Apparently I’m wanting an old man car…

[bdc101]

I had a great aunt that was driving into her late 90's.

She drove her Town Car right INTO the doctors office, below the bay window IIRC into the waiting room.

She was fine, no one was in the waiting room, the town car was driven home, some body work later and after she successfully PASSED her requalification exam at 98, she went back to driving.

I was tasked with disconnecting the battery cables to keep her from driving.

And then we see on the cameras (installed to for her safety, independent till 102) she's having a neighbor reconnect the battery for her, we all freaked out.

We are dealing with this right now! Grandpa failed his driving test at age 94... California DMV says "We'll give you a waiver for 2 years" and he goes and causes a 5-car pileup. Fortunately no one seriously hurt. Dealing with the fallout now.

 

[CKN]

We are dealing with this right now! Grandpa failed his driving test at age 94... California DMV says "We'll give you a waiver for 2 years" and he goes and causes a 5-car pileup. Fortunately no one seriously hurt. Dealing with the fallout now.

Well....after that an insurance company won't touch him without a massive premium. I'm older and all for a yearly assessment after a certain age.

 

[02SE]

Grandpa gold. 06 ES330 that my dad gave me a few years ago prior to his passing. Now up to 17k miles. Zero issues.

View attachment 331625

I think that's awesome. Not because it's a 2006 ES330, but because it belonged to your dad, and he wanted you to have it.

 

[k1xv]

How about a 1951 straight 8 Buick Roadmaster with Dynaflow transmission?

 

[Selmorides]

Old man cars in order of 'ultimate' to 'meh' :

Lincoln Town Car in sliver. The undisputed champion!
Mercury Grand Marquis, in tan. Or white with a blue roof.
Crown Vic. of course
Buick LeSabre or Lucerne. These need no introduction and are tied with the Crown Vic.
Avalon. Yup, it fits the mold perfectly.
Prius, base model. Just a solid choice for the frugal old dude.


And of course if you are 'country', any GM half ton pickup that is more than a quarter century old.

No, not a blue roof. That’s like blue hair, not kids hair, old lady hair.

 

[Selmorides]

Can’t beat a Buick LeSabre or an Olds 88, any year.

 

[fdcg27]

I'd also consider an older ES series.

After all, an ES is an Avalon in fancy clothes.

 

[Owen Lucas]

We are dealing with this right now! Grandpa failed his driving test at age 94... California DMV says "We'll give you a waiver for 2 years" and he goes and causes a 5-car pileup. Fortunately no one seriously hurt. Dealing with the fallout now.

I'm sorry to hear that. I guess you don't have to worry about disconnecting the battery. Probably won't drive again after this. Hopefully he has enough liability / ins.

 

[andrew_j]

When I looked at my saved posts list on Facebook almost all of them are either a Toyota Avalon or a Mercury Grand Marquis. With a budget of $4-5K I’m sure to find a winner, right?

Not really old man cars as much as fits the low budget.

 

[LouC]

If could really go crazy with this:
1) jet black 88-90 Town Car
2) jet black 77-79 Cadillac Fleetwood
these were both nice driving cars back in the day.
or for more money and rarity:
1967-1970 Cadillac Edoardo
or
1966-1970 Olds Toronado
I recall looking at a Toronado in our local Olds dealer (Crystal Olds on Bay Parkway in Brooklyn NY) to me it looked like a space ship, I thought it was as cool as a Corvette!

an older pic, but this is how it looked circa 1966....

 

[MCompact]

I loved the 1966-1967 Toronado. In 1979 I bought a 1966 Riviera for $5.00 and drove it the whole summer. Those are the only “old man cars” that have interested me. That said, I’m 69 so maybe in 5-10 years I’ll change my mind.

 

[TheOtherAndy]

Mercury Montego/Ford Five Hundred, anyone? Big, fat sedan with an oddly high seating position and a trunk big enough to carry a walker for all five occupants.

 

[Leo99]

Old man cars in order of 'ultimate' to 'meh' :

Lincoln Town Car in sliver. The undisputed champion!
Mercury Grand Marquis, in tan. Or white with a blue roof.
Crown Vic. of course
Buick LeSabre or Lucerne. These need no introduction and are tied with the Crown Vic.
Avalon. Yup, it fits the mold perfectly.
Prius, base model. Just a solid choice for the frugal old dude.


And of course if you are 'country', any GM half ton pickup that is more than a quarter century old.

I always think of those older small pickup trucks as an old man vehicle.

 

[Leo99]

I loved the 1966-1967 Toronado. In 1979 I bought a 1966 Riviera for $5.00 and drove it the whole summer. Those are the only “old man cars” that have interested me. That said, I’m 69 so maybe in 5-10 years I’ll change my mind.

If I'm thinking of the right cars, those Toronados were FWD with a horrendous front end. One of my extended neighbors is a car guy and has a friend with an Wildcat 225 that comes to visit now and then. Until you see them old boats, you forget how huge they were.

 

[jsean]

Mercury Montego/Ford Five Hundred, anyone? Big, fat sedan with an oddly high seating position and a trunk big enough to carry a walker for all five occupants.

Nice vehicles. But they all rust on the dog legs and rockers pretty bad at the slightest hint of road salt/brine. And they got the 3.5 engine with the internal water pump, starting in 07 iirc. That repair will exceed value of the vehicle unless OP can do that job himself.

 

[TheOtherAndy]

Nice vehicles. But they all rust on the dog legs and rockers pretty bad at the slightest hint of road salt/brine. And they got the 3.5 engine with the internal water pump, starting in 07 iirc. That repair will exceed value of the vehicle unless OP can do that job himself.

True, although earlier the Montego/Five Hundred had the Duratec 3.0, which iirc was pretty solid. They do love their rust, though, much as the Taurus/Sable they replaced.

 

[Mainia]

What's wrong with you wanting an old man car, because it appears, you really do want an old man car?

 

[PandaBear]

I still think the 2011 Lexus is350 is one of the best used sedans going if you can track one down that hasn't been miled out or "tastefully modded".
They're nicely appointed, quick and agile, super reliable, just a very well rounded car. I'm in Canada but they're often found with the above criteria in Florida and California.

IS has very very small interior, Avalon is probably going to be 2x as big inside.

 

[PandaBear]

I always think of those older small pickup trucks as an old man vehicle.

My old man has a Mazda 2 and a Mazda 5. I would likely inherit them in about 10-15 years.

 

[Zee09]

If you keep playing the what am I going to buy game soon you will be an old man

Car swappers disgust me .....
Yeah I know