Why did you get a 2002?

[Cyclone101]

I wanted a classic, but being a student I needed a car that was cheap to run, easy to work on and most of all looks good.

I was split between an Alfa 1600 GTV "Stepnose" and a 2002, so I tested both and the 2002 was much more fun to drive. So I bought it.

I drove it daily for 5years and it never let me down, not once. I did do some preventative maintenance but it never broke down on me. It loves corners and can be made faster easily(but can get expensive in the power dep.)

It can take 4 people with luggage with ease and will do 100mph all day long.

It still makes me smile EVERY TIME I drive it, and I think that is the most important for me.

What I wish I knew? I would say that every 2002 that was used has rust, so look carefully, rust repair is not the most fun part of a restoration.

Regards

Jacques

[mkanow]

My 2002 history is also a family affair. My grandfather purchased the car new and eventually parked it in my aunt's garage where it sat pretty much untouched for about 20 years. My uncle wanted it gone, so he gave it to my Dad, who gave it to me as somewhat of a graduation present. I've had it for the past 5 years. I drove it daily for about a year, until I bought an M3. The M3 is a much better DD, but the 2002 definitely puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

[Mike_R]

I just seem to remember I had a seed in my head. One day a guy I knew got a job in Bermuda....had to liquidate his cars & his 1975 rust free 2002 came into my ownership for $3500. That was $15,000 and 9 years ago. I do not regret buying it.

[jrkoupe]

I wanted a classic, but being a student I needed a car that was cheap to run, easy to work on and most of all looks good.

I was split between an Alfa 1600 GTV "Stepnose" and a 2002, so I tested both and the 2002 was much more fun to drive. So I bought it.

I drove it daily for 5years and it never let me down, not once. I did do some preventative maintenance but it never broke down on me. It loves corners and can be made faster easily(but can get expensive in the power dep.)

It can take 4 people with luggage with ease and will do 100mph all day long.

It still makes me smile EVERY TIME I drive it, and I think that is the most important for me.

What I wish I knew? I would say that every 2002 that was used has rust, so look carefully, rust repair is not the most fun part of a restoration.

Regards

Jacques

02 more fun than the step nose?.....I love those dearly...can u elaborate pls?...

[roadhog0]

Well I had wanted a truck cause I did a lot of work back home. The 02 fell into my lap for a very affordable price so I bought it. Thought I might end up selling it. Well 3 years later and countless hours of work gone by, the 02 is still here and followed me off to college! Love the car! It's affordable, good looking, fits 4, quick, nimble, very reliable, and easy to work on. I couldnt ask for much more!

[Jim_75Sahara]

I learned to drive using Dad's '72 Golf '02. (his baby) I had to be very careful - driving it the way he taught me: assertively, firmly and with a sense of fun. Well, I also used my sister's '73 4-speed Pinto to learn with, but that wasn't any fun... Oh, and Mom had a '73 Volvo 164E which was much easier to drive since it was an automatic. I had thought the '02 was OK, but when I started driving it, the smile on my face was instantaneous. The 2002 was the only classic car that meant a lot to me 30 years down the road.

[JLENHAM]

Road & Track article circa 1982 "Top used cars for under $5,000 (?)" They compared a 72tii with 9 others, the 2002 called to me. Still have the article kicking around some where. On 02 #2 now, both 1973 Chamonix.

[mfbanres]

Because my first car was a 1959 SIMCA Aronde Delux ($50 in 1971) and I got addicted to small european four cylinder jobs. So when I got a ride in a 1600 during sophomore year of college I knew what I had to have. I went through two Triumphs, a Peugeot, and a 63 Dodge Dart (6 cylinders....too many) before I found my first 2002 in 1977. Second gear synchro was shot, the radiator was clogged, the discs were worn and wobbly, the guibo was shot, the clutch was shot, a valve was burnt, and the left rear subframe body mount was broken. Wish I still had it.

Michael

73 tii

[c.d.iesel]

.......bought it purely for track use, and DRIVING!

[zheg]

I've liked them since I was about 12 years old. One of my friend's mom had one when I was growing up and I thought it was so cool. I bought a '76 because it was the year I was born... Kind of a sentimental thing. It took a long time for me to find one that ran well and didn't have a ton of bodywork to be done. Some folks like it to be the other way around... Engine work instead of body work. It's cheaper that way, but I'm kind of a visual sort & the body work is more intriguing. Still doing engine work too though. Ha.

My advice is just wait for "the one" - You'll kind of know it when you see it. You won't need to post "what do you guys think of this?" type threads... You'll just know.

[eurotrash]

Because they have old car cool, four cylinder economy and yet great power to weight ratio. Not to mention they are simple genius from an engineering stand point.. They drive almost as well as anything on the road today (the only fault being the lack of a steering rack for that snappy response to inputs), and they particularly out perform any domestic offering at the same price point/class from their era..

And they seat 5.

[jayamasaki]

My whole life since i was a infant was cars cars cars. only natural for me to get bit by the car bug. Back in about 1992/93 i was into imports, mainly honda and such. Wasnt what it is today, but none the less they had an event called Battle of the Imports @ Lancaster track (LACR). One of the times they threw this event, i noticed that there were a lot of Imports that were not Honda & toyota, they had VW, Merdecez Benzs, etc....

I was filiming the track when a noticed a sound, (rotary egine) when i looked over, i couldnt tell what kinda car it was. Thus here we are some odd years later, that car never got outta my head and i had to have one.

my dream came true some years ago....

[Harv]

Because they drive way better than any other car of that age. There was simply nothing else like it.

The 02 community. Spend some time with the other car clubs and see what they are like.

The Studabaker is cool, but it's apples to oranges with the 02.

John

[eurotrash]

^. So right john. I totally overlooked the most important aspect to owning a 2002, the great community. Which is as important to me as good brakes.

[ndog]

i got it because my dad (in a monza corvair,or any number of MG cars got punked at limerock in and around 1969-1973 by someone in a BMW,He would love my new car