Learn me: driving a classic as your only car

I recently got a new job that allows me to commute by bike or by bus. In fact it almost requires it, because parking is expensive and difficult to find. We will have a minivan for road trips etc but I'm thinking of selling my other car eventually to save some money. 

I still probably need a car for periodic use- taking the kids to ice skating lessons across town while my wife is at work for example - but not enough to justify paying thousands of dollars a year in car payment, depreciation, insurance, maintenance, registration, etc. Heck, just insurance and registration on my current car is like $1200 a year. 

Facts:

• two kids, ages 8 and 10.
• wife works full time and she's unlikely to leave me the car ever
• I enjoy biking a lot, and I have a cargo bike that can transport 2 kids at the age they are now, but not forever
• probably need a car once or twice a month, for short journeys only
• They salt the roads here in Michigan and it seems likely I'd be using the car a couple times in winter
• 25 year old classics are now 1998 and older, so long as Hagerty accepts them to insure

Option number 1 is a car sharing service like zipcar. These do exist in my area, so it's a solution but a really boring one and kind of inconvenient. 

Option number 2 that will take some SWMBO convincing is using a classic for very occasional use. I think this would work because depreciation isn't an issue, and registration and insurance costs are minimal as compared to a modern car. 

So thoughts and experience? Would you rely on a classic if you had to shuttle kids across a city once a month or so? What if it was something really janky like a 2CV or an Air Cooled VW?

I say do it. Yet being a family man, do you really want the kids in a car with less than modern crash ratings?

Define "classic".

As you pointed out, >25 years gets you up to 98, which means you can buy an OBD-II car that any mechanic will have an easy time with. You can get a '98 E36. You can get a '97 Camry.

If it wasn't rusted to hell, I'd trust the reliability on a 200k mile '97 Camry/Accord/Corolla/Civic.

preach (dudeist priest) said:

I say do it. Yet being a family man, do you really want the kids in a car with less than modern crash ratings?

I do bike them around town already so anything will be a step up from that, crash safety wise.

Anybody know what Hagerty's cutoff is in insuring a classic? Would, say, a 1997 Honda Prelude make the cutoff?

edit: well, I think this means no from Hagerty. 

• "All household members with a valid driver’s license must have a regular-use vehicle for daily driving (Motorcycles and public transportation are not considered viable regular-use vehicles by our program in most cases. Contact us for details.)"

In reply to Erich :

Hagerty insures both of my 90's classics. a 96 and 2001 and my 2006 motorcycle. It's more mileage based than anything. If you think it'll be 4K miles or less then they will do it. That seems to be their cutoff. You have a regular use car, the minivan. 

In reply to bmw88rider :

Their website says all household members must have a regular-use vehicle. I think that would mean we'd need the minivan for my wife and something else for myself. Worth a shot though, I am certain I wouldn't drive 4000 miles in a year.

Bunch of folks I know did this in Seattle. They took the bus to work and had an old Land Cruiser or whatever at home.  No salt helped them drive whatever any time of year.

In reply to Erich :

Talk to them. Been using them for year. Heck only had a work car for 3 of them. Their website makes them out to be super strict but that is just window dressing. I mean my 2001 is a 225K miles Integra. They have gotten to be much easier to work with lately. 

Are you looking for a classic that will last and hold value or just something old and interesting to use when needed?  Given the rust potential I am hoping the second choice.  If this is the case then just get minimum liability with your current carrier.  If you state mileage under 3K a year the bill should be pretty low.  I have paid under 250 a year to insure a couple of cars this way in the past, about the same as the coverage on my mercedes SL.  I know you give up comp/collision but honestly what would you get for a totalled 97 'lude?

In reply to porschenut :

If you look at 1997 Prelude values lately you might be surprised. 

I am against them but might this be a case where a OBD2 data logger from your insurance company proves you drive so little?  Of course being OBD2 it has to be at least a 1996 model year car but that is 27 years ago already!  

I think this is a good case for just an old (but not classic) car.  Are you choosing Hagerty because they are cheaper than typical MI insurance?  It doesn't have to be as "beige" as an old Camry or Prius (but both are good choices.)  The cooler the car is the more its gonna cost to buy up front.  

Maybe you need a $2,000 rust free, 1994 Buick Century (no obd2) from Atlanta.  Remember this generation of GM is know for running poorly longer than most cars will run at all.

The $3,000 '90 Integra in that link might meet all your criteria... 

In reply to John Welsh :

That's a really insightful post, thanks. I think you're right, I'd be better off with an old car that I like enough to keep around rather than something desirable. Something that costs very little to insure and plate. The Buick wagon isn't a bad play. I kinda want something small and maneuverable to park easily in the city. 

