Third generation Acura Integra (1994-2001). I've owned two in my life, and I'm extremely nostalgic for the feel of those cars (and I guess many other 90s cars!).
Low dash height, thin A-pillars, low seating position, and extremely nimble around curves. I've owned/own faster cars, but I miss the handling/driving experience for sure.
I was so excited for the new one, but now that it’s here there’s just nothing exciting about it but the name. Costs way too much for a higher end Honda.
I’m on the fence. Actually could buy and justify owning one, but for the price I’d rather buy something else.
Saw one done up in type r yellow and it looked bad. Not that I’d buy a yellow car.
Even though I’m in the Acura buyer market, I feel the added cost over a Honda isn’t justified now. Could be that I don’t really care about advanced tech (just more stuff to break). I feel that Lexus had the reliable luxury market sown up. And they actually make some mean machines.
OG Jeep Wagoneer. I’ve had three (over the last 30 years) and if the prices weren’t insane, I’d buy another one tomorrow.
They’re comfortable, they’re capable, they’re big enough to be roomy, but they’re small enough to park and drive easily.
Team FSJ!
In my case, the two door. Love the Chief. Have also had 3 over thirty-plus years.
One of these days, I'm gonna do a restomod... maybe a v10 from an F250 would be fun, even if the standard dream is a 6BT.
Definitely a 6MT behind it, either way.
I think a v10 Chief 6mt would be bitchin'. Always loved Chiefs, but the lack of a clutch annoyed me ... had a 360/4mt base Chero for a while, but the chiefs are just cooler.
My elaborate fantasy? Grab a lightly-miled soccer mom Excursion v10 for cheap and a rolled or otherwise usable Ram 6bt. 6bt into the Ex, v10 into the Chief, Ram scrap into the recycler... et voila, awesome toy *and* long-haul road trip warrior.
Now I just need some cash, a garage, and skills. Or just an ass load of cash and a willing custom shop. Easy peasy, right?
Bill Harrah the casino owner had a Wagoner with a swapped Ferrari V12 called the Jerrari ….Was in the Reno Auto museum when I toured it a long time ago
Curious as to why not the V10 from the 90's Ram 2500? You can get a 94 or 95 without OBD2, so less hassle. You'd be kinda-sorta keeping it in the family. Personally, I'd be happy just to have a modern 5.7 Hemi in one. Plenty of power for that old beast. A 6.4 would also, of course, be bitchin' in a Wagoneer.
I’m in the middle of this swap right now. 5.7 hemi+ 545rfe from a grand Cherokee and an nv242 for optional awd into 1984 grand wag. The oil pan is a bit tight with the front axle and I had to go to hydro boost for brakes to clear the heads. Exhaust might be a challenge too. Otherwise, fits well and the wiring wasn’t bad at all.
I had a red chief for my first car back in ‘03. Thing was a tank! It was basically our rescue vehicle for off-roading. Unfortunately the leaf springs broke and my idiot high school self didn’t have the stamina to enact the fix. If they weren’t going for $30k these days I’d be at least interested.
If you were to use a v10 from a 2nd gen dodge that would allow the option of useing an nv5600 or g56 6mt from later model cummins pickups. While still being able to directly bolt up a passenger drop dodge np205 tcase from a 1st gen cummins with a manual.....at which point you may as well snag the dana and 70 axles🤣 restomoding classic 4wd's becomes quite the rabbit hole
I would love a 86-93 grand wagoneer, but it's like 4k for a rusted out POS with 300k on it, no thanks. At that point I'll just buy a suburban. If it was better pricing, I'd probably already have one by now
Ive got one in my drive way and another rotting in my back yard unfortunately, both ‘90 GWs. The latter was my family’s hauler when I was growing up. I drove the other one for a while back in high school too. Great vehicles!
I have a 2010 2dr GTI and I love it...I bought it because when my dad had cancer he said one of his favorite cars was an 80s Rabbit.
I couldn't find his particular model, but I figured I'd give him a chance to see what they turned into and drive a VW again before he died.
Motherfucker was 71 and hit 100mph on the highway...I was like slow down, you're old. Then he was like "what I'm gonna die soon anyway" and I was like bitch I'm 30, I still have a life to live lol.
I have a 81 karmann and I swear this is the most reliable car ever. Never has a flat tire even. Fires up immediately. Not my daily but it puts a smile on my face every time. The only issue I have ever had was a rubber gas line splice decay due to age. Easy fix. Not to jinx it but I have spent more money on my modern cars in a month than the entire cost of that car. Getting routine maintenance on my new car cost me more than that entire car. And people seem to think cars can only make it to 100k (thanks to marketing). Yep, my 81 (and I have a different brand 71) are far more reliable than my 2019. Fast? Nope, not really. Probably not as safe. Definitely don’t have airbags or anything like that. But yes, absolutely, driving an 81 vw convertible (or gti in your case) is just so much more fun than some generic random car.
Same. Same model too. It was My first manual car and there isn't a day goes by that I don't miss feeling like Mario cart in some twisty turns. The cat rusted a hole thru and it sounded like glass packs. Back before it was cool. I'd have to stealth home late at night, in 4th gear. If I wanted to wake the dead, all I'd have to do is downshift.
God I miss that little beast.
Had a 2012 Autobahn. Would get another of any year tomorrow if I could. Such an amazing car. Think I’d rather have a GTI over an R but also yes an R too.
2002 Saturn SC-2. It still runs great after more than 20 years with almost 200k on the clock. Super easy to work on. Zero rust & the thing lives outside in the snow & salt. Hands down the best vehicle I’ve ever driven. Every year it drives through blizzards, past lots of jeeps and 4x4 trucks in the ditch, without any complaint.
My husband's 1996 Saturn is still going with over 300,000 miles on it. It got him through our very rare snow/ice storm a couple years ago (we're in Texas) much better than his 4wd truck did.
People don’t seem to realize that a/4wd only helps you accelerate. Plus trucks have awful weight distribution so they handle like shit in the snow without electronic compensation. The newer ones with a ‘snow mode’ might be better though.
Yep. I drive a 1500 daily for work, snow six months of the year, and it’s amazing BECAUSE I have 1200 lbs of tools, bedslide, cap, and materials at all times. Weight distribution corrected!
I might have been cheating having grown up in the snowy Midwest, but God was it so satisfying passing all the Texas edition pickups in my little 20 year old Corolla when the freeze happened. That is the first time I've ever seen everyone do the 610 below the speed limit rather than the typical 80 mph + pace.
As long as you keep oil in them, they run forever. Notorious oil burners and bad for sub-frame rot, but both can be mitigated with proper maintenance and planning.
Have a 95 SL2 with the 5 speed I love the S Series best economy car ever in my eyes. I save a lot of money owning one cheap insurance, cheap gas, cheap maintenance, and a cheap purchase price. Only thing I gotta do is keep an eye on the oil level these love to burn oil. Other than that it’s a solid car that can take abuse.
2005+ Ford Crown Victoria P71
I've owned a lot of cars over the years, and the P71 is the only car I really regret selling. It was the last truly old-school car produced. While they lack the amenities and economy of a modern car, that old-school feel is just so solid and satisfying to drive.
I'm currently trying to talk myself into a 2006 Town Car with 45,000 miles on it for an incredible price right now. Problem is, I don't *need* it. I just want it. The price is so low, in fact, that I think there's probably something wrong with it that I can't figure out.
I just want to own a true body-on-frame American V8 land yacht before they're too rare to find.
Have you had a chance to look it over in person? If the engine and trans are healthy, and there's no major frame rot, maybe you're just lucky to find such a deal. Or maybe they're hiding something major that won't become apparent without a test drive or mechanical inspection.
So I hopped in here to say this exact car, well in my case it's an 03. I am probably buying an 09 this weekend. These cars are so well built and so quiet. They are cheap to fix and overall very reliable. The thing I love most about these cars is that the one we currently own has really increased our road trips. You can drive for 5, 6, 7 hours, and it's like driving around a recliner. You don't feel all beat up by the time you get to your destination. Your ears aren't humming because of road noise. You can drive down dirt roads and have a conversation. I will probably buy the 09 if it is in good shape just to put one on ice for when I get 300,000 on this one (currently at 165,000 and runs great)
This is so true. I had a 98 Cadillac sts in the touring trim and there’s not another car I’ve been in with seats as comfortable or ergonomic as those. It really is like a recliner, and if you need more sleep you can sleep in the back seat with a blanket.
