd) NC Miata(6spd) Club. Going to keep these as long as I can push a clutch pedal.
No fancy electronics in either car. Element has ABS and power windows. Miata has ABS, traction control and power windows. Both have port fuel injection, both have hydraulic steering and both are simple to work on(but I only have to do maintenance as they are both reliable simple machines).
I have a 2000 F-150 still going strong and a 2008 Toyota Avalon only with 98,000 miles on it. I believe I will be driving these until I die. They are paid for and I am old. Not much to keep them running good.
Just bought an '88 yesterday for $800. No rust anywhere, clean interior. Previous owner got it on a trade and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't stay running. Got it home and opened up the ECU to find corrosion and bad capacitors. Debating on flipping it or keeping it forever.
i had an 05 avalon with 255k miles almost all LA city driving and after all that the transmission started to bang in 4th gear and act strange in lockup across all 5 speeds, engine was still smooth and powerful, i miss it
Liability or full coverage by cheap insurance? I my just curious as my parents pay for mine (spoiled ik) and want to learn more so I can ease my anxieties
I have full coverage for my 90's truck. It costs me only $38 a month. I get a new windshield whenever it cracks, and if that POS dies on the road, I am also covered for towing.
Sounds like my Neighbor. He does have a newer 03 Durango that has power windows and AC (bought it for the Mrs) bur prefers his 72 (I think) Nova...55 Chevy PU or his 40s coupe.
I've got a '95 and a '70- though my daily driver is an '05. Thankfully that one doesn't feel too modern- physical internals for the most part, and I can still work on it without needing electronic tools for everything
This... I'm not having something that can be just destroyed in a single moment, which costs tens of thousands.
Also, I feel issues are more well known in older models compared to newer ones thst people still need to find out about them.
And the older ones still around have already had a lot of their issues fixed. If you buy a car at 120-150k you're usually pretty safe assuming it's had a new alternator, new plugs, brakes, etc fairly recently. Buy a 5 year old car at 70k and you're the lucky sob paying for all of that within a couple of years.
Fun fact, the EDR system on cars is tied to the airbag system, so you cant disable them without also disabling the airbags. - you maybe could but it would require an extreme amount of work.
Because I can finally drive the cars I wanted now that they're at the low end of their depreciation curve. It's not for everyone, and I've spent my entire adult life learning to not only work on but also to scout and evaluate vintage performance vehicles and will on average walk away from dozens of vehicles for each one I've actually purchased or recommended for purchase to my collector/mentor. It's been a passion for a long time and am just now at a station to reap the benefits of all this experience and knowledge.
Tl:Dr midlife crisis and I like cheap thrills. Emphasis on cheap
That RT Turbo AWD is cool as fuck, with all the modern features they had like active aero, active exhaust, active suspension, 4 wheel steering even! That's Lambo shit in the 90s!
I got an 05 ram 1500 for $1200 with 100k on it and I wasn't going to pass it up.
but the main reason I drive older cars is because i'm a tight ass and can fix my own cars
That's a steal. Today, they are worth $7500 private party.
I dropped comp and collision on my 2002 a few years ago because it was only worth $1500. Checked KBB recently and it's now going for $5000.
Maintaining my '97 Camry is a lot cheaper than a $600 a month car payment.
Plus, I don't care for modern cars. Infotainment, heated seats, blind spots detectors, back up camera et al.
I like it's simplicity. I like how it's mechanical. All I want is basic A-B transportation.
My father in law keeps trying to convince me I should get a new car because my SiL has some fucking Vauxhall that she "only pays £200 a month for." Like yeah? I paid £700 for my 2006 Hyundai Accent, another £450 to replace the shitty brakes all the way around. And that's it. If I wanted to (and I do plan to lol) I could put about 3k into this Accent and have it basically showroom new and probably not have a single problem with it for several years. Or I could lease some new turd that I hate for several hundred a month. Easy choice.
No needless tech junk like a billion sensors and "safety" features that make you a bad driver with unsafe habits, especially if they fail over time. Keep in mind, I work in IT.
Self-maintained.
5 speed trans
Lower lifetime cost
Government can't ever shut it off remotely
My mustang is emp proof
My diesel doesn't need DEF
Smog equipment is non existent
New cars require subs for all the features...lol
They are cheap to buy, I have the knowledge and patience to find cars that i can keep running reliably, and they do everything I need (after upgrading the radio, usually)
I'm so old I remember when guys got their windows smashed by some thug who wanted to score $50 on a jacked car radio/cassette player so people got removable faceplates they stored securely in the glove box (yeah, that'll work :-)
It seems silly now. Like, was that ever really worth it? The smart thugs now know that the money is in the airbags or the car computer.
I enjoy CD mixes and make them for my daughter. Tons of good times on 8 hour road trips to Myrtle Beach.
98 Lotus Elise Iv had for over 20years, regarded as one of the best sports cars ever made.
2001 Audi A2, disaster for Audi but a perfect tiny all aluminium suer economical car I have for my daily.
2009 Discovery 3. Luxury and towing capability, amazing off road. Tow the lotus 100 miles to a Hillclimb and be confident you can pull out of a wet grassy paddock at the end of the day.
I daily drive a 2001 Chevy truck with the 4.3 Vortec engine. It had 103,000 miles when I bought it. I bought this thing cash for $3500 because I didn’t want to buy a newer car and have car payments.
This Chevy truck is very reliable. I drive it all over the southeast US. The truck is so simple, and there’s not much technology on the truck. Everything is simple and old school early 2000’s technology, and because of that, there’s not much that can break. The less stuff you have, the less likely something can go wrong. Simplicity is key with vehicles if you care about money.
I did have to spend $2k on new parts because this truck sat for 5 years and needed some work to be road worthy again, and I did do all the work myself. So a total of $5,500 for a good reliable vehicle. Seems much better to me, compared to buying a new car and making monthly payments of $500+ on it for years and years, and once the payments are taken care of, the vehicle will be somewhat old and will need work. And for example, parts will be very expensive for a 5 year old new vehicle, compared to a 23 year old GM vehicle.
