Best classic daily driver is a 1993 W124 E320 Mercedes. I have one in Antioquia, Colombia and I am nearly 78. It will probably be the last car I own. I am very happy. I had 6 older Mercedes in NZ between 1978 and 2010. They were all wonderful.
Peugeot 405 MI16 - 30 years old, 260k miles and passed it's last MOT with no advisories. Drives very smoothly and in 1.5 years it's not broken down once.
Been daily driving a 1989 190E 2.0l for 2 years. Super fun to drive, confortable, good looking especially on shorter coils or coilovers. Mechanically bulletproof and other parts like silent blocs are found fairly easily on autoparts stores. Also took it once to the Nürburgring and hit max speed on the Autobahn. I'll cherish this car forever
Mercedes from that time is unbeatable, I've got a W124 250D (OM602) with nearly 500k on the clock & it's running mint, the only thing that needs attention is the body as it's been in our nordic climate (where salt is being used) for 25+ years.
I'm using my 205 GTi as a daily at the moment as my normal daily is off sick for a while. I was hoping to avoid using it on rainy days, but it's doing an a great job and still lots of fun to drive.
Merc W124, Peugeot 405, 7th Gen Corolla (a bit of a wildcard, but the 3 door has aged well and they're surprisingly fun to drive) and Ford Sierra Sapphire.
Rory is right!!! Defender holds or accelerates value more safely than a the others that have more recently spiked. I love a sports car and certainly wouldn’t want to do long trips in one but for my wife, kids, dogs? Towing etc etc it’s perfect and as for reliability it’s not that bad for us There’s something so very charming and relaxing about them that other cars can’t imitate, I guess as it’s comfortable cruising speed is circa 35
My 1997 Saab 9000 Aero 2.3T as featured on the No.27 channel. 317 BHP, looks awesome, amazing handling, and does 40mpg "Average" every week. I cover 800 miles a week in it and wouldn't swap it for anything else. The big Recaro seats are superb for sitting in 4+ hrs a day.
I have a Mercedes 190E from 1990 and they are chronically undervalued at the moment, compared with the BMW E30. Also, I can confirm that my local dealer can get me most parts within three days which is exceptional for a car that ceased production 30 years ago!
Except the injection system parts... thats a nightmare in compare to an E30, my friend got the 190E 2.0 and there is a lot to troubleshoot, in this parts the E30 is more simple.. still great car, very comfortable
Undervalued compared to an E30 still doesn't mean cheap for a good one with a decent sized engine and you really don't want a small engined carb car as a daily.
A modern ish usable classic choice for me has to be the car that really surprised me, which is a rover 220GSi turbo. I did not expect a car that looked a lot like everyones gradad's car of the time, to pull like a Cosworth (and hadle like a go-cart with mild suspension mods and better wheels). And for that pleasant surprise, they hold a special place in my heart. Might have to scratch the itch and try and track down one of the very few remaining on the road one day.
About that landrover.. i know someone who owns a 1967 Landrover 109 (series II), he's owned it since 1998 and he's been using it as a daily driver ever since. One thing he did do was throw away the engine when it overheated and fit in a mercedes turbodiesel engine. Car's been running perfectly. But i've got to agree with Alex, i'd never want to use a car like that as a daily drive. Judging the prices here in the Netherlands i'd suggest the Peugeot 205, like you guys talked about. Don't even need to get a GTI, even a simple 1.4 seems to be going up in value. If you can find a decent one and you keep it in good condition/don't put to many miles on it, I'm sure that over time you'll make money on it. Or have a rare car that used to be parked in every street back in the day.
@@destructionnl8165i dont get the landrover appeal, noisey clunky and unreliable, the drive is just awful! Iv spoken to a few farmers in wales over the years while working or out with family and they see my car (iv rebuilt my forester into abit of a "ratrod/shed" style) alot drive old subarus round the farms. Theres enough mods to support jacking them up and turning them into off road weapons but they dont need it unless extreme offroading. 1 had even cut the back off an old forester that would be a farm only car, turned it into a 2 seater pickup (i imagine he was abit of a welding enthusiast) and put the big metal cage in the back. I had to ask why and his reply was "it wont break down and leave me stranded halfway there" 😂 i used to go off roading with friends alot before i had kids & my forester more often than not had to drag my friends discovery out of whatever greenlane we had gone to, thats the other reason i dont understand the appeal, hes had 2 and both turned out awful heaps of junk.
@@maybenot6075 I never owned a landrover and i probably never will. But i do know someone who has owned a LandRover and still does. He wanted a car that could legally tow some weight and he landed on a landrover project car. Fixed it up en started using it as a daily drive (so his wife could use the familiy car to take the kids to school etc). I myself, i also needed a vehicle that could tow some more weight and i bought a van for that.
I have daily driven a 1991 Toyota MR2 SW20 as my first car, it had overheating issues. Then I daily drove a 1999 Land Rover Defender 110 TD5, an unforgettable experience, but it had a total lack of refinement and creature comforts. I got a 2005 Porsche 986 Boxster, that was like owning a superbike with a car license and had no practical dynamics or resourcefulness, sold it after just 1 month. Bought a 1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, drove it for 2 months till the fuel pumps failed, still stuck with it since almost 4 years, going to need €10,000 for a full restoration. Got a 2003 Land Rover Discovery 2 TD5 painted in Orange U-Pol Raptor, loved every bit of it, then within a week of ownership someone offered good money for it, so it got sold. Bought a 2008 Jaguar X-Type X400 Sport SE, one of the most refined and responsive cars in it's class, had bought it for a client but then they didn't have the money and these are hard to sell cars, has been my daily driver (also, an X400 estate was Her Majesty's preffered cars during her last few years amongst us). Bought a 1983 Mercedes-benz 200 W123, was my favourite and most reliable daily driver, but the oil pump failed suddenly and destroyed the engine. Had a 2008 Mercedes-benz C180 Kompressor Elegance W204, was one of the best cars I had ever owned before the Jaguar X400. Have a 1991 Mercedes-benz 300E W124, it's a project, can't wait to drive the German 2JZ equivalent. Would love to own a 2010-2012 Land Rover Range Rover Vogue L322 or a first generation Porsche Cayenne. This is all in Ireland by the way.
