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I am the market for a new car at the moment, i sold my classic mini a few years ago as I was struggling for space at the time, I started looking at buying another recently however it has occurred to me that all the cars I have are basically 2 seaters, I've got an m3 but the fitted Recaro Pole Positions so the back seats are now useless.
Ive started looking at classic saloons, I figure if I buy another toy it may as well be practical, ive always liked Triumph 2000s, MG Magnettes, Citroën, Lancias and P4s and although I typically discount anything Ford or Vauxhall I have spotted a lovely Corsair that I quite fancy.
I am looking for suggestions for classic saloon cars as I'm sure there will be things out there that I haven't even thought about, similarly if people can advise on cars to avoid, i know nothing about Corsairs for example, maybe they are horrible to drive and unreliable, and it's a Ford!
I've got a budget of around 10k,I'm not looking for a show car that I'll be too scared to use, something practical with 4 doors that's going to look good on a set of banded steels!
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72 MGB GT 88 Daimler Double Six 89 Rover Mini 91 Nissan Figaro 95 Lotus Esprit S4S 18 Discovery
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I have a lovely pre Aeroflow Mk1 cortina four door that would fit the bill .. and leave you a fair chunk of change from your budget there too ! Pm me if if floats your boat ?
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Last Edit: Feb 5, 2022 13:19:44 GMT by slammage
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What's a pre aeroflow Cortina? No offence but I'm really not a Ford fan, just always liked the shape of the Corsair!
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72 MGB GT 88 Daimler Double Six 89 Rover Mini 91 Nissan Figaro 95 Lotus Esprit S4S 18 Discovery
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What's a pre aeroflow Cortina? No offence but I'm really not a Ford fan, just always liked the shape of the Corsair! that´s a pre aeroflow, the first MK1 Cortina from 62 to late 64, with the oval sidelights outside the grille. i would recommend both the Corsair as well as the Cortina, but i must admit i always was a great fan of British built Fords.
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Rover p6 …I’d forget fords the scene tax has ruined it
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Fraud owners club member 1999 Jaguar s type 1993 ford escort
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Rob M
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,915
Club RR Member Number: 41
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Honestly? If I was looking for a classic that could easily be used daily, straight forwards to look after, bullet proof mechanicals, comfortable, easy to get parts for, good to drive and, and, and....... I really would not be looking at anything else other than one of these.. Incredibly good cars and £10K will get you a smart daily driver. They make other cars from their era look positively fragile. Just my opinion.
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I've always liked the Corsair, that would be high on my list for the budget you have, otherwise the P6 is a nice car but you have to be careful with corrosion of the sub structure, particuarly where the front suspension springs are.
Corrosion will be your biggest problem with the sort of age cars you are looking at.
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Morris Marina, just not a gutless 1275 powered one.
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A well sorted Triumph 2000 or 2500 is also a very usable daily driver, capable of covering long distances in comfort. 1,127 miles in 30 hours is my record…. I could still walk afterwards too!
Nick
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1967 Triumph Vitesse convertible (old friend) 1996 Audi A6 2.5 TDI Avant (still durability testing) 1972 GT6 Mk3 (Restored after loong rest & getting the hang of being a car again)
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logicaluk
Posted a lot
Every days a school day round here
Posts: 1,316
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What nick said. Make sure you get to drive one.
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Landcrab.. Got to be good for a laugh!
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bazzateer
Posted a lot
Imping along sans Vogue
Posts: 3,653
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Hillman Hunter/Humber Sceptre/Singer Vogue? Get one with a o/d box and it's happy on the motorway as well as the A & B roads. No scene tax either.
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2022 22:57:42 GMT by bazzateer
1968 Singer Chamois Sport 1972 Sunbeam Imp Sport 1976 Datsun 260Z 2+2 1998 Peugeot Boxer Pilote motorhome 2003 Rover 75 1.8 Club SE (daily) 2006 MG ZT 190+ (another daily) 2007 BMW 530d Touring M Sport (tow car)
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hopeso
Part of things
Posts: 340
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As others have said Volvo 122s gets my vote. Lovely car to drive, quick enough too and safe for the family to travel in. It's one of the few cars I regret ever selling.
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elfman
Part of things
Posts: 394
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Honestly? If I was looking for a classic that could easily be used daily, straight forwards to look after, bullet proof mechanicals, comfortable, easy to get parts for, good to drive and, and, and....... I really would not be looking at anything else other than one of these.. Incredibly good cars and £10K will get you a smart daily driver. They make other cars from their era look positively fragile. Just my opinion. www.carandclassic.com/list/102/amazon/ a couple of reasonable looking cars here and good prices. I have had mine for just over 3 years, easy to work and spares easily available
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I had a triumph 2000 which we used as an every day family car for a couple of years, apart from around 25mpg it was a great car.