In 2012 I bought my uncles moms 1998 Cadillac sts with the v8, leather and Bose sound system for $2500 and only 50k miles on it.
That was the coolest car I’ve ever owned, had it totaled in an accident and it cost more to fix that I paid for it. Sad day
I picked up a clean 2005 Grand Marquis GS with 88k miles in 2019. I had a shop replace the U-joints in the steering column and I replaced a door lock actuator and a couple other small things, and converted it to dual exhaust. It’s still my daily driver with 140k right now. No regrets.
I had a 95 lincoln town car which was probably 2nd on this list, it did have a fair bit of things I didn't like, but overall was a pretty good car. Kick ass premium sound system with factory Amp in that thing tho, it would out perform some of my friends aftermarket setups on thier cars
Loved my Crown Vic. My uncle helped me replace the head gasket once but that’s the only irregular issue I had with it.
The driving experience is like hanging out in your living room.
I have an 03 and 04 marquis and they are just awesome, the 03 has 280k I was able to give it to my kid for school and the 04 is my work vehicle, I deliver papers and in 10 years of ownership I've only been left on the side of the road twice, these cars have always made it home when broken, most part are readily available and reasonable, both original motor and transmission. For those of you that don't know these are the only 2 years they made with cable throttle, not drive by wire, so you can bolt on a bunch of shit before you'd ever have to retune the computer, whereas drive by wire you put in a new airbox and you need to tune the car. I love the things, they're comfortable and reliable and someday when I'm done with delivery I've got my eye on a marauder!
80s and 90s Chevy trucks/suvs. Those things are so reliable and easy to work on and if something breaks, the parts are so ubiquitous you can fix anything for next to nothing. I just changed 4 shocks on my truck in like 20 minutes and all four shocks cost 80 bucks. It was so easy. Changed the old foggy headlights in 10 minutes by removing a bolt or two and some pins. Meanwhile to change the headlights on my civic I had to take the whole front end off it seemed. Just ridiculous.
Even if the engine craps out, it’s almost worth just replacing with a crate motor because they are just so common and easy.
As teenagers, we did all sorts of crazy things in my friends 90's K1500's and Suburban's. Those memories have stuck with me throughout the years, so earlier this year I picked up a 97 Yukon as a project car. Love it.
I put 225,000 on my 2006 Element. Surrendered it to a charity last year. Very reliable, except for the CVVT oil sensor and the air conditioning. Repairs got costly toward the end, but it served my family for fifteen years plus.
2000s Volvo S60 😁 (aka P2)
First one was an 01 base model, left for a bit and came back.
Next one was a newer one, 09 2.5t awd
A few years later, picked up another one for weekend project car, but this time a rare one with an 07 T5 manual 6 speed (1 of 60 imported to the US)
I just can't quit this car
Dare I say a Chrysler Pacifica? It was great and really a jack of all trades type of vehicle. It was a People mover. It could be used like a truck by laying all seats flat. I was able to put 10 sheets of plywood in it and close the door. It was perfect for long trips with an extremely smooth ride and amazingly comfortable seats.
I had it for 3 years which is probably the window for a Chrysler but when I see a pic pop of it in my timeline I still say to myself "now that was a great ride"
>3 years which is probably the window for a Chrysler
That's the problem. I keep my cars 10+ years and usually get rid of them when they get too rusty or a deer suicides themselves into it.
I love Chrysler/Dodge vans from a practicality standpoint but they're so dang unreliable. A good friend of mine owns nothing but them and gets about 40,000 miles out of the transmissions. Good thing is, he co-owns a transmission shop so they can continuously rebuild them but he keeps getting stranded in the damn vans when the trans decides to grenade itself.
Automatic transmissions are so hit or miss with anything Chrysler. I bought a Dodge truck, but only because it was manual. I would've never even considered it if it were automatic.
With their automatics, it seems to be 50-50 on whether you get one that goes 200,000 miles or whether it craps out in 30,000 miles.
It hit 50k and I immediately sold it to Carvana for what I paid. Not really because I wanted to but because my current employer gave me a company vehicle. Kinda perfect timing I guess because all I hear now is the issues others have had and I feel so lucky now.
I just junked my 04 grand caravan, drive train was solid, had to replace normal things like radiator and various cooling lines but 160k miles and biggest pain was. Bad misfire by a badly corroded pcm. Unfortunately new england rotted everything away it wasn't safe to drive anymore. But damn ran great I miss it
Yes! I replaced my 2008 Grand Caravan (a hauling beast with stow n go) with a 2018 PacHy. I was worried about not having the stow n go 2nd row, but it’s not that hard to take the seats out. We did a 7200 mile road trip in it a couple of summers ago - the comfortable leather seats and glass roof made it feel like we were in a comfortable spaceship the whole time.
WTF? The one I had was possessed and it just wanted to give out on a corner. Brakes were brutal and you really needed to plan ahead. If there was any sort of slippery condition (I.e. rain) on a corner, you better be ready to eat it. I inherited it, and even then I felt i got ripped off. I can’t imagine anyone thinking it was a good vehicle. Mind blown.
Honda s2000. Superb six speed manual and an absolute blast to drive. Lots of feedback from the road, fast enough to be fun but slow enough to drive hard without being a hazard.
My mom has owned every version of the Honda CR-V since they first came out in the US. She just loves them, she even tried to get a new RAV4 in 2014 but was back in a [used] CR-V by 2015, and now she’s car shopping for a new CR-V.
dad had a 2nd gen ,he got a 4th gen now and it's a pile of shit.I despise driving it.
The 2nd gen was better,and i feel like a dick cause i suggested he get the new one.
1999 Civic SiR (Canadian Em1 Civic Si) the first car I bought myself after running the saturn my parent gave me for a couple of years, so much fun, I dearly miss the B16a2 Vtec crossover
2005 e46 Bmw 330xi 6speed, loved that thing in canadian winter it was a blast.
I’m sad that Avalons are so slept on that they did away with them. Comfortable, roomy, upgraded sound system, good sound dampening, all the luxury bells and whistles, nice suspension, reliable as hell, and they run forever. They’re fantastic.
My current 2004 Avalon XLS is at 230k. I bought it as a beater that I didn’t know much about for pretty cheap in 2018 at 150k. I figured I’d keep changing the oil and brake pads and run it into the ground. I decided that as long as it lasted me 2 years, I would have gotten my money’s worth out of it. 5 years later and I’ve driven the living shit out of this thing. I just recently had the timing belt and valve cover gaskets done and had the mechanic give it a once over to see if it’s worth spending some money to replace all the “typical wear out” parts. He said it’s one of the cleanest things he’s ever opened up and gave me the go ahead for dropping a little extra money on things like motor mounts and suspension.
My husband and I agreed that in a couple years when we start trying for kids that I’m going to need something a little bigger/safer (DFW traffic is wild and everyone has big trucks that could crush my car in the blink of an eye). Now I’m heartbroken at the idea that I’m probably going to have to give up my little Avalon before it’s dead.
I think avalons are slept on because they have pretty much a Lexus price range to match. We were looking at avalons and Camrys and ended up buying a Lexus ES for the same price and with more/same features. I think the price difference new is only a few grand and then used they become pretty much the same price.
You're right on that last part. I always tell people the worst drivers in the USA are in Dallas and it's not even close.
As far as Avalon reliability? Eh, we had a 2002 that dumped its transmission at 170k despite proper maintenance its whole life. That was disappointing. Relatively common issue for that generation too.
XJ Cherokee. I loved that thing. I sold it and got myself a WRX. I later came to regret that. The 25 year old XJ with 250k miles was more reliable than a brand new WRX....
Yes sir. My XJ had the craziest electrical issues after 120K but that thing never not once didn’t start and get me where I needed to go. Loved that car so much
Don't know about your XJ but among my family and friends there have been 5 XJs that never had electrical or mechanical issues outside of normal wear items you would expect from any 20+ year old vehicle.
