I am far more "impressed" by a well maitained older "quality" vehicle than a brand new "Impressomobile" for which the owner is in hock up to his ears. It doesn't take much in the way of brains to buy a brand new car and turn it into an S Box in three years or less, and even less to lease one. I am far happier that my kid has a masters degree and no debt than whether or not the neighbors see that I have an Audi or such. I know people who drive real luxo wonders while their kids are staggering under 100K in college loans.
How may people keep a car for a long time...
- Thread starter OneEyeJack
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Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Someone on here just retired their 1984 minivan.
I can't imagine owning 1 car since I graduated from HS.
I've owned a couple other vehicles, but the one I own and daily drive now is actually the one I took my driver's license test in.
My parents bought my truck new with 15 miles on the odo. While I had a learner's permit, I got my own Ranger, with a manual trans. I had gotten okay with the manual trans, but I wanted to make it as easy on myself as possible when it came time to get my license and used my parents' automatic Ranger for the test. A few years later I bought the truck from them and have been driving it since.
It is a bit of a time warp...sometimes it seems like it had 15 miles on it yesterday, other times it's like "holy [censored], this thing has been through a lot."
Someone on here just retired their 1984 minivan.
I can't imagine owning 1 car since I graduated from HS.
I've owned a couple other vehicles, but the one I own and daily drive now is actually the one I took my driver's license test in.
My parents bought my truck new with 15 miles on the odo. While I had a learner's permit, I got my own Ranger, with a manual trans. I had gotten okay with the manual trans, but I wanted to make it as easy on myself as possible when it came time to get my license and used my parents' automatic Ranger for the test. A few years later I bought the truck from them and have been driving it since.
It is a bit of a time warp...sometimes it seems like it had 15 miles on it yesterday, other times it's like "holy [censored], this thing has been through a lot."
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Who here has purchased a new car and kept it for a long time as a daily driver?
I'll start the response with my 84 Honda Civic wagon purchased new for cash and used contentiously as a daily driver for 30 years and now has 430K+ miles on the clock. I understand that this can not happen in the rust belt but there has to be other members that keep cars for a long time.
The car has been completely reliable and I have no plans to every sell it or stop using it every day. Tell me about your long term daily driver.
What parts have you replaced, and where were you when said parts broke?
Nothing has ever "broke". Everything works. The car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and has never stranded my while driving someplace. I rebuilt the tranny at 200K because some of the bearing were making noise but the gears and syncros were in perfect condition. I use Red Line MTL. The engine was rebuilt at 420K but only because the oil control rings failed and it would not pass smog, visible smoke. I rebuilt everything because I had it apart. I purchased an NOS rebuild kit. I farmed out the machine work and did the rest in my garage at home. I use Red Line 0w-30 engine oil and NAPA Gold oil filters (1392).
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Who here has purchased a new car and kept it for a long time as a daily driver?
I'll start the response with my 84 Honda Civic wagon purchased new for cash and used contentiously as a daily driver for 30 years and now has 430K+ miles on the clock. I understand that this can not happen in the rust belt but there has to be other members that keep cars for a long time.
The car has been completely reliable and I have no plans to every sell it or stop using it every day. Tell me about your long term daily driver.
What parts have you replaced, and where were you when said parts broke?
Nothing has ever "broke". Everything works. The car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and has never stranded my while driving someplace. I rebuilt the tranny at 200K because some of the bearing were making noise but the gears and syncros were in perfect condition. I use Red Line MTL. The engine was rebuilt at 420K but only because the oil control rings failed and it would not pass smog, visible smoke. I rebuilt everything because I had it apart. I purchased an NOS rebuild kit. I farmed out the machine work and did the rest in my garage at home. I use Red Line 0w-30 engine oil and NAPA Gold oil filters (1392).
Ex's 2003 Mercury Marauder - 190,000 miles so far and she has no intention of getting rid of it, as long as I can keep it going.
I am still driving a 1995 Ford Escort that I boguth new in October 1995.
The closest thing to a new car that I kept for a long period was the '84 Ford Escort I bought new in early '85, after my recently-purchased used Volvo caught fire while I was driving it. (A story for yet another day.) The Escort was white, with the 1.6L engine that had so little oomph it helped to turn off the A/C to go up a hill. It stranded me and/or gave me an expensive repair nearly every year of the 6 years and 9 months/about 80,000 miles I had it.
