Oldest car everyday driver? Who on BITOG?

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Funny how you east coast guys think that a 15 yr old car is ready for The scrap pile

Exposure to road salt and the resulting rust might have something to do with it.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
My 1991 Grand Marquis is driven daily in the winter. Anybody can keep a car on the road for decades in the South and West. I think 23 years for a car in the rust belt is quite an accomplishment.


Oh, but its a Panther! Its only now just getting broken in!

 

[45ACP]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Funny how you east coast guys think that a 15 yr old car is ready for The scrap pile


+1

I hate it when people call cars from MY ~2001 "old"

Thats that new thinking..

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Funny how you east coast guys think that a 15 yr old car is ready for The scrap pile



If the road department`s didnt use such a ridiculous amount of salt, the vehicles would last longer. I know they need to keep the roads clear, but they simply get carried away. And we go through it every winter, (except for this unusual one) They spread the stuff like it`s free or something.

 

[cchase]

That's because they need to keep the roads clear enough that our wise citizens with bald tires can hot dog around in the middle of a blizzard.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Funny how you east coast guys think that a 15 yr old car is ready for The scrap pile



If the road department`s didnt use such a ridiculous amount of salt, the vehicles would last longer. I know they need to keep the roads clear, but they simply get carried away. And we go through it every winter, (except for this unusual one) They spread the stuff like it`s free or something.



THIS. I've seen cars that are 5 years old that are starting to rust. They spread so much salt here that the roads remain white after winter ends. Its ridiculous. I don't think they should spread salt at all. People would drive slower. Instead you have the morons who think "oh they salted the roads, I can still do 75 on the highway".

 

[jimvegas]

I drive my '86 Celica Supra everyday, just hit 160,000 miles. Wife's car is a '85 Camry, also daily driver, 120,000 miles.
R12 A/C = freezing cold air from the vents even on the hottest summer days.

 

[addyguy]

Due to both winter salt rust, AND bi-annual emission testing, if you see a car older than 15 years used regularly here, it stands out like a sore thumb.

Almost everyhing on the road here is less than 8-9 years old.

 

[huffmuds9320]

My dad drives a 1992 Toyota Camry 2.2L automatic, almost 250,000 miles. Original engine and transmission, still passes smog inspection. The suspension for sure is really worn, easily bottoms out when going over speed bumps in parking lots.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...08b&theater

From last year.

 

[MNgopher]

'88 Jeep Cherokee, driven daily. Only has 128,000 on it at the moment - as of 2002 it had 38,000 miles on it. Stands out around here - no where near the rust most 24 year old cars have here!

As far as the salt goes, try being on the other side of the coin on salt usage before casting stones. I think we all recognize the issues with rust, but the flip side of liability, lawsuits, and citizen demands of politicians don't make it an easy task.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
'88 Jeep Cherokee, driven daily. Only has 128,000 on it at the moment - as of 2002 it had 38,000 miles on it. Stands out around here - no where near the rust most 24 year old cars have here!

As far as the salt goes, try being on the other side of the coin on salt usage before casting stones. I think we all recognize the issues with rust, but the flip side of liability, lawsuits, and citizen demands of politicians don't make it an easy task.



Your right, but they dont have to be ridiculous with it. like the other person mentioned, the roads are pure white afterwards here. No excuse for this. I wish they would be so enthusiastic to fix/repair the roads as they are to drive around dumping salt.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher

As far as the salt goes, try being on the other side of the coin on salt usage before casting stones. I think we all recognize the issues with rust, but the flip side of liability, lawsuits, and citizen demands of politicians don't make it an easy task.


Here in Chicago, there was an issue about 15 years ago where a light snowfall turned the busy Kennedy Expressway into a skating rink over the New Year's holiday. They didn't salt anything before or during the snow. There were so many accidents and spinouts that ever since then they tend to go overboard any times it snows. One inch of snow? That means four inches of salt.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Funny how you east coast guys think that a 15 yr old car is ready for The scrap pile

My 16 year old car pretty much is ready for retirement as a DD, as the rust has taken hold. I think I may have the oldest car in the parking lot at work though... Unless you make rust prevention a hobby of yours, having a car last much more than 15-20 years up here is unlikely.

 

[MNgopher]

Not saying there isn't cases of going overboard.

The amount of science that some jurisdictions now apply might surprise you. Automated weather stations with pavement temperature monitors, GPS equipped trucks with calibrated salt spreaders, treated salts, etc...

We've reduced our salt applications by over half with no change in level of service based on sound science and application theory. We also purchase more expensive treated salt that alone reduced the application needs substantially.

Of course, all of the science goes out the window when the weather forecast is wrong, and we all know how predictible that can be.

 

[morris]

when i was a teenager, 60s. i drove a ford model "A" 1930, as a daily driver all summer long. the girls really liked it.

 

[67lemans]

In Nebraska we use sand on the roads. thus we do not have the rust issues the east has. we don't do state vehicle safety inspections either.

 

[exranger06]

I have a 20 year old Accord and an 18 year old Explorer. Both get driven almost every day.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
'88 Jeep Cherokee, driven daily. Only has 128,000 on it at the moment - as of 2002 it had 38,000 miles on it. Stands out around here - no where near the rust most 24 year old cars have here!

As far as the salt goes, try being on the other side of the coin on salt usage before casting stones. I think we all recognize the issues with rust, but the flip side of liability, lawsuits, and citizen demands of politicians don't make it an easy task.


I understand that side of it, but its more because we have become a sue happy society. Instead of "driving according to conditions" people just assume the salt will fix everything. I can see the use of sand, but it seems salt usage actually lessens the amount of clearing done to the roads. Last winter in my town the trucks made one pass down the middle of the road, and then spread tons of salt everywhere instead of clearing it properly.

Then on some roads after a rain storm you can see where it washes onto people's yards and driveways. There is a difference between meeting demands and just spreading TONS of it so nobody has an argument.

 

[Ross]

Originally Posted By: ag_ghost
'66 Mustang is my daily ride; same engine rebuilt by an engine wizard in late '09.


Don't you worry that someone will steal it?