keep a 20 year old daily driver for 20 years ?
- Thread starter macarose
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GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Is the original premise of this thread to buy a 20 YO vehicle and keep it for another 20 years or what? The OP is talking about buying a 2006 Tacoma for a daily driver.
I daily drive a 94 Samurai that I have had for over 20 years.
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Yeah I hear you. We don't own anything newer than my wife's 2015 X1, which despite being a BMW is a very spartan vehicle. No screens and very few features found on many 'modern' vehicles. I just plain won't buy anything that's loaded with screens and other 'must haves'. We buy all our vehicles used and I believe for as long as we still need vehicles we will be able to find something. Neither of us has any desire to own some totally electronic, proprietary part loaded modern car. It really doesn't bother me, our culture has moved to more and more of a subscriber based, throw away society in the last 20-30 years. Times change and that's just where things are going. Fortunately there will still be other options available for some time.
I believe the premise is if you had to find a 20 year old vehicle that you could keep driving daily for another 20 years, what would it be. The OP seems to suggest a Taco?
Its akin to those old Top Gear specials of "you only have 1500 quid to spend, buy a car and drive it to the source of the Nile".
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Thought so. A lot of responses owning and driving cars for 20 +/- years not so many buying a 20 YO car to drive for the next 20 years.
I'd find the nicest 4 cylinder Toyota whatever with a manual being a bonus. And be sad because it will mean we've fallen on hard times.
Or drive whatever I really enjoy for the next 20 years and hope I can get parts and afford them.
I think the premise that because something lasted 20 years that it will easily last another 20 is a falacy. Not say it can't happen, but would be unusual.
The life of most rubbers and plastics start to seriosly degrade after 20 years. Even PCB's themselves start to degrade and get brittle after 25 or 30. That last 10 years is going to be a lot of looking for parts.
Now if you drove it once a week and garage stored - probably last 40 I would guess.
I see lots of old industrial controls still being used at the 30 year mark, but like i said, there is an entire cottage industry dedicated to their repair or even new replacements - and those customers have deep pockets. The machinery itself, especially in the metal forming world, can be 50+ years old easily - just with new controls.
I asked my Volvo repair guy (who had all sorts of Volvo certifications) how long could you expect a Volvo to remain reliable. He said things start to fail after about 300,000 km (188,000 miles). So much the same story.
By 285,000 Km my '86 Volvo had gone through at least 3 water pumps, the rear portion of the exhaust system had broken off a couple of times, some internal part in the clutch mechanism had broken (leaving it clutch-less), and it had required a rebuild of the overdrive. But other than those things and of course general maintenance, it was still going strong.
We replaced the valve cover gaskets, cleaned the throttle body and adjusted the intake and exhaust valves on my '07 V6 Honda Accord yesterday. The car is fairly pristine at about 190,000 km (120,000 miles). It's been kept in a garage all its life and has been well maintained.
I expected pristine and was a bit surprised to see a bit of light corrosion here and there between engine components (dissimilar metals). It's still going strong and would probably make another 20 years but it will need some probably expensive work along the way.
GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
Segway video to this thread.
58 year old recently retired gentlemen. He went from a 2018 bare bones F350, to a brand new 2022 F150, and then a 2023 RAM 1/2 ton.
His assessment, should have kept the 2018, and pocketed the money.
Supplemental note- he traded in his 2022 F150- he reports it had one problem after another. The gentlemen reports he is much happier with the 2023 Ram over the 2022 Ford, and that he has been a lifetime buyer of Ford trucks.
58 year old recently retired gentlemen. He went from a 2018 bare bones F350, to a brand new 2022 F150, and then a 2023 RAM 1/2 ton.
His assessment, should have kept the 2018, and pocketed the money.
Supplemental note- he traded in his 2022 F150- he reports it had one problem after another. The gentlemen reports he is much happier with the 2023 Ram over the 2022 Ford, and that he has been a lifetime buyer of Ford trucks.
I have a 2000 Ford Taurus station wagon with 178K on the DOHC engine. Very few issues with it in the 17 years we've owned it. The only real issues, not worth putting any money into are failing clearcoat, side mirrors frozen motors and 1.5 functioning power door locks. Cold AC, good power from the Duratec and working radio with power antenna.
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I hadn't read it that way... while I liked my VW Jetta my 4th gen Camry was pretty solid with better parts support (I think, VW has more online but not at the corner store). But as you point out--there's a big difference between a 20 year old car and a 40 year old car.
Yes maybe @macarose can clarify. If we’re just talking 20-25 years then yes. Lots of vehicles will go there without issue - assuming proper maintenance and not too much rust.
If I wanted to purchase a vehicle that was 20+ years old, I'd look for a Toyota or Honda with a detailed maintenance history. That Tacoma fits the bill.
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My daily beater is an ‘01 Land Cruiser that just turned 362K miles
Little rough around the edges but well maintained and ready to roll
Takes me to many lesser traveled areas of Utah…and back home
Two other slightly newer Lexus SUV’s in the garage too
So Toyota/Lexus for my uses
Little rough around the edges but well maintained and ready to roll
Takes me to many lesser traveled areas of Utah…and back home
Two other slightly newer Lexus SUV’s in the garage too
So Toyota/Lexus for my uses
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I wouldn't be afraid to keep driving it especially if a little rust or leaks do not bother you. Some vehicles age very well and others not so good. I have had a couple high milers in my day that ran and looked great and were getting some age on them as well. Only you as a buyer can really decide which direction to take. At least you're not spending 60 grand for a vehicle that could have problems as well.
20 year old car lasting 20 years. Hence the challenge!
Lasting another 20 years? Hrm. Quite a challenge.
I do like 4th gen Camry's but I'm starting to wonder if Detroit's RWD stuff might hold an edge here. At some point, it has to be like George Washington's axe: the handle might have been replaced 5 times, and the bit twice, but it's all original otherwise. Parts availability, and the ability to hack it back into working.