When I moved on and up in late 1991 to the first of my two Olds Cutlass coupes, I was very glad to be done with the Ford.
The runner-up wasn't a new car when I bought it: the venerable '03 Buick Park Avenue. Purchased in August '07, traded in January '14, so 6 years and 4 months. Vastly better car in every way.
When I moved on and up in late 1991 to the first of my two Olds Cutlass coupes, I was very glad to be done with the Ford.
The runner-up wasn't a new car when I bought it: the venerable '03 Buick Park Avenue. Purchased in August '07, traded in January '14, so 6 years and 4 months. Vastly better car in every way.
We had two '86 Civic Wagons, same generation as yours.
Bought one new for cash and bought one used needing an engine. I got a low miles Japanese take-out for around $500.00
Both were blue five speeds, blue being one of the three available colors and the most attractive.
I sold the one that we bought used when we bought a new '99 Accord.
The guy who bought it from me drove it well past 200K.
I kept the one we bought new.
It was my wife's daily from new up to '97, when we bought a minivan which she then used as her daily.
After we bought the '99 Accord, she decided that the Accord would be a better winter car for her, so I let her have it and used the van or the old Civic.
We finally disposed of the Civic at seventeen years and over 200K.
We keep most of the cars that we buy long enough to drive our money out of them, but we've never come close to keeping one as long as you've kept your Civic.
Bought one new for cash and bought one used needing an engine. I got a low miles Japanese take-out for around $500.00
Both were blue five speeds, blue being one of the three available colors and the most attractive.
I sold the one that we bought used when we bought a new '99 Accord.
The guy who bought it from me drove it well past 200K.
I kept the one we bought new.
It was my wife's daily from new up to '97, when we bought a minivan which she then used as her daily.
After we bought the '99 Accord, she decided that the Accord would be a better winter car for her, so I let her have it and used the van or the old Civic.
We finally disposed of the Civic at seventeen years and over 200K.
We keep most of the cars that we buy long enough to drive our money out of them, but we've never come close to keeping one as long as you've kept your Civic.
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Who here has purchased a new car and kept it for a long time as a daily driver?
I'll start the response with my 84 Honda Civic wagon purchased new for cash and used contentiously as a daily driver for 30 years and now has 430K+ miles on the clock. I understand that this can not happen in the rust belt but there has to be other members that keep cars for a long time.
The car has been completely reliable and I have no plans to every sell it or stop using it every day. Tell me about your long term daily driver.
What parts have you replaced, and where were you when said parts broke?
Nothing has ever "broke". Everything works. The car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and has never stranded my while driving someplace. I rebuilt the tranny at 200K because some of the bearing were making noise but the gears and syncros were in perfect condition. I use Red Line MTL. The engine was rebuilt at 420K but only because the oil control rings failed and it would not pass smog, visible smoke. I rebuilt everything because I had it apart. I purchased an NOS rebuild kit. I farmed out the machine work and did the rest in my garage at home. I use Red Line 0w-30 engine oil and NAPA Gold oil filters (1392).
Then it's not the same car you purchased if you substantially "rebuilt" major components. On most cars out of the rust belt you could perform the same task and put a half a million miles on them. I think we are confusing "reliability" verses just how long an owner wants to keep rebuilding a car.
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Who here has purchased a new car and kept it for a long time as a daily driver?
I'll start the response with my 84 Honda Civic wagon purchased new for cash and used contentiously as a daily driver for 30 years and now has 430K+ miles on the clock. I understand that this can not happen in the rust belt but there has to be other members that keep cars for a long time.
The car has been completely reliable and I have no plans to every sell it or stop using it every day. Tell me about your long term daily driver.
What parts have you replaced, and where were you when said parts broke?
Nothing has ever "broke". Everything works. The car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and has never stranded my while driving someplace. I rebuilt the tranny at 200K because some of the bearing were making noise but the gears and syncros were in perfect condition. I use Red Line MTL. The engine was rebuilt at 420K but only because the oil control rings failed and it would not pass smog, visible smoke. I rebuilt everything because I had it apart. I purchased an NOS rebuild kit. I farmed out the machine work and did the rest in my garage at home. I use Red Line 0w-30 engine oil and NAPA Gold oil filters (1392).
Then it's not the same car you purchased if you substantially "rebuilt" major components. On most cars out of the rust belt you could perform the same task and put a half a million miles on them. I think we are confusing "reliability" verses just how long an owner wants to keep rebuilding a car.