I daily drove a Nissan 300zx TT, and when Alex was talking about the Porsche I was reminded of when I moved house and stacked my 55 inch TV in the rear hatch. Worked a dream
Rory Makes sense I daily drive a Defender 90 and it’s absolutely fine. Paid 15k for it two years ago and the insurers have just okay’d its agreed value policy of 18 grand back in August. Don’t know many vehicles what have gone up 3 grand in two years. It’s spot on. In the two years i have owned mine i have done 22,000 miles in it. The only time it ever let me down was when fuse 20 blew and killed the imoblizer. Drove through Scotland. holland and Germany in it too. The only thing I have done to the engine itself is service it every 6k and fit a new Cambelt as I was unsure when it was last done. Its an excellent choice and a really good investment right now. Appreciating like no other car from a similar era. You have to remember these were never a fancy exotic vehicles or anything most of them were sub £30k to buy brand new. Some poverty spec models were as low as £15k like the 90 pickup. Mines a 90 CSW 300 TDI so is actually one of the more desirable models being so few folks opted for one from factory.
Not sure if it really qualifies as a classic (more retro I guess) but I daily drive my 2000 (old shape) Mini Cooper Sport. This is for shopping, taking the kids to school/nursery, work, the gym, any other trips I can think of. It's brilliant. Only downsides are the safety as to be honest it's reliable (touch wood), doesn't cost the earth to fill up (about £28 with premium currently), can fit 4 people fine, kids car seats fit well. Yes it will rust, but so will any classic car. I also daily drove a 1973 MK3 Triumph GT6 before kids and that was great. Which included at the time an hour long commute each way. Once you use them regularly and work through any issues they become reliable and its such fun the drive a classic every day. Plus there are lots of little things you can do to make them more reliable (i.e. electronic ignition, avoiding cheap Chinese parts, CV joints if possible etc) Few things I would say is it is useful to have a backup car if relying on it for work (but that's probably true of even modern cars), keep a few spare parts to hand (fan belt, alternator belt, track rod ends or any other common bits for that particular car) I also would happily daily a defender, and plan to at some point once i've enjoyed the mini a little more.
@autoalexv2 Rory if it’s still running after you take the key out (300 Tdi?!) keep your foot on the brake pedal when you turn it off and it’ll actually stop running. My wife’s one does that.
@@marksaddler what? How? I've been a mechanic for years but i can't figure out how that could make a difference. Unless you're keeping the foot on the brake while you're letting go of the clutch pedal or something.
@@destructionnl8165 only the brake pedal, not stalling it out using the clutch which I did the first time it happened. No idea how it works but it was suggested on one of the LR forums as a possible solution and it worked when we tried it.
The dream daily is a w124 320 saloon, blue fabric interior, wooden steering wheel option with the light blue paint, bbs wheels nicely lowered nothing crazy, debadges with an amg spoiler, thats all i want👌
I've done around 30k kilometers in my '82 924 in two years. Very reliable car, it's obviously not as quick as a 944 but it takes me everywhere. Except that it runs poorly at the moment and it's been sitting for a couple weeks now. But otherwise a very good daily driver!
I've daily driven my Ford Capri a number of times this year, surprised me how good it still was for daily use but did have some sketchy moments in the rain 😂
I had a 2.0S as my daily for a few years back around 2011, never had any bother with it that couldn't be sorted at the side of the road. Although this was back when you could pick them up in reasonable shape for under 2 grand.
I daily a 1995 Peugeot 205 1.8 diesel and it’s genuinely epic. 170k miles still going strong. Only payed 700 for it back in 2021. Got power. Fuel efficient easy to find parts and also extremely cheap. Plenty of room and also a ton of fun when you want it to be. Only thing is motorways but then who buys a 205 for motorways 😂
I had my 1985 G-wagen as a daily 2017-2019. Like the Defender, something breaks every time you use it. But the G does have another trick; it is not galvanized! So you will not only become the greatest G-wagen mechanic, but also welder and painter.
What about a mk2 golf. Not even necessarily a gti. Get a 5 door and they’re as practical as any modern hatchback. Easy to work on. Cheap enough to buy. Parts are easy to come by and cheap enough. Fairly reliable. And they look nice with a few tasteful mods
Mercedes w201 with the 2.3 8v engine and a sportline package. Comfortable, good handling and will cruise at 160kmh all day long without using much fuel.
The W201 is a lovely thing. Have an om601 myself with the 5 speed manual. Not fast, but incredibly solid, with a nice sound an a fuel consumption which is impressive even by today's standards. I mean, 20-23km/l they do without too much effort
The W201 is a lovely thing. Have an om601 myself with the 5 speed manual. Not fast, but incredibly solid, with a nice sound an a fuel consumption which is impressive even by today's standards. I mean, 20-23km/l they do without too much effort
Silly prices these days if you can find a non rusty one that doesn't need all its bushes replaced. Some parts are getting hard to find which makes daily driving them iffy if you don't have back up transport and can't afford to wait for parts.
@@pascals602 The smoothness of those engines is insane actually even compared to modern engines. Even for the 4 cilinder. And basically all across the rev range. A colleague actually once said to me surprised; 'why is this thing more silent than my S90' 😂
I daily a 20 year old Suzuki Ignis Sport. Rare cars and absolute beauties. I’ve not seen another one on the roads thus far and never seen either this channel or any other car channels mention them.
Hope you fitted a temp gauge. I used to love how the temp warning lamp came on after the head had warped ;-) Good cars apart from that. Mine lost to an argument with an HGV on a country lane. I think I slightly preferred my 00/01 1.3 Ignis estates. Slower but taller gearing and handling not far off and would go mild green laning.
