OT..Best Vehicle you ever had....and gas prices

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:28 am

This gas "stuff" is getting a little out of hand again.....
When i finally got the truck I have always wanted back in 04...
2003 FORD F 350 , 4WD super duty crew cab....Lariet.....and loaded,
deisel was 30 cents cheaper than gas....about $1.50/gal...
I figured I have a more powerful truck,
get better towing performance and get better gas mileage...19mpg hwy

Then Al Gore and the EPA screwed up the formula for deisel
and the price shot up over 60 cents a gallon and now it 30 cents more than
regular gas?

4.00/gal now

Truck is a bit expensive to maintain....15 quarts of oil...$40 fuel filters, $90 air filter...
not to mention...the parts
but i still love this truck!.....130,000 miles....
If I can ever afford to buy another vehicle the next car will be 67 mustang fastback! Bullitt

My wifes wiener car can fit in the bed!

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:33 am

Still got it. 82 Scrambler. Over 300,000 on it now. Yea, the engines been rebuilt, as has the tranny. Suspensions due for a redo, think I'll stick with the 2" lift, haven't needed anything else. Maybe paint it from it's current red back to the original gray.

t.r. · Post by **t.r.** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:42 am

Still driving our 1998 Ford Explorer XLT with 5.0L V-8 motor: 171,000 actual miles. She delivers consistent 17.4 MPG in normal driving. But on a long trip, 20 MPG is common. This is what I've done to increase MPG:

- Valvoline 5W-30 synthetic blend oil (high mileage logo)

- High performance air filter by AMSOIL

- Add 8 oz. of Marvel's Mystery Oil with each fill up

- Check tire pressure monthly

The only items I've replaced under the hood:

- alternator

- hoses

- wiper motor

- spark plugs

- thermostat & radiator cap

We're hoping to drive this Explorer another 50,000 miles or so without major work. But we know that the tranny will not last forever.

TR

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:04 pm

I had a '97 Chevy that I bought used with 95,000 miles on it. Over the next few years I ran that up to 210,000 miles when the tranny gave out. At that point the motor was still only using a 1/2 quart every 3000 miles. Due to some small things starting to give out and being worried about being nickle and dimed to death I sold the truck with the bad tranny for $2700. Still miss it though.

Back in the early 90's I had an '85 Ford T-Bird with a 5.0L. Bought it a little beat up with around 90,000 miles on it for $900 from a local dealership. Only thing I had to do to it for the next 3 years was replace the gas tank and maintenance. Traded it in on the next vehicle in line for $1500 with 165,000 miles. Being in my early/mid 20's it was a fun and reliable car.

The next vehicle in line, a '85 4x4 F150. Extended Cab, 8' box. The thing was long but man would it go in the snow and it was everything a truck should be. Paid $1300 and the T-Bird for it with 120,000 miles. Proceeded to drive it around the country until it hit the 200,000 mark and I decided I would rather have a Jeep Wagoneer for my expanding family. Sold it for $2000 and the only things I had to do to it was replace the rear engine seal and fix a bunch of vacuum leaks under the hood.

Worst on the list.....the above mentioned 1989 Wagoneer and a 2000 S10 ZR2. A couple of real turds there.

LK

Shasta · Post by **Shasta** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:23 pm

Well, since I still have it after aquiring it 41 years ago, I guess I'd have to say the best vehicle I ever had is my '55 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad. It only gets driven in nice weather, and I rarely put more than 1,000 miles per year on it.

My real workhorse is a '02 Ford Super Duty diesel. Not cheap to run, but the best truck I ever owned.

SHASTA

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:27 pm

I've always had wanderlust when it came to vehicles, and there have been many I should have kept, but just wanted something different. I now have 2009 F250 SuperDuty with the 6.4 Duel Turbo diesel. Love it. But the 14 - 18 mpg, 38 gal tank, and 4.00+ diesel is rough. I do have a GoldWing, and a little 125cc scoot I just got, so I can get around cheap and save the truck for hunting and fishing, and truck stuff.

gak · Post by **gak** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:12 pm

Three-way tie.
- 1961 Buick Special Station Wagon - aluminum V8--later used in the Range Rover til BMW took over. Engone 'n all ahead of its time, compact but still decent wheelbase (very little front and rear overhang, with some taller tires would've had great approach/departure angles

