why we drive old cars (was Toyota UA-LAC)

[TWFAUST at aol.com]

I had a new Porsche 356SC when I was a kid, it broke my heart. I  learned 
how to read the ground off VW numbers. I bought window crank mechanisms  by 
the 1/2 dozen, the battery fell out in the middle of Atlanta when it was two  
years old, immediately after all of the rubber (it really was rubber) 
including  the ignition wiring failed. Shortly after that my father pointed out 
no one ever  got rich by buying new cars.
 
Modern cars seem like electronic bombs, just waiting for a chance to go hay 
 wire.
 
My every day car is a '90 Mercury XR/7 (75K). Even that has had enough  
electric glitches to make me crazy. Worse, every thing is special order. 
Because  of the supercharger everything under the hood is modified for clearance. 
For all  of that, it is really no worse than many cars and goes like hell. I 
will never  consider attempting to change the plug wires. I have modified 
the supercharger  pulleys and made a few other modifications, so 0-60 is just 
under 7.0. Not so  good anymore, I had a modified '90 turbo minivan that 
was faster than that. That  was when Chrysler was still "American" and would 
sell you a 300hp kit for $1200.  If anyone is feeling crazy, that can be 
duplicated now for about $800.00.
 
The rest of the fleet is as follows:
1987 Scirocco 16V 85K
1982 Audi CGT 47K indicated
1967 Dodge Coronet, 440, still a project
1964 Plymouth convt. 318, older restoration, still pretty nice.
1962 Dodge Dart, 413, barely streetable, I am considering a "new" Hemi for  
it. The 413 isn't original, so I'm not destroying any value. Under the  
barn.
 
I have had quite a few older Audis, but sort of lost interest after a 90Q  
20V. I keep the CGT because I like it, but would really prefer an 85+ style. 
 Looks more "pulled together".
 
I need another car for days when I have to be "important". Went to look at  
a '72 MB 280 4.5. Nice car, but it is difficult to bring that old clunker 
4.5 up  to date. Chassis and steering arrangement are such that the only  
reasonable swap is a later MB. That still wouldn't get it a decent  
transmission. 
 
So, I am thinking about a Chevy XJ-6. I see Cody Forbes is on this board, I 
 was just offered an $1800 928, maybe I should talk to him.
 
The short is, for a "car guy", the "advances" of new cars seem  slight.
 
Tom Faust