@@RandallSlick I’m getting an oil temp, oil pressure and water temperature gauge set and fitting them, also put some bc coilovers on it and all new filters and electrics, car runs like a dream but I will try and avoid any HGVs! 😂
@@hibernator8198 They sound like good mods. I'd also advise a gearbox check if budget allows. These are known to wear through input shaft bearings from >80k and it's horrible putting up with a crunching shift when they do let go. Make sure to post a vid post-mods 🙂
Defender for the win 👍 I've daily driven defenders for years. The one I have now is a workhorse however I do agree with the theft issue we have. Spend money correctly on them and they will take you anywhere 👍
I have a 1970 Morris minor traveller, and as long as you're just running around town and not going on motorways, it's amazing. For a city car, it's got it's modern counterparts beat in a lot of ways, all round visibility is second to none, it's absolutely tiny so even if they person next to you has parked like a nob, it's no worries, absolute doddle to work on yourself, brilliant spares availability, obviously for a car designed in 1948 rot is an issue but keep it clean and undersealed and you're golden. The A series engine may not be all that special but they are simple, robust and more than enough to get you from A to B, not powerful in stock form, but you have to remember these cars weigh significantly less than a ton. As for driving experience, it's an absolute blast, you're not going anywhere fast but it feels like you are and it's actually a lot of fun to hustle, steering is very direct and feedback is amazing, obviously no electronics in the way so throttle response is instant. All in all they're a great car if you're just pootling about locally but if you do a lot of long journeys and motorway driving, there will be better options for that kind of thing although there is plenty of scope to build a moggy however you want, the engine bay is huge and can take anything up to and including a small block Chevy V8, and there are conversion kits available for the original engine to fit a 5 speed gearbox from a ford sierra which will help you keep up with modern traffic for under a grand provided you are fitting it yourself
205 100% Absolutely. I'd go for the 306 GTI-6 or the 406 Coupe though. The 306 in particular. Boot surprisingly large for a small car. Roomy. Brilliant view out, like a greenhouse. Fast enough, feels a lot faster than it goes. Comfy to drive. Looks brilliant. Reliable. No worries about putting tonnes of mines on it. Cheap and easy to swap out the engine when it's on 200k miles.
Used a reliant robin daily in all weathers, never let me down. Galvanized chassis, fibre glass body, super simple to work on, great on fuel, nippy around town, and a right good laugh! Only additional thing to check is points once a month whilst doing weekly checks
Easy answer, MG BGT, have a 1970 one and it's cheap to run, insure, free tax, cheap and lots of availability of parts. You can fix anything that goes wrong with minimal fuss as they're so basic. Surprisingly relaible in my experience, just have to make sure you protect the underbody and sills etc with dinitrol or dynax.
i had a 86 nissan 300ZX Z31 for a few years and it was great. if i had been smarter with it, im sure it would have been alot better. honestly my favorite car i ever owned. thats on the list for me. sits right along side alexs 944.
Agreed. Had a 86 non-turbo 300ZX and now an 88 turbo. Great daily drivers and ones that you can put a little money into to modernize the handling and power.
the best classic car to daily is one that you can easily find parts for, that dont cost the earth... i was looking back in 2004, and ended up buying a mk1 escort, it was just before the price went crazy, but it was very well catered for spare parts and panels. Mini's are probably the best for it, but i wanted rwd. at the time E30s wernt that old and i wanted a proper classic. MGBs were way too dull and although i loved the idea of getting a vax chevette, parts and especially panels were hard to get. I drove the Mk1 as my only car for 6 years, commuted around west london every day in all weathers for 3 years, drove up to the peak district and to devon in it. it was actually very reliable when going from A to B, apart from the gearstick falling off and the clutch cable pin falling out, both easily fixed and the journeys carried on un-interupted... of course loads of other things broke over time, but all of it could be planned for and replaced before it finally broke (driving with only 2 gears was a challenge) . the best thing about dailying a classic, tax free (and also ULEZ), super cheap insurance, and what you spend on servicing and parts is way less than the depreciation on something more modern (averaged 1k a year) not to mention now the car is worth 4x what i paid for it. and the biggest thing for me, there was nothing on it i couldnt fix with a basic tool kit, a Haynes manual and some skin from the odd knuckle.
1. Mini, yes it can rot but what doesn't, aside from that its fast enough and easy to fix and great in the snow due to its thin tires. 2.Morris minor 1000, if we ignore its lack of horse power, its a very reliable easy to work on car, in fact it was Britain's most reliable car for a number of years. 3. Volvo p1800, one of those cars holds the record for most miles on a car ever and still runs, its a volvo, itl work. 4. Roots group cars, extremely reliable if well maintained, ive still got the original fuel pump on my 62 sunbeam rapier. The only real draw back is parts, its mainly second hand/new old stock. But if you know people/clubs. No real issue there. honorable mention for the jeep Cherokee , love those cars.
I've daily drive a VW Corrado VR6 for several years and it drives surprisingly well for a 32 year old car. I often forget it's that old when driving it.
944 is great but 924s are a good one too. Don’t rust as bad, cheaper to buy run, easier to work on and lot easier to insure when your young. I’ve now done 14k miles this year with my 924s. Love them. Had my 81 on the dyno at shedfest.
BMW 2002 Touring first ever Touring I reckon. My very first car when I was 17yrs old nearly 40yrs ago. Bloody loved that car, had shitboxes ever since and loved all of them too... apart from a mk2 Cavalier SR that I bought from auction. That was the most shittiest of shitboxes but was written off by an HGV. Insurance job thank you very much. Love you guys.
Pedantic I know but they were actually the 2000 touring. You're right about it being the first BMW touring. The E3 3.0si was also a rare touring available from Crayford. They're super rare and very expensive.
I daily drive my 1966 Buick Wildcat Custom Sport Coupe. Not cheap to run, but, since I rebuilt the engine, runs and drives like a dream., Pass anything (except the petrol station.).
Wanted to say hello to you and Taylor on Saturday at the NEC but I had an anxiety attack before I did, I did manage to get Mike Brewers signature as well as Dougie Lampkin and his son to go with the one I got from you both at the Drivetribe car show
Rory don’t worry I daily drive my series 3 Land Rover And I do 70 miles a day I also turned my ignition off and it still running I’ll just change my ignition barrel for £50 And I’m good to go Obviously you won’t edit out As it’s probably the only vehicle you can do a nut and bolt rebuild on 😂😂😂 Keep up the good work chaps
For the Landy, add a bloody loud horn attached to the alarm and then let someone try steal it, also tune it and get supercharger or a big turbo to cover the I4 Diesel noise. Best daily ever!