26-28 mpg hwy--30 with a tailwind. In a sense my fave car of the bunch as it was my first. Although "compact" overall, still could lower seats to a completely flat 6'1"--perfect for light duty camping--for two--and catching some sleep at road side stops (back when you didn't even think twice about doing that!).
- 1965 Corvair Monza 110/"converted" to 1966 Corvair Corsa 140 mid-life--air cooled flat six of course, balanced and blueprinted (both motors), most fun I've ever had on wheels, outstanding handling and properly maintained very reliable. 30 mpg hwy. 225,000 miles until selling. After 20 years away, I want another, but this time benefitting from someone else's restoration elbow grease! My second and main car for 10 years. These particular examples were sans a/c in the Phoenix heat and to preserve sanity, as my only car at the time eventually had to give way to a great first gen Honda Accord 34-35 mpg (could idle all day in 120 deg heat, full a/c without the temp gauge budging) and then a neat (88) Acura Integra--twin cam zipper, 33-34 mpg, for a few years, then:

- 1996 Toyota Camry SEV6 Coupe/1999 Toyota Solara SLEV6. Combined 250,000 miles Best/most reliable "modern" car(s) I've had. I combine these as one is the progenitor of the other. Both similarly comfortable and reliable, with the Solara Toyota really went one further making a "poor-man's Lexus." Loved everything about that car, looks, refined power, superior interior (big and small quality bits), comfort, stellar factory sound system, a/c. With some added BBSs (on both cars) and decent all-season performance tires it was the complete car--as cars go.

Honorable mention. In the middle there somewhere, a 79 Ford F-150 Suoer Cab 2 whel drive. I relaced a worn 302 with a 351 (Windsor) and learned Fords are not like Chevies, where a "small block is a small block"--very little is the same is a Ford change over. Could have used a posi rear end to make oit more the complete truck, but it had a strong C6 tranny from the get go that never needed major servicing in my 100,000 miles. Gas guzzler, this got second/weekend and hauling projext duty only, but acquitted itself well in those roles. If
I were to "revisit" that truck function now, I'd get a low mileage 2006 Toyota Tundra Double Cab TRD Off Road Pkg.
Before Toyota went bonkers oversize, but unlike the current D-cab had an actually useful 6-1/2' bed and this is these early Tundra D-cabs were the first I know of with a truly useful *full width* vertical-power rear window...you can actually fit (yourself or stuff like iceboxes etc) through. The current D-Cab has this feature but you can only get it on that primo mode--as before--but now have to get the shorty/sub 6' bed with it (doesn't anyone actually use these things to camp any more?). Dodge has/had a power window on some models--though not full width, buch better thab the little sliders you can hardly squeeze a springer spaniel through. My favorite current truck is the Chevy Silverado (exentded, not crew cab--again, they've shortened the latter's bed to a useless 5'-something), but alas GM has yet to discover the Toyota (or Dodge) window feature--which all makers should have had thoirty years ago!

- Current vehicle - maybe the best compromise "if you can only have one" - a 2006 Toyota Highlander V6 4x4 very nicely has answered by wish for a Solara "fixing" its modest shortcomings with 4 doors, better ground clearance and year-round traction

No real complaints though no miser--especially in town. It's also no Jeep, but then again doesn't ride, handle and un-repair like one the 95% of the time you don't need to hit the Rubicon.....That said, if I had to/could get something new, if I can believe Chrysler's getting it's act together the new Grand Cherokee looks awfully nice as one that can truly "do it all."

There you go. The problem is, all my cars have been faves--all hard to let go of!

spaceman spiff · Post by **spaceman spiff** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:25 pm

My 1st car as a teenager was a Vega, snicker if ya like.

But they were not any worse than any of the offerings from the big 3 in the 70's.
Since then I have gotten into the Cosworth Vega. It was a joint venture of Chevrolet and Cosworth
Racing in England. Involved in the project was John DeLorean. I have 2 of them. This one, a 1975
was #119 off the the Lordstown assembly line and has 28,000 miles on it. I have a blue 1976 #2383 trailer
queen that has 2001 miles on it. As long as I keep my foot out of the gas they will get in the hi
20's for mileage. They're really neat cars. A loaded Cosworth was just a few hundred bucks short of a base Corvette!