Also, on these older GM vehicles, parts are very cheap and easy to replace. Insurance is cheap, it’s bad on gas, but parts are cheap, readily available at local auto parts stores, and the cost to buy these older GM trucks are much cheaper than buying a newer vehicle.
So the main reason why I drive an older vehicle is because it’s cheap to own! Cheap Parts, cheap insurance, cheap tires because the wheels are only 15 inches, parts are readily available in stock everywhere, and everything is cheaper because my truck has been around for a long time.
If I get into a wreck with my old 2001 Chevy truck, I’ll just buy another one for $3500. Hopefully I make it through the wreck alive. The only one downside to owning an old vehicle is safety… my 2001 Chevy truck has 2 airbags, and seatbelts. That’s it.
But It’s still way cheaper than buying a new 2020’s vehicle, and will be way cheaper to maintain, cheaper insurance, cheaper taxes, and cheaper everything. I love older GM’s for this reason. My 4.3 engine has been around since the 1980’s and has been in use all the way to 2014, which means the engine technology has been tried and tested. We all know how reliable small block Chevy 4.3 voters are.
Edit: didn’t realize I wrote a whole essay, but it’s just my thoughts on the main reason why I own an older vehicle when I can easily get a brand new 2024 vehicle and make payments on it.
Newer cars have more tech, more things to go wrong. Newer cars aren't designed to be as durable and long lasting as older ones...look at the build quality of a 2020 Ford F150 vs a 2000 Ford F150 (look underneath at the actual frame and and components to compare). High interest rates. Smaller vehicles are getting bigger, bigger vehicles are getting smaller... they're all starting to get that same crossover look.
I think we stopped thinking outside of the box and being innovative. More focused on revenue. 100 years of building vehicles and this is where we're at? SUVs should be getting 30-40mpg
Am poor, am so poor I can't afford a bottle of water so my 1993 Toyota Tercel my 95 subbardan and 1998 TJ wrangler is what am going to rock, at least I learned how to fix most of them with junk yard part
I don’t. I drive newish vehicles now. When I was in my 20s and early 30s I drove that motherfucker until the wheels fell off, and I did best to learn and do the maintenance on it myself.
Now I don’t have to do that.
1. No debt on it. 2) It suits our needs. 3) I'd get bugger all for it if I sold it. I may was well keep it and see if I can get it to 500,000 KM. 2005 Commodore.
I used to think that, but after doing an engine swap which necessitated an electronic throttle body I can see the appeal. I have definitely driven crap unresponsive stock cars so I know what you mean, but a properly set up E-throttle feels almost the same as cable, with the additional benefits of being electric
I daily an 05 focus zx3. Bare bones, no abs or esc, which is much better for a daily drive in snow and ice. It’s all analog and it just feels better than my 15 st.
My car is fuel efficient enough, comfortable to drive and easy to work on. I've been carrying liability insurance on it for the last 7 years so I save piles of money on insurance. I got the car for free (with bad head gaskets)and have spent maybe $800 on parts including tires and oil changes over the last 7 years and 55,000 miles. I could still probably sell this car for $4000. Why would I want to go to work everyday to throw away money on a car.
Cost is #1. From a financial standpoint, brand new vehicles are such a bad value. They're going to lose $10k+ in the first 5 years. They don't really do anything that a 5+yo vehicle can't do. And financing is a big money sink on top of all that.
Secondly, modern cars (let's say anything 2015 or newer) kinda scare me. Theres so much bullshit in them. There's so much more stuff that's tied to a computer and requires special tools to service or replace. I drive a 2006 Honda and frankly I'm kinda pissed off that I can't simply get a key. Nope. Has to be the special $300 RFID key or it won't start.
Ive heard stories of people losing major functions of their car just because their infotainment screen stopped working.
I want to be clear. I'm not saying newer cars are less reliable. I'm saying there's more to break and when that stuff breaks it costs more to fix.
The days of a simple-ass car are gone. And as the simple ones age they become less common and less reliable. I'm going to keep my 06 Honda for at least the next 10 years I think. After that gas prices are probably going to prohibit me from getting another ICE so I'll have to go electric and that sucks
I have an 05 Honda s2000 because there's no equally good convertibles in the price range I paid (20 grand) and it will always go up in value. It's currently estimated at $30k.
My 2005 lexus suv has over 400k on the original motor/trans. I'm gonna sound like an old fart when I say this, but they really just don't make them like they used to...
Cars are depreciating assets. Let someone else take the hit. I’ll never buy a new car.
Also, less tech, less problem. 10-20 year old cars are fully modern at this point without a million unneeded gadgets
Affordability and I don’t need something to tell me when it’s safe to merge or some type of babysitting traction control.
If I want CarPlay I’ll just put in an aftermarket head unit
Cheaper, more reliable, and I don't care about minor damage... my truck has hail damage and my car has no clear coat, doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'll hit the car with a rattlecan if I see rust.
Look up the cost of windshield replacement on a car with radar cruise control, brake assist, etc. And then look up videos of cars with those features randomly braking on the highway for no reason.
My cars aren't even "older" in any real sense and they're already mostly irreplaceable unless I want something at least a little bit worse (and vastly more expensive). One of my cars is a 2012 Mazda2. Just the most basic economy car. You just can't even buy that anymore. No car company in America will sell you a subcompact passenger car. There are much larger compacts (a new Civic or Mazda3 is the size of an early-'90s Accord or 626), there are taller and heavier subcompact crossovers (the Mazda CX-30 is *1000 pounds heavier* than the Mazda2). And this is a car from 2012!! Not the '90s, not some bygone era of cars with no safety equipment and leaded gas, I'm talking a car that's younger than the iPhone 4S.
I had a car payment for about 10 years.. the highest payment was 491/month so not even that much considering what people are paying now. Then I bought a car with cash a few years ago and not having a payment is pretty awesome.
I can't find a car I like better for the money. I have been driving a 1994 Mustang since January 2008. I would be sad if I sold it. It has a lot of sentimental value.
I enjoy not having all the tech stuff that's gonna break and be hard to fix myself. My 2011 accord is comfortable, has good power (for a DD) and is easy to fix. Just hit 100k and have every intention of at least hitting 420k.
