Say what------more reliable than a BMW "I"?? Having one of each of these -
545I and a 65BJ8--I think I can responsible say "taint so" As reliable as
the BJ8 is-----nothing in any way like the BMW.
tom
> [Original Message]
> From: Ron Davies <rdavies1@cox.net>
> To: Ned Smith <smithn00@kitepilot.net>; Austin-Healey List
<healeys@autox.team.net>
> Date: 3/5/06 12:20:33 PM
> Subject: RE: Does Anybody's Healey Run Well All or Most of the Time
>
> ------
> Was this an
> isolated incident or should I expect these odd occurrences on a regular
> basis?
> -----------
>
> Ned:
> I put over 80,000 on my 64 BJ8 from 65 to 69 until it was stolen at USC.
> It was my daily Calif. driver in the sun, rain and snow in both high
school
> and college.
> Nothing ever went wrong with it except for a flat--in the garage.
>
> But that was a new car. My current 67 BJ8 (build 66) is now coming up on
> 40yrs in November.
> It is usual for cars this old (experienced) to begin to fail here and
there
> so we all carry lots of misc spare parts that might break, crack, split or
> fling off the car. I wouldn't think of traveling without my cell phone.
AAA
> also has flatbeds. That said my Healey seems to be more reliable than my
> friends' brand new BMW "I" drives.
>
> When I first bought my current '67 in 2002, it stopped running twice on
the
> freeway(bad fuel), wouldn't start once (battery), three flats (bad
> spokes)several bulbs gave up as well as the alternator. The throttle
linkage
> came loose on the FWY so that was another glide to the right shoulder.
> Nothing expensive, just annoying.
>
> Knock on wood, but the more I drive the less something fails. No problems
> for the last 2,500 miles and 2 years. (Overdrive stopped working for one
day
> but came back). The best advice I can give is to have a good mechanic go
> over the car every year, do plenty of walk-arounds and "pre-flights"
> yourself and drive the car like you would a motocycle. IE no one sees you
> and it's going to break down any second so where is your "out"? Do that
and
> breakdowns are just an annoying adventure that we get to talk about over a
> beer at California Healey Week. Heck, CHW even gives an award to the car
> that has the most mechanical problems getting there. That about sums it
up.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Ron Davies
> 67 BJ8
> 97 DB7
|