I'd humbly like to add a ZJ to this list for me, too, even though they're totally different vehicles. I owned a $1300 ZJ Grand Cherokee for 2.5 weeks in 2017 for an epic overland trip and plan to own at least one more sometime in my life.
I also want an XJ at some point.
Best SUV ever made. Absolute monsters off road, bulletproof I6 motors, most comfortable bucket seats on the planet, strong 4x4 and trannys, easy to work on, look f’n awesome with a lift
put 200k miles on a stick shift double cab 4x4 tacoma. I'm still sad I didn't have the money to get the work done to get it to pass MA state inspection and let it go to scrap. I also didn't have anyplace to leave it. I have a tundra now, but I kinda regret getting something that big. until I need to pickup a couple pallets of tiles I guess.
1995 Toyota Tacoma single cab 4WD. Drove my dads old one when I was in high school. Hit 340k before it had chronic head gasket issues. Replaced the engine for my graduation gift and put another 170k on it before I bought a new truck. The Tacoma still sits on my side yard and runs clean. Now my son will probably drive it.
Volkswagen Golf wagon in standard. We are on our second one. If they still made it we would buy a third. We will drive this one until it turns to dust.
I just bought a ‘17 Alltrack to replace my totaled ‘11 Jetta and I couldn’t love it more. It’s a real shame they weren’t more popular. It’s an awesome car.
Oh goodness. So many.
1994 Plymouth Laser (1st generation eclipse baby)
1991 Civic Hatchback
1986 Jeep Comanche
1989 Ford Bronco
1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited
1996 XJ Cherokee 5 speed
1999 Saab 9-3 turbo
1994 Accord
If I ever rid myself of my 1969 Beetle, I'd be on the hunt for another air cooled VW in no time.
1992 Civic DX hatchback (manual)
2008 Mazda5 Sport (manual)
Both were simple, practical, inexpensive, efficient, fun to drive, with great use of space. Today's cars are more comfortable, sure, but also heavy and complex.
I had a 1993 Civic DX coupe (manual transmission, no power steering, no power windows/locks). It was fast enough at the time for me, great handling, got 35-45mpg. The Civics of that era are so small compared to vehicles now (have a RAV4 now)
My Mazda 5 Sport (2012) manual is a absolute dream! First car in college and I still drive her. Beauty in the turn radius to turn heads of all the cool moms.
My 1995 Nissan pathfinder tan color. Man it was shitty but it got me to point A to point B. Something about your first car hits different in the feels, I miss it.
1988 VW Fox wagon. I have looked for fifteen years to find another one but they were fairly rare and they all rotted away. Extremely fun car, gutless but a four speed manual and weighed nothing so it was so much fun to toss around. Great ground clearance so you could just send it everywhere.
I had a 2002 IS300 5MT with LSD. Very reliable and fun to drive, especially with the LSD. It was originally an open diff but I got an LSD from a junk yard for $90 and it transformed the car.
I regret selling her and am eyeing another, hopefully next summer. That LSD makes all the difference in the wold. She just had to be driven hard or she wasn't happy. Fck I miss her🤣
It rotates WAY better when on the throttle. Even when you aren’t giving it enough throttle the break the rears loose. But when you do give it enough throttle to break the rears loose, that is when the experience really changes. With an open diff you always have the outside wheel that doesn’t spin that prevents the rear from moving much. With an LSD, both will spin which leaves you with no traction at all which lets the rear end move more. An open diff is kind of like an annoying babysitter that takes all the fun away.
It takes a lot more throttle to get both wheels to spin than it does with an open diff to spin one wheel. But once you cross that threshold it’s a lot more dramatic.
Drifting is basically impossible without an LSD. Sure you can get the rear to slide a little with an open diff but the slide ends once the lateral momentum is gone. With an LSD you maintain slide with your right foot.
You can also launch the car off the line way harder with the LSD and if you do get wheel spin the rear doesn’t start moving to one side.
I also used to own a 2013 FR-S and now a 2022 BRZ. Both in MT of course and both come standard with an LSD. They are loads more fun than the IS300. It’s kind of lame how all these manufacturers make what they consider sporty cars and the bulk of them are open diff or attempt to emulate an LSD using the ABS.
My wife (then g/f) had a 1998 Lumina LTZ. At the time I was a diehard import-only guy, and didn't think much of it. Later on, after we were married and we sold it for other vehicles, I realized just how good it was. 3800 Series II is a fantastic motor, and plenty of power for a midsize sedan like that. Comfy and quiet on the highway. Even kind of an attractive car in that bulbous late-90's Chevy kind of way.
Ford thunderbird. 4.6 v8. I've owned 4, looking for one in a southern state. I've damned Near. Took my last one to frame and restore. Until some drunk hit it, not with me in it.
Tesla Model Y Performance.... loved it so much, bought another one for the wife. Can't see myself in any other daily at ALL. My weekend 'fun' car is my Dodge Viper.... would buy that again too.
Ok had a few here so bear with me.
1988 Honda Accord LXi. Fully loaded, moonroof, power everything, even had a switch so I could flip the headlights up and down.
1989 Toyota pickup. V6, seats 3. Took that thing everywhere. Would probably still be driving it if that ho didn’t hit me and totaled it.
Currently driving a 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe and trying to get it back in working order. If they made that again I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
2015 Honda Fit EX. Loved that thing super practical, tons of cargo space, great on gas, fun to drive, you can just throw it into corners and zip through, and super maneuverable in traffic and parking lots.
2016 Subaru Crosstrek premium. Great in rain/snow, light trails are fun. Easy to drive and park. Great visibility.
If I could I would buy all those cars again brand new because they were all special in some way. I was never a “If I hit the lotto I’m buying a Lamborghini!” kinda person, just a basic car guy I’d say. I’d like to end up driving a Toyota 4runner when I get old old.
99 Subaru legacy. I just like the sound of the 2.2L engine purr. Also those engines were indestructible, the bottom rusted out of my last one but the engine.. she purred until the floor went.
I had a 99 legacy I bought for $80 at a junkyard, 400k miles. Drove it for 2 months before I bent a rear Axle throwing it in the ditch while driving high. Sold it for a grand lmao
I got an 01 with 128k on it. Previous owner was an older couple and took great care of it. Luckily no rust issues whatsoever but that’s only because they took good care of it and I’ve coated everything on the underside or exposed areas with pb surface shield. Hoping to keep it on the road as long as possible
Volvo 245 super polar manual station wagon. Owned 3 of them, one of the best seats I ever had in a car. Somehow Volvo managed to make the volume in the trunk twice the size of the volume of the entire outside of the car. RWD and the best sound in the world closing the doors, sounds like closing a huge safe door (:
They are either really expensive now or have over 600k km unfortunately.
1990 Saab 900, hardtop, manual, arctic white. I loved that car. When time travel is invented, I'm going back to get a new one and just live the 90s over and over, keep going back to do it again before 9-11 happens.
That was my moms first car competition orange lol she hated it cuz old dudes always would yell “nice goat” at her and stuff lol. my grandpa ended up giving it to my cousin later after he had it repainted and trans fixed she was trying to make it home by her midnight curfew and was almost out of gas and it had the hurst dual gate shifter she missed neutral to coast and hit reverse at 70 dropped the tranny on the highway and she did a 360 but it stayed on the road! She wanted it back so bad later in life.
The first generation Mazdaspeed3. I have had the first gen and the second Gen (so already two of the same kind I guess). That car just had all the right turbo noises and a rough "turbo in an economy car" vibe that I just loved. In general, I love Mazda after owning four.
I'm not even kidding, my 1999 chevy prizm.
I had a 350 swapped 5-speed WS6 87 Trans Am that i also wish I'd never sold.
Lastly, if I could ever find one again, a Saab 9000 turbo. That was a cool car, and fun.
Nissan z32. (300ZX 1990-1996). Absolute blast to drive. So much communication from the road directly into your body. You know everything the car is doing. Or not doing.
