Hi Group,
Being old enough to have actually owned some of the
cars mentioned when they we new I thought I would add my two cents worth. For
the record I have owned (in order of purchase) a MG-TD (Used), Bug-eye
Sprite (used), GT-6 (new), Lotus 7 (used), MGB-GT (used), TVR Grantura (used)
another TVR Grantura (parts car), Marcos 1800 (used), another Lotus 7
(used) and a TVR 2500M (used). In addition I have owed a number of other (non
British) cars and trucks. I have used a number of these cars as a daily driver.
I drove both the Sprite and GT-6 from California to Texas several times.So, I
have lived with British cars for most of my adult life. You can use them for
daily transportation... but it requires a very special person to make it
work for very long. Let me explain... you could buy a Hudson or Rambler and use
it for your everyday transportation but it would be a real hassle. These
cars are old and no one works on them any more and parts aren't generally
available. So it is a constant hassle to keep them running. Its not that it
can't be done, but after numerous repairs (easily justified by the relative
expense vs. a new car, and a Japanese econo-box with their trouble free to 175K
miles is very tempting. The Marcos is somewhat similar... they are old, no one
knows how to work on them, and parts are a hassle. These problems can be
overcome but it takes a very special person to put up with the hassle very long
on a day to day basis (plus an understanding wife and boss). The thrill of
owning an "exotic" car will rapidly fade when you are late to work for the third
time that month. Remember, you will almost certainly be faced with doing all or
most of the maintenance yourself. Do you have the skill or the time? Its one
thing to restore a car and it is another entirely different thing to try and
maintain an old car (any old car) and drive it each day. Back when I was young
and stupid (I'm old and stupid now!) I can recall finishing up a valve job on
the GT-6 just in time to go to work on swing shift. I finished with just enough
time to change my clothes and wash the worst of the grease off my hands. So yes,
it can be done but it ain't easy. In my spare time I "mess around" with
aircraft. There are certain aircraft that almost anyone that wants to can afford
to buy. Notice that I said "almost anyone can afford to
buy"... I didn't say anything about the ability to
afford to maintain and hanger the same aircraft. The local airports are full of
these planes that people have bought that can't afford to own any plane. As a
result, these planes are never flown and
they sit around on the ramp and "rot" as they suck up precious money in Hanger
rent etc.The reason I bring this up is that in some ways the Marcos is like
these planes... the initial purchase price is relatively cheap. Anyone you
really wants one can buy one, unlike a Morgan, Ferrari etc. The cost of most of
the parts are relatively cheap as well. But the labor, money, tenacity etc.
to keep them running as a daily driver is beyond most peoples
tolerance. That is why they can be bought cheap. When you have a problem with a
Marcos it is not always easy to solve regardless of your background. These cars
are really "hand made" and problems can often be unique to a particular car.
Even when the problems are more common the parts are still a hassle and there
are not very many Marcos cars on my block that I can look at to see if I
can figure out what is wrong with my car. (how many are on your block?... no
maintenance manual either) The Internet and digital cameras have been a god send
for owners of cars like the Marcos. But they are still a hassle.
The good news is that the
Marcos is a wonderful, attention getting car. In "car crazy" California
where nothing gets a second look I almost get run off the road by people trying
to get a closer look at my Marcos. The TVR doesn't get a tenth of the attention
that the Marcos gets. A Marcos is a really neat car but be sure that
it meets your needs, skills, and finances. The car ads are littered with Marcos
cars that didn't meet the needs, skills, and finances of the previous
owners.
Mike Denman
1966 Marcos 1800 GT
Chassis #4079----- Original Message -----
From: Meggsief@aol.comSent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 7:19 PMSubject: [MarcosManiacs] (no subject)Svelte,
I know how much you love the thought of owning a Marcos.....but if you plan on this being your only transportation then I think you are setting yourself up for a HUGE mistake!!!!! This type of car absolutely positively without a shadow of a doubt expensive to keep up. The best advice that I could give is to hang onto your Del sol and save up or you may have to buy a bus pass to get to work. I don't mean to sound negative but this type of car can be a little temperamental. Please hang onto the dream for a Marcos but don't hang yourself financially,
Regards,
Hal #5353 69 G.T.
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