O/T but still a question about cars, just not traditional

Hey everyone, I have an off topic question, hoping to get some hambers opinions, I would like to know which one you think would be best suited as a daily driver, I have to be able to get to work and starting sept 06 school, and I can't be havin nothin go wrong. I have narrowed it down, to a GMC sierra (1999 and up), Chevy Silverado ( 1999 and up), Ford Explorer (1998 and up) more like a 2002 or so, or a 1970 Mercury Cougar. I look at it a couple ways and hope some of you can help, I look at it like this even though all the others are new, they would still be used, and if I was driving on a trip or something anywhere and the car breaks down which one would be easier a new engine that has all that plastic covering junk on it or an old engine, I also look at it as those are new, they are nice not too much should go wrong. Please help. I can provide links of others but I will provide a link for the cougar.

http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/3/4/79551234.htm

Thank You

 

If your looking for a dependable everyday driver. I'd advise you to stay away from all of those vehicles. Reason???

Just take a look at the vehicle magazine put out by Consumer Reports.
They list the best used vehicles to buy. Needless to say I won't mention where 90% of the vehicles come from. Sad but true.

 

So with fuel prices the way they are i would reccomend a 4cyl. S-10 or something similar. Isn't the whole point of a daily driver to leave gas money left over for your cool car?

 

i agree 100%

even my 6 banger s10 blazer just cost me 45$ to fill up this morning.....thank god i have the van and drive that 95% of the time....

 

While maybe less cool,newer cars are safer and more efficient. Your best bet for commuting,safety and efficiency IMHO would be a Toyota or a Honda. Good cars,fun to drive,likely made here in the USA-unlike Fords and Chevys. If you want all wheel drive,I heartily recommend the Subaru-good Indiana made car,very efficient for an AWD. My wife has had two in very serious wrecks-not her fault but one needs to look ahead. One was totalled-she walked away witha head cut. The other had $10K worth of metal work done to it,drove home from the accident-the semi that hit her was towed away-and now has 225000 miles on it-can't ask for more than that in a car.

 

I vote for a Saturn SW2 wagon.

 

I keep seeing ads around the Des Moines IA area for inexpensive new cars.
KIA did a buy one get on free promotion and the Scion ad I read last night had prices starting at about $9000. I haven't personally driven either brand but I might look into it.
My biggest concern with these is safety. I don't have much of a commute but I carry my 3 and 1 year olds with me a lot, I think I'm willing to pay a little extra in gas to drive a safer/bigger vehicle.
Just my 2 cents.

 

I just got home from towing my '99 Silverado home after the fuel pump went out. High miles did it in. Buy something that's good on gas and is small, so if you have to haul it, it'll be easier.

I second the Saturn wagon. I'm going to look for one in the next couple weeks at the wholesale auctions. A single cam with a stick, my last one got 38mpg. Save the gas and the money for that nice '55 Ford you got.

 

I'd rather have 2 or 3 old cars than one new one. You always have to have one to drive while you are fixing another.
But, since we kind of have 2 basic different camps here, to some of us old cars are our life and some just a hobby. Oh yeah there are the profilers and culture folks who do it for the rockabilly thing too. Me, I love old cars and would rather drive a ratty-assed smoking Falcon that was paid for than have a bigassed payment book. If I was wealthy I would just drive cooler old cars.
Now you can be different and that's ok. But with todays gas prices I think the full sized pickups are going to be real cheap to buy used. Chevy is already so overloaded with inventory that they will chase you down the road throwing money at you to get you in a truck. Ford and Dodge aren't far behind.

 

Personally, I'd got with a small engine pickup, that way, if you have a part you need to pickup, it isn't a pain getting it back...

TTYL.

Later, peace...

Troy.

 

Thank You Everyone Very Much

Petejoe- Thanks, Ill check out that magazine, most the cars they list aren't from here...Dang, I really wanted to get an old VW van but all I found is stick, I don't want stick, specially out here in Vegas, and the fact that like no one in my family knows how.

RockabillyTim- well I won't have a cool car until I start building hopefully September of next year, you'll see why in my response to Squablow, a 4 banger would probably be a good idea, quick question, do s-10s have the same turning radius as say a ranger, cause my uncles ranger turns terribly,but my aunt's expedition turns great (compared to the ranger), Thanks.

caffeine- Thanks,I like the van idea, there was a 1964 econoline on e*** but it was stick too, $45 to fill up, jeez, good thing I don't have my license yet.

5window-Yeah they are safer and more efficient, is Toyota and Honda really made here, while Ford and Chevy made over somewhere else. Its a shame. Glad to hear your wife is alright, those Subarus must be some mighty fine built machines, They owned by Volvo?. Thanks

airkooled- although they aint bad looking, I can't drive a wagon, way too long and low for me, much obliged for the suggestion. Thanks


orange52- yeah I like a little bigger, makes me feel safer and more comfortable. Thanks

Squablow- I won't be needin no gas money for my 55, I love it but I have to sell it, too much wrong with it for me to use it as daily and I have no money to buy a daily unless I sell it. It looks good on the outside, but I have come to the realization that my aunt and uncle got shafted on it. Thanks.