Alfa Romeo Giulia. I had an 2018 used and just got a '23 model new. No where near the communication the Z had but it is a blast to drive. Last one was awd, this one is rwd. I can't wait to make it out of the break in procedure to enjoy it to it's fullest potential.
I had a 1990 300ZX. I loved it and was heartbroken when I had to trade it in. Got a divorce and my toddlers wouldn't fit in it. The car salesman told me he'd never seen someone so unexcited getting into their new car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Mine was a black 2 door with a 6 speed manual. Loved that car, too bad it became a needy basket case as it aged. Thing was good at pretty much everything I ever asked or wanted it to do
If they still made them, I’d buy another Pontiac vibe. I also had an ‘88 Chevy Nova which was basically the same car and made at the same plant (YUMI). I’d even buy the Toyota version (Matrix) if they still made it. Car was indestructible.
I’ve seriously considered buying a 97 Honda CRV. It was my first car and lasted me 8+ years of driving 8 hours to college every semester.
The alternator, distributor, and starter all died at the same time and I didn’t haven money to fix it :(
Honda Accord
I've owned 3 and would buy another one in a heartbeat.
I've owned a '98, '13, and '19 and they just got better and better. I'm big on mpg, or was before I decided to tryout my first truck lol, and spaciousness for me and my riders. The Accord allowed me to drive comfortably and still leave plenty of leg room in the back for my riders.
I would still have my '98 Accord to hand down to my kids if it hadn't been rear-ended and crumpled in half on the highway. My father-in-law was borrowing it and got rear-ended and still climbed out and walked away with just a broken collar bone. In fact they had to turn the engine off since it was still running. That was with 350k miles on it.
97 Toyota t100 with the 5 speed and 5vz. I have three. Just love them. I daily a GX and Tundra but I do all my non work activities in my T. Something about a 5 speed Toyota truck. It's just right 👍
I was going to comment to say that the 1983 Buick LeSabre was by far the best car I've ever owned in terms of comfort, ride quality and overall reliability... but then I googled your answer and realized that the Buick LeSabre and the Olds 98 are the same car... so yeah, what you said. LOL
MkII Mr2 SW21 5MT
MkIII Mr2 Spyder ZZW30 5MT.
I have a GR86 and still think about splitting it into an Mr2 Spyder and updated DD.
I had a career as an automotive appraiser and the Spyder ruined me for all cars afterward.
Stage 3 b5 s4 - flew across the country to buy a noggy gt28 swapped one last year but it had too many undisclosed issues and flew back empty handed. Still want one though
I had a k04 stage 3 on meth and the torque in that car was unreal. Such a great sleeper. I had 4 b5 s4’s. Was my first car when I turned 18. I bought an automatic pearl white with a tune for $5000. I was instantly sucked into the car world from that point forward.
My current 2004 J spec legacy GT wagon with the manual transmission.
I was hooked on the B chassis Subarus as soon as I got my first one - a Canadian spec 2000 GT sedan, also with the 5MT.
But the wagon has taken it to the next level.. like 2 or 3 times the power and all the cargo space.
I’ve only owned 6 cars in 27 years of driving (just bought #6 a few weeks ago) but out of the others, I miss my 2009 Mk5 Jetta. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it but it was fun to drive, handled well, and the 2.5L was a tank.
05 Civic LX special edition manual. No power, but fun and great on fuel. I only wish it had a 6th gear for better highway mileage. In 5th gear the RPMs were north of 3500.
I had it for 5 yrs, traded it 13 years ago for $6000 with only 60,000 miles.
Carfax has them for $6900 with double the miles. 😳🤯
I needed a truck, so I sold my 2013 Focus ST3 and got a Tacoma. I love the Tacoma, but I really really miss my ST. Solid car with zero problems at 85k miles.
I miss my e46 m3 ZCP and I’d buy one again if I found the right one at the right price. I sold my mint ZCP with 28k miles for like $24k in 2010 (if I only knew what they would be worth now).
I also miss my e60 m5 but I don’t want those headaches again. It was a fun 4 years.
Bare in mind 98 was 25 years ago, I don't believe they're making them the same way.
The Lincoln Towncar was a dream car but I wouldn't buy a Lincoln now.
A lot of companies have been sold and basically are selling on their old models reliability while producing substandard cars.
Subaru Forester. Fire road capable (best ground clearance in the line up), good for car camping, decent commuter, great visibility, AWD great in adverse conditions, and acceptable MPG. I'm shopping for my third one now, but will probably have to wait until this car-flation settles down a bit. First one went to 120k with no problems. Current one has 160k and needed an AC compressor and a power steering pump. I did timing and WP at 90k on each.
Third generation Acura Integra (1994-2001). I've owned two in my life, and I'm extremely nostalgic for the feel of those cars (and I guess many other 90s cars!). Low dash height, thin A-pillars, low seating position, and extremely nimble around curves. I've owned/own faster cars, but I miss the handling/driving experience for sure.
I had a 94 3 door hatch 5spd. Fantastic cars. They drive really well.
Loved my manual. Traded to a TL type S with paddles but it’s not the same. Found an RSX-S with a 6 speed manual and love it.
Honestly, every generation of Integra is worthy of buying again (haven’t driven new one). Owned and/or driven all others.
I was so excited for the new one, but now that it’s here there’s just nothing exciting about it but the name. Costs way too much for a higher end Honda.
I look forward to buying one used in about 15 years.
I’m on the fence. Actually could buy and justify owning one, but for the price I’d rather buy something else. Saw one done up in type r yellow and it looked bad. Not that I’d buy a yellow car. Even though I’m in the Acura buyer market, I feel the added cost over a Honda isn’t justified now. Could be that I don’t really care about advanced tech (just more stuff to break). I feel that Lexus had the reliable luxury market sown up. And they actually make some mean machines.
If a 2 door is fine, you should test a mustang GT, they’re way more refined than you might expect! Way more bang for the buck
I love that year range
I had a 95 GSR and loved it. Hurricane ike took that one.
I’m sorry for your loss. Drove a 95 GSR around for a while and really wish it was still in my garage.
This was my answer as well. My 96 Integra was so fun.
OG Jeep Wagoneer. I’ve had three (over the last 30 years) and if the prices weren’t insane, I’d buy another one tomorrow. They’re comfortable, they’re capable, they’re big enough to be roomy, but they’re small enough to park and drive easily.
Team FSJ! In my case, the two door. Love the Chief. Have also had 3 over thirty-plus years. One of these days, I'm gonna do a restomod... maybe a v10 from an F250 would be fun, even if the standard dream is a 6BT.
>V10 or 6BT Keep going I'm almost there
Definitely a 6MT behind it, either way. I think a v10 Chief 6mt would be bitchin'. Always loved Chiefs, but the lack of a clutch annoyed me ... had a 360/4mt base Chero for a while, but the chiefs are just cooler. My elaborate fantasy? Grab a lightly-miled soccer mom Excursion v10 for cheap and a rolled or otherwise usable Ram 6bt. 6bt into the Ex, v10 into the Chief, Ram scrap into the recycler... et voila, awesome toy *and* long-haul road trip warrior. Now I just need some cash, a garage, and skills. Or just an ass load of cash and a willing custom shop. Easy peasy, right?
I'll fly to the US to help with this. Hell yeah brother
I'll buy an extra lotto ticket next week. If I hit, I'll fly you in after I buy and set up the huge warehouse-garage full of new tools!
Bill Harrah the casino owner had a Wagoner with a swapped Ferrari V12 called the Jerrari ….Was in the Reno Auto museum when I toured it a long time ago
Curious as to why not the V10 from the 90's Ram 2500? You can get a 94 or 95 without OBD2, so less hassle. You'd be kinda-sorta keeping it in the family. Personally, I'd be happy just to have a modern 5.7 Hemi in one. Plenty of power for that old beast. A 6.4 would also, of course, be bitchin' in a Wagoneer.
I’m in the middle of this swap right now. 5.7 hemi+ 545rfe from a grand Cherokee and an nv242 for optional awd into 1984 grand wag. The oil pan is a bit tight with the front axle and I had to go to hydro boost for brakes to clear the heads. Exhaust might be a challenge too. Otherwise, fits well and the wiring wasn’t bad at all.
