Enthusiasts consider this idea every once in a blue moon. “If you could have just one car for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Last-gen BMW M5? Porsche 911? Corvette? Pontiac G8? Lotus Elise (just kidding). But how about folks who don’t care about cars? What should they get? The Camrolla and Civords would likely be at the top of the lists for the frugal and apathetic. But maybe a Grand Marquis or Crown Vic Interceptor would do fine. Then you have pre-Daimler Jeep Cherokees, RWD Volvo wagons, Subarus of certain stripes, and old Benzes that may now require German translations and Indian parts. The 10+ year old used car world has several winners for the tightwad crowd. But what about new and late model cars?
My pick for those who simply call their car, ‘the car’, would be a Nissan Versa S Hatchback. It’s common enough that it won’t get the price premiums that a Fit or xB typically get if you buy it used. ‘The car’ also has ample seating, an upscale interior for its class and is very easy to drive. Got something better? Well, let the games begin. Those who say ‘Toyota Prius’ will be automatically disqualified for lack of originality.
well if the versa is on there, wouldnt a mazda 3 or something like that be even better?
I say Chevy Impala. It’s simple to drive, simple to fix, doesn’t break down (knock on wood), cheap to buy and cheap to run. It’s comfy, powerful enough, and can seat six. Overall a decent car.
One car? To suit all uses? Forever? Toyota Hilux 4 door with the 2.4 turbo diesel. ’86 for the good motor. ’97 for the IFS.
Car?, I can have a truck too? 1970 Porsche 914-6 or any 911. Lotus (just to have a Lotus), Atom…the thrill would be worth the inconveniences…
Is a Suzuki Samurai considered a car? What if you add the afore mentioned 2.4d and Hilux axles? I’ll keep my Sammy…
:)
Car wise , I’m in a rut, stuck in 1988. My current DDs are a pair of 528es. I bought my first super eta in ’96 with 150 k miles on it. I drove it for 11 1/2 yrs and put 200k additional miles on it. Not once did it strand me. I maintained it in my driveway using basic hand tools, a Bentley manual and some internet support.
My other ’88 is a Grand Wagoneer, it is my 5th SJ. Its rebuilt 360 V8 is on its 3rd chassis.
The only thing that keeps it from DD status is is its atrocious MPG. It is roomy, comfortable, handles well enough, and will go practically anywhere. I use it for weekly rubbish runs and stuff that wont fit in the 528es’ capacious trunk. It goes less than 1500 miles a year.
I have enough spare parts to keep these vehicles going another decade at least.
1985- 89 SAAB 900S. No ABS, no airbags, no turbo, 30+ mpg, and a hatch that you can easily haul a major appliance in with the door shut. Best compromise between reliability, driveabilty, cargo, and economy ever made IMHO, and everything can be repaired by the backyard mechanic.
Many to choose from (putting the years for reference):
96 B-Body 9C1 Caprice, maybe with a LS-Something swap.
2000-2005 9C1 Impala, with Turbo. It may be an LS
95-96 XJ Cherokee
Grand Cherokee, ZJ (last years) or the current one with HEMI. Hey, I could swap a Hemi in the ZJ too :)
1997 C1500 Chevy pickup, again with LS engine swap.
Current Chevy Pickup
1992 E500
1992 BMW M5, the one with the I-6 turbo engine
1996 BMW M3
1991 Isuzu Impulse, XS & RS. Stylus also.
Dodge Neon. SRT4 and ACR models a +
C4 or C6 Corvette. C4 1993+, C6 should be a Z06
Current Toyota Yaris (hatchback, the sedan style sucks)… yes I dig some Toyotas.
ST82 Toyota Celica
Ford Taurus SHO… with the Yamaha V6
A MINI… “for” the wife.
Fiat Palio, with the 1.6 16V engine. Indestructible DD, and not slow.
SS Turbo Cobalt.
Holden Commodore, the new one. Of course, V8
Ford Falcon I-6 Turbo, also de current one.