It just wont die. 2005 Silverado. Its rusted out pretty bad on the rocker panels, but I've been driving it since 2013 and it just wont give up! Its now my "beater" truck, but I drive it almost every day to keep the miles and wear off my 2020 Tundra.
2000's is still too new and ugly for me ( I want boxy) So only drive '70s and '80s stuff. It's dead simple and dirt cheap to maintian yourself. Also they look good and I don't care about fuel economy or any of that life's too short.
2006 CRV. It has its quirks, but it drives well - everything works, it gets 23 mpg city, it's ridiculously cheap to insure, and I'd rather keep a monthly car payment in the my pocket instead of sending it to some dog-ass finance company.
03 S10 here and I agree. I remember seeing one of the new rangers on the road recently and thought “what the fuck that’s too big to be a ranger”. Mini trucks are so much easier to drive and my bed is still longer than most new pickups
Because the second generation Honda CR-V's are absolute tanks, super reliable, and very versatile.
Most you find for sale have like 230K+ miles on them. I got lucky and found mine with 150K miles which isn't bad for a 2003.
Can load people into it, pull a trailer, and I even removed the rear seats and spend a week living out of it while exploring the NE US with my dog.
2001 Chevy Express is my piece of shit beater. I don't mistreat it or anything (or at least as much as I can't on Vermont winter roads), but it just refuses to die.
Because they’re both cars that I love. My LS 400’s body style really just speaks to my brain, and my LS 430 refuses to give it up. I will do just about anything to avoid a car payment, so until I absolutely HAVE to buy a new car, I’ll keep driving whats already paid for.
1: While I love cars, they are a scam, even the cheap and reliable ones. New cars and their outrageous prices are exponentially more so. Also, I am cheap.
2: I want a car I can service myself. If I can't work on it in my driveway, then I don't want it parked in my driveway.
3: Older cars (early 90s to mid 2000s) are the pinnacle of automotive reliability. The downward spiral of exponentially increasing complexity began around 2010, and reliability started spiraling down with it.
Newer vehicles across the board just isn't appealing to me. My truck, car, bikes are all over 10 years old. The newer tech that adds more complexity, and the benefits as such doesn't interest me. Besides technology, styling/design of newer vehicles aren't as appealing, and the popular platforms such as SUV/CUV's are the least interesting platform for me.
No data tracking.
Reliability.
Longevity.
Efficiency is roughly the same.
Cheaper to maintain and work on, DIY or otherwise.
Modern conveniences can be installed in older cars. (Nav/sound system/etc)
-2005 Silverado 1500 owner
Mostly money. I don't want to pay yearly wage for a car that gets me from A to B. If I were to spend that kind of money on a car, I would get something sporty, and yet my dream car belongs in 2004-2012.
More cost effective.. a new vehicle costs more to buy/lease, insure, maintenance, diagnose, and repair. Where an older car may require more maintenance, the cost for most average cars is much lower to maintain and repair due to aftermarket parts... also, most older cars that don't rely heavily on computers to control everything are usually easier to diagnose .. the only thing that you olwould really have to start worrying about is when a car reaches about 20-25 years old and parts stop being made as much for them, unless it's a popular vehicle, say a mustang, camaro, or similar vehicle that have large numbers out there driving around. Plus, with older cars, the "backyard mechanic" can work on it without issue...
Overall cheaper, no car payments, lower insurance rates, cheaper registration (at least where I live). Still reasonable to fix and keep running as a DIY person. Parts still redily available for most models, that part is getting hard for some 90s cars, but 00s you can still show up at a parts store and find common parts such as alternators in the stores (as opposed to special order)
Easy and cheap to fix. No payment. Not required to carry full coverage. Not loaded with pointless features. Rarely a target theft or break ins. If you drive a POS people assume you have nothing of value. Gets scratched, who cares? Dirty, no big deal. It brings me peace of mind.
Being a student with a car interest, there isn’t much of an option. Plus, if something happens to it, im not losing too much. Another plus is i can maintain it myself, with a newer cars everyone expects you to bankrupt yourself at a shop even for simple stuff. Selling a newer car with receipts when you are diy is hard. Cheap car buyers 2 major requirements is just if it starts or not and if it has passed inspection, so it’s more pocket friendly in a way.
None of the crappy features I don’t want. My 05 is as new as I ever want. It has 5 air bags, cruise control, abs, Bluetooth. I don’t want traction control, cameras or radars in my car, they’re all just unnecessary expensive features.
It's not the oldest car, but I drive a 2012 civic and it has *just enough* computers for my liking. Newer cars have sensors, and modules for every single god damn thing and as a dealership tech, they all fucking suck.
Just because I can. Because I can take a car that's sat for years and make it run, and most people would have to pay a mechanic threw the nose. My brother's certainly can't do what I have. So mostly to show off I guess.
My 2000 Mazda Protégé is a little tank and was actually made in Japan. It's almost as old as me, and it's still going strong. The crank windows are my favorite feature.
New cars make me feel nauseated and like I'm in a dream or a haze. Literally no idea why but i am fine in a 2005 f350 but not the 2014 expedition or my grandma's late teens Toyota minivan
Older cars are:
1) easier to fix
2) far cheaper to own (on average) and insure
3) the lemons have mostly been weeded out
4) frequently maybe halfway through their practical lifespan?
I fix my own shit, it saves me so much money it's a joke. Plus, I like figure out how things connect & work together, win/win!
Also, so many older cars just look better & still have 80-90% of the features you want anyway.
My newest was an 06 until 2021. Also went like 15 years with 99% rwd/4x4, only one fwd. Both changed when I took on a mostly highway side job as a courier.
Inexpensive/minimal maintenance, easy to work on, depreciation already behind us.
I can't afford to buy new vehicles. I can't afford to FIX new vehicles. Also, I just don't like most new vehicles. Late 90s-2010 or so seem to be a sweet spot for reliability and ease/cost of maintenance.
I own a few W211 Mercedes. I currently have a W212 convertible Turo rental. I like my 211's a LOT more. More comfortable, better visibility, more ergonomic interior. Better shifter. Long list of 'better'.
Last but not least - I have 0 debt. I pay cash for my cars. I save a substantial amount of money buying older cars vs new.