Thank You ALL VERY VERY much, this is helping me a ton in making a decision.

 

Sorry you replied while I was replying,

willowbilly3- I too love old cars, they have style and much more, plus when I pull up in an explorer you can't tell its me, pull up in the cougar or any old car, yeah its me. I see lots of people driving 70s-80s cars around here, not show quality either, I like some new cars, not like have to have them, only one I really want but can't afford is a new Range Rover, I don't like bling this and bling that, but I like the presence of the RR, Thanks.


Chrome Shop Mafia- yeah that was one of the things I was thinking of too, and I play drums in a band, so when we start playing out, I would be able to take them , Thanks.


Thanks Again everyone.

 

Must add, I like rockabilly but I like the 20s-late 70s all together, certain parts moreso like the 50s are awesome to me, and so are the 70s, I like them both. I listen to lots of music, Ill have a pomp this winter, but not all the time, whenever I feel like taking time out to do it is when Ill have a pomp, I cuff my jeans wear engineer boots and chucks, i been wearin chucks since I was born, ohh and, no matter what I will be paying the car off at once, no payments and this and that.

 

Really, if you have to have a car that nothing will ever go wrong (nearly), buy a Toyota.
They make trucks, too.
There is a reason that Toyota make the top of the quality list every year, and it's not because they're always breaking down.
I could go on about the abuse I've seen heaped on Toyotas and they still run, even when consistently abused and the mileage is getting over 150,000 miles.
Scion is Toyota's youth brand.

One other choice: Mercedes W123 diesel. Estimated engine lifespan: 500,000 miles. The rest of the car: not bad, excepting the A/C and cruise, and the trans may not last much over 400,000 miles. But they rust, so get one from the south.
One example: my own 300D turbodiesel. 273,000 miles, driven everyday, 60-75 miles each day. 24 mpg consistently. Only breakdown: battery, over three years ago (60,000 miles). Only repairs: differential (someone put in a Japanese bearing on the pinion.); new glow plugs; some bulbs; and brake pads.

If it MUST be made in America, buy a Toyota.

Cosmo

 

Sad?
Because they're built in OHIO!?!*



I've always had one thing to say about buying cars, well a few things now that I think about it...

If you're going to have to make payments anyway, buy a new vehicle. That way you get all the warranty.
It really*****s having to make a car payment and paying just to make the*****er run in the same month!

If you're making payments, don't run the payments longer than the full warranty runs.

If you buy used, buy a car that costs $1000 less than you have to spend because people usually get rid of cars when their "mechanic" just read off a $1000 estimate to fix something and they decided to dump it rather than fix it, and you will spend that much on it the first month you own it. (and it'll all be stuff not covered on the "extended warranty")

It's more important that a car stops than it is if it runs.

Sign in the sales office where I worked said;
"There's an**** for every seat"

Truths all, I learned this from being a new and used car salesman.



* (Hondas are built in Ohio, Petejoe's state, I think.)

 

We are on our 2nd Hyundai....1st one racked up 100,000 miles in just under 3 years, it was a stick, still on the original clutch! Battery was the original too.

Put 1 set of tires on it, and did 2 brake jobs. Just did regular oil changes & tire rotations.

Current one will be 2 years old in November, currently has 54,000 on it, returns around 34mpg on average...boring as hell to drive, but cheap to run & damm efficient!

 

I drive between 300 and 500 miles a week, yes a week, in my '98 Chevy Prizm. It's actually a Toyota Corolla. Auto, a/c, decent radio power everything, air bags (yuck but what can I do) and it is reliable as all hell. No major repairs, get 26 around town and I got 31 MPG on a trip to Memphis at 85 MPH with the A/C on. Can't complain at all. Oh Yeah, only paid $2500 for it with 52,000 miles on it.

Every Toyota or Subaru I've ever had has been dead nuts reliable and good on fuel. I do my own repairs and maintenance so the costs are low there too.

Sure, they're nowhere as cool as my Packard, but I have to rely on my car to make a living so I've been very happy with the Prism.

 

id say honda or toyota as well. Ive had some civics that i beat the living***** out of and yea they all threw a rod thru the block but that was after 200k+ of getting the***** beat out of them and taching it up to 7600 every shift. and still getting 36mpg and running a 14.2 every time it touched the track. All and i had 600 bucks into the car. cant beat that with a stick.


those new chevy trucks are nice and all but they have trans problems. my dad works for gm and he gets a new truck every 2 months to drive and more then 6 in the last few years have blew the transmissions before it got 4000 miles
And by the way satrun wagons are little cars and sits just like a normal satrun sedan or coupe.

 

When your shopping cars and want to know where the car was built, look at the first number or letter in the VIN and it will be as follows,

1 - Good ole USA

2 - Canada

3 - Mexico

4 - USA

5 - USA

J - Japan

I'm not familiar with Korean built or English built or codes for any other countries, I think you'll find that these four will be the main ones that you will run into.