Dodge Challenger… they will cost a fortune in 10 years.
Current Euro Focus. It looks hot. 2.0 16V
MKIII VW Golf/Vento. VR6 please.
Previous gen Mazda 3/6. Manual.
Saab 9-3 Viggen. Also one of the current ones with the AWD system.
Previous gen Renault Twingo. With the 1.2 16V engine.
A current Chevy Tahoe.
A Range Rover would be fine…
3rd Gen Firebird, 350TPI, but you could swap a LS engine in that too.
Alpha engine Trail Blazer
I could go on for all day
1st Gen 95-98 Honda Odyssey. Indestructible. The 2.2 4 banger and that Honda 4 speed auto are the slant 6 and Torqueflite of the 90s. Highly rust resistant too. Comfy, seats 7 and runs forever. If you can find one with under 100k, buy it and drive it for another 200k. I bought one 3 mo ago, and now have the zeal of the converted.
@ Andy D
The Grand Wagoneer is nice… but you could swap some modern EFI engine into that. Like a 5.7 lts HEMI…
Does it have a Torqueflite?
My retirement present to myself is an Infiniti G37S coupe. I plan to keep it until the only vehicle I an capable of driving is a wheel chair.
Due to economic necessity I plan to drive my 2009 Impala forever.For all the reasons iprocter 1982 posted above.36 years of car assembly,tells me practice makes perfect.Over 20 years of tweaking the W car has resulted in a fine auto.
The first 7 or 8 years are easy.8 to 12 years and repairs become a factor.With all the W cars produced parts and labour SHOULD be cheap.For asthetics I got the LTZ package,I’m a little afraid of the cost of those 18 inch tires though.
Realisticaly I’m shooting for 15 to 20 years,a long time to be driving a bland vehicle.I love cars and driving.When I bought the Impala,I had a voucher to put down on any GM product I wanted.The CTS..sweet,too much dough,too many things to go wrong.The G8.. nice,how nice when its 10 years old and parts availability becomes a problem?I like the Malibu,but the proven track record of the Impala won out.Yukons and such are wonderfull.Who knows what gas is going to cost in 10 years time.I don’t like vans,and the Cobalt is too small.
So here I am a 55 year old car guy,piston head,enthusiast,whatever,doomed to driving an Impala for one helluva of a long time.
Could be worse though,thank god its not a Camry
“Does it have a Torqueflite?”
Torqueflite FTW! Nearly indestructible.
Keeping a car for a lifetime doesn’t work. I’ve tried it several times and failed. The closest I came was a Datsun 720 King Cab that I bought new in 1982. It was going to be my last truck but it wasn’t. I drove it to over 220K miles but the body got so bad it literally fell apart after about 20 years.
It doesn’t make sense from the financial side either since repairs become more expensive than trading for something newer. After that experience, I won’t try it again.
Keeping a car for a lifetime is a bad idea if not impossible.
For the “rest of your life” type of vehicle I think the minivan fits the most variables over the long run.
A late model Odyssey or Sienna can seat seven for large families, and is more than adequate for children/grandchildren shuttle service. A Versa is simply not large enough for any family with more than two children.
Minivans also have more cargo utility than all other vehicles minus full sized vans and pickups. No SUV can match the cubic volume except possibly a suburban. Over a lifetime you will need that utility aspect several times.
Lastly, since we aren’t talking about a “drivers” vehicle modern minivans have excellent safety ratings. Both Honda and Toyota have good reliability and they are quite efficient when compared to a comprable SUV (i.e. suburban). All around they fit the bill for the most things life can throw at you. A standard mid-size or compact hatchback just isn’t diverse enough for a “lifetime” IMO.
For myself: Audi RS4 wagon
For the ambivalent: Current or previous Ford Taurus
One car for the non-enthusiast? The old Subaru Forrester 2.5 non-turbo. Plain, ugly, and all the car most people will ever need.
For myself, it would be a 4-door GTI that has had a once over to assure I don’t get typical VW “reliability”.