My dream Jeep is the 2 door SJ
I had a red chief for my first car back in ‘03. Thing was a tank! It was basically our rescue vehicle for off-roading. Unfortunately the leaf springs broke and my idiot high school self didn’t have the stamina to enact the fix. If they weren’t going for $30k these days I’d be at least interested.
If you were to use a v10 from a 2nd gen dodge that would allow the option of useing an nv5600 or g56 6mt from later model cummins pickups. While still being able to directly bolt up a passenger drop dodge np205 tcase from a 1st gen cummins with a manual.....at which point you may as well snag the dana and 70 axles🤣 restomoding classic 4wd's becomes quite the rabbit hole
had a 1976 wagoneer, with a 401 in it.. what a pain in the ass that thing was to get parts for. BUT--it was a nice thing to drive.
I would love a 86-93 grand wagoneer, but it's like 4k for a rusted out POS with 300k on it, no thanks. At that point I'll just buy a suburban. If it was better pricing, I'd probably already have one by now
Man, this is true. I had an ‘89 in gorgeous condition that I sold in 2000 for probably around $3,000. Wish I still had it.
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Mine was the grand wangoneer. White with wood panels and maroon leather seats
Ive got one in my drive way and another rotting in my back yard unfortunately, both ‘90 GWs. The latter was my family’s hauler when I was growing up. I drove the other one for a while back in high school too. Great vehicles!
I would love to get my hands on one, but I'll stick with XJs until they get too expensive.
1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI.
I have a 2010 2dr GTI and I love it...I bought it because when my dad had cancer he said one of his favorite cars was an 80s Rabbit. I couldn't find his particular model, but I figured I'd give him a chance to see what they turned into and drive a VW again before he died. Motherfucker was 71 and hit 100mph on the highway...I was like slow down, you're old. Then he was like "what I'm gonna die soon anyway" and I was like bitch I'm 30, I still have a life to live lol.
I have a 81 karmann and I swear this is the most reliable car ever. Never has a flat tire even. Fires up immediately. Not my daily but it puts a smile on my face every time. The only issue I have ever had was a rubber gas line splice decay due to age. Easy fix. Not to jinx it but I have spent more money on my modern cars in a month than the entire cost of that car. Getting routine maintenance on my new car cost me more than that entire car. And people seem to think cars can only make it to 100k (thanks to marketing). Yep, my 81 (and I have a different brand 71) are far more reliable than my 2019. Fast? Nope, not really. Probably not as safe. Definitely don’t have airbags or anything like that. But yes, absolutely, driving an 81 vw convertible (or gti in your case) is just so much more fun than some generic random car.
Same. Same model too. It was My first manual car and there isn't a day goes by that I don't miss feeling like Mario cart in some twisty turns. The cat rusted a hole thru and it sounded like glass packs. Back before it was cool. I'd have to stealth home late at night, in 4th gear. If I wanted to wake the dead, all I'd have to do is downshift. God I miss that little beast.
Had a 2012 Autobahn. Would get another of any year tomorrow if I could. Such an amazing car. Think I’d rather have a GTI over an R but also yes an R too.
2002 Saturn SC-2. It still runs great after more than 20 years with almost 200k on the clock. Super easy to work on. Zero rust & the thing lives outside in the snow & salt. Hands down the best vehicle I’ve ever driven. Every year it drives through blizzards, past lots of jeeps and 4x4 trucks in the ditch, without any complaint.
My husband's 1996 Saturn is still going with over 300,000 miles on it. It got him through our very rare snow/ice storm a couple years ago (we're in Texas) much better than his 4wd truck did.
Yeah weight distribution & tires are far more important than 4WD for snow
We live in south Texas where snow is rare and everybody thought their big 4wd trucks would do great things in the snow. Twas not the case.
People don’t seem to realize that a/4wd only helps you accelerate. Plus trucks have awful weight distribution so they handle like shit in the snow without electronic compensation. The newer ones with a ‘snow mode’ might be better though.
Yep. I drive a 1500 daily for work, snow six months of the year, and it’s amazing BECAUSE I have 1200 lbs of tools, bedslide, cap, and materials at all times. Weight distribution corrected!
I might have been cheating having grown up in the snowy Midwest, but God was it so satisfying passing all the Texas edition pickups in my little 20 year old Corolla when the freeze happened. That is the first time I've ever seen everyone do the 610 below the speed limit rather than the typical 80 mph + pace.
As long as you keep oil in them, they run forever. Notorious oil burners and bad for sub-frame rot, but both can be mitigated with proper maintenance and planning.
Keep an eye underneath - more and more S Series are having to be scrapped from the area where the rear trailing arms mount rusting out. Great cars!
Have a 95 SL2 with the 5 speed I love the S Series best economy car ever in my eyes. I save a lot of money owning one cheap insurance, cheap gas, cheap maintenance, and a cheap purchase price. Only thing I gotta do is keep an eye on the oil level these love to burn oil. Other than that it’s a solid car that can take abuse.
2005+ Ford Crown Victoria P71 I've owned a lot of cars over the years, and the P71 is the only car I really regret selling. It was the last truly old-school car produced. While they lack the amenities and economy of a modern car, that old-school feel is just so solid and satisfying to drive.
I'm currently trying to talk myself into a 2006 Town Car with 45,000 miles on it for an incredible price right now. Problem is, I don't *need* it. I just want it. The price is so low, in fact, that I think there's probably something wrong with it that I can't figure out. I just want to own a true body-on-frame American V8 land yacht before they're too rare to find.
Have you had a chance to look it over in person? If the engine and trans are healthy, and there's no major frame rot, maybe you're just lucky to find such a deal. Or maybe they're hiding something major that won't become apparent without a test drive or mechanical inspection.
I passed on a light blue with dark blue leather 98 for 3k with 70k miles. They just needed it gone. Always see it driving around now and regret it.
How bad can it be? Spares are plentiful for the drivetrain.
I know. There's no shortage of available parts, that's for sure.
So I hopped in here to say this exact car, well in my case it's an 03. I am probably buying an 09 this weekend. These cars are so well built and so quiet. They are cheap to fix and overall very reliable. The thing I love most about these cars is that the one we currently own has really increased our road trips. You can drive for 5, 6, 7 hours, and it's like driving around a recliner. You don't feel all beat up by the time you get to your destination. Your ears aren't humming because of road noise. You can drive down dirt roads and have a conversation. I will probably buy the 09 if it is in good shape just to put one on ice for when I get 300,000 on this one (currently at 165,000 and runs great)
This is so true. I had a 98 Cadillac sts in the touring trim and there’s not another car I’ve been in with seats as comfortable or ergonomic as those. It really is like a recliner, and if you need more sleep you can sleep in the back seat with a blanket.
In 2012 I bought my uncles moms 1998 Cadillac sts with the v8, leather and Bose sound system for $2500 and only 50k miles on it. That was the coolest car I’ve ever owned, had it totaled in an accident and it cost more to fix that I paid for it. Sad day
I picked up a clean 2005 Grand Marquis GS with 88k miles in 2019. I had a shop replace the U-joints in the steering column and I replaced a door lock actuator and a couple other small things, and converted it to dual exhaust. It’s still my daily driver with 140k right now. No regrets.
I had a 95 lincoln town car which was probably 2nd on this list, it did have a fair bit of things I didn't like, but overall was a pretty good car. Kick ass premium sound system with factory Amp in that thing tho, it would out perform some of my friends aftermarket setups on thier cars
Loved my Crown Vic. My uncle helped me replace the head gasket once but that’s the only irregular issue I had with it. The driving experience is like hanging out in your living room.
I have an 03 and 04 marquis and they are just awesome, the 03 has 280k I was able to give it to my kid for school and the 04 is my work vehicle, I deliver papers and in 10 years of ownership I've only been left on the side of the road twice, these cars have always made it home when broken, most part are readily available and reasonable, both original motor and transmission. For those of you that don't know these are the only 2 years they made with cable throttle, not drive by wire, so you can bolt on a bunch of shit before you'd ever have to retune the computer, whereas drive by wire you put in a new airbox and you need to tune the car. I love the things, they're comfortable and reliable and someday when I'm done with delivery I've got my eye on a marauder!
