Everyday Stag

[3000cc]

I'm new to the club and looking to buy a Stag. Having owned 4 previous Triumphs I'm well aware of the commitment required to run classic cars, however, is it feasible that a Stag can be used for the daily commute. Does anyone use their Stag on a daily basis – any advice people can give me would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
Graham

[seaside bill]

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Graham

Absolutely no reason why not - a well sorted and regularly maintained Stag would be fine for the daily commute. Maybenot the most economical way of getting to and from work, butcertainlyless tediousthan a euro-box. Like most classics, Stags tend to be more reliable when used regularly. That said,owners ofnice, well sorted Stags tend to want to keep them that way so wouldn't dream of subjecting them to all that rain, salt and car park battle scars!

[Raymondo]

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I'm about to start using my recently acquired Stag for a twice weekly commute to work - its only 15 miles each way but does include a mixture of fast "A" road cruising and "urban" stop-start stuff, so it will be an interesting experiment. I have commuted in a '72 MGB fairly regualrly (now sold to make way for the much meatier Stag)and although I enjoy my modern car, turning up to work in a Classic is a definite experience. Good luck with your commute.

[EFI Stag]

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Ihave used my car all winter i would advise you to buy a stag with a hard top

as it does get a bit windy and cold. My stag has a efi rover engine in it.

A much better way of getting around than a wind tunnel produced car.

Hope you enjoy motoring around in a classic vehicle.

[3000cc]

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Thanks for all your replies, so far I'm quite encouraged. In terms of fuel consumption, are we looking at 20mpg on average, does it get any better than this on a run.

Thanks

[stagstr]

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Hi Graham,

We got our first Stag 20 years ago and the only way we could justify it was if my wife used it as her everyday car - not exactly commuting as she was at home but maybe her short journeys, especially to school, Tesco etcand backwere just as arduous.

She did this for several years until the kids' baggage, which by then included sports gear and musical instruments meant the Stag was impractical. I then treated her to a 1966 Singer Vogue - I'm all heart! Four doors, cavernous boot, huge passenger compartment. It lasted until the kids asked her to park up the road because they didn't want their mates to see them getting into the Vogue!

During this time the only major change I made to the Stag, which made my life a lot easier, was to install electronic ignition because the dual points were forever going out of spec. Other than that, as EFIStag says, a hard top is a good investment - in our case it was essential because the car was a Mk1 with its original hood, which gave very good vision but was threadbare and leaked - through the weave!

Best of luck with your search for a good car.

Ray

[mjheathcote]

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Used mine 365 days a year (ok, odd exception) for 4 years when I first bought it, enjoyed every mile, sun, rain & snow(tricky!).

I restored it last nut and bolt & now its been a weekend toy for the last 12 years.

If I had to use it everyday again would not hesitate.

Cheers,

Mike.

[redstag]

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My Stag was originally our family car and at times our only car. For a couple of years it was covering 15,000 miles a year. It was in poor condition bodily but was mechanically sound and it was only severe corrosion that stopped me using it.

I would readily use it dailyagain if I needed to and agree with what has already been said that the car is probably more reliable when it is used regularly.

You just need to accept that if you do a lot of miles and use it through the winter you will wear it out. Then you can restore it.



Pete

[White Knight]

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Graham,

I used my stag for commuting, on small roads around Gatwick, and later on the faster A3.

In between it took me on the occasionalsame-day round trip to Torquay - 4 hours each way - to see elderly parents, and to Monaco, including a non-stoprun to Parison the final evening.

Then the wife - she had a tin box for every day - and then the children. Fitting three seat belts in the rear (centre one fixed, two inertia-reel: the anchor points are there in my MkII) and a towbar for a small trailer, we had many holidays on the South coast. With three children strapped in the back (the youngest with a sun-canopy fitted to his booster seat) the slipstream was no problem, and we could pull into a lay-by and have the soft top up in 30 secs without moving the kids, before they were too wet. On no-sun days, with the hard-top on,the kids still enjoyed trips in "Daddy's Stag", and routine running around the village, shopping etc wasfine, with or without top.

A few weekends-for-two in suitable style,in various beautiful parts of Britain, France and Hollandreally showed what the Stag is all about.

So, in answer to your question - emphatically YES!

[Though I certainly don't recommend it for a first acquaintance with the wonderful Stag, I have to let mine go - as a restoration project for someone. See my post "Good home required" on this forum. aaa@uwclub.netor 01372 801071.]

[rogerc]

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Hi,

I use my Stag as my everyday car. Commute is about 10 miles each way, but due to the area (SE London) it isn't always the quickest of journeys.

Fuel consumption is not good - I'm only getting an average of 16mpg but I'm still investigating whether this is heavy traffic or poor tuning...

The only thing I would say is that it is an old car and things can (and will)go wrong, and unless you have the facilities to work on the vehicle in the evening (and have the spares to hand) you might find a 'spare' car useful.

I have had to fall back on my modern vehicle a couple of times over the last few months. That said, I have to admit that TLC was missing from the previous owners...

Also be prepared for much more attention and conversations in most forecourts!! It is a great car!!