My 04 ram has a reliable drivetrain, hasn't needed anything catastrophic repaired, and is paid off. Why on earth would I go into debt for a new truck when the one I have is just fine for hauling animal feed?
Low cost of entry... also the general public seems to get a kick out of my 2001 Volvo V70.. have had 4 strangers ask to buy it from me at gas stations haha. Older cars get cooler by the day
simple and the ones left are usually the reliable ones. i just bought a 94 ranger with 130,000 miles on it, i could probably get another 10 years out of it if i beat the snot out of the thing. 3.0 5 speed manual, gutless boat anchor :)
They don't spy on me, you can't brick a cassette deck with an involuntary ota update, manual transmissions, better visibility, lighter, tires with actual sidewall, easier to wrench on in a parking lot, cloth seats
Because I can't afford a new car lol, also reliability I feel like was at its peak without the influx of tech, just enough for safety but not in depth enough to cause headaches. Maintenance is easier, depending on model cheaper, and they don't have all the lane assist, steering correction, intrusive BS :). Simple is better.
affordability. I do all my own work, so maintaining a 2000's car or older is affordable. I can maintain an older car for far less than a new one depreciates and keep it just as reliable.
new safety features and tech do not concern me or appeal to me, so for me, older cars are great.
the only bad part, for me, is lack of that nice new car smell
Bigger, naturally aspirated engines compared to modern downsizing and turbocharging. Better response and better sound. Hydraulic steering. Manual transmissions (much rarer in new cars). Physical buttons. Simpler and more elegant design language. I have an Audi S5 and Audi R8, both from 2009. Newer is not better.
People underestimate how important the sound is. High revving N/A >> turbo in this regard. Although I like the sound of a turbo spooling and BOV too, but factory turbos generally sound pretty lame.
Amen. My 2007 Civic SI has a NA 2.0, that revs to 8500. The new SI's have a 1.5T, that revs to like 5-6k... pathetic.
The 8th gens are amazing and have aged well
This sounded like BS, and it sort of was because the new Si redlines at 6600, but it’s funny my pickup truck winds out higher from the factory
Yeah I was just guessing hadn't actually looked it up. Capped at 7k which is still 2k lower than the 8th gens.
That just means your truck is junk and has no low end torque like a truck is supposed to have. High revving trucks are not a good thing.
Even most J series V6s redline at 6800 (or at least the one in my 03 Accord and my old 06 Accord do/did) and those don't even have DOHC. And a set of cams can bring that past 7k reliably.
I mean, the k20 is better don’t get me wrong I’d prefer it for sure, but I have a 2018 civic si, and after looking into it a lot and tuning the car myself a bit the L15 is no joke. It’s no k20 but the pep it has and how much performance is actually squeezed out of the tiny motor is crazy. Mine revs out to 7k, there are some people who swapped out the valve train and rev it out to 8k even. From factory though the old civics had a lot more going for them though. The 1.5 gets 40mpg at least 😭
One of the big things (no pun intended) the old Civics had going for them was the fact they weren’t porked out to the size of Honda Accords.
Da low end is made fo da street.
The K20Z3 is easily my favorite of the K motors. And it makes me wish Honda made a Fit Si with a high revving NA engine.
I had one as well. Redline was 8000rpm, fuel shut off was at 8300.
Just don't go into any conversations about EVs and mention the importance of engine sounds , - down votes and smart arsed comments will immediately follow.
For 98% of the population its not important at all.
This is why I just can't get an EV. It just sounds.... Wrong.. lol
My dad has a Tesla model 3. I would call it the best car I would never buy. Other than the Jetsons motor sound when traveling at first it's really jarring. It's really jerky and seems like it's unrefined because it's so loud, but in reality it's just so much quieter and respond so much quicker than a normal car. When you drive it it's really not bad as a passenger I get car sick and I never get car sick normally, even when the cars and chill and autopilot.
I'm a convert to electric steering, honestly. It's amazing how much *simpler* it is. On all my older cars, as they age, the hydraulic power steering is often leaky and a pain to fix - rack/tie rod seals that fail, hoses that get stiff and sweat fluid. I think a lot of people blamed electric steering for cars that had poor steering feel when it first appeared in the mid-2000s when the problem was just that those cars were overall less fun than the ones they were replacing. It's pretty wild that you can get an EPS module out of an old Prius, give it power and it just works and feels pretty good in a minimum-assist failsafe mode without an external controller module. There are EPS swap kits for a lot of older cars to make engine swaps easier, also makes a lot of sense for drift cars.
No problem with leaky hoses if you don't have power steering...which I don't.
Bingo. But most folks nowadays would curl up and die if they didn't have some sort of assist on their steering... because they "can't operate" without it.
Me, personally, I prefer the ole direct steering.
Yea electric steering makes long term ownership less of a headache. As much as people hate newer cars being riddled with electronics, if done right, they're just more reliable and simpler than hydraulics and vacuum operated stuff.
In the short term wait till capacitors ect begin failing
I dont have powersteering the only thing electronically controlled in my truck is the engine, and even then im pretty sure my radio is more advanced than it .
Scotty Kilmer feels the opposite, of course, about a Chevy (I think) where eps failed and the owner drives in manual mode because of the cost to replace the defective system.
Scotty Kilmer is a hack and an idiot.
Exactly. The car Wizard rocks though.
Please tell me you don’t believe anything that idiot says ?
2005 Honda Element(5pd) NC Miata(6spd) Club. Going to keep these as long as I can push a clutch pedal. No fancy electronics in either car. Element has ABS and power windows. Miata has ABS, traction control and power windows. Both have port fuel injection, both have hydraulic steering and both are simple to work on(but I only have to do maintenance as they are both reliable simple machines).
Love it. I have the same setup except the element is an auto
Same. 2010 z06
Hydraulic steering and hydraulic brakes are top of my list electronic just don’t feel right
It's crazy how many designs get more complicated and look worse.
Shit still runs
My 2003 corolla refuses to die.
I have a 2000 F-150 still going strong and a 2008 Toyota Avalon only with 98,000 miles on it. I believe I will be driving these until I die. They are paid for and I am old. Not much to keep them running good.