Only one? R32 Skyline GTS25 sedan, with a hitch bar for a small utility trailer. If we’re allowed to modify the car, then I’d take an Autech R32 and do a manual swap on it.
1988-1991 Honda Civic Si Hatchback. When properly maintained it is ultra reliable, seats 5, gets 40mpg, accelerates well, handles even better than many “sports” cars, and has a huge cargo space to boot. It’s only issue is it can get rust on the 1/4 panels so you have to be vigilant to prevent it from spreading. Spend some dough on some go fast parts such as the b16 engine which was sold in every country but America and you have power to spare.
Car – Current BMW M5 with the 6 speed manual
Truck – Current Dodge Ram Crew Cab Laramie with the Rambox option (provided there’s still a Dodge around…in which case I’d defer to a Toyota Tundra Limited).
@ broccoli:
Did you just use the words “Saab” and “reliable” in the same sentence?
I’m with hans007, there isn’t a single thing that the Versa does that a Mazda3 wouldn’t do better (any trim level, anytime). I personally disagree with the notion that anyone actually prefers “boring” cars, they just aren’t going to go out of their way, pay extra or do the research to get a good one.
Porsche 911
Because if you need more room, there is always Hertz (or Sixt in my case)
I can think of a few:
Jeep TJ Unlimited (my current ride)
Jeep XJ (my previous ride and a workhorse)
GMT800 Platform Chevy Tahoe
Nissan B13 Sentra/Tsuru
After spending 16+ hours driving in a mad dash across the country in a 2009 Chevy Malibu and then getting back into my 2003 Jeep Liberty, I can tell you what it WON’T be! I had forgotten how horrid my Jeep is when it comes to any kind of comfort. Loud, drinks gas, crude…I’m actually grateful I rented the Malibu. It isn’t fancy, but at 80 MPH, it returned nearly 30 MPG, was quiet and comfortable.
Not sure if I could boil it down to just one vehicle that would be the “forever” vehicle. Although I’m looking at either a MINI, Miata or Civic Si for a daily driver right now, would I want either of those forever, in ALL driving conditions? Probably not. Maybe the last gen 3 series wagon…
One car? Diesel Rabbit (Golf), manual transmission, no power windows, no a/c, leatherette interior.
Color: white.
My wife is not a car person. She has a silver 2001 Civic with 5-speed stick which she bought new. Her younger sister is also not a car person. She owns the exact same car. They’ve both been very happy with their cars; I’ve never heard either of them pine for anything else. Size-wise it’s not family-friendly, but I’m going to have to got with the 2001 Civic.
Of course, their parents own a silver Ford Focus and a silver Dodge Caravan. Historically, they’ve changed their cars somewhat regularly because they’re not car people and they don’t want any repair hassles, but they’re hanging onto their current rides longer because of the recession. A couple of my wife’s friends drive silver cars too. I’m going to change my mind and say that non-enthusiasts would own a SILVER car forever.
My first choice would obviously be a 1966 Chrysler, probably a 4-door sedan. For daily driver use, I would start with a 383-2bbl equipped car and retrofit throttle-body EFI, a Gear Vendors overdrive behind the Torqueflite, and probably 3.55:1 gears in the diff. That combo should be good for 30MPG on the highway. If I lived somewhere without winter road salt, this would already be a done deal.
My second choice would be my 1984 GMC 8-passenger van with the 6.2L diesel. This was an excellent do-anything, go (almost) anywhere vehicle, and that engine would’ve run forever. I definitely miss it. It needed a lot of work (new rad, steering gear, tires, windshield wiper motor, etc.) when I scrapped it in 2001, but if the body had still been in good shape, it would’ve been worth it. If my dad had been religious about getting it oil-sprayed every fall when he owned it before me, I’d probably still be driving it.