Queenie will not be driven much, but this one will due to fuel prices. On nice days only. This car has not been in adverse weather in about 20 years.

spaceman

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:28 pm

This is different...

I had a:
- Suzuki GT185 (sold)
- Citroen ___ (sold)
- 1973 Datsun Pickup (sold to Dad)
- Subaru 4WD Wagon (traded in)
- Honda Civic (went with the ex-wife)
- 1985 Nissan Pickup (traded in)
- 1986 Aerostar (wrecked and never ran right again)
- 1987 Aerostar (a lemon)
- 1990 Aerostar (traded in)
- 1990 Mazda B2000 pickup (died after 150K+ and abuse by son and gone to the scrap yard)
- 1995 Dodge Dakota (son is still driving it)
- 2001 Nissan Xterra (wife still driving it)
- 2004 Ford F150 (current vehicle)

The Ford F150 is by far my favorite. The Citroen was fun to drive though. You might notice that fuel economy was, at best, an afterthought.

gak · Post by **gak** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:45 pm

spaceman spiff wrote:My 1st car as a teenager was a Vega, snicker if ya like.
But they were not any worse than any of the offerings from the big 3 in the 70's.
Since then I have gotten into the Cosworth Vega. It was a joint venture of Chevrolet and Cosworth
Racing in England. Involved in the project was John DeLorean. I have 2 of them. This one, a 1975
was #119 off the the Lordstown assembly line and has 28,000 miles on it. I have a blue 1976 #2383 trailer
queen that has 2001 miles on it. As long as I keep my foot out of the gas they will get in the hi
20's for mileage. They're really neat cars. A loaded Cosworth was just a few hundred bucks short of a base Corvette!

Queenie will not be driven much, but this one will due to fuel prices. On nice days only. This car has not been in adverse weather in about 20 years.

spaceman

No snicker here, though we know wjhat you mean

. The Vegas, especially in GT form (and your Cosworth of course) were lots of fun to drive. Our family had one for several years. The stock motors had an odd configuration with iron cyinder head heavier than the alloy block! (The reverse of traditional design practice)... and had an oil starvation problem a close friend of mine and his uncle (a former top GM engineer, then on his own) tried to engineer a fix for these problems after-the-fact (When at GM he'd argued unsuccessfully against a stubborn corporate design-by-committee approach that resulted in most of the Vega's "issues."). His after-GM "fixes" actually worked, but too late for the market which had already rendered its verdict on the car.

After reading an article in the late 70s about an outfit in Michigan--D&D (Dan LaGrou and Dutch Sheppleman)--engineering a swap of my previous post's 61-63 Buick aluminum V8 into a Vega with only 30 lb weight and little mpg penalty--very successfully--I'd always dreamed of doing that! D&D marleted a swap kit and is still around last I checked, still championing the little aluminum V8!

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:08 pm

Robbed the blonde from the cradle in 85.
Bought the Wrangler new in 95.
Somehow managed to hang on to both.

spaceman spiff · Post by **spaceman spiff** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:07 pm

casastahle wrote:Robbed the blonde from the cradle in 85.
Bought the Wrangler new in 95.
Somehow managed to hang on to both.

My next "new" ride will likely be a Jeep, just not sure what flavor, perhaps a Willys!

spaceman

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:24 pm

Best by far, a 1992 Toyota pickup, bought it new and raised it from a pup, just sold it last fall after 155,000 very rough miles, poor ol' gal was just plumb tuckered. Sure wish I could find something newer to replace it, but so far no joy.

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:27 pm

I have a 2001 Kia Rio I bought new (read commuter vehicle 40mpg gas beater, I average 80 miles a day) oil, brakes and tires only and not one issue.

Had a 1990 celebrity wagon for almost 15 years before we bought the Yukon. We gave the wagon to a friend it has 198,000 and is still running with never a major repair.

The Yukon has 209,000 miles of commuting and trailer towing, so it has had a new tyranny and transfer case, but the body is almost mint and the Vortech 350 has never been touched and still seems to have not lost one bit of power and uses no oil.

1974 Chevy truck with original everything and still hauls all my wood and a few others for the winter, 2 tons of wood pellets in the box at a time, and snow plows every year.

