Best car you ever had
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My dad's soon to be mine 86 F150. Dad bought in 92-93 and it has 83k. Man did that thing take some abuse. All of us kids drove it when we first got our license. And I think everyone in my family has drove it once. Almost left me stranded once with the TFI module but after a cold drink and time to cool down started right back up.
'88 5.0 - bulletproof.
My favorite car would probably be one of my old Muscle Cars. Probably one of the Road Runners I had. Hard to pick a favorite. For newer cars I had an 85 Crown Vic and it was a great car! While it is not one I have owned I REALLY like my Sister's 06 Impala. It is a GREAT car. I have driven it a lot including on a long vacation. It is roomy, powerful, and gets incredible MPG. ""IF" I was going to go out and buy a new car I would get a new Impala no question.
With the exception of the 2005 Toyota Tacoma I owned that was a turd( see the worst vehicle thread )I have liked all my trucks. If I had to pick a favorite it would be a toss up between 2 of them. 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 QC 4WD 5.7L HEMI and my 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 EC 4WD 5.3L. I like the Ram better overall, and so much so I now have a 2008 that is pretty much identical save for color and gear ratio, but the Chevy was a great truck as well and got amazing MPG. I would probably still have it if a freak hail storm hadn't trashed it and my insurance company didn't screw me.
So I guess it is safe to say my favorite would be dictated by the cost of fuel at the time I was asked.
Cheaper gas = 04/08 HEMI Ram. $4+ gas = 05 Silverado.
With the exception of the 2005 Toyota Tacoma I owned that was a turd( see the worst vehicle thread )I have liked all my trucks. If I had to pick a favorite it would be a toss up between 2 of them. 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 QC 4WD 5.7L HEMI and my 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 EC 4WD 5.3L. I like the Ram better overall, and so much so I now have a 2008 that is pretty much identical save for color and gear ratio, but the Chevy was a great truck as well and got amazing MPG. I would probably still have it if a freak hail storm hadn't trashed it and my insurance company didn't screw me.
So I guess it is safe to say my favorite would be dictated by the cost of fuel at the time I was asked.
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1970 VW Bug.
1993 Plymouth Sundance "Duster" 3.0 5-speed. Probably helped that it had no power options to break, but the engine and transmission were bulletproof over 75,000 miles / 4 years.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
1987 Mustang GT. Would take whatever I threw at it, including my foot up its [censored] most of the time, and the engine is STILL going with 300,000Km on it now.
my 87 mustang was a great car as well, but can't qualify as the best since it was the only car I owned and had to drive it in the winter! Lucky I didn't get myself killed in that thing. Out of the big 3, ford has been the best by far quality wise for me.
Current best is my '86 subaru gl. Now sporting a ej22 under the hood it is no longer slow and keeps on rolling down the road.
1987 Mustang GT. Would take whatever I threw at it, including my foot up its [censored] most of the time, and the engine is STILL going with 300,000Km on it now.
my 87 mustang was a great car as well, but can't qualify as the best since it was the only car I owned and had to drive it in the winter! Lucky I didn't get myself killed in that thing. Out of the big 3, ford has been the best by far quality wise for me.
Current best is my '86 subaru gl. Now sporting a ej22 under the hood it is no longer slow and keeps on rolling down the road.
Originally Posted By: LTVibe
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
Is "best" defined by "reliable" and "never stranded me"? Then with the exception of the Volvo 164 that burned up while I was driving it and the Ford Escort that stuck me nearly every year during the seven extremely broke years I had it -- with those exceptions, all ten of the cars I've had in thirty-three years of driving have been excellent.
Is "best" defined by "I love(d) driving it"? Then the Mercedes 420SEL and the current Buick Park Avenue top the list, with the Olds Cutlasses right behind. Actually I loved them all when I had them, again leaving out the Escort. The Volvo was fun, I'll admit, until it self-destructed.
"Least expensive to own"? The big '65 Mercury Park Lane was dirt cheap, since I had no car note. After that, the Oldsmobiles and the Buick, so far.
At the moment, the Buick tops all these lists.
Is "best" defined by "I love(d) driving it"? Then the Mercedes 420SEL and the current Buick Park Avenue top the list, with the Olds Cutlasses right behind. Actually I loved them all when I had them, again leaving out the Escort. The Volvo was fun, I'll admit, until it self-destructed.
"Least expensive to own"? The big '65 Mercury Park Lane was dirt cheap, since I had no car note. After that, the Oldsmobiles and the Buick, so far.
At the moment, the Buick tops all these lists.
Perfectly reliable cars I've owned include:
1999 Infiniti G20 - wife sold before our first child was born
1999 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner. I wish I still had it.
2004 Mercedes ML350 - wife's current vehicle
1999 Infiniti G20 - wife sold before our first child was born
1999 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner. I wish I still had it.
2004 Mercedes ML350 - wife's current vehicle
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
1993 Plymouth Sundance "Duster" 3.0 5-speed. Probably helped that it had no power options to break, but the engine and transmission were bulletproof over 75,000 miles / 4 years.
We had the 3.0 in our 89 Grand Caravan and it pulled the van around pretty good, I've always wondered what the Duster was like. You must've been able to light up the tires with a hard shift to 3rd...