I'd like to have a B5 Passat/Audi as a 30yr classic car in 3 years time. I guess it is not so easy to find a good one. But the parts are cheap and plentiful, for now.
Any Honda or Toyota. My 31 years old Prelude can easily go to top speed or redline for hours. Every day. Any day. I go periodically on track, twisty roads, autobahn, shopping, and every day to work
Pug 205 any engine as its such a good csr and relatively rust proof for a Peugeot mines the Diesel so it's not quick but happy on the Motorway and will give 600 miles on a tank of fuel 60mpg plus even stroking it along at 70+.
Having tried to buy 5 190Es [all in the US], 2x 2.3-16 & 3x 2.6 Sportline LE, I'm a fan. They're getting quite hard to come by, in good shape, over here, though.
All the golfs up to the mk4 are perfect daily drivers. Mine is doing some weirdshenanigans right now, but thats because of the owner before me cheaping out...
I would say Accord Type R all day all night as a daily... they have it all... family sport car with recaro seats and xenon headlights from factory and then u can take it to the trackdays and still beat faster trackcars with that amazing h22a7 and that perfect awsome handling!
I daily drive a w202 c230 kompressor, passed mot with zero advisories 2months back. 25years old I've done a lot of maintenance work and body work but it's never broke down.
The mk1 subaru legacy from 1989, just keep ontop of any rust that forms and it'll go forever, theyre just starting to go up in price ao suggest grabbing 1 now before they become really really rare!
MK3 Supra. As long as the head gasket has been fixed, It's a surprisingly reliable and fun 80's JDM sports car. Though the cost of entry and bringing all the old fluids/AC to spec along with a timing belt/brakes/other things is fairly steep.
@@Jabber-ig3iw They were all made in one special plant in Japan and it's a 100% Toyota made car (sorry new Supra.) Obviously you'd want a Japanese one to be true JDM, but few people are going to get that 1JZ experience :(
never knew the towing laws had changed, thanks for that.....not that it matters though as i passed my test long before 1997, but good to know all the same
I dailyed Peugeot 309’s for years and until recently. Easy to work on, more practical than a 205 (huge boot on them) and fun to drive for what they were.
Call Woodford Trailers and quote 'Autoalex' to get a MASSIVE 10% discount! woodfordtrailers.com/
Best classic daily driver is a 1993 W124 E320 Mercedes. I have one in Antioquia, Colombia and I am nearly 78. It will probably be the last car I own.
I am very happy.
I had 6 older Mercedes in NZ between 1978 and 2010. They were all wonderful.
Peugeot 405 MI16 - 30 years old, 260k miles and passed it's last MOT with no advisories. Drives very smoothly and in 1.5 years it's not broken down once.
Been daily driving a 1989 190E 2.0l for 2 years. Super fun to drive, confortable, good looking especially on shorter coils or coilovers. Mechanically bulletproof and other parts like silent blocs are found fairly easily on autoparts stores.
Also took it once to the Nürburgring and hit max speed on the Autobahn. I'll cherish this car forever
Mercedes from that time is unbeatable, I've got a W124 250D (OM602) with nearly 500k on the clock & it's running mint, the only thing that needs attention is the body as it's been in our nordic climate (where salt is being used) for 25+ years.
Nice! Have real soft spot for these to be honest.
A Lada
I own 4 ❤
I'm using my 205 GTi as a daily at the moment as my normal daily is off sick for a while. I was hoping to avoid using it on rainy days, but it's doing an a great job and still lots of fun to drive.
Merc W124, Peugeot 405, 7th Gen Corolla (a bit of a wildcard, but the 3 door has aged well and they're surprisingly fun to drive) and Ford Sierra Sapphire.
Taylor definitely should make more videos by himself, I’m not saying he has no friends, it’s just……entertaining
Rory is right!!! Defender holds or accelerates value more safely than a the others that have more recently spiked. I love a sports car and certainly wouldn’t want to do long trips in one but for my wife, kids, dogs? Towing etc etc it’s perfect and as for reliability it’s not that bad for us
There’s something so very charming and relaxing about them that other cars can’t imitate, I guess as it’s comfortable cruising speed is circa 35
My 1997 Saab 9000 Aero 2.3T as featured on the No.27 channel. 317 BHP, looks awesome, amazing handling, and does 40mpg "Average" every week. I cover 800 miles a week in it and wouldn't swap it for anything else. The big Recaro seats are superb for sitting in 4+ hrs a day.
As fellow saab owner I support this. Mine is an '06 9-5 so a bit to new for this topic but I was going to mention the 900 or 9000. Enjoy!
92 saab 900 non turbo classic, and wanting another, love a bit of Swedish metal.
Chasing nordic stage 2 on my 9-3 aero ttid.
I was going to suggest the classic 900 T16S (Turbo).
I've had two and they're epic.
"Superb handling"...
I have a Mercedes 190E from 1990 and they are chronically undervalued at the moment, compared with the BMW E30. Also, I can confirm that my local dealer can get me most parts within three days which is exceptional for a car that ceased production 30 years ago!
Except the injection system parts... thats a nightmare in compare to an E30, my friend got the 190E 2.0 and there is a lot to troubleshoot, in this parts the E30 is more simple.. still great car, very comfortable
@@BloodyCatch190e is easy to work on lol, i have 2 never had any injection problems
190E was impressively engineered. One of the last mercedes benz truly built to last.
@@BloodyCatch I didn’t hear about the injection problems, but I did hear the carburettor basic 190 are a nightmare to set up
Undervalued compared to an E30 still doesn't mean cheap for a good one with a decent sized engine and you really don't want a small engined carb car as a daily.
I agree with you Rory. My defender has had all those issues but it is still the best classic daily
A modern ish usable classic choice for me has to be the car that really surprised me, which is a rover 220GSi turbo. I did not expect a car that looked a lot like everyones gradad's car of the time, to pull like a Cosworth (and hadle like a go-cart with mild suspension mods and better wheels). And for that pleasant surprise, they hold a special place in my heart. Might have to scratch the itch and try and track down one of the very few remaining on the road one day.