Like that truck.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:45 pm

Bar none, the Bronco I.

That said, I'd really like a Dodge Dakota size 4x4... with one of the new Jeep Diesels in it.

jerry b · Post by **jerry b** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:49 pm

I'm probably missing the point of this conversation, but....

The first vehicle I owned was a well-used '59 Volkswagen Beetle, and it was a piece of junk. Had no heater to speak of, and the windshield defroster was a towel in the passenger seat. I loved it dearly.

My last VW was a '92 Jetta, and it was truly the WORSE car I ever owned. Pure junk.

BEST car I ever owned is harder, since I've had some really good ones (knock on wood). Let's go with a '68 Plymouth Valiant with a 273 cu V-8 with a few tricks like a Carter 4 barrel and such. This one took me everywhere, snow or dry, for 279,000 miles until I sold it to a guy who might still be driving it. Gas in NC and OK hovered around .18-.20 per gallon and around .30 in PA.

My last few cars were close runners up: '90 Buick Century that got to 255,000, my '93 Toyota truck that finally rusted away last summer (boohoo), and my wife's RAV4. The cheapest car I ever bought was a '92 Subaru for 50 bucks. Stuck four tires on it and drove it to work for a few years, then sold it for 250.00. I wish my gun trades would go so well.

jb

Jeff H · Post by **Jeff H** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:45 pm

'98 Cherokee Sport.
Not my first, but my BEST. First was a '45 Willy's MB.
It will have a quarter of a million miles on it before the next oil change, and I just changed it.
It's perfect.
A plain ol' station wagon with REAL running gear and a torquey, growly straight six.
Just enough. Won't do what my friend's dually will but his dually won't do what this will either.
Box stock except for a K&N air filter and metal radiator (the only thing replaced except for hoses, belts, fluids, brakes and lots of tires). Just got back from getting a load of firewood with "station wagon."

I can get my wife in and out, she rides comfortably and have ample room for a wheel chair in back.
The big bonus is that I can haul a 6' x 12' trailer full of firewood through rough stuff or make it scoot on hard top when I have to, and I have HAD to a number of times. I have made several emergency runs (always beating EMS) from thirty miles and I won't admit to the speeds it had to do - dry roads, drifted roads, it has been there and this vehicle literally saved the life of a loved one on three separate occasions.

If she (the Jeep) ever gives it up, I will break one of my own strictest rules and will park her out back.
This one will not see a scrap yard while I am alive and I don't get sentimental about vehicles.
Yeah, gas is a killer, but I took a lower paying job, MUCH closer to home receently and it (it and the sparkly new '01) are paid for, have been for years. The cost of a new vehicle payment won't offset the fuel cost difference - I checked. If I really baby them to a ridiculous degree, and keep it under 2k RPM (and unwillingly tick the people off behind me), I can squeeze out 23 mpg, but in cold weather, 4WD and snow, I am down around 17 usually.

It does it all for me. Not the perfect vehicle for everyone, but I feel safe knowing that if I get in a tight spot and have to do some real driving, it has plenty of punch on the road and there's always that other option, which I have been know to take - make my own road. Sometimes you just have to. They can't get thr roads plowed out here as often as they would like and if I have a medical emergency (we HAVE, a number of times), I just have to ignore the advisories and GO. It WILL go.

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:07 pm

All time favorite was my '79 Jeep CJ 7. It had a 258 straight six and a three speed tansmission. Yehaw!!

Current favorite (this side of our '85 Vette) is my '09 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
Love this thing. Pull a house down or climb a tree. Not the speed buggy the '79 was but a great Jeep.
Plus I can carry get my Great Dane, Boxer mix and Jack Russell all at one time.

jb

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:38 pm

85 Winny, seven months in TX last winter but eight mpg she`s not moving now

azzhandler · Post by **azzhandler** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:54 pm

My very favorite was a 1953 chevy 3100 truck, all original except for the front bumper, didnt really like the single I-beam suspension, didnt like the poor power of the straight 6 motor, hated the vaccum controled winshield wipers, hated that the cab size, hated that the seat was not adjustable, the heater was almost worthless, but boy did the young ladies like it, I was 17 when I bought it and had it for 10 yrs, did I mention I hated that it had a very small seat

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:11 pm

2004 Honda Pilot and 2002 Ford Ranger 4X4, the ones I have now. The Pilot has 124000 plus miles and have only had to change oil and tires. The Ranger will go anywhere. I really don't need my UTV but I keep it for the grandkids.