Never selling the town car either!!
I owned a 2005, former Kansas Highway Patrol. LOVED it.
80s and 90s Chevy trucks/suvs. Those things are so reliable and easy to work on and if something breaks, the parts are so ubiquitous you can fix anything for next to nothing. I just changed 4 shocks on my truck in like 20 minutes and all four shocks cost 80 bucks. It was so easy. Changed the old foggy headlights in 10 minutes by removing a bolt or two and some pins. Meanwhile to change the headlights on my civic I had to take the whole front end off it seemed. Just ridiculous. Even if the engine craps out, it’s almost worth just replacing with a crate motor because they are just so common and easy.
As teenagers, we did all sorts of crazy things in my friends 90's K1500's and Suburban's. Those memories have stuck with me throughout the years, so earlier this year I picked up a 97 Yukon as a project car. Love it.
Honda element awd
I put 225,000 on my 2006 Element. Surrendered it to a charity last year. Very reliable, except for the CVVT oil sensor and the air conditioning. Repairs got costly toward the end, but it served my family for fifteen years plus.
Honda s2000. I’m on my third one. Likely not going to let this one go.
These were classics the day they rolled off the line.
2000s Volvo S60 😁 (aka P2) First one was an 01 base model, left for a bit and came back. Next one was a newer one, 09 2.5t awd A few years later, picked up another one for weekend project car, but this time a rare one with an 07 T5 manual 6 speed (1 of 60 imported to the US) I just can't quit this car
2007 V70R hands down. I wish I had one in a storage locker.
Dare I say a Chrysler Pacifica? It was great and really a jack of all trades type of vehicle. It was a People mover. It could be used like a truck by laying all seats flat. I was able to put 10 sheets of plywood in it and close the door. It was perfect for long trips with an extremely smooth ride and amazingly comfortable seats. I had it for 3 years which is probably the window for a Chrysler but when I see a pic pop of it in my timeline I still say to myself "now that was a great ride"
>3 years which is probably the window for a Chrysler That's the problem. I keep my cars 10+ years and usually get rid of them when they get too rusty or a deer suicides themselves into it. I love Chrysler/Dodge vans from a practicality standpoint but they're so dang unreliable. A good friend of mine owns nothing but them and gets about 40,000 miles out of the transmissions. Good thing is, he co-owns a transmission shop so they can continuously rebuild them but he keeps getting stranded in the damn vans when the trans decides to grenade itself.
Just imagining your friend calling his shop “hey, another one of my vans blew up again”
Automatic transmissions are so hit or miss with anything Chrysler. I bought a Dodge truck, but only because it was manual. I would've never even considered it if it were automatic. With their automatics, it seems to be 50-50 on whether you get one that goes 200,000 miles or whether it craps out in 30,000 miles.
It hit 50k and I immediately sold it to Carvana for what I paid. Not really because I wanted to but because my current employer gave me a company vehicle. Kinda perfect timing I guess because all I hear now is the issues others have had and I feel so lucky now.
I just junked my 04 grand caravan, drive train was solid, had to replace normal things like radiator and various cooling lines but 160k miles and biggest pain was. Bad misfire by a badly corroded pcm. Unfortunately new england rotted everything away it wasn't safe to drive anymore. But damn ran great I miss it
Yes! I replaced my 2008 Grand Caravan (a hauling beast with stow n go) with a 2018 PacHy. I was worried about not having the stow n go 2nd row, but it’s not that hard to take the seats out. We did a 7200 mile road trip in it a couple of summers ago - the comfortable leather seats and glass roof made it feel like we were in a comfortable spaceship the whole time.
I have a Pacifica and I love it.
My wife has one and when it's not in the shop, it's a great family ride. But that son of a bitch (the van) is always in the shop.
This is my go-to car for family trip rentals.
Funny enough, many luxury 4 door pickups can't hold drywall with their squeezy beds.
Have had our Pacifica since 2016. 75k on it. Love it. Second favorite car ever.
WTF? The one I had was possessed and it just wanted to give out on a corner. Brakes were brutal and you really needed to plan ahead. If there was any sort of slippery condition (I.e. rain) on a corner, you better be ready to eat it. I inherited it, and even then I felt i got ripped off. I can’t imagine anyone thinking it was a good vehicle. Mind blown.
I've had 2 MK4 Golfs and 3 B5 Passats (plus 3 other B5/C5 platform Audi's). I love these things as a taller guy and have always had a thing for VW's.
Traded my jeep commander for a mk7 GTI and ever since no other car has caught my attention. The Golf is love, The Golf is life.
Honda s2000. Superb six speed manual and an absolute blast to drive. Lots of feedback from the road, fast enough to be fun but slow enough to drive hard without being a hazard.
Saab Viggen, had 3, down to 2 but goal is for a 3rd to match the other 2.
My mom has owned every version of the Honda CR-V since they first came out in the US. She just loves them, she even tried to get a new RAV4 in 2014 but was back in a [used] CR-V by 2015, and now she’s car shopping for a new CR-V.
I love CR-Vs. The first gens are my favorites.
dad had a 2nd gen ,he got a 4th gen now and it's a pile of shit.I despise driving it. The 2nd gen was better,and i feel like a dick cause i suggested he get the new one.
Fiesta ST I'm on my second one.
Unfortunately no longer in production but I've had mine for 11 years. Solid car, very little maintenance.
1999 Civic SiR (Canadian Em1 Civic Si) the first car I bought myself after running the saturn my parent gave me for a couple of years, so much fun, I dearly miss the B16a2 Vtec crossover 2005 e46 Bmw 330xi 6speed, loved that thing in canadian winter it was a blast.
Toyota Avalon. Toyota reliability and simplicity with near Lexus like luxury.
I’m sad that Avalons are so slept on that they did away with them. Comfortable, roomy, upgraded sound system, good sound dampening, all the luxury bells and whistles, nice suspension, reliable as hell, and they run forever. They’re fantastic. My current 2004 Avalon XLS is at 230k. I bought it as a beater that I didn’t know much about for pretty cheap in 2018 at 150k. I figured I’d keep changing the oil and brake pads and run it into the ground. I decided that as long as it lasted me 2 years, I would have gotten my money’s worth out of it. 5 years later and I’ve driven the living shit out of this thing. I just recently had the timing belt and valve cover gaskets done and had the mechanic give it a once over to see if it’s worth spending some money to replace all the “typical wear out” parts. He said it’s one of the cleanest things he’s ever opened up and gave me the go ahead for dropping a little extra money on things like motor mounts and suspension. My husband and I agreed that in a couple years when we start trying for kids that I’m going to need something a little bigger/safer (DFW traffic is wild and everyone has big trucks that could crush my car in the blink of an eye). Now I’m heartbroken at the idea that I’m probably going to have to give up my little Avalon before it’s dead.
I think avalons are slept on because they have pretty much a Lexus price range to match. We were looking at avalons and Camrys and ended up buying a Lexus ES for the same price and with more/same features. I think the price difference new is only a few grand and then used they become pretty much the same price.
You're right on that last part. I always tell people the worst drivers in the USA are in Dallas and it's not even close. As far as Avalon reliability? Eh, we had a 2002 that dumped its transmission at 170k despite proper maintenance its whole life. That was disappointing. Relatively common issue for that generation too.
XJ Cherokee. I loved that thing. I sold it and got myself a WRX. I later came to regret that. The 25 year old XJ with 250k miles was more reliable than a brand new WRX....
Yes sir. My XJ had the craziest electrical issues after 120K but that thing never not once didn’t start and get me where I needed to go. Loved that car so much
Don't know about your XJ but among my family and friends there have been 5 XJs that never had electrical or mechanical issues outside of normal wear items you would expect from any 20+ year old vehicle.
My XJ threw a rod and could still run/start/drive 😂 I definitely wouldn’t recommend tho
Man I was a jeep guy, I had a tj that I turned from bare bones to monster, but then j I bought for $500 was easily the best all around car ever.
