[JimmyAxod]

Just to add that if you keep and maintain a car long enough (Around 40 years), you never have to pay tax again regardless of how polluting it may be!

Buying an historical car is very cost effective - easy to fix yourself, no tax, etc

[oblio]

A 40 year old car is a deathtrap by modern standards, I guess that's ok if you live in a city or only travel short distances.

[JimmyAxod]

If ‘safety’ is your only criteria, then sure I guess. Personally it’s not too important to me - the chances of being in an RTA are negligible. I’d hardly call cars from the 80s ‘deathtraps’ either.

I think we should get out of the habit of buying new stuff every few years. There’s something pretty amazing about driving a car that is decades old.

[correlationzone]

I just looked it up, and transport accidents are the 3rd most common cause of death for my age bracket in the UK, and the first I can do anything to prevent (behind suicide and accidental poisoning).

Once the risks of dementia get close, I'll join you in the world of thin A-pillars, but I wouldn't call that good general advice!

[oblio]

Cars from the 80s barely have any airbags. Crumple zones are worse, etc. Anything before 2000 or even 2010 or so is bad, really bad. Except for luxury cars, which are generally ahead of the curve.