Ford Escort 1.3 with 190k km, originally bought by my parents in 93, I use it daily for a few last years.
Original clutch, engine and gearbox. Car needed front discs two times, one exhaust, rear brake cylinders and shoes, starter rebuild, few front pads, spark plugs etc. Last 90 k on a truck oil with ash level of 1.9.
I think this car didn't cost more then 1,5k € for maintenence for all those years.
Original clutch, engine and gearbox. Car needed front discs two times, one exhaust, rear brake cylinders and shoes, starter rebuild, few front pads, spark plugs etc. Last 90 k on a truck oil with ash level of 1.9.
I think this car didn't cost more then 1,5k € for maintenence for all those years.
Originally Posted By: RISUPERCREWMAN
My 2011 Crown Vic I purchased two years ago with 37K on the clock. I plan on running it until the wheels fall off as its my daily driver.
Yes!! We had a '96 Grand Marquis that we drove for 275,000 and then gave to a friend who has over 300,000 on it now.
I plan on driving my '09 Crown Vic for 400,000.
My 2011 Crown Vic I purchased two years ago with 37K on the clock. I plan on running it until the wheels fall off as its my daily driver.
Yes!! We had a '96 Grand Marquis that we drove for 275,000 and then gave to a friend who has over 300,000 on it now.
I plan on driving my '09 Crown Vic for 400,000.
I know you asked about cars, but I still have my 1988 Harley FLHS that I bought new. It now has 206K on it. I'll never sell it. And since this an oil forum, I put all kinds thru it. M1 15-50....VR1 20-50....Castrol GTX 20-50.....many others too. The last couple years I've been using NAPA 15-50 because I get it on sale
I keep them til they are dead or cost more to fix than they are worth. I see a vehicle as a depreciating item and in order to get value from the dollar spent I have to use it up because I can't get my scent money back from it.
So once I'm done they go to only one place.
Heaven.
So once I'm done they go to only one place.
Heaven.
"Then it's not the same car you purchased if you substantially "rebuilt" major components. On most cars out of the rust belt you could perform the same task and put a half a million miles on them. I think we are confusing "reliability" verses just how long an owner wants to keep rebuilding a car."
Sorry, it's exactly the same car. The transmission received only bearings, seals and some spacers. Oh, and a clutch kit, too. Nothing else was changed. So it's the same transmission.
The engine was in good working condition and only the oil rings wore out and the smog laws forced the rebuild.
I don't understand your claims that it's not the same car.
It's a reliable car. Everything works, the W/S wipers, everything under the dash, the switch assembly on the steering column, all the doors, windows and door locks. Nothing has failed. Can you say that about most other 30 year old cars that have been in continuous use as a daily driver? The major failure to date has been the rheostat that controls the brightness of the dash lights. Now they stay the same all the time. I hope that would not classify the car as unreliable and unacceptable to you.
Buy the way i'm changing the master cylinder this week for the first time. And some tie-rod ends and a few pieces in the suspension. Does that make it a different car, too?
And I still can't help you with broken parts.
Sorry, it's exactly the same car. The transmission received only bearings, seals and some spacers. Oh, and a clutch kit, too. Nothing else was changed. So it's the same transmission.
The engine was in good working condition and only the oil rings wore out and the smog laws forced the rebuild.
I don't understand your claims that it's not the same car.
It's a reliable car. Everything works, the W/S wipers, everything under the dash, the switch assembly on the steering column, all the doors, windows and door locks. Nothing has failed. Can you say that about most other 30 year old cars that have been in continuous use as a daily driver? The major failure to date has been the rheostat that controls the brightness of the dash lights. Now they stay the same all the time. I hope that would not classify the car as unreliable and unacceptable to you.
Buy the way i'm changing the master cylinder this week for the first time. And some tie-rod ends and a few pieces in the suspension. Does that make it a different car, too?
And I still can't help you with broken parts.
My wife bought her CPO 2004 X3(with 16k on it) in December 2005. She drove the truck until 2012, when she bought a CPO 2009 328i and the X3 was passed on to my son. She now wishes she had kept the X3- and may well repo it and give my son the E90. At 168k the truck is still tight and rattle free.