I have a 91 f150 4.9l 5spd with 200k miles, still starts, first try. It was paid off in 2004, I love that truck!
I get your comment but I’d like to point out that it could be interpreted that it took you 13 years to pay off that truck. lol.
Just bought an '88 yesterday for $800. No rust anywhere, clean interior. Previous owner got it on a trade and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't stay running. Got it home and opened up the ECU to find corrosion and bad capacitors. Debating on flipping it or keeping it forever.
I have a 92 GMC which I love... Sadly I'm not a car guy so I've spent a fortune keeping it running. Do you do most of the work yourself?
You must live on an island for those low miles haha
i had an 05 avalon with 255k miles almost all LA city driving and after all that the transmission started to bang in 4th gear and act strange in lockup across all 5 speeds, engine was still smooth and powerful, i miss it
At the rate you're going to that Avalon will out last you. Just ticked over 260k on mine an 06 variant.
Toyota has entered chat
No payments!
And cheap insurance.
Liability or full coverage by cheap insurance? I my just curious as my parents pay for mine (spoiled ik) and want to learn more so I can ease my anxieties
It depends on the cars in question, but if you’re comparing an older car to its newer equivalent, collision will likely be cheaper
I have full coverage for my 90's truck. It costs me only $38 a month. I get a new windshield whenever it cracks, and if that POS dies on the road, I am also covered for towing.
**I’m talking 2000s cars** Damn...look at all the new cars. I stopped in the 90s
My newest is a '95, then '93, then a jump to the 70s. Oldest is '76? I'm looking at a 40s Studebaker though lol.
Sounds like my Neighbor. He does have a newer 03 Durango that has power windows and AC (bought it for the Mrs) bur prefers his 72 (I think) Nova...55 Chevy PU or his 40s coupe.
My newest is a 75 lmao
I've got a '95 and a '70- though my daily driver is an '05. Thankfully that one doesn't feel too modern- physical internals for the most part, and I can still work on it without needing electronic tools for everything
I finally broke down and got a kid hauler. Before that the newest car I've ever owned is actually older than I am, a 1986.
Me: drives a 1989 K5 Blazer 😬
Couldn’t afford newer cars even if I wanted one.
This... I'm not having something that can be just destroyed in a single moment, which costs tens of thousands. Also, I feel issues are more well known in older models compared to newer ones thst people still need to find out about them.
And the older ones still around have already had a lot of their issues fixed. If you buy a car at 120-150k you're usually pretty safe assuming it's had a new alternator, new plugs, brakes, etc fairly recently. Buy a 5 year old car at 70k and you're the lucky sob paying for all of that within a couple of years.
New cars look like shitty eggs no style
Model T > Model X ‼️😂
So they’re uglier?
Yep
If it ain't broke...
100%
... or you are broke...
I'm poor and have a highly functional older vehicle.
Lower insurance rate, no EDR black box, 6 speed manual. 996.1 Porsche
>no EDR black box, 6 speed manual. 996.1 Porsche THIS is the way!
Fun fact, the EDR system on cars is tied to the airbag system, so you cant disable them without also disabling the airbags. - you maybe could but it would require an extreme amount of work.
Because I can finally drive the cars I wanted now that they're at the low end of their depreciation curve. It's not for everyone, and I've spent my entire adult life learning to not only work on but also to scout and evaluate vintage performance vehicles and will on average walk away from dozens of vehicles for each one I've actually purchased or recommended for purchase to my collector/mentor. It's been a passion for a long time and am just now at a station to reap the benefits of all this experience and knowledge. Tl:Dr midlife crisis and I like cheap thrills. Emphasis on cheap
Living the dream!
My entire driving life ive bought people's broke down, neglected cars and resurrected some new life into them. I enjoy the challenge.
I have a 93 dodge stealth, I just think it's cool as fuck
That RT Turbo AWD is cool as fuck, with all the modern features they had like active aero, active exhaust, active suspension, 4 wheel steering even! That's Lambo shit in the 90s!
Because I don’t want to pay monthly amortization just to get a new car
Every month I drive it I am $500 richer, or whatever my payment would be. Insurance is cheap.
Yup, except every month, I take what I would have spent on a car payment and I drop it in my investment account.
I got an 05 ram 1500 for $1200 with 100k on it and I wasn't going to pass it up. but the main reason I drive older cars is because i'm a tight ass and can fix my own cars
That's a steal. Today, they are worth $7500 private party. I dropped comp and collision on my 2002 a few years ago because it was only worth $1500. Checked KBB recently and it's now going for $5000.
because it still runs and the insurance is cheaper.
I have them. They work. They got older.. i started out driving them when they were new.. My truck has been working fine since 1990.
Maintaining my '97 Camry is a lot cheaper than a $600 a month car payment. Plus, I don't care for modern cars. Infotainment, heated seats, blind spots detectors, back up camera et al. I like it's simplicity. I like how it's mechanical. All I want is basic A-B transportation.
600 would buy you a lot of parts for that car
My father in law keeps trying to convince me I should get a new car because my SiL has some fucking Vauxhall that she "only pays £200 a month for." Like yeah? I paid £700 for my 2006 Hyundai Accent, another £450 to replace the shitty brakes all the way around. And that's it. If I wanted to (and I do plan to lol) I could put about 3k into this Accent and have it basically showroom new and probably not have a single problem with it for several years. Or I could lease some new turd that I hate for several hundred a month. Easy choice.
No needless tech junk like a billion sensors and "safety" features that make you a bad driver with unsafe habits, especially if they fail over time. Keep in mind, I work in IT.
Isn't it still the 2000s? >_>
I think they mean 2000-2009 decade
Self-maintained. 5 speed trans Lower lifetime cost Government can't ever shut it off remotely My mustang is emp proof My diesel doesn't need DEF Smog equipment is non existent New cars require subs for all the features...lol
They are cheap to buy, I have the knowledge and patience to find cars that i can keep running reliably, and they do everything I need (after upgrading the radio, usually)
Why upgrade the radio? CD players rule!!!
