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Journal: What’s Your Idea Of A Well-Made Classic Car?

What’s Your Idea Of A Well-Made Classic Car?

By Michael Banovsky
October 28, 2015
6 comments

I think that the Citroën 2CV is a well-made car. You may be partial to a Mercedes-Benz with doors inspired by a bank vault’s, or a variant of air-cooled Porsche that’s been proven to go just about anywhere.

So what am I getting at? Like everything else, maintaining a classic car depends on the skills and outlook of its owner, and what the vehicle is to be used for.

Beyond that, however, there’s a certain strength you’re able to notice after living with a vehicle. I say the 2CV is well-made and durable because mine would plod through modern traffic, across modern-sized potholes without complaint, and would start every time at the twist of its key…not because my example had been given a reproduction chassis. The car’s basic design is strong, it’s just a shame it was envisioned with pre-Second World War materials and construction techniques.

Is a well-made car something that never rusts, that you feel comfortable repairing at the side of the road, or is it something else entirely?

Image Sources: atomictoasters.com, roa.h-cdn.co, berlinasportivo.com, build-threads.com, imgur.com, imageshack.com, atomictoasters.com

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Ali G
Ali G
7 years ago

Wow! Great question!
For me quality can have different meanings depending on the vehicle. As pointed out in the article, a classic Mercedes defines quality through its robust construction and strong factory support, yet for its mechanical engineering, a classic Alfa Romeo is also a very high quality automobile despite sparodic parts availability and a body shell being rather “approximate” and prone to rapid disintegration. A 1972 Chevrolet pickup is a high quality vehicle despite being very crudely put together because of its honest simplicity and rugged technology that enables it to soldier on with clever updates from newer Chevrolets. What is not quality for me is anything boasting lots of clever gadgets as a panacea for lots of plastic, hands-off mechanicals, up to the minute styling (as opposed to styling for the ages) and engineered-in obsolescence in the form of said gadgets being impossible to economically repair as the vehicle ages, requiring wholesale replacement, ultimately compromising the ownership experience much like a permanent stain on a favored article of clothing.

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Paul Ipolito
Paul Ipolito
7 years ago

Thanks for asking.

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Paul Steel
Paul Steel
7 years ago

My first Saab 900 (pre GM) was a well made car, it needed only regular servicing and maintenance over 100k miles, no rust, the interior was worn to a nice patina, and it still pulled well at 130k, I sold it after a low speed front end shunt that basically dented the bonnet but destroyed the rear of a more modern car, I wouldnt bet against it still being in the road now, will have to check that out!

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Ardail Smith
Ardail Smith
7 years ago

This my choice for a classic car. I only have one more year for my 1992 to qualify.

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Ian Miles
Ian Miles
7 years ago

Good engineering usually looks beautiful. Innovation attention to detai. Valuing good design and aesthetics. Surpassing the likely customer’s expectation. Emotionally engaging the customer, noise, feel, lookshistorical reference. Leading the field. Compromising design for performance benefit, if that is required. The correct material for the right result. McLaren F1, Ducati 916.

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Erdenay Kokden
Erdenay Kokden
7 years ago

You guys should really sell posters. I would buy a poster of every single picture in this post!!

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