5 Classics to Avoid

Classic cars have a certain draw with their retro look and old-school muscle. But not all classics are created equal. While it may look cool from the outside, underneath, some classics just aren’t worth the money. If you are looking at used cars and want to buy a classic, take a look at five classic cars to avoid.

The MG MGB

The MG MGB will celebrate its 60th birthday in 2022. This affordable roadster won over many drivers with its look and cheap price tag, but once you get behind the wheel, it’s a different story. It has a small 1.8-liter B-Series engine under the hood that produces just 95 horsepower. The MG is heavy by compact car standards, and it takes a lot of pressure on the brake to get it to slow down. Many drivers have to get in the habit of using the gears to slow down instead.

The Porshe 914

Just because the nameplate says Porsche doesn’t mean that it’s a car you want to drive. The Porsche 914 was the result of a collaboration between Porsche and Volkswagen as a way to have a more affordable entry-level sports car. Unfortunately, even though the sales figures qualified this car as a success, its performance was merely adequate.

1975 Corvette

The Corvette has a reputation for power and performance, but the 1975 Corvette is the result of new government emissions regulations. This was the first year without the big block engine and with the addition of a catalytic converter. The result was a meager 165 horsepower. The base ‘75 Corvette took almost eight seconds to get from zero to 60 mph, and it took over 16 seconds to run the quarter mile. If you are looking for used cars with speed, the 1975 Corvette is not the classic to get.

The Maserati BiTurbo

Maserati came out with the BiTurbo in 1981. It was the first twin-turbo vehicle to hit the market, and although if you find one of these used cars today, it might be fun to drive because of the drivetrain, everything else about it was unreliable. The Maserati BiTurbo had problem after problem, and in addition to the numerous issues, it was extremely expensive to maintain and repair.

The 1991 BMW 850i

The 1991 8-Series BMW was one of the first cars to be designed using CAD software. While this classic car had a sleek exterior look and had cutting-edge features such as windows that automatically closed when driving at high speeds, the V-12 engine wasn’t impressive, and the four-speed automatic transmission was equally unimpressive. This combination makes this car a snooze to drive. The engine was also one of the first to use computers to control it, which made it difficult to maintain.

If you are shopping for used cars and like the classics, these are some that you might want to steer clear of. There are many classic cars out there that are more reliable and better performing.