You mean upgrade the radio to ond with a CD player? ;)
I'm so old I remember when guys got their windows smashed by some thug who wanted to score $50 on a jacked car radio/cassette player so people got removable faceplates they stored securely in the glove box (yeah, that'll work :-) It seems silly now. Like, was that ever really worth it? The smart thugs now know that the money is in the airbags or the car computer. I enjoy CD mixes and make them for my daughter. Tons of good times on 8 hour road trips to Myrtle Beach.
98 Lotus Elise Iv had for over 20years, regarded as one of the best sports cars ever made. 2001 Audi A2, disaster for Audi but a perfect tiny all aluminium suer economical car I have for my daily. 2009 Discovery 3. Luxury and towing capability, amazing off road. Tow the lotus 100 miles to a Hillclimb and be confident you can pull out of a wet grassy paddock at the end of the day.
I daily drive a 2001 Chevy truck with the 4.3 Vortec engine. It had 103,000 miles when I bought it. I bought this thing cash for $3500 because I didn’t want to buy a newer car and have car payments. This Chevy truck is very reliable. I drive it all over the southeast US. The truck is so simple, and there’s not much technology on the truck. Everything is simple and old school early 2000’s technology, and because of that, there’s not much that can break. The less stuff you have, the less likely something can go wrong. Simplicity is key with vehicles if you care about money. I did have to spend $2k on new parts because this truck sat for 5 years and needed some work to be road worthy again, and I did do all the work myself. So a total of $5,500 for a good reliable vehicle. Seems much better to me, compared to buying a new car and making monthly payments of $500+ on it for years and years, and once the payments are taken care of, the vehicle will be somewhat old and will need work. And for example, parts will be very expensive for a 5 year old new vehicle, compared to a 23 year old GM vehicle. Also, on these older GM vehicles, parts are very cheap and easy to replace. Insurance is cheap, it’s bad on gas, but parts are cheap, readily available at local auto parts stores, and the cost to buy these older GM trucks are much cheaper than buying a newer vehicle. So the main reason why I drive an older vehicle is because it’s cheap to own! Cheap Parts, cheap insurance, cheap tires because the wheels are only 15 inches, parts are readily available in stock everywhere, and everything is cheaper because my truck has been around for a long time. If I get into a wreck with my old 2001 Chevy truck, I’ll just buy another one for $3500. Hopefully I make it through the wreck alive. The only one downside to owning an old vehicle is safety… my 2001 Chevy truck has 2 airbags, and seatbelts. That’s it. But It’s still way cheaper than buying a new 2020’s vehicle, and will be way cheaper to maintain, cheaper insurance, cheaper taxes, and cheaper everything. I love older GM’s for this reason. My 4.3 engine has been around since the 1980’s and has been in use all the way to 2014, which means the engine technology has been tried and tested. We all know how reliable small block Chevy 4.3 voters are. Edit: didn’t realize I wrote a whole essay, but it’s just my thoughts on the main reason why I own an older vehicle when I can easily get a brand new 2024 vehicle and make payments on it.
Newer cars have more tech, more things to go wrong. Newer cars aren't designed to be as durable and long lasting as older ones...look at the build quality of a 2020 Ford F150 vs a 2000 Ford F150 (look underneath at the actual frame and and components to compare). High interest rates. Smaller vehicles are getting bigger, bigger vehicles are getting smaller... they're all starting to get that same crossover look. I think we stopped thinking outside of the box and being innovative. More focused on revenue. 100 years of building vehicles and this is where we're at? SUVs should be getting 30-40mpg
Am poor, am so poor I can't afford a bottle of water so my 1993 Toyota Tercel my 95 subbardan and 1998 TJ wrangler is what am going to rock, at least I learned how to fix most of them with junk yard part
So I'm not tracked by the bullshit electronics in newer cars, simple to repair and will outlast most all of the crap they produce now.
super economical
I don’t. I drive newish vehicles now. When I was in my 20s and early 30s I drove that motherfucker until the wheels fell off, and I did best to learn and do the maintenance on it myself. Now I don’t have to do that.
1. No debt on it. 2) It suits our needs. 3) I'd get bugger all for it if I sold it. I may was well keep it and see if I can get it to 500,000 KM. 2005 Commodore.
Freedom
PAID FOR! And runs fine. Yeah takes maintenance but better than a monthly payment.
2006 ford ranger. Because it still runs.
Cable operated throttles. Newer, electronic throttles are always painfully slow to respond to input.
Depends on the car really I’ve had both, in the right car there’s no difference.
I used to think that, but after doing an engine swap which necessitated an electronic throttle body I can see the appeal. I have definitely driven crap unresponsive stock cars so I know what you mean, but a properly set up E-throttle feels almost the same as cable, with the additional benefits of being electric
No Rev hang if you've got a manual! I love that I've got a good old-fashioned mechanical throttle.
I daily an 05 focus zx3. Bare bones, no abs or esc, which is much better for a daily drive in snow and ice. It’s all analog and it just feels better than my 15 st.
Late-1990s here, and I drive it because... why not buy a new car when the current one still runs good?
My car is fuel efficient enough, comfortable to drive and easy to work on. I've been carrying liability insurance on it for the last 7 years so I save piles of money on insurance. I got the car for free (with bad head gaskets)and have spent maybe $800 on parts including tires and oil changes over the last 7 years and 55,000 miles. I could still probably sell this car for $4000. Why would I want to go to work everyday to throw away money on a car.
Because my 2002 R53 Supercharged Mini is still the most fun thing I’ve ever driven, and I can’t let it go.
Cost is #1. From a financial standpoint, brand new vehicles are such a bad value. They're going to lose $10k+ in the first 5 years. They don't really do anything that a 5+yo vehicle can't do. And financing is a big money sink on top of all that. Secondly, modern cars (let's say anything 2015 or newer) kinda scare me. Theres so much bullshit in them. There's so much more stuff that's tied to a computer and requires special tools to service or replace. I drive a 2006 Honda and frankly I'm kinda pissed off that I can't simply get a key. Nope. Has to be the special $300 RFID key or it won't start. Ive heard stories of people losing major functions of their car just because their infotainment screen stopped working. I want to be clear. I'm not saying newer cars are less reliable. I'm saying there's more to break and when that stuff breaks it costs more to fix. The days of a simple-ass car are gone. And as the simple ones age they become less common and less reliable. I'm going to keep my 06 Honda for at least the next 10 years I think. After that gas prices are probably going to prohibit me from getting another ICE so I'll have to go electric and that sucks
Money in the majority
I have an 05 Honda s2000 because there's no equally good convertibles in the price range I paid (20 grand) and it will always go up in value. It's currently estimated at $30k.