Had a few and crashed a few 😅
About that landrover.. i know someone who owns a 1967 Landrover 109 (series II), he's owned it since 1998 and he's been using it as a daily driver ever since. One thing he did do was throw away the engine when it overheated and fit in a mercedes turbodiesel engine. Car's been running perfectly. But i've got to agree with Alex, i'd never want to use a car like that as a daily drive.
Judging the prices here in the Netherlands i'd suggest the Peugeot 205, like you guys talked about. Don't even need to get a GTI, even a simple 1.4 seems to be going up in value. If you can find a decent one and you keep it in good condition/don't put to many miles on it, I'm sure that over time you'll make money on it. Or have a rare car that used to be parked in every street back in the day.
Your back must have been demolished by the suspension
@@benbradby751 not mine 🤣 the worst car i've owned suspension wise is probably a 1998 mazda 323f.
Classic mini's are cheap to run and easy to maintain and modify
@@destructionnl8165i dont get the landrover appeal, noisey clunky and unreliable, the drive is just awful! Iv spoken to a few farmers in wales over the years while working or out with family and they see my car (iv rebuilt my forester into abit of a "ratrod/shed" style) alot drive old subarus round the farms. Theres enough mods to support jacking them up and turning them into off road weapons but they dont need it unless extreme offroading. 1 had even cut the back off an old forester that would be a farm only car, turned it into a 2 seater pickup (i imagine he was abit of a welding enthusiast) and put the big metal cage in the back. I had to ask why and his reply was "it wont break down and leave me stranded halfway there" 😂 i used to go off roading with friends alot before i had kids & my forester more often than not had to drag my friends discovery out of whatever greenlane we had gone to, thats the other reason i dont understand the appeal, hes had 2 and both turned out awful heaps of junk.
@@maybenot6075 I never owned a landrover and i probably never will. But i do know someone who has owned a LandRover and still does. He wanted a car that could legally tow some weight and he landed on a landrover project car. Fixed it up en started using it as a daily drive (so his wife could use the familiy car to take the kids to school etc).
I myself, i also needed a vehicle that could tow some more weight and i bought a van for that.
I have daily driven a 1991 Toyota MR2 SW20 as my first car, it had overheating issues.
Then I daily drove a 1999 Land Rover Defender 110 TD5, an unforgettable experience, but it had a total lack of refinement and creature comforts.
I got a 2005 Porsche 986 Boxster, that was like owning a superbike with a car license and had no practical dynamics or resourcefulness, sold it after just 1 month.
Bought a 1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, drove it for 2 months till the fuel pumps failed, still stuck with it since almost 4 years, going to need €10,000 for a full restoration.
Got a 2003 Land Rover Discovery 2 TD5 painted in Orange U-Pol Raptor, loved every bit of it, then within a week of ownership someone offered good money for it, so it got sold.
Bought a 2008 Jaguar X-Type X400 Sport SE, one of the most refined and responsive cars in it's class, had bought it for a client but then they didn't have the money and these are hard to sell cars, has been my daily driver (also, an X400 estate was Her Majesty's preffered cars during her last few years amongst us).
Bought a 1983 Mercedes-benz 200 W123, was my favourite and most reliable daily driver, but the oil pump failed suddenly and destroyed the engine.
Had a 2008 Mercedes-benz C180 Kompressor Elegance W204, was one of the best cars I had ever owned before the Jaguar X400.
Have a 1991 Mercedes-benz 300E W124, it's a project, can't wait to drive the German 2JZ equivalent.
Would love to own a 2010-2012 Land Rover Range Rover Vogue L322 or a first generation Porsche Cayenne.
This is all in Ireland by the way.
R129 Mercedes. Comfy, quick, relatively reliable (99+ especially), and usually easy to repair.
I daily drove a Nissan 300zx TT, and when Alex was talking about the Porsche I was reminded of when I moved house and stacked my 55 inch TV in the rear hatch. Worked a dream
Rory Makes sense I daily drive a Defender 90 and it’s absolutely fine.
Paid 15k for it two years ago and the insurers have just okay’d its agreed value policy of 18 grand back in August.
Don’t know many vehicles what have gone up 3 grand in two years. It’s spot on.
In the two years i have owned mine i have done 22,000 miles in it. The only time it ever let me down was when fuse 20 blew and killed the imoblizer. Drove through Scotland. holland and Germany in it too.
The only thing I have done to the engine itself is service it every 6k and fit a new Cambelt as I was unsure when it was last done.
Its an excellent choice and a really good investment right now. Appreciating like no other car from a similar era.
You have to remember these were never a fancy exotic vehicles or anything most of them were sub £30k to buy brand new. Some poverty spec models were as low as £15k like the 90 pickup.
Mines a 90 CSW 300 TDI so is actually one of the more desirable models being so few folks opted for one from factory.
Not sure if it really qualifies as a classic (more retro I guess) but I daily drive my 2000 (old shape) Mini Cooper Sport. This is for shopping, taking the kids to school/nursery, work, the gym, any other trips I can think of. It's brilliant. Only downsides are the safety as to be honest it's reliable (touch wood), doesn't cost the earth to fill up (about £28 with premium currently), can fit 4 people fine, kids car seats fit well. Yes it will rust, but so will any classic car.
I also daily drove a 1973 MK3 Triumph GT6 before kids and that was great. Which included at the time an hour long commute each way. Once you use them regularly and work through any issues they become reliable and its such fun the drive a classic every day. Plus there are lots of little things you can do to make them more reliable (i.e. electronic ignition, avoiding cheap Chinese parts, CV joints if possible etc)
Few things I would say is it is useful to have a backup car if relying on it for work (but that's probably true of even modern cars), keep a few spare parts to hand (fan belt, alternator belt, track rod ends or any other common bits for that particular car)
I also would happily daily a defender, and plan to at some point once i've enjoyed the mini a little more.
I daily’d my Defender (also my first car) for 12 years, peaked at 15k in one year and it’s on 193k now, still do about 4k a year in it.