Some related reading from Classic Motorsports: Living With a Classic—Day In and Day Out.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/am-i-nuts-daily-a-beautiful-classic-on-a-challenge/152734/page1/

This is by no means my only car. And in Illinois I don't drive it in Jan/Feb because of classic plate restrictions (and salt).

But it is VERY stylish, gives a heck of a classic car feel, and has been just as reliable for me as the rest of my fleet during the time I've owned it. 4 doors means it can carry the whole family easily. Largeish trunk, but not great at long objects like a cello or trombone or something. Fast enough to keep up with modern traffic and HVAC that does something. Cheap to buy even very nice examples.

The maintenance does take more time than modern vehicles but it doesn't seem to cost more. Parts and instructions are easy to get.

After a few years of ownership, I'd be willing to use this as an "only car", especially if I didn't have a commute that requires a car.

In reply to Erich :

No disrespect to your choice or preludes, but good luck on getting a decent check if you prang one.  And good luck keeping one that nice thru a few Michigan winters.

A had a friend who daily drove a 1975 MGB from the time he bought it brand new until he passed away several years ago.  He had the engine rebuilt later in its life and had it painted once.   He later for a short time owned an MG 1100.  He said that was a mistake.  

The newest vehicle I own is 26 years old. Doesn't ever present any hurdle to me. A Rockauto delivery every so often and good maintenance keeps them reliable. 

Any vintage car will do fine as a daily as long as you've gone thru it and rectified all the deferred maintenance.

But as someone said, do you really want to put your kid's lives at risk?

Besides, it's not really your only car is it? It's more an occasional isn't it?

Not really relevant question, but still.

I drive a classic Mini as my daily, tho it's not my only car. Does everything I need it to, but I don't know that I'd have young children in it on a regular basis.....dunno

In reply to MiniDave :

Interesting suggestion about safety when it seems the OPs intention for children transportation is primarily to put the two kids and himself on a utility bicycle. If he takes the bike on a public road the old car is then infinitely more safe.

John Welsh said:

In reply to MiniDave :

Interesting suggestion about safety when it seems the OPs intention for children transportation is primarily to put the two kids and himself on a utility bicycle. If he takes the bike on a public road the old car is then infinitely more safe.

Yes, in the event of a collision... but do the stats suggest that bike/car accidents are as common or as deadly?  Of course if you get plowed by an 18-wheeler on a bike OR a 72 Beetle, you're dead anyway, but I would want to see the stats in terms of your actual chances of dying after 20 minutes on a bike vs 20 minutes in a car or something like that.  You're infinitely more exposed on a bike, but if it's rare that bike collisions happen it might cancel it out.

I'm sure it also makes a huge difference in where you're riding the bike.  In somewhere like Portland with dedicated, protected bike lanes it's a lot different than NYC with four lanes of murder.

I also have concerns about kid safety.  You don't have to go far back in time to when cars were exponentially worser in crash protection.  My 67 LeMans with lap belts, a convertible top, no ROPS, drum brakes, and steel dashboard are a testament to that.

Edit to add:  But for the most part, the majority of my cars have been some form of DD classic ranging from 1962 to 1987.  I found them to be no different really than a brand new car in some ways.  Some new cars spend more time in the shop than many of my classics did.  Of course, the reverse is true as well.  I've had some classics that were money pits.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest not getting a E36 M3ty car.  With all due respect to most ACVW or the 2CV- they are not exaclty good cars- they are cheap and drive as such.  Slow and handle questionably.  And the ride?...

It's one thing to have a fun classic car, it's another to be abusive to yourself because you think it might be cool.

There are a ton of cool classic cars that actually are good cars, too.

I daily drive a 20 year old Landy, if I can do it with that vehicle, you can do it with any.

Plenty of good driving cars out there over 25 years old. Get whatever you like, just buy a good one, not a 'project'.

As far as the salt is concerned, use zipcar/rental/wifes cars on those nasty days. That will really only be 4 months a year, a couple times each month from what you wrote.

My DD's are a '98 and '00 (with 197k miles)

I had been daily driving a lowered hotrodded '77 C10 for the past eight years or so.

Cool to drive, fun to be seen in, makes the right noises.  It was as reliable as these things tended to be.

Gas (premium) was up to $1 per Kilometer for me.

I still have it, but now daily something cheaper and hella boring.  ....at least until I finish the '61 C10

Thanks for the comments. You're probably right that an ACVW or 2CV is a bad idea - better to go with something at least passably modern that has working HVAC, starts reliably, etc. I've also considered getting something funky from Japan like a Nissan Pao.

As to safety- I can walk to the kids' schools, the grocery, the pharmacy, the library, the bar, a coffee shop, etc. I figure the best way to keep us safe from car crashes is to put us in situations where cars can't crash into us. Driving less is a part of that.