...What Gives?!

[Kwik_Cutty88]

I'm nearly completed with my first two semesters in college (woo woo!) I'm pursuing a degree in Motorsports Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte and its surrounding areas are pretty car oriented. Lots of Nascar teams, lots of drag racing and speed shops all around. There are also quite a few modified cars/trucks running around on campus as well. They even have "car meets" every Sunday night, which are honestly pretty disappointing. Anyways, there are always the same types or styles of cars/trucks running around on campus. Always Cobalts, VW's, tons of Honda's, Nissans, Lifted trucks, BMW's, some 4th gen camaro's, late model GTO's, late model dodge darts, etc. I have only seen a few older modified cars, a big block C10, (nice truck) and a 305 third gen camaro that sounds decent. Why are these older cars not popular anymore? G-body's and third gen camaro's and fox body mustangs (even SN95's), S10, older silverado's etc, are plentiful and pretty cheap these days. I know lots of these vehicles are getting older, but they are still cheap, and have plenty of aftermarket support, and you can make fast and good looking hot rods out of them. So what gives? Why is the late model stuff being chosen instead? Is it the area? I understand the age, and lack of creature comforts of an old car, but hell I daily drove my Cutlass for 2 years and never had a problem with it at all. Even with 2 motors, 2 transmissions, and a new (to me) rear end, and all the other odds and ends, I bet I don't even have 5 grand in my Cutlass. You can't even find a decent Cobalt SS or LS powered 4th gen camaro around here for less than 5K. What do you guys think the deal is?

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

I totally understand where you are coming from mind you I part of that vw scene. The difference I see in my vw to my cutlass in my opinion. Is you get a little more options on the vw that the cutlass never had ie manual trans leather heated seats and cooled ect ect. But I will drive my stripped out loud gnarly cutlass any time of the week then the vw. But back to the point I am going to say around here is parts are cheaper on the little turd boxes and insurance is by far cheaper for my golf then the cutlass. Also thank you for keeping another gbody alive and well cook up some rice for us on the streets

 

[Ribbedroof]

Simple...you can finance new stuff, most people (especially younger people with not a lot of credit history) cannot finance older stuff.

Add to that the seemingly short attention span of younger folk and the trend nationwide (this includes all age groups) for instant gratification, and there is your answer.

Not hating on young folk, just some observations I've made working with 20-somethings and being around friend's kids.

 

[79CMC]

I'm also in North Carolina, but over on the coast (Jacksonville-ish). I notice the same thing here as far as bought vs built and there are a couple of reasons that come to mind.

-It's less intimidating to have a new car. Many Marines, who you'd think would be a population that would prefer and enjoy getting their hands dirty (and they do, but elsewhere), actually don't know much about cars. I think it's a generational thing; many 18-30 year olds weren't taught where their oil drain plug was located or that auto parts stores let you rent tools.
-New cars are deemed more reliable, especially for the immediate-gratification generation. They also have XM/bluetooth/facespace/cameras/TVs/bidets/etc that compliment the rest of the tech-saturated world we live in.
-I know the weather here in NC can change in a heartbeat and I'd probably prefer a 5 year old AWD to a 40 year old RWD when those surprise showers/flurries hit. Most of the guys with 4x4 trucks can't even drive in bad weather, which makes it that much more important that your car is able to get out of their way.
-Owning older cars is a labor of love, and it's not always cheap or convenient if it's your daily driver. When you've got to be at work in 12 hours, your alternator/starter/you-don't-yet-even-know-what-part-yet went bad, you don't have the right tools, and your bank account is low, that Toyota shitbox with the 27% interest and 100K mile warranty seems like a good idea. Then you can just be in debt, play HALO, and not worry about grease under your nails.
-Speaking of finances, many would chose the evil they know (car payment, emasculation) vs the evil they don't (30 year old car breaks randomly and owner doesn't have the knowledge/experience to diagnose or fix it).
-I'd say lastly that owning old cars is a hobby in addition to a viable means of transportation. If you don't inherently enjoy torturing yourself by getting busted knuckles and dropping bolts into the abyss that is the engine compartment until 3am while learning about your car, you're not going to voluntarily do it. I liken it to model trains or growing bonzai trees; I don't enjoy either of those things, so I'm certainly not going to put myself in a situation to spend time and money on them when I could be doing something I actually enjoy.

At the end of the day, those VWs and Priuses make my nearly 40 year old car, of which I've laid a finger on every single inch, that much more awesome, and the appeal affects both car and non-car people, if for nothing else than it's novel. So while they pretend to know cars and rattle off the specs from the dealer's build sheet, I'll humor them and ask them to tell me again about the sweet kill they got playing pre-pubescent Japanese and Dutch kids in Halo multiplayer last night.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Simple...you can finance new stuff, most people (especially younger people with not a lot of credit history) cannot finance older stuff.

Add to that the seemingly short attention span of younger folk and the trend nationwide (this includes all age groups) for instant gratification, and there is your answer.

Not hating on young folk, just some observations I've made working with 20-somethings and being around friend's kids.

But why would you want to finance on a new vehicle, when you could find something older, cheap? These people spend money for modifications for something they might also have a payment on. Why not just save, buy something older, then spring for modifications, and you won't have a car payment. I also understand where you are coming from with the instant gratification thing, it makes sense.