@autoalexv2 Rory if it’s still running after you take the key out (300 Tdi?!) keep your foot on the brake pedal when you turn it off and it’ll actually stop running. My wife’s one does that.
Same here. And ive only rebuilt it 7 times haha
@@marksaddler what? How? I've been a mechanic for years but i can't figure out how that could make a difference. Unless you're keeping the foot on the brake while you're letting go of the clutch pedal or something.
@@destructionnl8165 only the brake pedal, not stalling it out using the clutch which I did the first time it happened. No idea how it works but it was suggested on one of the LR forums as a possible solution and it worked when we tried it.
The dream daily is a w124 320 saloon, blue fabric interior, wooden steering wheel option with the light blue paint, bbs wheels nicely lowered nothing crazy, debadges with an amg spoiler, thats all i want👌
That is a great choice, my dream car is a w124 diesel with a manual
I've done around 30k kilometers in my '82 924 in two years. Very reliable car, it's obviously not as quick as a 944 but it takes me everywhere. Except that it runs poorly at the moment and it's been sitting for a couple weeks now. But otherwise a very good daily driver!
Yeah great Audi engine in them... but not the jettronic.
@@honda4185 it's a pain in the behind from time to time 😂
Yep, agreed. In my 85 924 I did 8k miles in about 7 months. Obviously had a few issues but it was great. Even took it to Germany and back.
I've daily driven my Ford Capri a number of times this year, surprised me how good it still was for daily use but did have some sketchy moments in the rain 😂
So put some decent tyres on it. Michelin PS5 /Conti Sport 7 = No more issues in rain.
@@theenglishtrucker1849 I do have good tyres on it
I had a 2.0S as my daily for a few years back around 2011, never had any bother with it that couldn't be sorted at the side of the road. Although this was back when you could pick them up in reasonable shape for under 2 grand.
Sounds like you need the concrete slab mod
@@theenglishtrucker1849 That was a great JOKE ....
Pilot Sports 5 or Conti Sport 7 in 205/60 R13 size :D :D :D :D forget about it :D
I daily a 1995 Peugeot 205 1.8 diesel and it’s genuinely epic. 170k miles still going strong. Only payed 700 for it back in 2021. Got power. Fuel efficient easy to find parts and also extremely cheap. Plenty of room and also a ton of fun when you want it to be. Only thing is motorways but then who buys a 205 for motorways 😂
@@sys-administrator where I am in the UK there isn’t any motorways I really need. Just a duel carriageway that’s all. So for me it’s fine
@@sys-administrator yep. Plus look cool when doing it
I had my 1985 G-wagen as a daily 2017-2019. Like the Defender, something breaks every time you use it. But the G does have another trick; it is not galvanized! So you will not only become the greatest G-wagen mechanic, but also welder and painter.
What about a mk2 golf. Not even necessarily a gti. Get a 5 door and they’re as practical as any modern hatchback. Easy to work on. Cheap enough to buy. Parts are easy to come by and cheap enough. Fairly reliable. And they look nice with a few tasteful mods
Mercedes w201 with the 2.3 8v engine and a sportline package. Comfortable, good handling and will cruise at 160kmh all day long without using much fuel.
The W201 is a lovely thing. Have an om601 myself with the 5 speed manual. Not fast, but incredibly solid, with a nice sound an a fuel consumption which is impressive even by today's standards. I mean, 20-23km/l they do without too much effort
The W201 is a lovely thing. Have an om601 myself with the 5 speed manual. Not fast, but incredibly solid, with a nice sound an a fuel consumption which is impressive even by today's standards. I mean, 20-23km/l they do without too much effort
@@bartjanflikkemamy w124 om602 turbo doesn’t need much more fuel
It even runs smoother above 1200 rpm than my 1.6 tdi golf 7
Silly prices these days if you can find a non rusty one that doesn't need all its bushes replaced. Some parts are getting hard to find which makes daily driving them iffy if you don't have back up transport and can't afford to wait for parts.
@@pascals602 The smoothness of those engines is insane actually even compared to modern engines. Even for the 4 cilinder. And basically all across the rev range. A colleague actually once said to me surprised; 'why is this thing more silent than my S90' 😂
I daily a 20 year old Suzuki Ignis Sport. Rare cars and absolute beauties. I’ve not seen another one on the roads thus far and never seen either this channel or any other car channels mention them.
Hope you fitted a temp gauge. I used to love how the temp warning lamp came on after the head had warped ;-) Good cars apart from that. Mine lost to an argument with an HGV on a country lane. I think I slightly preferred my 00/01 1.3 Ignis estates. Slower but taller gearing and handling not far off and would go mild green laning.
@@RandallSlick I’m getting an oil temp, oil pressure and water temperature gauge set and fitting them, also put some bc coilovers on it and all new filters and electrics, car runs like a dream but I will try and avoid any HGVs! 😂
@@hibernator8198 They sound like good mods. I'd also advise a gearbox check if budget allows. These are known to wear through input shaft bearings from >80k and it's horrible putting up with a crunching shift when they do let go. Make sure to post a vid post-mods 🙂
20 years old is still way too new to be considered a classic. 30 years minimum.
I'm with Rory i daily drove a defender 90 for a few years and it was excellent
That's the point: your daily drive takes you a few years to complete...
Let’s hear more about the defender. Big following for defenders out there
Defender for the win 👍
I've daily driven defenders for years. The one I have now is a workhorse however I do agree with the theft issue we have.
