Cars last a whole lot better now than when I was a kid. Back then, turning over 100.000 miles was huge, and most cars were traded long before then. I know a lot of people who have run 300,000 and more on their cars. My car is 9 1/2 years old and needed its first engine repair last fall at 138,000 miles.
Built to last? In the 1950s and 60s, odometers on US cars only had five digits and rolling one over was rare. If you lived anywhere it snowed, the body was shot in 3-4 years.
It’s a classic. More reason to keep it running. If it’s mechanical it will run forever. Just look at Cuba’s road fleet. Still running. These people build their own parts for God’s sake!!!
well technically it can be fixed, anything can, but it comes to the point where so many parts get worn out and need replacing that it’s more cost effective to replace the car than hunt down so many obsolete parts. Not to mention some of the parts might be deep in bowels of the car, requiring it to be virtually taken apart and put back together again in order to fix, NOT cost effective.
I’m sorry I couldn’t see the comments from this Onion article a few years ago. People were stating that Toyota over-designed the 1994-1998 Camrys so much that they lasted hundreds of thousands of miles: https://www.theonion.com/toyota-recalls-1993-camry-due-to-fact-that-owners-reall-1819577805
You know, this “built to last” thing about older cars is really nothing but confirmation bias now that I think of it. A car’s typical lifespan is about 15 years or so, and this was true back in the 50’s as well, but there were A LOT of really sexy cars made in that era that people went through extraordinary lengths to maintain and preserve, so they endure to this day. Of course just because a few of the sexiest, most famous cars from that time seem to last forever doesn’t mean that ALL cars made back then were basically indestructible. For every immaculately preserved piece of art on wheels we see there are a thousand that were scrapped in junkyards (many of those junkers gave their parts to preserve the privileged few.)
jagedlo about 5 years ago
Eisenhower ran in 1952 and 1956, so that car must be at least 60+ years old!
CamiSu Premium Member about 5 years ago
Cars last a whole lot better now than when I was a kid. Back then, turning over 100.000 miles was huge, and most cars were traded long before then. I know a lot of people who have run 300,000 and more on their cars. My car is 9 1/2 years old and needed its first engine repair last fall at 138,000 miles.
Enter.Name.Here about 5 years ago
There are cars from the 1800s brought back to life. Gonna cost ya though.
rlfekete1 Premium Member about 5 years ago
Didn’t Chrysler build their cars with a fail by date back in the 80’s.
david_42 about 5 years ago
Built to last? In the 1950s and 60s, odometers on US cars only had five digits and rolling one over was rare. If you lived anywhere it snowed, the body was shot in 3-4 years.
aerilim about 5 years ago
It’s a classic. More reason to keep it running. If it’s mechanical it will run forever. Just look at Cuba’s road fleet. Still running. These people build their own parts for God’s sake!!!
Nighthawks Premium Member about 5 years ago
all the way with Adlai
fuzzbucket Premium Member about 5 years ago
That car wasn’t built until the late ‘60s or early ’70s. I don’t think it’ll go fast enough to get him back to Ike’s last election.
cubswin2016 about 5 years ago
It’s dead, Jim!
dadlivonia about 5 years ago
Didn’t he buy his dad a new car a while ago??
phileaux about 5 years ago
You can keep anything running just takes DEEP pockets and the man is cheap.
yangeldf about 5 years ago
well technically it can be fixed, anything can, but it comes to the point where so many parts get worn out and need replacing that it’s more cost effective to replace the car than hunt down so many obsolete parts. Not to mention some of the parts might be deep in bowels of the car, requiring it to be virtually taken apart and put back together again in order to fix, NOT cost effective.
SDSillyCyclist about 5 years ago
I’m sorry I couldn’t see the comments from this Onion article a few years ago. People were stating that Toyota over-designed the 1994-1998 Camrys so much that they lasted hundreds of thousands of miles: https://www.theonion.com/toyota-recalls-1993-camry-due-to-fact-that-owners-reall-1819577805
carlosrivers about 5 years ago
Well, if Charlene wants a project to work on, she should consider tearing apart that car and rebuilding it
TLH1310 Premium Member about 5 years ago
Dewey was robbed!
banjinshiju about 5 years ago
Just show him how much it would cost to restore his car. That should make him want to replace it.
yangeldf about 5 years ago
You know, this “built to last” thing about older cars is really nothing but confirmation bias now that I think of it. A car’s typical lifespan is about 15 years or so, and this was true back in the 50’s as well, but there were A LOT of really sexy cars made in that era that people went through extraordinary lengths to maintain and preserve, so they endure to this day. Of course just because a few of the sexiest, most famous cars from that time seem to last forever doesn’t mean that ALL cars made back then were basically indestructible. For every immaculately preserved piece of art on wheels we see there are a thousand that were scrapped in junkyards (many of those junkers gave their parts to preserve the privileged few.)