Rokop: My first two cars were 1984 VW Rabbit diesels. The first one was a 2-door with the 4-speed stick, which I owned for 4 1/2 years and loved it. Very reliable and easy to maintain. The second was a 4-door with the 5-speed stick, which I hated and owned for about a year. Poor maintenance and improperly done repairs before I owned it and a good cover-up job from a shady used car dealer resulted in terrible reliability. I also disliked the 4-door because I couldn’t rest my arm on the windowsill when the window was rolled-down because the door pillar was in the way.
Again, The Rabbit is not a family-friendly size but otherwise very versatile, fuel efficient and fun to drive. Also more roomy inside than my wife’s Civic. For some people, I agree that this could be a lifetime car.
1988-1996 F150 with the 4.9 straight 6 and 2wd. I have one that cannot be killed despite going years between oil changes. The front end is tight and original, although it finally needed suspension work. Since I’ve had good luck with the “weak” Mazda 5-speed towing 20,000 lbs+ (hay wagons, closed course or very slow on public streets), I’ll pick it with that as well.
Laugh if you will, but it would be a ’67 to ’79 Dodge D100 p/u truck, with the 225cid slant-six and a 4-speed manual. Regular cab long box (they didn’t add the extended cab ’til the mid ’70’s).
A workhorse like no other. The slant-six is bullet proof, and so is the 4-speed, and if I could find one locally that didn’t have too much corrosion damage, I would snap it up in a second. A vehicle for which there are many sources of parts (used and new, OEM and aftermarket), and for which I can do almost every bit of maintenance and repair.
It might not have a lot of top-end speed, nor will it get to it’s top- end very fast, but it will cruise for hours without working up any sweat, and the slant-six mated to the 4-speed gives you oodles of torque for towing and hauling capacities.
Or, a Ford F-100 from exactly the same time frame, with the 300cid straight six. For all of the same reasons mentioned above.
Got to have a truck if you own a house and don’t do your repairs and remodeling simply by writing a check. I’ll keep my 2004 Ford F-150 Heritage, standard cab, long bed, 4.6V8, 4speed auto, bench seat, manual windows, rubber floor. Bought it three years ago, has 75,000 miles on it and I plan on driving it till they won’t sell me gasoline anymore.
Car? Old diesel Mercedes. Early 80s either 200 or 300 series, make mine a 300D wagon for reasons stated by the authors of TTAC in previous posts.
Toyta Matrix XR with Lotus suspension, Elantra dashboard, Focus SVT steering, BMW brakes, Jetta seats, and a pretty Swedish girl. Oh, wait, they don’t make these (except the Swedish girls). OK, BMW 3 Series Touring.
It’s funny that nearly everyone here is more focused on older vehicles for the ‘one car, one lifetime’ idea.
I guess cheap parts and easy maintenance are big implicit selling points for the TTAC crowd.
I was asking about recent models. But if I had a choice amongst the older ones for a ‘non-enthusiast’ it would be a…
1996 Toyota Camry LE Wagon (4-cylinder)
The powertrain is probably the most bulletproof one offered on a car during that era. You have all the space needed along with seating for seven. Fuel economy in four cylinder form is far better than a minivan or SUV. Finally, it’s a very easy car to drive that can stay anonymous for the long haul.
I still stand by the late-model Nissan Versa S as the perfect vehicle for most non-enthusiasts. Anyone care to knock me off the perch?
honestly, this is really easy…
1995 Mercedes E300D
diesel power and economy, total comfort, built and engineered like no other car, will probably outlast a nuclear explosion, my old one almost made it to 500K miles but was totaled in a street flood, still stylish etc..
This is somewhat in response to 97escort’s comments: If you’re going to own a car FOREVER, don’t neglect the body. I replaced my 1984 GMC van with a 1994 Dodge p/u with Cummins diesel. I get it oil-sprayed every November to combat winter road salt. I had the bottom half sprayed with epoxy primer then repainted in 2002 to seal-up the accumulated stone chips before the galvanization wore through and the rockers began to rust. Every fall I spend a day going over it covering any new stone chips with touchup paint. Any truck guys that see it can’t believe it’s a ’94 because it looks so good for its age.