Spend money correctly on them and they will take you anywhere 👍
I have a 1970 Morris minor traveller, and as long as you're just running around town and not going on motorways, it's amazing. For a city car, it's got it's modern counterparts beat in a lot of ways, all round visibility is second to none, it's absolutely tiny so even if they person next to you has parked like a nob, it's no worries, absolute doddle to work on yourself, brilliant spares availability, obviously for a car designed in 1948 rot is an issue but keep it clean and undersealed and you're golden. The A series engine may not be all that special but they are simple, robust and more than enough to get you from A to B, not powerful in stock form, but you have to remember these cars weigh significantly less than a ton. As for driving experience, it's an absolute blast, you're not going anywhere fast but it feels like you are and it's actually a lot of fun to hustle, steering is very direct and feedback is amazing, obviously no electronics in the way so throttle response is instant. All in all they're a great car if you're just pootling about locally but if you do a lot of long journeys and motorway driving, there will be better options for that kind of thing although there is plenty of scope to build a moggy however you want, the engine bay is huge and can take anything up to and including a small block Chevy V8, and there are conversion kits available for the original engine to fit a 5 speed gearbox from a ford sierra which will help you keep up with modern traffic for under a grand provided you are fitting it yourself
8:32 I mean his E39 540i is untaxed and yet he still drives it. Classic Taylor
Rory is f*cking right!!! Defender/Discovery are wonderful daily!!
205 100%
Absolutely.
I'd go for the 306 GTI-6 or the 406 Coupe though.
The 306 in particular. Boot surprisingly large for a small car.
Roomy. Brilliant view out, like a greenhouse. Fast enough, feels a lot faster than it goes.
Comfy to drive. Looks brilliant.
Reliable.
No worries about putting tonnes of mines on it. Cheap and easy to swap out the engine when it's on 200k miles.
Used a reliant robin daily in all weathers, never let me down. Galvanized chassis, fibre glass body, super simple to work on, great on fuel, nippy around town, and a right good laugh! Only additional thing to check is points once a month whilst doing weekly checks
Easy answer, MG BGT, have a 1970 one and it's cheap to run, insure, free tax, cheap and lots of availability of parts. You can fix anything that goes wrong with minimal fuss as they're so basic. Surprisingly relaible in my experience, just have to make sure you protect the underbody and sills etc with dinitrol or dynax.
i had a 86 nissan 300ZX Z31 for a few years and it was great. if i had been smarter with it, im sure it would have been alot better. honestly my favorite car i ever owned. thats on the list for me. sits right along side alexs 944.
Agreed. Had a 86 non-turbo 300ZX and now an 88 turbo. Great daily drivers and ones that you can put a little money into to modernize the handling and power.
Just sold my 1992 Porsche 968, which I daily drove for over 6 months. It was pretty easy to drive and park on a daily basis to be fair.
And they don't rust like a 944. Lovely cars.
i daily a 1988 1.4 ford escort. its a great car and the drive to work is actually kinda fun with it.
Nissan Primera P10 GT, Panda mk1, Fiat 124 Familiare, Alfa Romeo 75 Twin Spark, Peugeot 505, etc
the best classic car to daily is one that you can easily find parts for, that dont cost the earth... i was looking back in 2004, and ended up buying a mk1 escort, it was just before the price went crazy, but it was very well catered for spare parts and panels. Mini's are probably the best for it, but i wanted rwd. at the time E30s wernt that old and i wanted a proper classic. MGBs were way too dull and although i loved the idea of getting a vax chevette, parts and especially panels were hard to get.
I drove the Mk1 as my only car for 6 years, commuted around west london every day in all weathers for 3 years, drove up to the peak district and to devon in it. it was actually very reliable when going from A to B, apart from the gearstick falling off and the clutch cable pin falling out, both easily fixed and the journeys carried on un-interupted... of course loads of other things broke over time, but all of it could be planned for and replaced before it finally broke (driving with only 2 gears was a challenge) .
the best thing about dailying a classic, tax free (and also ULEZ), super cheap insurance, and what you spend on servicing and parts is way less than the depreciation on something more modern (averaged 1k a year) not to mention now the car is worth 4x what i paid for it. and the biggest thing for me, there was nothing on it i couldnt fix with a basic tool kit, a Haynes manual and some skin from the odd knuckle.
I use a 1973 series 3 as a daily. It’s thirsty. But bloody fun, goes wrong all the time but always an easy fix
1. Mini, yes it can rot but what doesn't, aside from that its fast enough and easy to fix and great in the snow due to its thin tires.
2.Morris minor 1000, if we ignore its lack of horse power, its a very reliable easy to work on car, in fact it was Britain's most reliable car for a number of years.
3. Volvo p1800, one of those cars holds the record for most miles on a car ever and still runs, its a volvo, itl work.
4. Roots group cars, extremely reliable if well maintained, ive still got the original fuel pump on my 62 sunbeam rapier. The only real draw back is parts, its mainly second hand/new old stock. But if you know people/clubs. No real issue there.
honorable mention for the jeep Cherokee , love those cars.
My bmw 1993 e34 525i, so comfy, wafty, and has a surprisingly decent fuel economy with a practical boot
any e39 would be super classic reliable daily driver
I've daily drive a VW Corrado VR6 for several years and it drives surprisingly well for a 32 year old car. I often forget it's that old when driving it.
944 is great but 924s are a good one too. Don’t rust as bad, cheaper to buy run, easier to work on and lot easier to insure when your young. I’ve now done 14k miles this year with my 924s. Love them. Had my 81 on the dyno at shedfest.
BMW 2002 Touring first ever Touring I reckon. My very first car when I was 17yrs old nearly 40yrs ago. Bloody loved that car, had shitboxes ever since and loved all of them too... apart from a mk2 Cavalier SR that I bought from auction. That was the most shittiest of shitboxes but was written off by an HGV. Insurance job thank you very much. Love you guys.
Pedantic I know but they were actually the 2000 touring. You're right about it being the first BMW touring. The E3 3.0si was also a rare touring available from Crayford. They're super rare and very expensive.
From 1971. It's actually called the 2000 Touring.
I daily drive my 1966 Buick Wildcat Custom Sport Coupe. Not cheap to run, but, since I rebuilt the engine, runs and drives like a dream., Pass anything (except the petrol station.).
Wanted to say hello to you and Taylor on Saturday at the NEC but I had an anxiety attack before I did, I did manage to get Mike Brewers signature as well as Dougie Lampkin and his son to go with the one I got from you both at the Drivetribe car show
MK2 VW golf or 1990s Ford Fiesta XR2 (both available for sub £10000)
Been dailying my e46 M3 for 2 years now. THE most reliable car i've owned. Genuinly zero issues so far and flys through MOTs. Can't ask for more!
