other Why Do We All Do It.

[Nesset127]

Good to see new blood. It would be good to see you still driving it forty years from now.

That's my plan. I want to keep it as long as I can.

[Nesset127]

Good to see new blood. It would be good to see you still driving it forty years from now.

That's my plan. I want to keep it as long as I can.

[M3M3]

stress relief.

 

whether it is fixing something, improving something, or driving the heck out of it on a track, there is something therapeutic about being around these things.

 

edit...fixed spelling error to please teacher ray k!

Edited October 24, 2013 by mlytle

[Jim_75Sahara]

As I watched mine put into a trailer for transport, the custodian aspect of '02 ownership was on my mind. Without the previous owners, my 10+ years of ownership and now the new owner's keen interest, VIN 2365006 would be kaput, extinct.  I am glad to pass it along much better than I found it.  Some cars (Vegas, Pintos, Cavaliers, Pacers, Azteks, Cimmarons, etc.) head straight to the scrapyard. The select, special ones call out to new owners, younger owners and to old buggers who just won't or can't let go. Such cars live on and on.

[bmwbabe]

I work at a BMW Dealership and I look at beautiful cars all day, but nothing pulls my heart strings harder than an old BMW. They have such a unique character and compared to the new ones there is so much technology involved that its hard to enjoy the actual feel of the car. I love to feel the engine against my feet when I am accelerating and have to actually turn the wheel to get the car to go a certain direction with out a touch of a finger. Also let's not forget the feel of gratification when you upgrade a part or fix something that was broken.

 

-Aspen

[ma.jomaa]

Because I want my future kid/s to know what DRIVING feels like. 

Edited October 23, 2013 by ma.jomaa

[radio9phs]

My first foray into older cars.  With a 2002 I actually have something that is fun to drive, and yet not too complicated to learn to work on.

[Mike87]

Almost every time I take the 02 out, I get a thumbs up or someone comes up to me and comments on it. It is a great feeling.

 

It is a blast to drive.

 

I am not into cookie cutter cars that are disposable. Most cars out there today are just that. Maybe I am just getting old, but most cars look the same to me and are boring to drive.

 

Oh yea, I can work on it and fix it without a computer. That is nice.

[TobyB]

Everyone needs a hobby, right?

 

 

 And horses die if you don't feed them,

whereas a 2002 just sits there and looks forlorn...

 

t

[vinntagejoe]

...................I hate to say this BUT because every time my wife's 2003 Jaguar goes down with a "check engine" or "gearbox" issue I smile because I can say "take the standard today Babe, I'll drive my 02 to the office

 

 

and ditto to ma.jomma's comment...............................................

[autobon7]

I like knowing that when I take her around town I will not see another one. I like the looks of some of the young folks.....95% have no idea what it is and the ones that do know is because of video games. I've heard that one twice which is kinda cool. I don't want to be lost in the sea of Camrys, Accords, Mazda 6s, Galants, etc. Not that they are not good cars as they are all good commuter cars but are for sure cookie cutters.

[ndog]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1968-bmw-2002-review

this man nailed it in 1968

[gliding_serpent2]

Grew up with it. Nostalgia.

Pure handling experience. Lightweight, rear wheel drive. Very rare combo now. Manual everything... A car that truly communicates to the driver.

Performance that still impresses.

Fun to wrench on.

Unique

Edited October 23, 2013 by gliding_serpent

[Nesset127]

Well another reason I love this thing.

Today after school I went to my car. Sat down in the drivers seat. It was totaly silent. Stuck the key into the ignition. *twist* fired right up. 37 years of sitting in the original owners lawn. And It starts just like that. These cars amaze me every time I get into one. Totally awesome.. I think I may be liking my car more than before.

[glemon]

The simple answer is:

 

1. We like the way they look

 

2, We like the way they drive

 

3. We like working on them

 

or some combination of the above.

 

The more complicated answer is why we like.....

 

I will start with number 3 first, I think it is the easiest, as it applies to me, and I am guessing others, we like to tinker, to adjust and improve and make things better or more to our liking, it gives us something to do, exercises the mind and body, gives us a sense of accomplishment and pride as well as self sufficiency.  You can work on a modern car too, but the work can usually be summarized as follows, something isn't working right, figure out what isn't working right, usually a sensor or electronic device, replace it and it all works right again.  There is a little more art to older cars, getting the mixture right, or the timing, or improving on the original design or making it more to your liking.  Old cars are analog, new cars are digital, both figuratively and literally.

 

Number 2, driving experience, once again old vs. new, blindfold me put me in a Camry, Accord, Fusion or Malibu and take me for a ride, the experience is all pretty much the same.  Blindfold me and put me in an old BMW, or Volvo or Saab, and if I have some experience with the cars I bet I can tell you which one I am in within a block. There is a lot less buffering between the occupants of the car and the mechanical sounds and movements that make it work.  Driving a 2002 or most older cars with character is more challenging, involving and rewarding.

 

Number 1, looks are of course more subjective and harder to get to the roots of, and gets into some of the more emotional reasons we like 2002s and older cars, they have more character, chrome and styling.  They look like cars looked when we were young and our opinion of what made a car look good was formed. 

 

I am new to the world of 2002s, in my opinion it is a very appealing classic because it still has the characteristics that make an old car cool as described above, but it is very good compromise or transition car between modern and classic with some of the best characteristics of both, it has reasonably modern handling, performance, and reliability and comfort (to a fifty something guy like me, it may seem terribly archaic to members of the younger set).

 

The other reason, which I will admit is true for me is the look at me or ego factor.  Most people want to feel special or smarter or better than what someone termed "the great unwashed masses".  For car people the great unwashed drive SUVs, and Camry's and Sentras, or even expensive and exclusive new cars, while those of us in the know, with a little taste and class (nudge nudge wink wink, are you part of the club?)  drive old BMWs, and Mercedes, and Austin Healeys and Jaguars, and Alfas, and on and on.  We define ourselves and our self image somewhat by what we drive. 

 

You may say you don't do that, or that is very shallow, but in my opinion it is pretty pervasive, and maybe you don't look at things that way, but if so you are probably in the minority, or maybe you are in denial.  A lot of people do it in one way or another. For some it is the cars they drive and collect, for some the clothes they wear, or their career, or even non-material things like their faith or family.  Or a combination of the above.

 

For most people who stay around in the old car hobby for a while it is a combination of these things all in different degrees of strength and interest for different folks.