Another key is to look for other vehicles that are the same model as yours and notice what has started to rust or fall off of theirs. Those are areas you should pay particular attention to. For example, Dodge pickup rear bumpers rot out from the backside. Whenever I take my truck to the DIY carwash, I point the spray nozzle behind the bumper corners to flush out any accumulated crap that’s sitting on the backside of the bumper.
My hubby just bought a CR-V, which I hope will be one of those long-term cars. (He’s trying to make me get rid of my 89 hatchback Accord, which looks like hell from all the rust.) I was interested in your comment about oil spraying (we live in Chicago—talk about your road salt!). What is oil spraying and where do you get it done? Thanks for your help!
Since the question was about late model cars:
Chevy Malibu for a sedan
Honda CR-X for small SUV
Toyota Corolla for small sedan/”compact” car
Anything by anybody for a sub-compact.
Steve Lang
why the versa? “Easy to drive” it really isn’t (non-standard transmission), not that I’m saying it’s hard to drive. Otherwise it’s got the same controls as any other vehicle, but it isn’t a standout in any category performance wise. In fact, I’d say almost every other hatchback does it better (for whatever value of “it” you’d choose to evaluate).
Fair question…
1) I’ve found them to be plentiful and cheap at the auctions. Typically the S model will cost far less to purchase used than a Fit, Mazda 3 or Rabbit.
2) They look to be easy to repair and the long model run should translate into reasonably cheap parts in the times to come.
3) Although not as upscale as a Fit or Rabbit, the interior does strike me as having better quality materials than most other cars in it’s class. I also think the content level of the Versa is pretty much top-notch when you compare it with others in this segment.
4) Very good fuel economy figures. Related to what you wrote, the S model has a 4-speed automatic. Not the CVT that’s offered in the SL.
5) There’s enough back seat room to make it practical for most family’s of four. You can fit five better than most cars in this class as well. Finally there’s about 50 sq. ft of space that would likely take care of the needs of most folks.
For late model choices does anybody have reliability stats for the diesel Jeeps (Liberty and Grand Cherokee) that were built for a short amount of time? I would think for anybody in a snowbelt area that would be the ultimate “one car for a lifetime” as long as you didn’t have a more that four people total in the family. 4×4 and diesel torque, can’t be beat. Then again I’m a bit torque obsessed, love the way an engine feels when it makes torque early and has a flat torque curve.
Well I have been driving a 95 Honda del sol for the past 13 years. So I’ll just keep on driving it.Those civics have parts that are available,cheap, & reliable. + the mechanics of tomorrow are hotting up their Civics today.So even in ten years there will still be people that know how to work on them.
“1) I’ve found them to be plentiful and cheap at the auctions. Typically the S model will cost far less to purchase used than a Fit, Mazda 3 or Rabbit.”
good point…suddenly I’m reminded of the fact that you do this for a living.
I agree on the interior, I saw one once with a nice piano black treatment (I like that), no idea what trim that was or even if it was strictly stock. I also didn’t know that the S had a regular tc auto, I’ve driven two and they both had the CVT (awful).
Personally I’m fascinated by the stripper $10k stick shift. I’d pass up quite a few new cars to give that a spin. It may be that I’m a luddite, but I’d probably take that one over the other trim levels.
Murcielago LP640, for sure.
The older you get, the harder it is to have anonymous sex on one’s own merits. Thus the Lambo.
Oh, and permit me to spam my article about the $9995 Versa and its antecedents:
http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/01/21/avoidable-contact-22-airbags-killed-the-am-radio-star/
I said the current Toyota Yaris hatchback…
Looks better than the Versa… and there are some nice TRD hop up parts…
Also said Fiat Palio/Siena/Palio Weekend. But currently they have too much electro crap that may fail. Comfortable, and being made in Brazil, parts here are plentiful and cheap.
