You guys are gonna laugh at me, but here goes. 1977 Ford LTD 2 door. Rode nice and quiet and was incredibly reliable for vintage 70's iron from Detroit. Had the 351M engine in it.
Tell us about that vehicle that you loved!
- Thread starter CharBaby
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I've got two:
1. My 1995 318ti Club Sport(which I still own)- The Club Sport was a limited edition US model offered through BMW Individual. I custom ordered my car without the optional sunroof. Munich was pushing to build them all with a hole in the roof but my salesperson went to bat for me and mine ended up being one of less than ten Club Sports built without an extra 65 lbs. added to the highest point of the car.
In over 18 years and 130,000 miles-and more than a few HPDEs-it has only only needed one set of pads/rotors, a thermostat, a brake light switch, a heater hose fitting, and two batteries. Oh yeah, and several sets of EHP rubber...
While ABS was standard, it is thankfully free of all the electronic nannies that plague most modern cars. It is light, tossible, and still comfortable enough to take on long trips. I am never selling it.
2. My 1988 M6= which I stupidly sold in a fit of practicality. With a Dinan chip and a Euro exhaust(no cat) it made over 300 bhp at the crank and ran 0-60 in @5.5 seconds. While that can hardly be considered fast today, it was pretty quick for the time that I owned it(1992-1995). It was a fantastic dual purpose car. It was a sophisticated and comfortable GT that you could drive to a nice restaurant on Saturday night and then use to trophy in an autocross on Sunday afternoon. Probably the closest I'll get to owning a true exotic; I hope I can pick up another one before prices go completely out of sight.
1. My 1995 318ti Club Sport(which I still own)- The Club Sport was a limited edition US model offered through BMW Individual. I custom ordered my car without the optional sunroof. Munich was pushing to build them all with a hole in the roof but my salesperson went to bat for me and mine ended up being one of less than ten Club Sports built without an extra 65 lbs. added to the highest point of the car.
In over 18 years and 130,000 miles-and more than a few HPDEs-it has only only needed one set of pads/rotors, a thermostat, a brake light switch, a heater hose fitting, and two batteries. Oh yeah, and several sets of EHP rubber...
While ABS was standard, it is thankfully free of all the electronic nannies that plague most modern cars. It is light, tossible, and still comfortable enough to take on long trips. I am never selling it.
2. My 1988 M6= which I stupidly sold in a fit of practicality. With a Dinan chip and a Euro exhaust(no cat) it made over 300 bhp at the crank and ran 0-60 in @5.5 seconds. While that can hardly be considered fast today, it was pretty quick for the time that I owned it(1992-1995). It was a fantastic dual purpose car. It was a sophisticated and comfortable GT that you could drive to a nice restaurant on Saturday night and then use to trophy in an autocross on Sunday afternoon. Probably the closest I'll get to owning a true exotic; I hope I can pick up another one before prices go completely out of sight.
Originally Posted By: HM12460
You guys are gonna laugh at me, but here goes. 1977 Ford LTD 2 door. Rode nice and quiet and was incredibly reliable for vintage 70's iron from Detroit. Had the 351M engine in it.
No laughter here- the only person you have to please is you!
You guys are gonna laugh at me, but here goes. 1977 Ford LTD 2 door. Rode nice and quiet and was incredibly reliable for vintage 70's iron from Detroit. Had the 351M engine in it.
No laughter here- the only person you have to please is you!
Very nice. I've always liked the 318 in that trim.
I think I love all the cars we have (had) in our family except the '96 Stratus.
I love my '02 Max because
- it looks good, but it doesn't scream for attention
- it has been very reliable
- the V6 is powerful
- it's materials and build quality is really good
- it has good handling
- I could basically cruise on the highway all day and be comfortable
- it's the perfect size for me. New midsize cars are getting too big imo
I love the Miata because it's fun
I secretly love the '04 Camry and '00 Quest in our family because they're reliable and the Camry is honestly the perfect highway cruiser, but they sap the fun out of driving. Beyond normal wear and tear items, the Camry hasn't needed anything major repaired.