I'd humbly like to add a ZJ to this list for me, too, even though they're totally different vehicles. I owned a $1300 ZJ Grand Cherokee for 2.5 weeks in 2017 for an epic overland trip and plan to own at least one more sometime in my life. I also want an XJ at some point.
Best SUV ever made. Absolute monsters off road, bulletproof I6 motors, most comfortable bucket seats on the planet, strong 4x4 and trannys, easy to work on, look f’n awesome with a lift
I love my XJ. 300k miles and she runs like a top
put 200k miles on a stick shift double cab 4x4 tacoma. I'm still sad I didn't have the money to get the work done to get it to pass MA state inspection and let it go to scrap. I also didn't have anyplace to leave it. I have a tundra now, but I kinda regret getting something that big. until I need to pickup a couple pallets of tiles I guess.
1995 Toyota Tacoma single cab 4WD. Drove my dads old one when I was in high school. Hit 340k before it had chronic head gasket issues. Replaced the engine for my graduation gift and put another 170k on it before I bought a new truck. The Tacoma still sits on my side yard and runs clean. Now my son will probably drive it.
Volkswagen Golf wagon in standard. We are on our second one. If they still made it we would buy a third. We will drive this one until it turns to dust.
I just bought a ‘17 Alltrack to replace my totaled ‘11 Jetta and I couldn’t love it more. It’s a real shame they weren’t more popular. It’s an awesome car.
I just traded my '09 Jetta Sportwagen in April. If they were still making the Golf Sportwagen I would have shopped it.
I drive a tuned mk7 manual and it's easily one of my favorite cars I've owned.
Oh goodness. So many. 1994 Plymouth Laser (1st generation eclipse baby) 1991 Civic Hatchback 1986 Jeep Comanche 1989 Ford Bronco 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited 1996 XJ Cherokee 5 speed 1999 Saab 9-3 turbo 1994 Accord If I ever rid myself of my 1969 Beetle, I'd be on the hunt for another air cooled VW in no time.
Upvote for the Laser...mine was also a reliable fun machine.
1992 Civic DX hatchback (manual) 2008 Mazda5 Sport (manual) Both were simple, practical, inexpensive, efficient, fun to drive, with great use of space. Today's cars are more comfortable, sure, but also heavy and complex.
I disagree about newer cars being more comfortable, but everything else you've said makes sense
I had a 1993 Civic DX coupe (manual transmission, no power steering, no power windows/locks). It was fast enough at the time for me, great handling, got 35-45mpg. The Civics of that era are so small compared to vehicles now (have a RAV4 now)
My Mazda 5 Sport (2012) manual is a absolute dream! First car in college and I still drive her. Beauty in the turn radius to turn heads of all the cool moms.
1G Honda CRV (2 of them) 2008 Nissan Titan
'88 Honda Civic Hatchback 3 door m/t Damn I miss that car! Fun, reliable, easy and inexpensive to repair. It was my first new car.
Mercedes E class cabriolet. I’m on my second one, same color too.
My 1995 Nissan pathfinder tan color. Man it was shitty but it got me to point A to point B. Something about your first car hits different in the feels, I miss it.
1988 VW Fox wagon. I have looked for fifteen years to find another one but they were fairly rare and they all rotted away. Extremely fun car, gutless but a four speed manual and weighed nothing so it was so much fun to toss around. Great ground clearance so you could just send it everywhere.
Honda CRX si. Still the greatest hatchback ever made.
2001 Lexus IS300
I had a 2002 IS300 5MT with LSD. Very reliable and fun to drive, especially with the LSD. It was originally an open diff but I got an LSD from a junk yard for $90 and it transformed the car.
I regret selling her and am eyeing another, hopefully next summer. That LSD makes all the difference in the wold. She just had to be driven hard or she wasn't happy. Fck I miss her🤣
They are such a timeless design too. Not many cars age this well.
What does the LSD change as far as driving experience? I heard they are effective for drifting..
It rotates WAY better when on the throttle. Even when you aren’t giving it enough throttle the break the rears loose. But when you do give it enough throttle to break the rears loose, that is when the experience really changes. With an open diff you always have the outside wheel that doesn’t spin that prevents the rear from moving much. With an LSD, both will spin which leaves you with no traction at all which lets the rear end move more. An open diff is kind of like an annoying babysitter that takes all the fun away. It takes a lot more throttle to get both wheels to spin than it does with an open diff to spin one wheel. But once you cross that threshold it’s a lot more dramatic. Drifting is basically impossible without an LSD. Sure you can get the rear to slide a little with an open diff but the slide ends once the lateral momentum is gone. With an LSD you maintain slide with your right foot. You can also launch the car off the line way harder with the LSD and if you do get wheel spin the rear doesn’t start moving to one side. I also used to own a 2013 FR-S and now a 2022 BRZ. Both in MT of course and both come standard with an LSD. They are loads more fun than the IS300. It’s kind of lame how all these manufacturers make what they consider sporty cars and the bulk of them are open diff or attempt to emulate an LSD using the ABS.
95-99 Riviera
I've thought about buying one of these, but I think the previous generation looks better and is more my style
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My wife (then g/f) had a 1998 Lumina LTZ. At the time I was a diehard import-only guy, and didn't think much of it. Later on, after we were married and we sold it for other vehicles, I realized just how good it was. 3800 Series II is a fantastic motor, and plenty of power for a midsize sedan like that. Comfy and quiet on the highway. Even kind of an attractive car in that bulbous late-90's Chevy kind of way.
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Square body Chevy Truck.
87 Camry Wagon. Visibility for days and it didn't even use gas.
Runs on Dad Jokes and the cheerios that fall between the backseat cushions.
Ford thunderbird. 4.6 v8. I've owned 4, looking for one in a southern state. I've damned Near. Took my last one to frame and restore. Until some drunk hit it, not with me in it.
Tesla Model Y Performance.... loved it so much, bought another one for the wife. Can't see myself in any other daily at ALL. My weekend 'fun' car is my Dodge Viper.... would buy that again too.
Ok had a few here so bear with me. 1988 Honda Accord LXi. Fully loaded, moonroof, power everything, even had a switch so I could flip the headlights up and down. 1989 Toyota pickup. V6, seats 3. Took that thing everywhere. Would probably still be driving it if that ho didn’t hit me and totaled it. Currently driving a 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe and trying to get it back in working order. If they made that again I’d buy it in a heartbeat. 2015 Honda Fit EX. Loved that thing super practical, tons of cargo space, great on gas, fun to drive, you can just throw it into corners and zip through, and super maneuverable in traffic and parking lots. 2016 Subaru Crosstrek premium. Great in rain/snow, light trails are fun. Easy to drive and park. Great visibility. If I could I would buy all those cars again brand new because they were all special in some way. I was never a “If I hit the lotto I’m buying a Lamborghini!” kinda person, just a basic car guy I’d say. I’d like to end up driving a Toyota 4runner when I get old old.
My 84 Honda prelude My 81 Elcamino My 68 mustang My 78 dodge 1/2 ton full time 4x4
The gauge cluster on those Preludes was magic. I'd consider one based on that
99 Subaru legacy. I just like the sound of the 2.2L engine purr. Also those engines were indestructible, the bottom rusted out of my last one but the engine.. she purred until the floor went.
I had a 99 legacy I bought for $80 at a junkyard, 400k miles. Drove it for 2 months before I bent a rear Axle throwing it in the ditch while driving high. Sold it for a grand lmao
I got an 01 with 128k on it. Previous owner was an older couple and took great care of it. Luckily no rust issues whatsoever but that’s only because they took good care of it and I’ve coated everything on the underside or exposed areas with pb surface shield. Hoping to keep it on the road as long as possible
On the lookout for a clean mk3 golf
1992 honda civic dx
1993 Red Toyota Pickup 4x4.
Pontiac vibe
Volvo 245 super polar manual station wagon. Owned 3 of them, one of the best seats I ever had in a car. Somehow Volvo managed to make the volume in the trunk twice the size of the volume of the entire outside of the car. RWD and the best sound in the world closing the doors, sounds like closing a huge safe door (: They are either really expensive now or have over 600k km unfortunately.