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:50 pm

1986 Volvo 245DL Wagon. Had the B230 4 cyl and a 4-Speed Auto tranny. 25-28 mpg around town and low 30s on a trip. The cargo bay with rear seat folded swallowed way more stuff than it appeared it could. Slept two comfortably and cosy many a time. Easy to work on -- the timing belt was recommended to be changed at 45K, and I could do it start to finish in 1:15. Brake jobs were about the same time, either front or rear. Cold weather reliability was second to none. Near perfect F/R weight distribution of 53% / 47% made for exceptional rear wheel traction, and with studded snow treads on all four corners it went where it was pointed and stopped when I wanted it to. It ate mufflers, but when the time came for the first one to be replaced I went to Midas and never bought another muffler the whole time I owned the car. And Midas installed 11 mufflers on the car from 1986 to 2003 when I sold the car with 277,000 on the clock.

If Volvo still made the 240 series today, that's all I'd drive, and dad-gum, I sorely wish they still did. I'd gladly go to war in a Volvo 245 Wagon.

Noah

Stan in SC · Post by **Stan in SC** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:21 pm

In October of 1995 I bought a brand new 1996 Jeep Cherokee sport with 4WD.Dark Green.I really liked that vehicle.I drove it for 12 years.After I quit smoking four years ago I absolutely could not get the cigarette smoke smell out of it.I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes now even though I smoked for over fifty years.I sold it with 154,000 miles on it.I miss the Jeep but I am now driving a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer which we bought new and which was the wilfe's auto until last September when she got a new Ford Escape and I got the older Trailblazer.I feel like I got the best of that deal.The Trailblazer is my second favorite.

Stan in SC

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:30 pm

volvo.jpg

No slouch also is the Volvo 740 GLE, this one is a 4 cyl non-turbo and dates from 1986. 214,000 miles, and I've put about 130,000 on it. I've had it since 1994. It got 30 mpg on its latest trip, best ever if you can believe it. Probably because I removed the a/c belt so it no longer has to drive that compressor. But whatever.

If you wear earplugs you'd swear you were in a Lincoln Town Car. But it shows surprising tenacity on rutted roads and in fact this picture was taken at the top of the ridge overlooking Ojai and Santa Barbara after a very rough climb of 8 miles and 6,000 feet.

Sleeps only one, and not that comfortably, but good enough. All around, a very good car at about the halfway point of its life.

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:31 pm

...well, gents, it wasn't mine, but it belonged to my late grandfather: a 1965 Datsun L320, $1,200, brand-new:

...and, it was light blue, like this one (supposed to be a '63, but the grill is from a '62):

It had a 4 on the floor, the optional heater, no radio, no way to add air conditioning, and you could crank-start it, if you needed to. That truck was good, solid, dependable, and sooooo cheap on gasoline. I wish that I had that truck.

Shawn

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:33 pm

I have two of my favorites, a '55 chevy 210 sedan in storage, and a '55-½ 3100 p/u (all in pieces in the barn)... but I've owned many a vehicular conveyance...

but that's a subject for another thread! How many cars have you owned?

Jeff H · Post by **Jeff H** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:04 am

Noah Zark wrote:.....If Volvo still made the 240 series today, that's all I'd drive, and dad-gum, I sorely wish they still did. I'd gladly go to war in a Volvo 245 Wagon.

Noah

Before my Cherokee, the 140s were my top pick. I had two 142s and a 144, all with the B18B. "Easy to work on?" Tune and synch a pair of side-draft carbs after rebuild in 5 minutes - 3 of which were engine warm-up time. Just before I transferred out from where I was, there was a 145 for sale and I wanted to buy it, take it back to my home state and put my Willy's '45 MB running gear under it for the "perfect station wagon." Couldn't swing it. Two years later, the Cherokees began to roll off the assembly lines.

olyinaz · Post by **olyinaz** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:26 am

My current ride is by far my favorite of all vehicles I've owned, 2006 Jeep SRT8:

420 HP 6.1 litre Hemi, it scoots like a scalded cat. Dang thing only gets about 13mpg however. I drive a Jeep Liberty about half the time also and it's my airport car. Despite being small and having a wimpy engine it only gets about 19mpg.