I think the obvious choice is a W123 Mercedes 300TD turbodiesel wagon. Those things seem to be the most sturdy and reliable things ever built, and if we eventually run out of fuel, are easy to convert to biodiesel.
First, if we are talking one car for a life tiem, it needs to be easily repaired in the driveway at home. That eliminates all modern cars. It also should be able to tow and haul since no other car is available; it’s your one and only car. That eliminates a number of sedans (though towing is an option for most cars from the 60’s I suppose). For these reasons, I will go with a 60’s era truck. My personal choice would be a Chevy with an in-line 6, but I have no problem with the Dodge or the Ford. Chevy is just a personal preference.
So here I am a 55 year old car guy,piston head,enthusiast,whatever,doomed to driving an Impala for one helluva of a long time.
Could be worse though,thank god its not a Camry
While not an apples to apples comparison, I’ve had the pleasure (?) of driving a 2005 Impala w/auto and a 96 Toyota Camry, V6 w/stick. That 96 Camry beat the Impala hands down, not even close. I had the Impala for a week while vacationing in Florida. While the Dodge Magnum I had in Vegas gave it a run for its money, that Impala was the most uninspired yet enraging driving experience I have ever had. Getting back into my Mazda6 at the airport upon my return home made me realize just how fortunate I was. Accelerating through that first arcing on-ramp, and I was smiling again.
The Camry was a friends car. While not exactly inspiring it at least had some pep, was smooth, and was well laid out. Everything was where I expected it to be, and there were no surprises.
Maybe your 09 Impala, non rental model, will not suck the joy of driving from your soul making you a GM zombie, but I fear it will.
Steven: not that I disagree with your choice, but for argument’s sake I will say the Cobalt is a better choice. The Cobalt looks pretty cheap inside, but its a safe bet that parts (both new, reman, and recycled) will be cheaper and more plentiful than the Versa…for the rest of our lives.
The Cobalt’s body style hasn’t changed in years and they sold tons of them: junkyarding 20 years from now will be cheap and easy for this car.
———————————-
Mike66Chryslers : This is somewhat in response to 97escort’s comments: If you’re going to own a car FOREVER, don’t neglect the body.
Or live outside of the rust belt, neglect it forever, and drive it forever. I don’t know if my DD will remain that way for the rest of my life, but the body rusting away is never a concern. I don’t know how you guys put up with that!
If I were san family, dogs, etc, I would jump into a previous gen Mazda 3 5-door and never look back. My wife’s current ’08 4-door is a fun little car that averages 30 mpg on a mostly back road/light city traffic commute. I became a convert to that car when she (who doesn’t drive very aggressively) was able to beat me through the twisties while I was driving an ’06 C230 Sport that I was pushing, though not nearly as hard as Jack Baruth would I’m sure.
For my current situation of dogs, kid, etc, I’d have to agree with those who say Honda Odyssey. I’ve driven an ’06 from NC to AZ and back in 4 days and other than sleeping across the rear seat floor anchors, found it surprisingly comfortable while getting 25 mpg. My kid likes it because he can now see something besides the sky out of the windows and there’s enough room to haul a couch plus a month’s worth of groceries while everybody’s comfortably seated.
A 45′ pimped out, super blinged RV. That way I’ll always have a roof over my head.
If I were to buy a current new-model to last the rest of my life, it would be a Toyota Tacoma long-bed super-cab 4×4 pick-up. Do everything, carry much, bullet-proof if boring.
If I could magically have any car from any year with 0 miles on the clock to drive for the rest of my life….It would be the Mercedes 300TD Wagon. Life would be sweet.
I’m looking to buy a 2002-2003 BMW m5 6-speed in 2010 or 2011 (about to enter into an MBA program that I’m self-financing…)
I’ve driven the e39 BMW (1997-2003 model) in multiple different trims: 2002 530i 5-speed non-sport, 2001 540i 6-speed sport w/ 115k miles, 2003 BMW 540i sport 6-speed dinan model w/ 70k, and 2002 BMW m5 6-speed with 68k miles.