I had an '04 Civic that I started to dislike by the 4th year of owning it simply because it was slow and a terrible highway car, but it was my first car and I did a lot of dumb things in it so it will always have a special place in my heart. 32 mpg mixed driving didn't hurt either.
I love my '02 Max because
- it looks good, but it doesn't scream for attention
- it has been very reliable
- the V6 is powerful
- it's materials and build quality is really good
- it has good handling
- I could basically cruise on the highway all day and be comfortable
- it's the perfect size for me. New midsize cars are getting too big imo
I love the Miata because it's fun
I secretly love the '04 Camry and '00 Quest in our family because they're reliable and the Camry is honestly the perfect highway cruiser, but they sap the fun out of driving. Beyond normal wear and tear items, the Camry hasn't needed anything major repaired.
I had an '04 Civic that I started to dislike by the 4th year of owning it simply because it was slow and a terrible highway car, but it was my first car and I did a lot of dumb things in it so it will always have a special place in my heart. 32 mpg mixed driving didn't hurt either.
It's the most unlikely car to love.
Maybe it's that I got it so cheap. Maybe it was that girls loved riding in my car. Maybe it was that everything I did to it made it that much better. Maybe it's just because I had been driving a Suzuki Swift...
I bought it from my former employer straight from the auction. It was filthy. Took me a few weekends of cleaning, power washing the carpets, scrubbing...etc...just to clean the interior. Then I had to do the timing belt and neglected maintenance on the 6G73. New raised white letter tires and a lot of detailing and a brand new car emerged.
Boss actually got mad at me. Said I "ripped him off". That I somehow knew there was a gem under all that grime.
It was pre Daimler softening of the chassis. Handled as well as an Eclipse Spyder. The Mitsubishi V6 had a nice burble through the dual outlet muffler. Sounded really good, especially with the top down. Accelerated as well as a 2.5 V6 Mystique (and better than a 5pd auto reg cab Vulcan powered Ranger)
You could actually put adults in the back. They wouldn't be happy but there was significantly more room than a Mustang, Paseo, or 240SX convertible. (Paseos were ridiculously expensive! It's a sporty bodied Tercel!)
Sadly, some crackhead decided to steal the battery and instead of breaking a $100 window, they cut the $3000 top wide open. Couldn't put the money into the top and only had liability insurance.
Maybe it's that I got it so cheap. Maybe it was that girls loved riding in my car. Maybe it was that everything I did to it made it that much better. Maybe it's just because I had been driving a Suzuki Swift...
I bought it from my former employer straight from the auction. It was filthy. Took me a few weekends of cleaning, power washing the carpets, scrubbing...etc...just to clean the interior. Then I had to do the timing belt and neglected maintenance on the 6G73. New raised white letter tires and a lot of detailing and a brand new car emerged.
Boss actually got mad at me. Said I "ripped him off". That I somehow knew there was a gem under all that grime.
It was pre Daimler softening of the chassis. Handled as well as an Eclipse Spyder. The Mitsubishi V6 had a nice burble through the dual outlet muffler. Sounded really good, especially with the top down. Accelerated as well as a 2.5 V6 Mystique (and better than a 5pd auto reg cab Vulcan powered Ranger)
You could actually put adults in the back. They wouldn't be happy but there was significantly more room than a Mustang, Paseo, or 240SX convertible. (Paseos were ridiculously expensive! It's a sporty bodied Tercel!)
Sadly, some crackhead decided to steal the battery and instead of breaking a $100 window, they cut the $3000 top wide open. Couldn't put the money into the top and only had liability insurance.