My other cars have been:

1974 Pontiac Trans Am 455 Super Duty (my first car - I grenaded the engine in about 9 months)
1966 Plymouth Fury III (outstanding car - I'd like to own a '66 Sport Fury again)
1973 Corvette Stingray (took me through the Army and college)
1982 Toyota Supra (by far the most reliable car I've ever owned, I put 210,000 miles on it and sold it for a couple grand because it was still running like a champ and looked great)
1992 Ford Ranger (a garden tractor - best forgotten)
1994 Isuzu Rodeo (a great vehicle - I really enjoyed it)

Gas prices do worry me a bit. If it gets up around $4/gallon and stays there I think we'll see changes ala Euro-style in what/how people drive.

Cheers,
Oly

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:44 am

My favorite vehicle is my 2008 FJ, not great on gas but with the added fuel tank the range is good enough even in the desert running around. Spent a year working in the Mojave with it and never got stuck. One year back in WV in heavy snow a few times did great. Ride the motorcycle to work most of the time as it gets 55 MPG if I keep it under 80, with the FJ for bad weather driving or playing.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:35 am

Here's what drives me absolutely around the bend...

If it weren't for the Califorinicating Enviroweenies I could have one of these: http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/J8.html

willygene · Post by **willygene** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:25 pm

my favorite is my new 2011 ford f250 4 door 4 wheel drive diesel 16mpg in town 20 and 21 mpg on the hiway, and it looks good too.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:03 pm

So far - my '08 chev 2500 -- nicknamed "The Fridge" is doing great - it is in a tie with my '05 f-150 . I am a high mileage driver and the Fridge has 98k on it, while my F-150 has 160 k on it and neither has needed anything other than basic maintenance (although both have dropped a power window motor ). The Fridge gets all my toys to the places i need to go with plenty of room for gear bags --------
for daily driving, i much prefer a 1/2 ton though. So much easier to park, get in and out of , everything

So thats why i will share the "best vehicle" honors with these 2 , for different reasons . Cost of fuel is a burden with both, but that is offset by the fact that they're paid for --- $75 - 100 fill-ups still hurt though

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:16 pm

I certainly like this one. 2003 Toyota with 2.4 L four cyl. 20-30 mpg and actually drives quite a bit like my first which was a 51 Ford with a six.

Also liked:
a 70 Saab 96 in bright tan
a 56 Plymouth Savoy with a small 8
couple of white Coupe de Villes 78 and 87
And got my wife an 86 red Prelude 2.0 - all three kid learned on that one and I gave it successively to both daughters.

eric65 · Post by **eric65** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:27 pm

98 jeep cherokee. the thing gave up its life for mine a few years ago

tomtex · Post by **tomtex** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:29 pm

That would be the Jeep Wrangler and Diesel Ram truck.

txpete · Post by **txpete** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:00 am

05 taco best truck I have ever owned period.4.0 V6 great gas mileage.I bought it NIB

next is my 03 350Z.it just rips.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:58 am

I had a '78 Jeep Cherokee Chief. Loved that truck. All time-favorite. 100% dependable.

My current '97 Chevy Silverado is a close second just on longevity. 240,000 mi and still running like a champ.

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:02 am

Jeff H wrote:
Noah Zark wrote:.....If Volvo still made the 240 series today, that's all I'd drive, and dad-gum, I sorely wish they still did. I'd gladly go to war in a Volvo 245 Wagon.

Noah
Before my Cherokee, the 140s were my top pick. I had two 142s and a 144, all with the B18B. "Easy to work on?" Tune and synch a pair of side-draft carbs after rebuild in 5 minutes - 3 of which were engine warm-up time.

I had a '67 Volvo 122 and a '69 Volvo 144 prior to the '86 245. Both the 120 and 144 had the B20 4-cyl with dual sidedraft Strombergs. The 144 came with a 4.31 rear end and I swapped it for a complete 3.31 rear axle out of a 164, and the revs at 55 dropped from 3500 to 2500. Fuel economy rose from 22 mpg to 34 mpg. This with a non-OD four speed manual. Still had lots of starch for passing if I dropped to 3rd or even 2nd and floored it.

