Thinking About The Future
 

I was flying to Quincy, IL on Saturday night for dinner and was doing a lot of thinking. Hell, if you're alone in a Cessna and you're at 6500 feet there's not really much else to do except keep the nose pointed straight and watch the sunset while pondering... I digress.

Anyway, I just wanted to start a thread about the future for our SVX's. I realize that I won't be able to keep my car running forever, and started wondering if everyone here has thought about the point when the cost of keeping the car running just becomes moot because it'd be cheaper to replace it with something else. I know some members are probably already there.

So anyway, how about some thoughts about the future? At what point will you cut your losses on your beloved SVX? What next? Will you keep your SVX as a weekend car?

To start, here's some of the things I pondered;

At what point do I call it quits?

I think that I'll call it quits when I have two or more very expensive repairs in a very short timeframe... say three months. By expensive repairs I mean repairs that run me more than $750 at a pop. A single transmission failure will definitely exceed that cost, but at that point I'll probably consider it worthwhile to drop a 5-speed in, finances allowing. However, another failure prior to that tranny failure (if it comes) might just force my hand to drop the car in favor of something else.

I think we have to all accept that sooner or later the costs of repairs WILL rise. By most modern standards I'd say the maintenance and repair costs on an SVX aren't too bad, at least not out of the realms of normal for most cars in the $20K-$30K realm (not too bad going for a car going on 14 years old)... but sooner or later parts availability will dry up. Unlike many premium cars, we have the advantage that many of the SVX's parts were shared with more budget-minded vehicles that Subaru was marketing at the time.

Would I keep her as a weekender?

Probably, depending on the kinds of repairs she needs. On the flip side, I have only so much garage space and if i were to buy a new(er) car then I'd want to keep THAT in the garage instead of my SVX. I would have to seriously review that as my main need for a car is for transpotation during the week, not for cruising on the weekends for trips. Besides, I have a pilots license for those weekend trips; faster and more fun.

What would I buy instead?

Well, that's the rub isn't it? There just isn't anything available in any reasonable price range that really compares. The SVX was a classic for its time, and is still unsurpassed by anything available for a reasonable cost. Would I consider another SVX? Not really... I think that because of the repair costs I mentioned earlier I think that my current 96 will be my last SVX. I love the SVX to death, but I just find it doubtful that I'd sink more money into another car that might suffer the same problems as my 96.

So what would I consider? Well, hopefully I can keep my SVX running for a few more years yet in the hope that something I like comes along. Not available in the USA, but I do like the Smart Roadster for the styling, efficiency and engineering. Plus I've heard good things about them from friends in Europe. I don't need more than two seats in a daily driver... I rarely if ever even carry two people in my car... so the roadster would work great for me. However, having said that I've heard things recently that worry me; like the fact that Smart has recently started to consider dropping their product lines altogether (a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler BTW) since they don't make enough margin on their cars. At least not as much as they want. They claim they can't sell them for the price they want to sell them for because people won't buy them. Yeah? Get a clue! People buy them because they want to SAVE money... not because they want a performance car! Personally I don't care much for the Brabus or the upcoming V6 version of the roadster... kinda misses the point in my opinion.

Anyway, I digress. Beyond the Smart, I think the only other car I'd like would be the Mini Cooper... but optioned out as an S (which would be my ideal), they get expensive in a hurry!

So anyway... thoughts? Discussion?

The svx will be staying with me forever or until someone hits me and totals it( i will feel very sorry for this person if it was something done in ignorance) Unless something like that happens the svx will be with me forever. I already know how to basically tear the whole car apart so thats not a problem. And as far as parts go, they are expensive, but theres ways around that either by making parts or getting slightly used or having to bite the bullet and buy new. Eventually though the svx will become a weekend/track car and be for fun times. For now though its the daily driver. I've wanted this car from the first day my dad brought it home when i was around 11years old. Now at 22 I finally have it looking and approaching what i dreamt about for all those years. How could i let something go like that. Geez think I've thought about this before?.!...hehe

It's been my practice to wring 200,000+ miles from a car before parting company, so I figure the old gal and I have a good ways to go.

dcb

I wonder a lot how I'll be able to keep the SVX running once parts start to run out and the electronic bits don't work any more. That's one of the reasons I don't drive mine much any more. I've gotten my money's worth out of the car, and it's still in excellent shape, so I don't mind leaving it in the garage and driving something else. Insurance doesn't cost me that much any more, either, so I don't feel like it's too much of a waste.

Occasionally I do, though. Then I get to drive it and it all makes sense. :)

Keeping the SVX and picking up a beater has definitely set me back on the car scale. Some of my friends drive BMWs and I drive an oil-burning 20-year old Toyota. :p

At least it's a relatively cool Toyota. :)

Anyway, that's my advice. If you want to keep the car, put it away before the expensive stuff starts to break. If you want to drive it every day, go ahead - but don't expect it to be 100% reliable and Corolla-cheap to maintain. You're going to have to spend to keep it running well and to avoid the expensive surprises.

Never say die.

soon as student loans and the WRX is paid off, its outta here! :D

the SVX is all-around great and has treated me well, but i'd like more function. i have no need for a highway-cruising GT, and 4 doors would be nice. i miss explosive acceleration, neck-snapping braking, and insane handling. hello STi! ;) :D its not as pretty as the SVX, but it just wouldn't make sense to sink a bunch of money into performance upgrades for a 7 year old SVX to get what i want. i'll let someone else enjoy it.

I guess this was sort of the point of my post. The SVX I love sincerely... as everyone around here who knows me is aware... but it seems redundant to me to have a car you love and rarely (if ever) drive. The SVX begs to be driven and as such I want to drive her.

Now, the obvious side effect of this is that I'm wearing the car out... and eventually I will reach the point where I've just wrung her out to the point that I can't maintain her any more. It happens to all of us... I just wanted to see what other people were thinking. :)

I've already made sure mine will be around for at least another 20-25 years without much impact on my finances. Then again, I'm too much of an enviromentalist to let my cars go that early if at all possible. Did you know that the pollution created in making a new car (including shipping in all the parts, manufacturing it and energy production) is equal to driving a pre 67 emissions 15 mpg car for 7 years. Now the funny thing is that 7 years is the average lifespan of a new car.:(

Sure I don't drive mine all that much but then again I have a 19 year old Subie on the road that most parts haven't been made for 7 years now and a 17 year old subie that should be able to last another 10 years before the rust takes its toll and I rarely take the care in preserving it as much as I do my SVX.

I've thought about this before.. and basically my naivity has convinced me that i'll drive it till it drops... and then keep it afterwords.. and restore it 10 years later when i have enough time and money... then have it as a "show" car or something... however... this probably won't ever happen, it probably won't ever be worth what a 40 year old musclecar is worth right now... It'll still be fun though;)

i'm guessing i'll end up driving it until i can afford something that is truly better in all aspects.. .so far i haven't seen anything that realy fits that bill.. other than maybe the new M3s... or a some of the new porsches. but we'll see:)

I dont care if down the line its "worth something" The car is worth a million bucks to me. I love the stares people make when im driving by. I love its exotic looks. Ive never felt more comfortable driving a car on long trips as well. Feels like a tank when you drive it I feel so secure. It doesnt matter to me if someday it doesnt become a collectors item....most ppl will think it is anyway just because its so rare. The fact of the matter is that we own a "classic" ....no matter what it will always be a classic car.

I have a girl cousin in california who is really into cars.....she actually knew what an SVX was and said she was proud of me for owning one. She said " the SVX is a legend....not appreciated for what its worth"...couldnt have put it better myself :)