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

I totally understand where you are coming from mind you I part of that vw scene. The difference I see in my vw to my cutlass in my opinion. Is you get a little more options on the vw that the cutlass never had ie manual trans leather heated seats and cooled ect ect. But I will drive my stripped out loud gnarly cutlass any time of the week then the vw. But back to the point I am going to say around here is parts are cheaper on the little turd boxes and insurance is by far cheaper for my golf then the cutlass. Also thank you for keeping another gbody alive and well cook up some rice for us on the streets

lol, I'll try. I do understand where you are coming from as well. My daily driver is now unfortunately a 2002 Chevy Cavalier Z24. Sometimes I wish I was able to drive my Cutlass so bad I dream about it. I mean the Cavalier is a nice looking, reliable car, and it has a manual which is also a plus. But I too prefer my Cutlass. What boggles my mind though, is that I get compliments on my rust bucket 170,000 mile $600 Cavalier from other people at school. Usually "dude that's sick bro, is it lowered?" Which boggles my mind, would they say the same about my Cutlass? Or is it viewed as "just another old car?"

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

I'm also in North Carolina, but over on the coast (Jacksonville-ish). I notice the same thing here as far as bought vs built and there are a couple of reasons that come to mind.

-It's less intimidating to have a new car. Many Marines, who you'd think would be a population that would prefer and enjoy getting their hands dirty (and they do, but elsewhere), actually don't know much about cars. I think it's a generational thing; many 18-30 year olds weren't taught where their oil drain plug was located or that auto parts stores let you rent tools.
-New cars are deemed more reliable, especially for the immediate-gratification generation. They also have XM/bluetooth/facespace/cameras/TVs/bidets/etc that compliment the rest of the tech-saturated world we live in.
-I know the weather here in NC can change in a heartbeat and I'd probably prefer a 5 year old AWD to a 40 year old RWD when those surprise showers/flurries hit. Most of the guys with 4x4 trucks can't even drive in bad weather, which makes it that much more important that your car is able to get out of their way.
-Owning older cars is a labor of love, and it's not always cheap or convenient if it's your daily driver. When you've got to be at work in 12 hours, your alternator/starter/you-don't-yet-even-know-what-part-yet went bad, you don't have the right tools, and your bank account is low, that Toyota shitbox with the 27% interest and 100K mile warranty seems like a good idea. Then you can just be in debt, play HALO, and not worry about grease under your nails.
-Speaking of finances, many would chose the evil they know (car payment, emasculation) vs the evil they don't (30 year old car breaks randomly and owner doesn't have the knowledge/experience to diagnose or fix it).
-I'd say lastly that owning old cars is a hobby in addition to a viable means of transportation. If you don't inherently enjoy torturing yourself by getting busted knuckles and dropping bolts into the abyss that is the engine compartment until 3am while learning about your car, you're not going to voluntarily do it. I liken it to model trains or growing bonzai trees; I don't enjoy either of those things, so I'm certainly not going to put myself in a situation to spend time and money on them when I could be doing something I actually enjoy.

At the end of the day, those VWs and Priuses make my nearly 40 year old car, of which I've laid a finger on every single inch, that much more awesome, and the appeal affects both car and non-car people, if for nothing else than it's novel. So while they pretend to know cars and rattle off the specs from the dealer's build sheet, I'll humor them and ask them to tell me again about the sweet kill they got playing pre-pubescent Japanese and Dutch kids in Halo multiplayer last night.

Just my thoughts.

Good points. I guess that is also why bolt-on parts are popular modifications both here in Charlotte, and the Calabash area. People just want it done now, and don't want to waist time with the custom stuff, or fabrication. Crazy.

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

lol, I'll try. I do understand where you are coming from as well. My daily driver is now unfortunately a 2002 Chevy Cavalier Z24. Sometimes I wish I was able to drive my Cutlass so bad I dream about it. I mean the Cavalier is a nice looking, reliable car, and it has a manual which is also a plus. But I too prefer my Cutlass. What boggles my mind though, is that I get compliments on my rust bucket 170,000 mile $600 Cavalier from other people at school. Usually "dude that's sick bro, is it lowered?" Which boggles my mind, would they say the same about my Cutlass? Or is it viewed as "just another old car?"

I also have a sunfire is yours a 2.2? Cause I have to say I love my flower it's a quick little good handling car.

 

[CWPottenger]

The younger crowd (30 and under) have in general less exposure and access to the skills and cars. Many schools have stopped offering shop , small engine, automotive classes. So for many unless you have a Mom,Dad, family member, buddy, group that is into wrench'n you have no clue about anything beyond the dashboard of a car(even that can be a mystery to some). For those people the only option is a newer vehicle that they can take anywhere for repair and maintenance. That does not even touch on the enviro/political hacks that are against everything old and do it yourself. CfC killed many thousands of older cars which was an intended goal for them. To many a car is just an appliance. So it is imperative for people like us to draw people to our hobby and take the time to educate them and instill that love of cars. This can be difficult because they will ask and do many stupid (to us) things, but we must resist the impulse to insult them or walk away from the opportunity to educate.
I taught my 3 kids about cars and made them learn and perform the basics. My garage is open to their friends along w/ my knowledge and time. Sadly sometimes even my $$$, but I love having them all around talking sh*t and getting greasy.

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

I also have a sunfire is yours a 2.2? Cause I have to say I love my flower it's a quick little good handling car.

Yup its a 2.2 with Ecotec and 5-Speed manual. It really is a good car, I just have a hard time putting any money into it since its so rusty lol. Connecticut car that made its way to the south.