Longevity of cars

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Longevity of cars

Gaz37

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I've often wondered why some makes/models (eg BMW,Merc, Audi) of car last longer than others?

The obvious answer is that they are built better from better quality materials but I've often wondered if this is case or is more down how well their owners have looked after them?

Taking 80s Hot Hatches as an example-

There are still quite a few Mk1 & 2 Golf GTIs on the road (I have one of them) but when did you last see an XR3i or Astra GTE of the same vintage?

Is this simply because VW built them better or was it because the first owners looked after them better?
 
Yet my 1986 Golf has virtually no rust compared to my daughter's 2000 Punto which had £300 of welding for the last MOT & lookd like it will need the same for the next one.
 
It's not unreasonable to assume that the first few owners of BMWs, Mercs etc were fairly wealthy so had them mantained regardless of cost, this in turn lead to a higher resale value and the next owners continuing to look after the cars properly.
 
I think that's get more to do with fanatasism rather than build quality, and simplicity to repair, same with Landrovers.

That's the point I was making with the topic(y)

Landrover is a good example, new Landies have always been painfully unreliable yet a huge percentage (compared to other makes) of all Landrovers ever built are still running.
 
It's down almost entirely to popularity. A higher popularity will mean a higher price.

Cars with higher price mean it'll take more to write them off. So you might replace sections of structure entirely, as although it'd cost a lot the car is worth it.

Also spares availability, is often linked to popularity, less popular cars will likely have less parts available, whereas the popular ones can have virtually all parts remade, for example With MGB/Midget/Sprite/Mini you can buy brand NEW bodyshells, and almost all other parts.
 
It's down almost entirely to popularity. A higher popularity will mean a higher price.

Cars with higher price mean it'll take more to write them off. So you might replace sections of structure entirely, as although it'd cost a lot the car is worth it.

Also spares availability, is often linked to popularity, less popular cars will likely have less parts available, whereas the popular ones can have virtually all parts remade, for example With MGB/Midget/Sprite/Mini you can buy brand NEW bodyshells, and almost all other parts.

I'm not so sure, if that were the case where are all the Sierras, Cortinas etc?
 
It's not unreasonable to assume that the first few owners of BMWs, Mercs etc were fairly wealthy so had them mantained regardless of cost, this in turn lead to a higher resale value and the next owners continuing to look after the cars properly.

I dispute that, those who are well off are just as likely to buy the car and consider it disposable and therefore do the bare minimum to keep it roadworthy during their ownership until it's time to get the next new one. The same will apply to any class of person or vehicle - some will look after it, some will run it into the ground and then just replace it.
 
There are still quite a few Mk1 & 2 Golf GTIs on the road (I have one of them) but when did you last see an XR3i or Astra GTE of the same vintage?

Just remember about this question..

Saw an XR3i today actually :p

and i saw 3 Astra GTE's at TRAX at Silverstone last month.

There were more Ford/Vauxhall classic cars at TRAX than any other manufacturers as well :cool:
 
It's not unreasonable to assume that the first few owners of BMWs, Mercs etc were fairly wealthy so had them mantained regardless of cost, this in turn lead to a higher resale value and the next owners continuing to look after the cars properly.

The one I bought it off is either a poor person or an idiot, or both.

My 4year old daughter could have done better body touch ups with a box of crayons :bang: :(
 
That's a flawed argument. Theres probably more classic BMW's that are still on the road. More to the point look how much money they fetch!

only taken out on sundays in the summer and spending thousands on them don't count. most classic pandas are driven every day and kept on the road with a roll of gaffer tape and a hand full of cable ties
 
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