4th Sep 2017, 14:21
Salt is salt in the winter. Then acid rain that deteriorates the lesser quality automotive paints out today and vulnerable clear coats. Better for the environment, but not better for car paint durability of the past. Then thinner sheet metal. Interiors baked in the sun. Even leaning on a car can create dents on many. Very weak hinges. Old or new, if you hit the white glove wash once a week, wax, clean carefully, and especially use garages, cars last. I am very disappointed on paint quality today. I realize new cars are a necessity, but in many ways the quest for MPG and keeping the sticker price low has negatives. Sludging and losing an engine quickly with brief overheating is costly too.
4th Sep 2017, 11:47
There were millions made in models such as the Impala alone. The best selling in the mid 60s. Engines were very easily replaced so it was worthwhile vs many today. You are better today finding a used lower mileage example vs repairing. Garages are very common here, so decades old examples have fared quite well. There are plentiful quarter panels, body parts etc easily found for many models. At reasonable cost. A full frame car survives in most cases. I don't remember any nightmare vehicles we owned in that era. If anything, it was going after a new body design vs anything else. It was an exciting time for us that were living in that time. Each new fall lineup was an event. You had your cars paid off in 3 years and it was hard not to buy new again. Gas was under 40 cents a gallon. Cost of living was very good. If you lived it vs read about the time, it was a great moment to be in.
Lastly is values. Will the car you are driving today that you keep for years be worth more in the future? Or is the mindset I got from point A to B, it's too expensive to fix and near worthless with a big issue. My friend just sold his garage kept 57 Chevrolet Convertible all original last week for $65,000. I know cars are more than just investments. But he had years of satisfying ownership. Can that be repeated with your current model car? I've never done that well on any one car.