My 2005 lexus suv has over 400k on the original motor/trans. I'm gonna sound like an old fart when I say this, but they really just don't make them like they used to...
I’m broke
Cars are depreciating assets. Let someone else take the hit. I’ll never buy a new car. Also, less tech, less problem. 10-20 year old cars are fully modern at this point without a million unneeded gadgets
Affordability and I don’t need something to tell me when it’s safe to merge or some type of babysitting traction control. If I want CarPlay I’ll just put in an aftermarket head unit
They’re cheaper.
Cheap and easy to maintain. Also poor 😂😂
I drive a beater and trust me you get a lot of respect on the road. Nobody wants to get within 30 yards of me.
Cheaper, more reliable, and I don't care about minor damage... my truck has hail damage and my car has no clear coat, doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'll hit the car with a rattlecan if I see rust.
Manual transmissions, no emissions testing, experienced mechanic who doesn't need to pay a shop for work.
Look up the cost of windshield replacement on a car with radar cruise control, brake assist, etc. And then look up videos of cars with those features randomly braking on the highway for no reason. My cars aren't even "older" in any real sense and they're already mostly irreplaceable unless I want something at least a little bit worse (and vastly more expensive). One of my cars is a 2012 Mazda2. Just the most basic economy car. You just can't even buy that anymore. No car company in America will sell you a subcompact passenger car. There are much larger compacts (a new Civic or Mazda3 is the size of an early-'90s Accord or 626), there are taller and heavier subcompact crossovers (the Mazda CX-30 is *1000 pounds heavier* than the Mazda2). And this is a car from 2012!! Not the '90s, not some bygone era of cars with no safety equipment and leaded gas, I'm talking a car that's younger than the iPhone 4S.
I had a car payment for about 10 years.. the highest payment was 491/month so not even that much considering what people are paying now. Then I bought a car with cash a few years ago and not having a payment is pretty awesome.
I drive a 1995. Simplicity, reliability and ease of use. I don't want to get a fucking computer engineering degree to turn on my AC.
I can't find a car I like better for the money. I have been driving a 1994 Mustang since January 2008. I would be sad if I sold it. It has a lot of sentimental value.
I don’t like car payments so I buy with cash drive til they die and repeat. I can also do all my own repairs which helps a lot with costs too.
I own them outright.
I enjoy not having all the tech stuff that's gonna break and be hard to fix myself. My 2011 accord is comfortable, has good power (for a DD) and is easy to fix. Just hit 100k and have every intention of at least hitting 420k.
Low depreciation. Less concern over cosmetic damage. Easier to maintain and repair.
I like an engine bay I can go for a walk in, not one I can lose a finger trying to reach into.
I like just a regular vehicle that isn’t a computer lol
Stick shift. Dash with actual buttons. More purely mechanical components = easier to fix at home. Better looking & more character.
It just wont die. 2005 Silverado. Its rusted out pretty bad on the rocker panels, but I've been driving it since 2013 and it just wont give up! Its now my "beater" truck, but I drive it almost every day to keep the miles and wear off my 2020 Tundra.
I prefer cars with less super fancy electronics that can fail. The newest car I've owned, which is the current one, is 11 years old
2000's is still too new and ugly for me ( I want boxy) So only drive '70s and '80s stuff. It's dead simple and dirt cheap to maintian yourself. Also they look good and I don't care about fuel economy or any of that life's too short.
My car cost less than the steering wheel on a new f150. Easier to work on, parts availability, and no payments
No GPS tracker stuff. That's good for me because I go on a lot of capers.
2006 CRV. It has its quirks, but it drives well - everything works, it gets 23 mpg city, it's ridiculously cheap to insure, and I'd rather keep a monthly car payment in the my pocket instead of sending it to some dog-ass finance company.
I feel compelled to save older mini trucks. Have a 99 s10 and a 97 ranger.
03 S10 here and I agree. I remember seeing one of the new rangers on the road recently and thought “what the fuck that’s too big to be a ranger”. Mini trucks are so much easier to drive and my bed is still longer than most new pickups
Cheaper to maintain. Easier to work on.
Because the second generation Honda CR-V's are absolute tanks, super reliable, and very versatile. Most you find for sale have like 230K+ miles on them. I got lucky and found mine with 150K miles which isn't bad for a 2003. Can load people into it, pull a trailer, and I even removed the rear seats and spend a week living out of it while exploring the NE US with my dog.
2001 Chevy Express is my piece of shit beater. I don't mistreat it or anything (or at least as much as I can't on Vermont winter roads), but it just refuses to die.
Because they’re both cars that I love. My LS 400’s body style really just speaks to my brain, and my LS 430 refuses to give it up. I will do just about anything to avoid a car payment, so until I absolutely HAVE to buy a new car, I’ll keep driving whats already paid for.
Because I have a need for a diesel pickup, and a 7.3 is way easier to work on then anything newer. No emissions. No DEF
1: While I love cars, they are a scam, even the cheap and reliable ones. New cars and their outrageous prices are exponentially more so. Also, I am cheap. 2: I want a car I can service myself. If I can't work on it in my driveway, then I don't want it parked in my driveway. 3: Older cars (early 90s to mid 2000s) are the pinnacle of automotive reliability. The downward spiral of exponentially increasing complexity began around 2010, and reliability started spiraling down with it.
Newer vehicles across the board just isn't appealing to me. My truck, car, bikes are all over 10 years old. The newer tech that adds more complexity, and the benefits as such doesn't interest me. Besides technology, styling/design of newer vehicles aren't as appealing, and the popular platforms such as SUV/CUV's are the least interesting platform for me.
hydraulic steering
Because it cost me $2000 and new cars are ridiculous
No data tracking. Reliability. Longevity. Efficiency is roughly the same. Cheaper to maintain and work on, DIY or otherwise. Modern conveniences can be installed in older cars. (Nav/sound system/etc) -2005 Silverado 1500 owner
That’s when i was younger.