As for my favorite car, tie between my current 95 Neon or the 91 Escort GT. If either of them was a manual it would win but I get free hand me down cars that are always automatics it seems.
Both are fun to chuck around the autocross course, but I put a decent stereo in the Neon so I guess its my current favorite.
1993 Plymouth Sundance "Duster" 3.0 5-speed. Probably helped that it had no power options to break, but the engine and transmission were bulletproof over 75,000 miles / 4 years.
We had the 3.0 in our 89 Grand Caravan and it pulled the van around pretty good, I've always wondered what the Duster was like. You must've been able to light up the tires with a hard shift to 3rd...
As for my favorite car, tie between my current 95 Neon or the 91 Escort GT. If either of them was a manual it would win but I get free hand me down cars that are always automatics it seems.
Both are fun to chuck around the autocross course, but I put a decent stereo in the Neon so I guess its my current favorite.
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: LTVibe
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
That's weird... My aunt had one and hers died at 170K KM (106K Miles). Was the biggest POS she owned. A/C went after the second summer, and various accessories kept needing replacement. She got rid of it in '95 When the engine seized and bought a Civic and never looked back.
Originally Posted By: LTVibe
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
That's weird... My aunt had one and hers died at 170K KM (106K Miles). Was the biggest POS she owned. A/C went after the second summer, and various accessories kept needing replacement. She got rid of it in '95 When the engine seized and bought a Civic and never looked back.
99 Mustang GT. The ONLY thing that needed replacement on that car was the thermostat.
90 Subaru Legacy. Went everywhere with it including sand dunes, off roading, deep snow. Never got stuck and always reliable.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: LTVibe
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
That's weird... My aunt had one and hers died at 170K KM (106K Miles). Was the biggest POS she owned. A/C went after the second summer, and various accessories kept needing replacement. She got rid of it in '95 When the engine seized and bought a Civic and never looked back.
Those cars seemed to be hit-and-miss in the early years. They either died early, or kept going forever. Mine nickled and dimed me like crazy, but it was still on the road years after I got rid of it. It must have gone over 200k km.
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Originally Posted By: LTVibe
1985 Chevy Cavalier
No, I'm not kidding. It was the most consistently reliable car I ever owned. My Vibe would have been a tie, but it had the occasional "heat soak no start" TSB issue with its Toyota-built ECM.
I can believe it. There was an older woman when I was growing up that delivered eggs from her farm all over town in a 1984-1986(?) Cavalier wagon. Don't know the mileage it had on it, but it would have been a LOT. She said it was the best vehicle she had ever owned for reliability.
That's weird... My aunt had one and hers died at 170K KM (106K Miles). Was the biggest POS she owned. A/C went after the second summer, and various accessories kept needing replacement. She got rid of it in '95 When the engine seized and bought a Civic and never looked back.
Those cars seemed to be hit-and-miss in the early years. They either died early, or kept going forever. Mine nickled and dimed me like crazy, but it was still on the road years after I got rid of it. It must have gone over 200k km.
Patman
Staff member
My current car, my 98 Corvette. It's been incredibly reliable, is extremely fun to drive, and even with 104,000 miles on it the thing still looks and drives like a new car.
My 1993 Chev C1500 Suburban has been bullet proof for me. Over 200 K miles on it now, have had hardly any problems. Body is holding up well, engine uses virtually no oil, transmission is holding up well. Decent gas milage for an old beast, easy to do maintenance on, and probably one of the most comfortable vehilces I have ever driven (it's got excellent room for a tall guy like me). Runs great in -30 weather, and can cary a #$%&load of stuff with ease, takes a beating and keeps on ticking.
Runner up would be '84 Parisienne wagon. Bullet proof, kept it to about 300K km's when it was sold. 305 Chev engine was nearly flawless, decent power (for it's era) and great gas mileage for an old boat. The 'Burb trumps it for having more miles on it.
Best car I have owned, as in most fun to drive, and most enjoyable is my '72 Gran Torino Sport fastback. It's a real headturner (never has ANY car I have driven drawn so much attention). Fast, and fun, and grew up with this car (was my father's car, which he bought new). It's also been pretty reliable too, with very few problems since new, but it has had an easy life, no winters, always garaged, only the best of maintenance.
Runner up would be '84 Parisienne wagon. Bullet proof, kept it to about 300K km's when it was sold. 305 Chev engine was nearly flawless, decent power (for it's era) and great gas mileage for an old boat. The 'Burb trumps it for having more miles on it.
Best car I have owned, as in most fun to drive, and most enjoyable is my '72 Gran Torino Sport fastback. It's a real headturner (never has ANY car I have driven drawn so much attention). Fast, and fun, and grew up with this car (was my father's car, which he bought new). It's also been pretty reliable too, with very few problems since new, but it has had an easy life, no winters, always garaged, only the best of maintenance.
With 142 hp and 171 lb-ft pulling around 2600 lbs, it did pretty well. Definitely surprised a few people at stoplights through the years. Wasn't luxurious or full of amenities, but had a huge cargo area and handled very well. Being trouble-free for 4 years of hard driving was it's most endearing quality. I really miss that car.
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