All of them were glorious cars and each had a unique character. The 530 was the jack of all trades, master of none. It would probably be the wisest choice, with “Yes these are german parts but they won’t kill me” prices on parts.
The 540i was the “I’m a 530i with less steering feel, a shitload more power, and a burble when you start me up”.
The M5 spoke to me saying, “You are lucky to be driving me.”
The M5 told me it’d make me smile everytime I drove it. It told me it wouldn’t punish me, but would pull damn near 1g sideways, roast tires, out-sprint most modern high performance cars, and give me slightly more power than I’ll ever need…whichw as perfect.
Yes, it’l cost $2000 a year to maintain (on average). I’m accepted that.
But it’s the car that sings to my soul and I know I’ll never be happy unless I own one once. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be practical enough and attach itself to my family and memories enough that I won’t ever want to get rid of it.
I’d like to drive home my first born in the backseat of that car. I hope that such memories befit the car and my intentions to keep it indefinitely.
I have no intention of getting rid of my 2000 XJ8.
Ford spent a bundle on this car to get it right and it shows. It’s paid for, reliable, gets 25 mpg on the highway and what would I replace it with?
If it HAS to be “one and only one car forever,” I’ll have a ’95/’96 GM fullsize wagon with tow package, please. “One car” means lots of compromises: it won’t be fun to drive, but it’ll haul a lot of people and stuff. It won’t get great mileage, but better than most fullsize pickups. It’ll need some fixing, but parts won’t kill you. It’ll be cheap to buy (used), but you’ll pay a little along to keep it going.
If it can be “one car to own and you can rent something for special occasions,” I’ll have the cheapest Corolla I can find with working A/C.
I think you have to consider life stages if you are going to think about a car as lasting forever. Many of us go through a set of vehicles that reflect the priorities of that time, as in:
20’s – fun, small, attractive to potential mates
30’s – trendy, with ability to handle a carseat or two
40’s – full on minivan (or Full size SUV if you feel inadequate)
50’s – prestige sedan. Optional: midlife crisis convertible
60’s+ – whatever you want, although why Buick is the default choice is beyond me. I guess a smooth ride becomes important then.
It’s hard to see a single vehicle accomodating all of these requirements. The Venza is probably closest, in that it works like the music you find in elevators.
How is that? Well, some people hate rock, some hate rap, some hate jazz, but everyone hates Elevator Music, so that’s what they use. By that logic, the Venza fails at all these roles, and is therefore the obvious choice.
I’d have to say, SAAB 9-3 Aero SportCombi w/ stick. It provides the most room I would need on any given day for both people and cargo, has great turbo power and AWD, and a decent dollop of sportiness.
I’m surprised no one has said a 2005+ Subaru legacy GT 5-speed (sedan or wagon) or it’s slight variant,a 2007+ Legacy GT Spec.B. (which uses an awesome 6-speed transmission and a unique inverted bilstein strut setup with aluminum componentry).
Rock solid engine, incredible tuning potential, smooth and controlled ride stock, sweet gearbox, AWD, space for everyone and everything, and pretty classy looking.
I bought a 2008 Legacy GT for my wife and she adores it. I want to modify the stock 5mt a bit, but it’s a wonderful car.
@ SherbornSean:
So true.
Though the fit is a tad smaller, its cargo space is way more usable / user friedly than the Versa.
But when you are taking little junior to the beach with his inflatable dragon in the trunk, a wagon / minivan is what you need.
I vote for either a wagon with high ceiling (Forester) or a straight up minivan.
Isn’t the Versa largely Renault underneath? I’d imagine it’d be hard to find parts for that in 10 years. Plus, what a miserable car to drive for the rest of your life.
I’d say a Volvo 960 or S90 Wagon. bulletproof 24v I6, tons of cargo space, comfortable and well-built interior… the last of the real Volvos, don’cha know?
Mike66Chryslers : This is somewhat in response to 97escort’s comments: If you’re going to own a car FOREVER, don’t neglect the body.