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
"Then it's not the same car you purchased if you substantially "rebuilt" major components. On most cars out of the rust belt you could perform the same task and put a half a million miles on them. I think we are confusing "reliability" verses just how long an owner wants to keep rebuilding a car."
Sorry, it's exactly the same car. The transmission received only bearings, seals and some spacers. Oh, and a clutch kit, too. Nothing else was changed. So it's the same transmission.
The engine was in good working condition and only the oil rings wore out and the smog laws forced the rebuild.
I don't understand your claims that it's not the same car.
It's a reliable car. Everything works, the W/S wipers, everything under the dash, the switch assembly on the steering column, all the doors, windows and door locks. Nothing has failed. Can you say that about most other 30 year old cars that have been in continuous use as a daily driver? The major failure to date has been the rheostat that controls the brightness of the dash lights. Now they stay the same all the time. I hope that would not classify the car as unreliable and unacceptable to you.
Buy the way i'm changing the master cylinder this week for the first time. And some tie-rod ends and a few pieces in the suspension. Does that make it a different car, too?
And I still can't help you with broken parts.
I'm sure it's a great car, but you do make it sound like all you've done for 30 years and 400k miles is put gas in it and change out the dimmer for the instrument panel...which we all know isn't possible. Any car that isn't in the rust belt will run forever if you're willing to repair it. Look at the cars riding around in Cuba.
"Then it's not the same car you purchased if you substantially "rebuilt" major components. On most cars out of the rust belt you could perform the same task and put a half a million miles on them. I think we are confusing "reliability" verses just how long an owner wants to keep rebuilding a car."
Sorry, it's exactly the same car. The transmission received only bearings, seals and some spacers. Oh, and a clutch kit, too. Nothing else was changed. So it's the same transmission.
The engine was in good working condition and only the oil rings wore out and the smog laws forced the rebuild.
I don't understand your claims that it's not the same car.
It's a reliable car. Everything works, the W/S wipers, everything under the dash, the switch assembly on the steering column, all the doors, windows and door locks. Nothing has failed. Can you say that about most other 30 year old cars that have been in continuous use as a daily driver? The major failure to date has been the rheostat that controls the brightness of the dash lights. Now they stay the same all the time. I hope that would not classify the car as unreliable and unacceptable to you.
Buy the way i'm changing the master cylinder this week for the first time. And some tie-rod ends and a few pieces in the suspension. Does that make it a different car, too?
And I still can't help you with broken parts.
I'm sure it's a great car, but you do make it sound like all you've done for 30 years and 400k miles is put gas in it and change out the dimmer for the instrument panel...which we all know isn't possible. Any car that isn't in the rust belt will run forever if you're willing to repair it. Look at the cars riding around in Cuba.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
Not a different car, but replacing rings and pulling a tranny are big repairs. Still cheaper than something new. But rings are rings and going through a tranny is well in your case a partial rebuild. No one is saying it is bad, just saying it has needed some stuff overhauled, which is to be expected!
I will still stick with...it doesn't make enough power to hurt itself.
I will still stick with...it doesn't make enough power to hurt itself.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Yeah I wouldn't count that as nothing has broken on that old Civic, just because the transmission problems were "just bearings" doesn't mean it isn't a huge repair. And since you rebuilt the engine, I wouldn't be going around in another 30 years saying "my car has 800,000 miles on it, almost no repairs" because well, the engine has been completely gone through.
I keep them as long as possible which is generally 300,000+. Even with rust, I will repair the rust, repower, or do whatever it takes. The only cars I have gotten rid of are the ones that were hit. All three times when my cars were hit beyond repair, they were parked in the street. Besides, many replacement parts come with a lifetime warranty. So if you keep the car long enough, a good percentage of the car has a lifetime warranty.
Ive had to replace an engine once and got a Jasper engine with a good warranty and roadside assistance.
Originally Posted By: supton
What is a long time?
Which she drove for 10yr/173k. I decided it needed to be replaced, I had fears about rusty brake lines.
Wouldn't it have been a lot easier and cheaper to wire brush the corrosion back to bare metal, and smear some vaseline over the area. Guaranteed effective and a whole lot cheaper...
What is a long time?
Which she drove for 10yr/173k. I decided it needed to be replaced, I had fears about rusty brake lines.
Wouldn't it have been a lot easier and cheaper to wire brush the corrosion back to bare metal, and smear some vaseline over the area. Guaranteed effective and a whole lot cheaper...
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