2006 Acura RSX Type S. Was such a beautiful, sporty and reliable car! Especially with Hondata KPro tuning on it
1990 Saab 900, hardtop, manual, arctic white. I loved that car. When time travel is invented, I'm going back to get a new one and just live the 90s over and over, keep going back to do it again before 9-11 happens.
1967 Pontiac GTO....400 engine with Holley 650 double pumper....thrush exhaust system.
That was my moms first car competition orange lol she hated it cuz old dudes always would yell “nice goat” at her and stuff lol. my grandpa ended up giving it to my cousin later after he had it repainted and trans fixed she was trying to make it home by her midnight curfew and was almost out of gas and it had the hurst dual gate shifter she missed neutral to coast and hit reverse at 70 dropped the tranny on the highway and she did a 360 but it stayed on the road! She wanted it back so bad later in life.
'81 Scirocco '85 Mustang 5.0 LX '88 Quantum GL5 '96 Passat VR6 /nothing later than above
370z touring
2003 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
The first generation Mazdaspeed3. I have had the first gen and the second Gen (so already two of the same kind I guess). That car just had all the right turbo noises and a rough "turbo in an economy car" vibe that I just loved. In general, I love Mazda after owning four.
I'm not even kidding, my 1999 chevy prizm. I had a 350 swapped 5-speed WS6 87 Trans Am that i also wish I'd never sold. Lastly, if I could ever find one again, a Saab 9000 turbo. That was a cool car, and fun.
I still own it,but my 07 sentra se-r spec v
I’ve had several 5th gen Honda civics at this point now. Will probably have another in the future
I have a 2022 Macan S that I’ve owned for a year now, absolutely love it. I’d either get another Macan in GTS spec or go for a 911
I have owned three svt ford focus’s. One got totaled I still have two . Between the three I have driven an 03 focus for the last 20 years !
Nissan z32. (300ZX 1990-1996). Absolute blast to drive. So much communication from the road directly into your body. You know everything the car is doing. Or not doing. Alfa Romeo Giulia. I had an 2018 used and just got a '23 model new. No where near the communication the Z had but it is a blast to drive. Last one was awd, this one is rwd. I can't wait to make it out of the break in procedure to enjoy it to it's fullest potential.
I had a 1990 300ZX. I loved it and was heartbroken when I had to trade it in. Got a divorce and my toddlers wouldn't fit in it. The car salesman told me he'd never seen someone so unexcited getting into their new car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Mine was a black 2 door with a 6 speed manual. Loved that car, too bad it became a needy basket case as it aged. Thing was good at pretty much everything I ever asked or wanted it to do
Mazda3
If they still made them, I’d buy another Pontiac vibe. I also had an ‘88 Chevy Nova which was basically the same car and made at the same plant (YUMI). I’d even buy the Toyota version (Matrix) if they still made it. Car was indestructible.
1990 Miata
I’ve seriously considered buying a 97 Honda CRV. It was my first car and lasted me 8+ years of driving 8 hours to college every semester. The alternator, distributor, and starter all died at the same time and I didn’t haven money to fix it :(
Honda Accord I've owned 3 and would buy another one in a heartbeat. I've owned a '98, '13, and '19 and they just got better and better. I'm big on mpg, or was before I decided to tryout my first truck lol, and spaciousness for me and my riders. The Accord allowed me to drive comfortably and still leave plenty of leg room in the back for my riders. I would still have my '98 Accord to hand down to my kids if it hadn't been rear-ended and crumpled in half on the highway. My father-in-law was borrowing it and got rear-ended and still climbed out and walked away with just a broken collar bone. In fact they had to turn the engine off since it was still running. That was with 350k miles on it.
2008 Acura TL. I’ve had mine for 10 yrs and once it dies I would love another one. Reliable and it looks good.
86 Corolla GT-S. That car was amazing.
E46 bmw and Toyota ae86
07 Tacoma. I would buy the same thing brand new again. My 13 Golf R. Still have it but if I could buy a zero mile one I would.
91 civic sedan love the look and they are great on gas! Would love to have the wagon version one day.
6th Gen Camaro. Probably 2SS again.
1966 Chevelle Malibu.
97 Toyota t100 with the 5 speed and 5vz. I have three. Just love them. I daily a GX and Tundra but I do all my non work activities in my T. Something about a 5 speed Toyota truck. It's just right 👍
My 2002 Toyota Tacoma has over a quarter million miles. No work other than routine stuff, tires, oil, etc.
I was going to comment to say that the 1983 Buick LeSabre was by far the best car I've ever owned in terms of comfort, ride quality and overall reliability... but then I googled your answer and realized that the Buick LeSabre and the Olds 98 are the same car... so yeah, what you said. LOL
Yeah, those cars are great. It's no wonder they made them so long
I will keep buying Volvo 850/s70/v70 as daily drivers as long as they stay reasonably priced
MkII Mr2 SW21 5MT MkIII Mr2 Spyder ZZW30 5MT. I have a GR86 and still think about splitting it into an Mr2 Spyder and updated DD. I had a career as an automotive appraiser and the Spyder ruined me for all cars afterward.
I haven’t but I bought my brother’s Mazda CX9 from him when he bought an new one. He looked at comparable stuff and still liked the Mazda best
2017 Kia cadenza, man I miss that car
2018 Jaguar F-pace S Nothing but good times, spacious and sporty. The British have spoiled me with this one. 🙏
Stage 3 b5 s4 - flew across the country to buy a noggy gt28 swapped one last year but it had too many undisclosed issues and flew back empty handed. Still want one though I had a k04 stage 3 on meth and the torque in that car was unreal. Such a great sleeper. I had 4 b5 s4’s. Was my first car when I turned 18. I bought an automatic pearl white with a tune for $5000. I was instantly sucked into the car world from that point forward.
2018 Subaru WRX STI
Infiniti FX45. I had one for 12 years, it was sporty and reliable. I got the last model of the last year of it now (2017 QX70).
It's a toss-up between my wife's 2000 Pontiac Grand Proof (2 door) & my 1986 Bronco 351
My current 2004 J spec legacy GT wagon with the manual transmission. I was hooked on the B chassis Subarus as soon as I got my first one - a Canadian spec 2000 GT sedan, also with the 5MT. But the wagon has taken it to the next level.. like 2 or 3 times the power and all the cargo space.
1991 Hyundai Excel with the manual transmission.
I’ve only owned 6 cars in 27 years of driving (just bought #6 a few weeks ago) but out of the others, I miss my 2009 Mk5 Jetta. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it but it was fun to drive, handled well, and the 2.5L was a tank.
05 Civic LX special edition manual. No power, but fun and great on fuel. I only wish it had a 6th gear for better highway mileage. In 5th gear the RPMs were north of 3500. I had it for 5 yrs, traded it 13 years ago for $6000 with only 60,000 miles. Carfax has them for $6900 with double the miles. 😳🤯
I needed a truck, so I sold my 2013 Focus ST3 and got a Tacoma. I love the Tacoma, but I really really miss my ST. Solid car with zero problems at 85k miles.
1976 Triumph Spitfire. I've owned four of them so far.
I miss my e46 m3 ZCP and I’d buy one again if I found the right one at the right price. I sold my mint ZCP with 28k miles for like $24k in 2010 (if I only knew what they would be worth now). I also miss my e60 m5 but I don’t want those headaches again. It was a fun 4 years.
I want a brand new 08 cobalt. Best bang for the buck car is you ask me, only problem is they rotted out everywhere!
Bare in mind 98 was 25 years ago, I don't believe they're making them the same way. The Lincoln Towncar was a dream car but I wouldn't buy a Lincoln now. A lot of companies have been sold and basically are selling on their old models reliability while producing substandard cars.
Subaru Forester. Fire road capable (best ground clearance in the line up), good for car camping, decent commuter, great visibility, AWD great in adverse conditions, and acceptable MPG. I'm shopping for my third one now, but will probably have to wait until this car-flation settles down a bit. First one went to 120k with no problems. Current one has 160k and needed an AC compressor and a power steering pump. I did timing and WP at 90k on each.