The more you pamper your car...

[Guest]

...the more troubles you seem to have! It makes me laugh to think about it, but it's been my experience a dirty car runs better than a washed & waxed one. A beater always gets you there, but one you love and care for gives you the most headaches.
Brings me to realize what a crappy mechanic I really am! LOL!

[Noxnabaker]

I agree! In the early 80's I came to own a Mini Cooper S & then some more & I also came to know a guy who had been a Mini Cooper mechanic since the begining & also a race mechanic & he always took over cars that customers got tired of, put his own engine & gearbox in & so he used whatever Cooper that had came his way. I went with him a few times... He never used the brakes exept for stopping at a trafic light or parking; it was gears all the way for slowing down! Anyway, he also said "if you drive a car carfully it'll brake, even if ever so little, just to keep you irritated" & I found out that he was right.

[studegary]

I agree! In the early 80's I came to own a Mini Cooper S & then some more & I also came to know a guy who had been a Mini Cooper mechanic since the begining & also a race mechanic & he always took over cars that customers got tired of, put his own engine & gearbox in & so he used whatever Cooper that had came his way. I went with him a few times... He never used the brakes exept for stopping at a trafic light or parking; it was gears all the way for slowing down! Anyway, he also said "if you drive a car carfully it'll brake, even if ever so little, just to keep you irritated" & I found out that he was right.

Reminds me of about 65 years ago when my father said to me that brakes are cheaper than transmissions/clutches/engines when he was with me while I was downshifting. Soon after, I took a gear out of my 1949 Mercury coupe.

[Noxnabaker]

I've also had troubles with gears in my younger days, 2 times; once in my -62 VW & once in my -66 Chevy Suburban, both easy to fix. &I never reapair anything that has to do with brakes; I get new stuff instead.

[GrumpyOne]

I think a lot of it has to do with how often you drive it.

Back in the day I remember when I could leave either the hawk or Avanti sit for a year or more with disconnected batteries. The first thing of course was to reconnect the battery and perhaps crank it for five or six seconds and let it sit for between fifteen to thirty seconds, then crank it again. Almost every time either would start right up and after a couple of minutes to "warm up," off I would go for at least a thirty minute drive. But that was in the days of good gas.

Now, it's much more of a chore. I don't want to elaborate as I would quickly go off topic...