It’s not 30 years old, but my Z3 Coupe is surprisingly practical for 1-2 people. Loads of space in the boot and wicked fun to drive
Rory don’t worry I daily drive my series 3 Land Rover
And I do 70 miles a day
I also turned my ignition off and it still running
I’ll just change my ignition barrel for £50
And I’m good to go
Obviously you won’t edit out
As it’s probably the only vehicle you can do a nut and bolt rebuild on
😂😂😂
Keep up the good work chaps
Best classic daily is my car, an AE101 Toyota corolla. Absolute beast. Cheers
The MK2 Golf has to be up there even down to the harder to find 1.3 model which I had as a 1st car
Manual swapped e34 tds touring was balling daily.
Mk1 Mondeo is now 30 this year. Dont forget the ST Mondeo is the only car that Clarkson, Hammond and May all agree on that its a good car.
Love my volvo 940 turbo as my useable classic. Also love my dads 80 series landcruiser. Very usable.
For the Landy, add a bloody loud horn attached to the alarm and then let someone try steal it, also tune it and get supercharger or a big turbo to cover the I4 Diesel noise. Best daily ever!
I would kind of agree with Rory that mine would be a Land Rover but it would be a discovery 1.
keep these coming lads, very interesting and humorous!
240 sx in any spec
200 sx any spec
Honda civic type R any spec
Ford f-150 any spec
Toyota hilux any spec
( last two are for truck guys)
I’m dailying a 1991 VW Passat B3, it’s perfectly dailyable, very reliable and even has the electric windows
I'd like to have a B5 Passat/Audi as a 30yr classic car in 3 years time. I guess it is not so easy to find a good one. But the parts are cheap and plentiful, for now.
Alex, the first BMW Touring, albeit a 3dr was the 02 series Touring
I was just looking at the 190e on the thumb nail on eBay
I had a 1992 Nissan Gloria Y32 as my daily 🤣 unfortunately had a gearbox problem but was a very comfy ride
Any Honda or Toyota. My 31 years old Prelude can easily go to top speed or redline for hours. Every day. Any day. I go periodically on track, twisty roads, autobahn, shopping, and every day to work
Lexus LS400 💪
Mercedes W123, Volvo 144,164, 240, Peugeot 504, 404, Saab 99, Ford Granada 2.3, Audi 100
Most 90s Hondas are great. Tons of aftermarket, cheap parts and reliable.
I came to see if you mentioned the Porsche 944, you didn't disappoint 👍🏻 great cars.
Pug 205 any engine as its such a good csr and relatively rust proof for a Peugeot mines the Diesel so it's not quick but happy on the Motorway and will give 600 miles on a tank of fuel 60mpg plus even stroking it along at 70+.
Having tried to buy 5 190Es [all in the US], 2x 2.3-16 & 3x 2.6 Sportline LE, I'm a fan.
They're getting quite hard to come by, in good shape, over here, though.
i gotta say any 93 or older lexus and alex i was at nec and was at ur show it was great i was the kid in wheelchair. love the channel
Taylor is the man ❤
All the golfs up to the mk4 are perfect daily drivers. Mine is doing some weirdshenanigans right now, but thats because of the owner before me cheaping out...
I would say Accord Type R all day all night as a daily... they have it all... family sport car with recaro seats and xenon headlights from factory and then u can take it to the trackdays and still beat faster trackcars with that amazing h22a7 and that perfect awsome handling!
Forgot probably one of the best hot hatches from its time, a MK2 Golf GTI
Citroen Saxo VTR is my daily, ok not a proper classic but a modern classic no less!
*E30 was NOT the first BMW Touring. The 2000 Touring came out in the early 70's as did the E3 3.0si touring from Crayford.*
30 years old daily driver: Audi 80 B3 1,9TDI
I daily drive a w202 c230 kompressor, passed mot with zero advisories 2months back.
25years old I've done a lot of maintenance work and body work but it's never broke down.
Great topic. I have been considering revisiting Saab and looking for a decent 900 for a useable, sort of, modern classic.
Why is the podcast not a full video and only snippets? Would like a full video of the full episodes...
I have a daily touring e39 530d, exactly the same color as the one behind you guys. They're great daily too.. But not really classic yet
Dailied my E36 318is (with a 2.8L engine fitted from a 328i Sport) for 15 ,000 miles without fault...
Unreal.
I know it’s not yet over 30 years but the 1996-2002 VW Passat or 1998-2004 Skoda Octavia are good choices.
Gen 4 st162 toyota celica 2.0 3sge fantastic machine will go anywhere i use mine so much
I live in the Azores Islands and I DD a Toyota Land Cruiser BJ73 and used to daily a Toyota AE86😅
The mk1 subaru legacy from 1989, just keep ontop of any rust that forms and it'll go forever, theyre just starting to go up in price ao suggest grabbing 1 now before they become really really rare!
Please upload the whole video podcast, audio podcast inst enough for the fun we are getting here
In my opinion!! The vw golf mk1 1.6 turbo Diesel … our the 1.6 gti
MK3 Supra. As long as the head gasket has been fixed, It's a surprisingly reliable and fun 80's JDM sports car. Though the cost of entry and bringing all the old fluids/AC to spec along with a timing belt/brakes/other things is fairly steep.
Apart from them not being jdm id agree with you.
@@Jabber-ig3iw They were all made in one special plant in Japan and it's a 100% Toyota made car (sorry new Supra.) Obviously you'd want a Japanese one to be true JDM, but few people are going to get that 1JZ experience :(
I've been in enough old defenders to know that I'd rather daily a post-festival portaloo.
never knew the towing laws had changed, thanks for that.....not that it matters though as i passed my test long before 1997, but good to know all the same
I dailyed Peugeot 309’s for years and until recently. Easy to work on, more practical than a 205 (huge boot on them) and fun to drive for what they were.
Be great to see the crew come to the USA and see what kind of cars they can find that fit this description. Lots of cheap Mustangs and Camaros here.
No one mentioned the reliant scimitar GTE. Fiberglass body with galvanised chassis…
I think Golf. Not too exotic to worry when parking somewhere, not much to go wrong, easy to drive and maintain.