Best of all, the 122 started EVERY DAY in the sub-zero winter of 76-77, and it jump-started four neighbors who in turn jump-started other neighbors every day the entire month of January 1977 when daytime temps never got above 0F. I liked to say that the 122 started more than a dozen cars each day.

In the cold winters during 81-84, the 144 was one of two cars on the block that would start reliably. It cranked slow, but after two groans it fired right up.

I recall a magazine ad from the 80s showing a Volvo 122 next to two crushed metal cubes. The ad caption read: "An 18-yr-old Volvo and two of its contemporaries." Too right by half.

I also recall reading a Popular Mechanics road test from the late 50s where the writer went to Goeteborg, Sweden for a test drive of the Volvo 544. The Volvo engineer took the writer out on the track and accelerated in first gear to the point of valve float. The engineer finessed the engine through the valve float RPM range and then when the engine smoothed out, they drove around the track in first gear with the B16 4-cyl doing 10,000 - 11,000 RPM. For an hour. The Volvo engineer told the PM writer that they did that to that particular vehicle every day for three hours at a time, for four months. The B16 later became the B18 and B20, and fostered the 6-cyl version, the B30. One tough little overhead valve engine, that.

The Volvo 140/240 were incredibly well-built, easy to maintain vehicles. How I miss them.

Noah

tman · Post by **tman** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:12 pm

1970 GTO . Didn't seem to use as much gas as my present vehicles. 97 Z28 and 06 V8 Dakota. Maybe my memory failing me.

Bogie35 · Post by **Bogie35** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:44 pm

1985 Toyota pickup. That 22R 4-cylinder was indestructible. If I hadn't totaled it in '94 with over 233,000 miles on it, I would probably still be driving it.

Bogie

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:25 pm

Griff wrote:I have two of my favorites, a '55 chevy 210 sedan in storage, and a '55-½ 3100 p/u (all in pieces in the barn)... but I've owned many a vehicular conveyance...

but that's a subject for another thread! How many cars have you owned?

Griff, if I started to remember all the vehicles I've owned, it would take me the rest of the year...hundreds, I'd say.

Best ones:

1966 Shelby GT 350 (back in 1970) fun, mean butt car, but not to good for the submarine races
1969 Boss 302, (1971) same as above
1968 Yenko Camaro (1971) blew it up racing the '69 Boss, so I traded plus a couple of $$$, it was cool for a couple of months though!
1965 Ford Galaxie 500,(1971, was supposed to be my "winter" car) with a 427 dual four barrel factory engine, a major sleeper could not tell from the outside, even had LTD hub caps. With "cheater" slicks and slapping in 4:11 gears it turned a 12.11 in the quarter..my Dad took it take my Mom shopping, made me sell it!
probably had twenty of those ilk....got pictures of them all somewhere.

Most dependable:

1964 Ford Galaxy 500 fastback w/289 and a fourspeed, with Class III/equalizer towing package and 3.91 gears, used it for towing my spare race car around the country...put over 200k on the odometer, just replaced plugs, oil, and filters. tried to blow it up when I was getting rid of it, put it in second gear, lit it up, held it to the floor. Valves started floating at 6500 RPM, kept my foot in it for five miles...never blew up! Gave it to the kid next door, 'cause he could break anything...he smashed it up into the back of a garbage truck and still drove it home!

1979 Ford Bronco (1979-1990) Bought it new for $4380.00 in 1979(a princely amount!) drove it for eleven years put 246,000 miles on it, never any major problems, just oil, tires, plugs, kept it clean and polished sold it for $6000 in 1990.

1991 Ford Explorer, (1990-2003) Special ordered this, manual lock out front hubs, manual transfer case, over size radiator, trans cooler, and oil cooler. I drove it for ten years, put 643,000 miles on it, same engine, same trans, seven sets of tires, four sets of brakes (I pride myself on driving far enough ahead to not have to use 'em much), two sets of springs, and of course plugs, oil, and filters. Gave it to my wife, she drove it for a couple of years, then she gave it to a friend who drove it off a cliff (she didn't see it), she survived the Explorer did not. This thing also averaged 21.1 MPG for the entire time I drove it, still have the records. Hint: 45 lbs of air in the tires, compared to the 35 it said on the door.