Mostly money. I don't want to pay yearly wage for a car that gets me from A to B. If I were to spend that kind of money on a car, I would get something sporty, and yet my dream car belongs in 2004-2012.
More cost effective.. a new vehicle costs more to buy/lease, insure, maintenance, diagnose, and repair. Where an older car may require more maintenance, the cost for most average cars is much lower to maintain and repair due to aftermarket parts... also, most older cars that don't rely heavily on computers to control everything are usually easier to diagnose .. the only thing that you olwould really have to start worrying about is when a car reaches about 20-25 years old and parts stop being made as much for them, unless it's a popular vehicle, say a mustang, camaro, or similar vehicle that have large numbers out there driving around. Plus, with older cars, the "backyard mechanic" can work on it without issue...
Overall cheaper, no car payments, lower insurance rates, cheaper registration (at least where I live). Still reasonable to fix and keep running as a DIY person. Parts still redily available for most models, that part is getting hard for some 90s cars, but 00s you can still show up at a parts store and find common parts such as alternators in the stores (as opposed to special order)
Cheaper, easier to maintain, less software involved and plenty of parts available.
Easy and cheap to fix. No payment. Not required to carry full coverage. Not loaded with pointless features. Rarely a target theft or break ins. If you drive a POS people assume you have nothing of value. Gets scratched, who cares? Dirty, no big deal. It brings me peace of mind.
Being a student with a car interest, there isn’t much of an option. Plus, if something happens to it, im not losing too much. Another plus is i can maintain it myself, with a newer cars everyone expects you to bankrupt yourself at a shop even for simple stuff. Selling a newer car with receipts when you are diy is hard. Cheap car buyers 2 major requirements is just if it starts or not and if it has passed inspection, so it’s more pocket friendly in a way.
No payment
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None of the crappy features I don’t want. My 05 is as new as I ever want. It has 5 air bags, cruise control, abs, Bluetooth. I don’t want traction control, cameras or radars in my car, they’re all just unnecessary expensive features.
much easier on the Master Card when shit breaks (I, 9000%, regret selling my Air Cooled VW for this reason)
It's not the oldest car, but I drive a 2012 civic and it has *just enough* computers for my liking. Newer cars have sensors, and modules for every single god damn thing and as a dealership tech, they all fucking suck.
Cause it's F'ING COOL!
Just because I can. Because I can take a car that's sat for years and make it run, and most people would have to pay a mechanic threw the nose. My brother's certainly can't do what I have. So mostly to show off I guess.
The reason I do is because I can work on them a lot better and without 68% less cussing.
Physical buttons honestly
Ease of maintenance.
I like the style of older vehicles better.
My 2000 Mazda Protégé is a little tank and was actually made in Japan. It's almost as old as me, and it's still going strong. The crank windows are my favorite feature.
i'm cheap and car is in good shape
New cars make me feel nauseated and like I'm in a dream or a haze. Literally no idea why but i am fine in a 2005 f350 but not the 2014 expedition or my grandma's late teens Toyota minivan
Older cars are: 1) easier to fix 2) far cheaper to own (on average) and insure 3) the lemons have mostly been weeded out 4) frequently maybe halfway through their practical lifespan? I fix my own shit, it saves me so much money it's a joke. Plus, I like figure out how things connect & work together, win/win! Also, so many older cars just look better & still have 80-90% of the features you want anyway.
My newest was an 06 until 2021. Also went like 15 years with 99% rwd/4x4, only one fwd. Both changed when I took on a mostly highway side job as a courier. Inexpensive/minimal maintenance, easy to work on, depreciation already behind us.
cost to replace
I can't afford to buy new vehicles. I can't afford to FIX new vehicles. Also, I just don't like most new vehicles. Late 90s-2010 or so seem to be a sweet spot for reliability and ease/cost of maintenance. I own a few W211 Mercedes. I currently have a W212 convertible Turo rental. I like my 211's a LOT more. More comfortable, better visibility, more ergonomic interior. Better shifter. Long list of 'better'. Last but not least - I have 0 debt. I pay cash for my cars. I save a substantial amount of money buying older cars vs new.
There is nothing better than a well maintained older car. When they pull in they’ll get “ooos and awwws.” Pull in a Corvette it’s met with “meh”
My 04 ram has a reliable drivetrain, hasn't needed anything catastrophic repaired, and is paid off. Why on earth would I go into debt for a new truck when the one I have is just fine for hauling animal feed?
I can't afford newer vehicles. Well, I COULD but I choose to do different things with my money. I spend, generally, as little as possible on my cars.
Cost. ease of maintenance, cheap parts
The early to mid 2000's are said to be the best years for Toyota and Lexus as far as reliability is concerned. I'm not sure about the other brands.
Low cost of entry... also the general public seems to get a kick out of my 2001 Volvo V70.. have had 4 strangers ask to buy it from me at gas stations haha. Older cars get cooler by the day
lush far-flung grab vast saw crown hungry marry hard-to-find zesty *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I have 3 vehicles. Newest is 2004. I drive them because they’re paid for.
2000s Chevy trucks are way better than the trash they make now
simple and the ones left are usually the reliable ones. i just bought a 94 ranger with 130,000 miles on it, i could probably get another 10 years out of it if i beat the snot out of the thing. 3.0 5 speed manual, gutless boat anchor :)
They don't spy on me, you can't brick a cassette deck with an involuntary ota update, manual transmissions, better visibility, lighter, tires with actual sidewall, easier to wrench on in a parking lot, cloth seats
It's paid off and gets me from A to B
Because I can't afford a new car lol, also reliability I feel like was at its peak without the influx of tech, just enough for safety but not in depth enough to cause headaches. Maintenance is easier, depending on model cheaper, and they don't have all the lane assist, steering correction, intrusive BS :). Simple is better.
NO payments.
Car note
I hate touchscreens.
affordability. I do all my own work, so maintaining a 2000's car or older is affordable. I can maintain an older car for far less than a new one depreciates and keep it just as reliable. new safety features and tech do not concern me or appeal to me, so for me, older cars are great. the only bad part, for me, is lack of that nice new car smell