Sajeev Mehta: Or live outside of the rust belt, neglect it forever, and drive it forever. I don’t know if my DD will remain that way for the rest of my life, but the body rusting away is never a concern. I don’t know how you guys put up with that!
I tried to convince my wife to move out to the west coast but it didn’t work. Now that we have a house and a kid I’m pretty much stuck in the rust belt.
Mustang GT.
Stingray, the Grand Wag has a Tourqeflite. And yes, they are well nigh indestructable.
Stephen, to be stuck in any modern appliance for life would be hell for me. I dont do mainstream cars.
NulloModo : I think the obvious choice is a W123 Mercedes 300TD turbodiesel wagon. Those things seem to be the most sturdy and reliable things ever built, and if we eventually run out of fuel, are easy to convert to biodiesel.
No “conversion” required for BioDiesel, just pour it in and drive. You only need to convert cars to run on straight vegetable oil, as it must be pre-heated to move through your injection pump.
BioDiesel is essentially “pre-converted” vegetable oil, that is having it’s glycerine (and misc contaminants) removed prior to use in an engine. It has an identical viscosity to petro-Diesel.
I’d have to agree with you otherwise and think any Diesel-powered Benz from the W123 or W124 chassis family is probably the best “drive it forever” machine. Most have been, and will be driven forever anyway. far more than any of the other suggestions so far.
–chuck
I’m looking at putting down money on an Icon built Land Cruiser truck. Rebuilt (really more of a tribute) using not much more than an old serial number, re-bodied in powder coated, thick gauge aluminum, and using some of the best components around, it is built to last the distance. I’ll take the diesel option thank you, and make sure to coat mine gun metal blue and flat black. Necessity, not entertainment rules this decision as I need a vehicle with great off road capability and moderate load capacity.
To counter that, I always keep a used and nicely depreciated fun car in half of the garage to satisfy the less practical, self indulgent side of my personality (MX-5, S2000, Cooper S). Small, nimble and “squirty” cars make the best urban assault vehicles in my experience.
http://www.icon4x4.com/overview/gallery/by-model/fj45
And did you ask yourself why the xB has a price premium? (I assume we’re talking about the Gen 1…xB The Sequel is about as noteworthy as the Echo.)
I can’t believe you’d rather subject your passengers to the back seat of the Versa for 12 years than pay a few extra thousand for a far superior car. That’s just…cold.
Ha! You think that’s cold? Just wait until they get into my 2001 Honda Insight.
Drove a Mazda3 rental recently, hated it. Drove a Yaris rental the same week, liked it. Still like my Versa SL better.
So I’d just say change the Versa S to a Versa SL, because the seat fabric on the S sucks, whereas the SL has a very nice blue and black fabric that improves the interior tremendously.
From a different perspective:
Any Fiat Palio and/or derivatives (Siena sedan, Weekend station wagon or Strada pickup truck). Parts cheap, many sold. Go on forever w/little maintenance.
The only other car that would fit the bill down here would be the VW Gol (though until the this year you couldn’t get a sedan version). Again, parts cheap, many sold. Downside: uncomfortable vis-a-vis the Palio, insurance more expensive, tends to have more crazy engine and electrical problems.
Now try to do that in a Ford Fiesta, GM Corsa, various Peugeot and Renaults. Couldn’t be done for different reasons. More expensive, all sold less, parts more difficult.
BTW, I have a Palio. Due to crisis and reading many articles (especially yours Mr. Lang) plan to keep it for a long time and see if it really is so beneficial finance-wise. Was recently offered a very cheap brand-new Renault Clio. Would change in a minute if the plan were to keep it 3-5 yrs. But as I intend to keep the Palio for +10 yrs, I just cannot see the Renault being as easy to keep as the Fiat, so I turned the deal down. So, I’ll be putting my money where my mouth is. The car is already 3 yrs old and has around 30 000 miles on it. Nothing but regular maintenance. It’ll be interesting to see how this goes.