I have a 1995 F150 that I bought new too, it has a tad over 500k on it, same engine and trans, but I have replaced the rear springs about four times and the fronts twice, but only on it's second brake job.
Besides that, I still have three other vehicles...but they are too new to brag about.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:26 pm

tman wrote:1970 GTO . Didn't seem to use as much gas as my present vehicles. 97 Z28 and 06 V8 Dakota. Maybe my memory failing me.

love that car....one of my favorites
BIL has a 66

Newtmaker · Post by **Newtmaker** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:51 pm

Best I ever had was a 69 Chevy wagon. Put 190,000 on it until a drunk rearended it and totaled naturally.
Second best was a 83 Nissan Maxima SW with diesel engine. Put over 185000 on it until the R&P unit went out and I couldn't fix myself.
We currently drive two cars that are no longer made; 2000 Olds Intrique, 146000 and a 2001 Saturn Wagon, 136000.
I tend to get my money's worth out of them when I can

Walt

Rube Burrows · Post by **Rube Burrows** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:00 pm

I have had so many cars and trucks but I will have to say that my 2002 Toyota Tundra has been among the tops in terms of being able to be counted on. It has 300k miles on it and has never missed a beat. Only prob I ever had was ball joints which should have been under the recall. Toyota said my month was not under the recall though and they would not fix them. 3 months later left side broke so I fixed it.....should have fixed both but didnt. Then about 4 months after that the other side broke. Both have been replaced and the truck has been great ever since.

Jeff H · Post by **Jeff H** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:03 pm

Noah Zark wrote:......The Volvo 140/240 were incredibly well-built, easy to maintain vehicles. How I miss them.

Noah

You're making me miss mine too, talking about them like that.

All mine had dual SU carbs. Simple and easy to set up.
All were '68/'69 and I can't remember which ones were which year now.

#1 was a beige 142.

#2 was a powder blue 144 with a black leather interior - our favorite one.

#3 was another biege 142, but with a Borg Warner 2-speed auto. Liked the manual 4s better.

Utterly reliable.

txpete · Post by **txpete** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:05 pm

when I was in HS I had a friend that had a volvo P18?1800? sports car.I got to ride in it a few times.I was into austin healys at that time.the volvo was a nice car.

Alan Wood · Post by **Alan Wood** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:35 am

2005 Tacoma no questions asked. Starts and gets me to wherever work calls every time. It's predacessors well they didn't do nearly so well even when I first bought them.
Alan Wood

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:04 am

Best vehicle I ever had was an AMC Jeep Grand Wagoneer in the early eighties. Had it for ten years and racked up well over 200,000 miles on it. Both girls learned to drive in it, it would turn on a dime and had the best four wheel drive system I have ever experienced. Only drawback was it was extremely thirsty and for some reason had only a 12 gallon tank so I did not pass too many gas stations. Will try and dig out a picture

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:56 am

The best I ever had?

maybe my 1978 Ford XC Fairmont. I took that one up to the Pilbara in the north west of Western Australia while I worked up there for a few years and it was a great vehicle for touring 800 - 1000 miles per day without you wanting to get out of it and scream. It also travelled really well on hundreds of miles of gravel roads without making you feel like you were hangin' on by the skin of your teeth. Fuel consumption was no great shakes, 20 MPG if you kept it under 60 MPH but that was with a roof rack carrying two spare tyres and a suitcase full of spare parts. In a single 1000 mile trip from Paraburdoo to Perth we killed a cow and 3 Kangaroos and the only damage to the car was two broken spotlights and a broken headlight.

http://www.fordmusclecars.com.au/viewIt ... ItemID=391

I can't complain about my current truck. It's a Nissan GQ Patrol 1989 SWB with a 4.2 liter diesel and auto trans. Long trips it will get me around 23.50 MPG if I keep it under 60 MPG and that's with two weeks worth of camping and shooting gear on board.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:21 am

Old Time Hunter wrote:
Griff wrote:1964 Ford Galaxy 500 fastback w/289 and a fourspeed, .

Man, i love those cars ----- even today i would love to have a 64 Galaxy or its smaller brother, a 64 Fairlane 2 door