Actually, Korea (K), England (S), Germany (W), Sweden (Y), Italy (Z), Australia (6), Taiwan (L). France (V) and Brazil (9)

 

Buy the Cougar!! Was not built by a Foreign Owned Company....
Of course I own a 68....

Dawg

 

Thank You Very Much.

cosmo-Toyota's are that reliable? wow, might have to look into that, also 500,000 miles is what that mercedes engine is rated at, jeez that a ton.

DrJ-I am definatly not making payments, I am sure at some time in life I will and I will keep that in mind. And keep 1000 off to the side (at least), ok, will do

A32Flathead- my mom has a haundai santa fe, she likes it I don't mind the passenger seat, but when I sit in the driver's seat the side bolsters ride up my rear end, as I am a fairly broad built person. but what kind do you have?

oldcarmike- 3-500 miles a week gas must be awful, but thats another post. I would do my own repairs, but I don't have diagnostics machines and all that plus everything is so contained it looks like, no room for me to move around. IDK, Ill definately check out both Toyota and Subaru.

DIRTYT- trans problems? dangit, although I think all the ones I am looking at are over 4,000 miles so I wonder if the trans has been fixed?

slacker_53- Awesome, I will keep those numbers in mind when I look at VINs

SnoDawg- Have fun in the '68? I am definatly considering the Cougar, doesn't it interchange some parts with the mustang? when I search on e*** for 70 cougar I get lots of****les with mustang/cougar, I mean obviously not exterior,but more engine parts and stuff. I really wanted the Cougar after seeing Dukes, even though its not a Charger, I could have some fun on backroads.


Thank You All VERY much.

 

55 I like my 68 it is not the most economical ride but a lot of fun but I am running a .060 390 with a 750 speed demon carb C6 and 4:11s. Remember it is a older car so you will have to do tune ups plugs points (if not converted to Electronic Ign) I have Petronix in mine and it was one of the best things I have done.
A lot of the mustang stuff will interchange suspension, weatherstrip drivetrain. but no body stuff.

Dawg

 

In March I got rid of my former daily driver, an 2002 Civic. I hated to get the dang thing in the first place, but I needed a dependible and economical driver for my long commute. I had it for three years and about 39K miles, and not a hiccup of trouble. The fit and finish was great, and I keept it serviced and maintained. I take care of my*****!

Now my commute is 9 miles so the 65 wagon has replaced the Civic, even though the wagon has had it's problems I don't miss the Civic one bit!!!

Sean

 

I'm no supermodel builD person either!! We have an Elantra, its ok for commuting etc, but more than 2 hrs can be a pain.

 

SnoDawg-Much obliged, I don't mind tune ups and stuff, I'd rather it be me than someone I don't know. Plus it helps me get close with the car and know it in and out. Maybe if I get it Ill convert to petronix.

sean72- I will definately be taking care of whatever I buy, just like a house, it isn't self sufficient, it has to have someone do stuff for it, maintain it, feed it if you will. I can definately understand you not missing the civic, but what would you do if something were to happen and the 65, or any car for that matter doesn't start, tell work you'll be late? Im just wondering for when I finally chose, Ill know what to say should the car not start, no matter what I get.

 

Yeah, I can see like next summer hopefully taking a road trip with some friends, and Im sure itd be longer than 2 hours away. I didn't know if the bolster's were specific to the santa fe. Thank You Very Much

 

55ford-I have had to borrow my wife's Grandmother's 2001 Pontiac Grand AM a few times to get to work. I just borrowed it yeasterday to go too and leave at the airport for a quick business trip. My Dad and I are in the process of upgrading the '65. It now has power disk brakes in the front and the small block chevy is in the machine shop as we speak. It's going to get more dependable soon. I knew going into the '65 I was going to have issues but my new commute was the decideing factor, if I was still at my old job, I would still be driving that darn Civic.

If you need a dependable, good gas milage car that keeps it's value, then I say get a Civic. It is what it is, a very good transportation car. Do the school thing first, get more education to make more money. Then you can really buy the cool*****.

Also, my wife drives a '04 Trailblazer, I try to keep a new car handy. Just don't keep them more then four or five years.

Sean

 

Hey 55ford,

I saw in your public profile that your going to ITT, you should hit my brother-in-law up, 29Coupe. He went to ITT down here in SoCal. He also used to drive a Civic.

Sean

 

Awesome, Will do, Ill pm him tonight or tomorrow, I start September of 06 as it stands right now. Thanks!!!

I think the Cougar has disc brakes cause the brake pedal has a emblem that says disc brake on it, I thought that was pretty funny, kinda like how ABS is advertised today. A lot of my family says I shouldn't get the cougar, but I am up in the air, I get headaches over it at least once a day. I love the aspects of this, but not this,and I like this on this car, but not this part of the car. I don't have a new car to have at the ready per se, I don't know, Thanks Again for the help!!!

 

thats usually what i drive too. 130K miles on it and still running well. gets about 34-36 mpg. not much to go wrong with them either. just avoid the single cam engines.