Patman
Staff member
I definitely love my Corvette the best, but if I had to choose one from my past that had a very special place in my heart it would be the 1998 Firebird Formula. I say that because I factory ordered it new so I got to choose exactly how I wanted it. I didn't load it up with too many options, as I wanted it to be both lower in price and light in weight (for drag racing) The only options I picked were t-roofs, keyless entry and Goodyear GSC tires. I had that car for just 2 1/2 years but I had a lot of fun with it. I especially loved the color, as it was a rather unique one called Blue Green Chameleon. As you walked around the car on a sunny day you could see the color shift from blue to green, with a bit of purple in it too. Surprisingly that wasn't even an extra cost option (most surprising when you consider that GM now charges an extra $1000 on the new Corvette for a lot of the metallic colors and they aren't as unique as Blue Green Chameleon)
The car I own now (Lancer Ralliart) is my favorite.
Of the cars I owned in the past, my 2002 VW Jetta 1.8T 180HP was my favorite. When I needed a car then, I had heard of the Jetta VR6, so I thought that is what I would buy. 2002 was the year the 1.8T got 180HP, and the VR6 was still 12V and had about 174. The VR6 also cost more. One night I drove it way too fast and crashed. Side airbags saved my life. I never broke the laws of the road again.
Of the cars I owned in the past, my 2002 VW Jetta 1.8T 180HP was my favorite. When I needed a car then, I had heard of the Jetta VR6, so I thought that is what I would buy. 2002 was the year the 1.8T got 180HP, and the VR6 was still 12V and had about 174. The VR6 also cost more. One night I drove it way too fast and crashed. Side airbags saved my life. I never broke the laws of the road again.
Originally Posted By: Rob_Roy
1995 Lincoln Mark VIII. I have never had another car that comfortable. It was also quite powerful and got good fuel economy.
Funny you mention that as yours, mine is a '97 Mark VIII. Awesome car, definitely comfortable. Always surprised me when it approached 30mpg on highway trips with the 4.6 DOHC. Really was an awesome car, think about it often.
Not a good pic:
1995 Lincoln Mark VIII. I have never had another car that comfortable. It was also quite powerful and got good fuel economy.
Funny you mention that as yours, mine is a '97 Mark VIII. Awesome car, definitely comfortable. Always surprised me when it approached 30mpg on highway trips with the 4.6 DOHC. Really was an awesome car, think about it often.
Not a good pic:
My car in high school was a 1970 Nova. That was a fun and cheap car to drive. Came with a 307 and I put a 1970 LT1 350 in it to give it some more ponies.
I also had a 1986 Buick Skyhawk Turbo Coupe hatchback that was a fun and economical driver at the same time. Got awesome mileage, had pretty ample power for the time, and was just a rare car. Only complaint was that it had no overdrive. At 55mph its cruised at around 3k RPM.
I also had a 1986 Buick Skyhawk Turbo Coupe hatchback that was a fun and economical driver at the same time. Got awesome mileage, had pretty ample power for the time, and was just a rare car. Only complaint was that it had no overdrive. At 55mph its cruised at around 3k RPM.
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OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I loved my '87 Mustang GT T-Top. I put almost 100,000Km on it in the few short years I owned it (wrote it off with 338,000Km on it thanks to some diesel fuel on the road). I beat on it like a red-headed step child and it took it like a champ. That 302 was bullet-proof, even making 100HP more than stock. I still have that engine and the transmission in my garage.
Took it out east and it got great MPG. Was great light-to-light and was just a blast to drive, so much fun with absolutely zero nannies to get in the way.
Took it out east and it got great MPG. Was great light-to-light and was just a blast to drive, so much fun with absolutely zero nannies to get in the way.
Open top cruising in winter night when temperature is between 55-65 is priceless, that why I love my S2000.
380RWHP turbo miata. Stupid fast (11.29@127) and it was a road course car, not a drag car. Plus 27mpg, ran perfectly like a modern car should and comfortable too. Amazingly fun to drive on a daily basis. About as much fun as a liter class street bike.
Sold it to purchase an airplane. I made the right choice.
Sold it to purchase an airplane. I made the right choice.
Originally Posted By: Cujet
380RWHP turbo miata. Stupid fast (11.29@127) and it was a road course car, not a drag car. Plus 27mpg, ran perfectly like a modern car should and comfortable too. Amazingly fun to drive on a daily basis. About as much fun as a liter class street bike.
Sold it to purchase an airplane. I made the right choice.