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A few things to add to the recommendations of an Amazon - get one with overdrive! Retrofitting it is expensive, as spare overdrive gearboxes are not easily available anymore. A B20 engine is more desirable than a B18 although the extra 200cc only gives a welcome boost of torque rather than a big increase in power. A B20 with twin carbs & o/d will be bored at just 70 on the motorway (a factory o/d equipped car will be doing 84mph at 4K rpm - retrofitted will be revving lower unless it has had the diff swapped), and it will barely notice motorway hills either. They have the best heater of ANY car I have been in - hot is truly volcanic, and it kicks in quickly. Not luxurious, but the seats are extremely comfortable - first car with 'medically idealised' seats, and interiors are hardwearing. Nothing is high tech, but just very carefully engineered. Suspension is telescopics and coils all round with double wishbones up front, and a five link live axle at the back, despite its origins in the '50s. Brakes are very powerful for the age too, with the single circuit cars using the same Girling three pot calipers up front as similar age Jaguars. Twin circuit went to four pot. The first car with three point belts, and most have three point mounts already for the back seats. PCD is 5x 41/2" (114.3mm in new money), so there is a big choice of US Ford fitment wheels. Widened deep dish factory steels are available off the shelf too.
The Amazon tech section on the Volvo OC forum is pretty active & an great source of advice, and parts supply is excellent - a surprising amount still being genuine Volvo.
My father and I put about 140K on mine between 1994 and 2016, and it had already done at least 180K already. He bought it as purely as an everyday car, a duty which it performed admirably for both of us. It's not for nothing that for decades, the classic press have described them as being the truly practical classic car.
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Rob M
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,915
Club RR Member Number: 41
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A few things to add to the recommendations of an Amazon - get one with overdrive! Retrofitting it is expensive, as spare overdrive gearboxes are not easily available anymore. A B20 engine is more desirable than a B18 although the extra 200cc only gives a welcome boost of torque rather than a big increase in power. A B20 with twin carbs & o/d will be bored at just 70 on the motorway (a factory o/d equipped car will be doing 84mph at 4K rpm - retrofitted will be revving lower unless it has had the diff swapped), and it will barely notice motorway hills either. They have the best heater of ANY car I have been in - hot is truly volcanic, and it kicks in quickly. Not luxurious, but the seats are extremely comfortable - first car with 'medically idealised' seats, and interiors are hardwearing. Nothing is high tech, but just very carefully engineered. Suspension is telescopics and coils all round with double wishbones up front, and a five link live axle at the back, despite its origins in the '50s. Brakes are very powerful for the age too, with the single circuit cars using the same Girling three pot calipers up front as similar age Jaguars. Twin circuit went to four pot. The first car with three point belts, and most have three point mounts already for the back seats. PCD is 5x 4 1/ 2" (114.3mm in new money), so there is a big choice of US Ford fitment wheels. Widened deep dish factory steels are available off the shelf too. The Amazon tech section on the Volvo OC forum is pretty active & an great source of advice, and parts supply is excellent - a surprising amount still being genuine Volvo. My father and I put about 140K on mine between 1994 and 2016, and it had already done at least 180K already. He bought it as purely as an everyday car, a duty which it performed admirably for both of us. It's not for nothing that for decades, the classic press have described them as being the truly practical classic car. I rest my case m'lud!
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I hadn't considered a Volvo, 122, my experience of the brand is 240s, 740s and 960s, definitely worth some more research, I am not looking for a daily driver, all my cars other than my Chevy pickup are weekend toys, I was asked to collect some friends recently and it occurred to me I don't have a vehicle that will take anymore than 3, I sold my RR L322 last year as the pickup was a better option for work, and only kids can squeeze behind the Recaros in my M3, and I don't like kids. One more consideration is finding something powerful enough to tow my caravan, I currently use my pickup but its really for work and having to empty all the tools and clean it so we can go away for the weekend is a pain, I still haven't ruled out the Corsair however the current leader is a series 1/2/3 XJ12, these are readily available under my budget and would do everything I need it to, and hopefully the way prices are for them might even accrue a bit of value over the next 5/10 years, follow the link below to see what I mean, a lot of car for the money! Ive hunted high and low and unfortunately there is nothing north of the border so a trip down south may be on the cards in the next week or so for a look at a few and a test drive. jec.org.uk/classifieds/index.php?page=cars-for-sale&id=7155
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72 MGB GT 88 Daimler Double Six 89 Rover Mini 91 Nissan Figaro 95 Lotus Esprit S4S 18 Discovery
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I had a triumph 2000 which we used as an every day family car for a couple of years, apart from around 25mpg it was a great car. I have never got better than 26mpg from anything with a Triumph 6. That goes from a Vitesse 1600 to a Mk1 2.5PI Estate with a few variations inbetween.
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Vitesse 6 Saloon Vitesse Mk2 Convertible BMW R1150GS VW Amarok
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My money would go on (and has done) a nice Series 3 Jaguar XJ6. A late one with fuel injection is arguably the most useable - I used my '84 almost daily before it was painted and became a bit too nice.
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