5 ms·

In Southern California, it's common to see ancient cars rolling around without overhauls, probably due to the mild weather. A little less common in the Bay Area

In Southern California, it's common to see ancient cars rolling around without overhauls, probably due to the mild weather. A little less common in the Bay Area, but I still see 20+ year old beaters and 90s Camry's almost every day.

ghaff 5y ago
Largely taking rust out of the equation makes a big difference. In New England, where I live, if you drive a car in the winter you're probably still looking at around 15 years max. I had a Honda del Sol from the last year they were made and I had garaged it in the winter for the last 10 years or so. It got to the point that the dealer's mechanics would gather around it when I brought it in because basically none of the cars (which weren't that common anyway) were still on the roads if they were driven in the winter.
- UI_at_80x24 5y ago
  Del Sol's are really sweet. It's a looker even from the factory.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    They really were. Honda wasn't really successful with them. I suppose they were too impractical for a Honda buyer and too Honda for a "sports car" buyer. I enjoyed it for a long time as a second vehicle. It was also the most reliable vehicle I had owned up to that point. But as I stopped commuting and ended up traveling a lot more I just wasn't using it enough to justify the insurance/registration/etc. cost especially as it hit 170K miles or so and I didn't really rust it for long trips at that point.
    - rodgerd 5y ago
      Had it been a front/rear layout like the S2000 I would have thought it be a slam-dunk; as is, the front/front combo knocked it out as an MX-5 competitor.
      - ghaff 5y ago
        I think you're making my point. You would have wanted a "real" sports car like the S2000--which also didn't do great. Whereas I wanted a fun but very practical two seater. (The del Sol also actually had a pretty good trunk.)

5 ms·

In Southern California, it's common to see ancient cars rolling around without overhauls, probably due to the mild weather. A little less common in the Bay Area

by radicaldreamer 5y ago

ghaff 5y ago
Largely taking rust out of the equation makes a big difference. In New England, where I live, if you drive a car in the winter you're probably still looking at around 15 years max. I had a Honda del Sol from the last year they were made and I had garaged it in the winter for the last 10 years or so. It got to the point that the dealer's mechanics would gather around it when I brought it in because basically none of the cars (which weren't that common anyway) were still on the roads if they were driven in the winter.
- UI_at_80x24 5y ago
  Del Sol's are really sweet. It's a looker even from the factory.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    They really were. Honda wasn't really successful with them. I suppose they were too impractical for a Honda buyer and too Honda for a "sports car" buyer. I enjoyed it for a long time as a second vehicle. It was also the most reliable vehicle I had owned up to that point. But as I stopped commuting and ended up traveling a lot more I just wasn't using it enough to justify the insurance/registration/etc. cost especially as it hit 170K miles or so and I didn't really rust it for long trips at that point.
    - rodgerd 5y ago
      Had it been a front/rear layout like the S2000 I would have thought it be a slam-dunk; as is, the front/front combo knocked it out as an MX-5 competitor.
      - ghaff 5y ago
        I think you're making my point. You would have wanted a "real" sports car like the S2000--which also didn't do great. Whereas I wanted a fun but very practical two seater. (The del Sol also actually had a pretty good trunk.)