Agreed. What I hate to read about is how someone traded an exquisite performance car for some miserably dull automotive appliance.
But trading for an airplane? That is neat!
380RWHP turbo miata. Stupid fast (11.29@127) and it was a road course car, not a drag car. Plus 27mpg, ran perfectly like a modern car should and comfortable too. Amazingly fun to drive on a daily basis. About as much fun as a liter class street bike.
Sold it to purchase an airplane. I made the right choice.
Agreed. What I hate to read about is how someone traded an exquisite performance car for some miserably dull automotive appliance.
But trading for an airplane? That is neat!
Originally Posted By: MCompact
That car is drop dead gorgeous, I have always loved those 6 series, beautiful. I wish I could go back in time and rid the roads of all the junk you see nowadays.
That car is drop dead gorgeous, I have always loved those 6 series, beautiful. I wish I could go back in time and rid the roads of all the junk you see nowadays.
A few of my favorites:
-'92 Dodge Dayton IROC
-'97 Eagle Talon TSI AWD
-'95 Dodge Dakota RCSB 318ci
-'08 Ford Sport Trac V8
-'10 Lincoln MKZ AWD
-and current two
-'92 Dodge Dayton IROC
-'97 Eagle Talon TSI AWD
-'95 Dodge Dakota RCSB 318ci
-'08 Ford Sport Trac V8
-'10 Lincoln MKZ AWD
-and current two
There are 2:
In my youth, my first new car was a 69 Olds 442, red, bucket seats, 4 speed with positraction. I never got a ticket in it, but every time I lent it to someone they got a ticket! Great fun, punching it on entering a interstate ramp and going 100 in 3rd gear at the end of the ramp. Once I left Dayton, Oh going to Chicago at 530AM on Thanksgiving morning with a full tank of gas, I was doing 110 most of the time in Indiana, but then had to slow down since I was running out of gas and no gas stations were open. 11 mpg in summer, and 10 mpg in winter...only would run on 97 octane leaded gas.
But times have changed, and now I drive a 2005 Scion xB, the box car which I bought new. The xB is a great car to run around town. But I miss my 442 every once in a while!
In my youth, my first new car was a 69 Olds 442, red, bucket seats, 4 speed with positraction. I never got a ticket in it, but every time I lent it to someone they got a ticket! Great fun, punching it on entering a interstate ramp and going 100 in 3rd gear at the end of the ramp. Once I left Dayton, Oh going to Chicago at 530AM on Thanksgiving morning with a full tank of gas, I was doing 110 most of the time in Indiana, but then had to slow down since I was running out of gas and no gas stations were open. 11 mpg in summer, and 10 mpg in winter...only would run on 97 octane leaded gas.
But times have changed, and now I drive a 2005 Scion xB, the box car which I bought new. The xB is a great car to run around town. But I miss my 442 every once in a while!
It's a toss-up between my '88 5.0 and the '94 SHO.
The 5.0 was an AOD and the SHO was a manual.. different animals in style and driving experience. The SHO was a maintenance hog and every part was pricy but was a blast to drive, and once you figured out how to launch it.. it was on!
The 5.0 took loads of abuse with very few hiccups. I beat the [censored] out of that car and it just kept taking it..
Runner up would be the '89 Turbo Shadow. Wish I would have kept it to rebuild it and crank that boost up..
The 5.0 was an AOD and the SHO was a manual.. different animals in style and driving experience. The SHO was a maintenance hog and every part was pricy but was a blast to drive, and once you figured out how to launch it.. it was on!
The 5.0 took loads of abuse with very few hiccups. I beat the [censored] out of that car and it just kept taking it..
Runner up would be the '89 Turbo Shadow. Wish I would have kept it to rebuild it and crank that boost up..
My 1998 Camaro Z28. First new car I purchased, during my ownership I met my now wife. Super fun car, even if it wasn't particularly fond of corners. Terrifyingly fast for my tastes, torque for days. When we were expecting our son, I decided to sell and get something practical. That car still holds a lot of sentimental value for me.
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