How driving an older vehicle can change your life


Gearhead Grinds ☕

The car enthusiast's newsletter

Good morning everyone,

Your insurance company when you accidentally use their money to buy back your own stolen car:

Here's what's going on this week:

➡️ It turns out Matt Farah is a tree hugger... or is he?

➡️ 6 reasons to drive an older vehicle

➡️ What happens when you accidentally buy back your own stolen car

➡️ more, of course 💬

This week's video 🚗

Spring is here and it's time to give our vehicles a little TLC. This week's video is all about dealing with the aftermath of a long, hard winter and getting ready for the warm weather ahead.

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6 Reasons to drive an older vehicle 🏁

There seems to be a trend that's becoming more popular lately: being proud to drive an older vehicle rather than ashamed of it.

That's a language I can certainly speak.

I've never bought a brand new car in my life, and don't plan to any time soon.

The older stuff works for me - here are some reasons why:

Financial freedom

You save significant money by avoiding car payments and depreciation.

A lot of people don't realize how much the interest adds up over the years but it's shocking.

"Yeah but, old vehicles break down!"

Not necessarily.

Maintenance costs can be surprisingly low as long as you buy a good vehicle and look after it.

Less stress

Older vehicles with existing scratches and dents mean less worry about where you park or minor damage.

Our Tacoma is a former work truck - I'm not going to lose much sleep over a door ding!

Character

An older vehicle becomes like a well-worn pair of jeans that fits just right. The scratches and dents tell stories of memories made.

It's not just about the character of the vehicle, though.

Driving an older vehicle says a lot about who you are as a person as well.

Analog experience

Older vehicles offer a more engaging driving experience with direct road feel and simple controls, without complicated menus or artificial engine sounds.

Less distraction and more connection to the road is a win in my books.

Reliability

With proper maintenance, older vehicles (especially certain makes like Toyota and Honda) can be very dependable.

They also tend to be simpler to work on and have cheaper parts.

New cars are packed full of gizmos and gadgets. Unfortunately, making a machine more complicated increases its chances of failure.

Change of mindset

Driving an older vehicle helps shift your perspective on money, possessions, and success.

It’s about valuing experiences and practical skills over appearances.

There's something to be said about keeping a vehicle alive and healthy as it ages.

Combining that with removing yourself from the rat race is a great feeling.


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Up to speed in the auto industry 📰

Leaving mud on your truck is cool, but it can kill it.

Road salt isn't the only thing that causes rust on your undercarriage - mud does too.

I wrote my first blog post in 6 months that shares the 3 ways that mud can create rust.

It seems to be ranking already, so does this mean Google will finally start pushing my content again? 🤞

Head over to the blog to check it out!

More proof that Akio Toyoda is a real one

He recently made a statement saying that a true sports car must have a gas powered engine.

Coming from the guy that brought us the GR lineup of cars, this is a nice reminder that Toyota is still on the right track.

It turns out Matt Farah is a tree hugger... or is he?

I was preparing to roast him when I first read the headline, but it turns out I actually understand his point.

Bloomberg recently did this piece on him in which he identifies as both a car enthusiast and urbanist.

I had no idea somebody could be both, but now I get it.

Remember, Matt lives in LA - perhaps the capital of sitting-in-traffic-and-waiting-to-die.

His stance is that some of the best cities to live in also happen to be the most walkable.

So save cars for fun, and chill out on the stop and go traffic by using other modes of transportation.

"Urbanists and car enthusiasts both hate traffic".

A hot take for sure, but one that I can't quite hate on.

What happens when you accidentally buy back your own stolen car

This is a wild story and here's the gist:

Guy has his Civic Type R stolen.

Guy gets payout from insurance company.

Guy buys another Type R to replace it.

New Type R reminds him of his old one.

Guy notices that his phone is already connected to the Bluetooth 🤣.

What are the odds? Now the insurance company doesn't know what to do.

Don't worry though, I'm sure they'll figure out how to screw him over one way or another lol.

Talk soon,

Tim Rempel

Founder of Canadian Gearhead

Let's connect 👇

77 Kingswood Drive, Kitchener, ON N2E 1A9
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