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Gonna have to go with the 2008 M3 as the best car I've owned.  1985 Volvo 240 as the most reliable. Bought the drat thing for $2550 in 1995 thinking it'd last me a couple years. I still own it.
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Feb 20, 2015 02:16
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Joe Mama posted:I almost hate to say it but; my 1993 Festiva. Got it in high school and drove it through college. My Festiva would be a close second. Its only faults were that I couldn't keep transmissions in it after I swapped the engine, the suspension was terrifying stock and just too goddamn rough after I did my Aspire brake/suspension swap (just cut the Aspire springs br0 itll ride fine  ), and that it was more rust than car by the time I crushed it. But two years of driving I did get out of it was hilarious and insane and I recommend everyone own a BP swapped Festiva at some point because it's a blast and costs almost nothing.But I gotta go with the Vibe because hey, it's dragged my rear end to work for almost 6 years, been beaten and abused in ways I dare not to describe, hauled more things than my F150 ever did and it's still going with nothing more than minor maintenance. Turbo Fondant fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Feb 20, 2015 |
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Feb 20, 2015 02:54
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Years ago when I first started posting here I started a thread asking about buying a GM W-body. All the GM hate in the thread turned me off the idea, and I ended up buying a 2004 Chrylser Intrepid (Dodge Intrepid in the US) sight unseen with no service history at the local repo auction. When I finally got to check it out after buying it I found the (cloth)interior covered in dog hair. After cleaning it up we drove it for the next 5 years and it has been wonderful. The interior is quite nice and the plastics have a nice feel to them, the engine is gutsy and the ride comfortable with plenty of rear seat room. We did the timing belt (it was a 3.5l) and the trans fluid as a precaution since there was no service history, and the tech told us that it was probably unnecessary as both the old timing belt and the old trans fluid looked good. Only thing that went wrong was the camshaft angle sensor, which threw a MIL but mostly didn't affect driving. This I replaced in my driveway for about $35 in an hour. I've since broken up with my girlfriend at the time, she kept the car for a DD and as far as I know it's still running like a champ 7 years later. I've been somewhat of a Chrysler fan ever since.  EDIT: My parents had a Subaru and were going to get another but I even convinced them to buy a Dodge instead Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Feb 20, 2015 |
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Feb 20, 2015 03:24
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My dreadfully beat (even before I got it) white Comanche, currently pictured to the left of this post. It has put up with an awful lot of my poo poo without ever successfully stranding me through no fault of my own. There have been many, many times where it has stranded me but it was my fault and/or I was able to fix it well enough to continue on, but those don't count  Had an awful lot of fun in this truck and so far it is the vehicle I have owned the longest. I will really miss it when I strip it bare to build my next MJ, but there is nothing left of the chassis where it counts and nothing clean or straight about any of the body panels so it has seen its last drive. Everyone (even in my jeep club) who saw it when I bought it in 2010 said I should have scrapped it then, it's had a good long life.
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Feb 20, 2015 10:48
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My current 2011 RAV4 Sport V6 AWD with sport appearance package. It's a blast to drive for a small SUV, it actually handles more like a sporty sedan, is pretty darn quick with 269 HP, and averages 23 MPG if it's not winter. I love this thing.
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Feb 20, 2015 14:39
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I've had a lot of fun, rare or special cars but my best car would be my 2000 VW Golf TDI. It's slow, boring and not that great looking but it's perfect. It gets 50mpg commuting, it pulls a trailer for motorcycles (@40mpg), the hatch lets me use it like a pickup truck and it is cheap as poo poo to run. I paid $3k for it in 2009 and the only things it's needed are the usual consumables (tires, brake pads, fluids), it's never left me stranded and I never have to worry about jumping in it and taking a road trip. If it gets a door ding oh well, if it's dirty I don't care and I'll let nearly anyone borrow it. It's been a great car and every time I think about replacing it I realize I'm going to drive the fucker until it falls apart around me. 255k miles and running strong. On the other hand the car that taught me the most was my first E30, a 1988 325is. Drove a thousand miles to go look at it (in the 2000 TDI, Dad's at the time) and decided to buy it. Drove back with no issues. The following weekend I changed the timing belt and replaced the GDCS, by far the most in depth repair/maintenance I'd ever done. The next weekend I gutted it as it was destined to be a track toy. That summer I replaced every bushing, upgraded the suspension, replaced a transmission and did 100 other little projects. Before buying that car I was timid about tackling certain projects on cars, within the first year I had nearly rebuilt the entire car. Armed with nothing but a basic tool kit, a haynes/bentley manual and blind stupid ambition that car taught me so much. It was also my first RWD track car (coming from a 1996 GTI) and my driving and instructing skills grew so much thanks to that car.
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Feb 20, 2015 14:50
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Really? Not a single 1g miata yet? OK I'll take it. 1992 Miata. I bought this on a whim in 2009 when it came up on CL for $1500 with a hard top.  I still maintain, that even after all the miata love around here, that you won't get it until you own one. I didn't. I drove one and thought it was OK, but it takes some time to grown on you. I did nothing but upgrade the headlights to E-codes and put on a set of tires and get an alignment.... until the shop broke one of the eccentric bolts (they're assholes and was 100% their fault). So I bought a flying miata Stage 2 suspension, and that was it. So then I bought a 1992 LE with a turbo kit, roll bar, hard top only, with 15x8s, big brakes, etc, etc.  WRONG. NOPE. NOPE. It was really fast, stopped really well, turned really stupidly hard, and was noisy. It also defeated the whole point of having the top down on a slow, fun car.It was also PERFECT body wise, which meant I never drove it. So I bought THIRD miata.  1. Swapped the torsen from the '99 into the yellow 92 (4.3 yay!) 2. Sold the black turbo car 3. Sold the '99 after fixing the bent subframe. And kept the yellow car. Will probably never sell it. TLDR: Buy 1g miata, add torsen, live happy forever. I don't miss my WRX, any of the sport or dirtbikes I've sold, or even the turbo miata. But man oh man, I don't think I can part with the yellow one.
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Feb 20, 2015 16:21
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Tremek posted:Thus far I have been very fortunate to own successively better cars, and the CTS-V is definitely my favorite: I've gotten a sour taste in my mouth for GM from company Equinox which has been in the shop EIGHT times in the past year (though I did have a '96 Grand Prix with that indestructible 3800 motor), but that is a tight ride you've got there. Slow is Fast posted:Two way tie between my 2002 RS which I've had for ten years now. What up, RS buddy? This was the day I sold her. 
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Feb 20, 2015 16:53
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edit not reply, stupid.
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Feb 20, 2015 16:57
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Holdbrooks posted:I'm going with my 2008 CVPI. I drive it hard, towed way more than I should, autocrossed it a few times and it's rock solid. It's about to hit 200k and I have put like 50k on it in a year and a half and have spent a grand total of $120 in parts to fix it. $60 for a new e-fan assembly When the high speed stopped working and overheated at the autocross and a few time on the way to work before I figured it out and the AC was on. And today I am getting a miss at idle on number 6 and 8 new COP's cost me a whopping $43 shipped. And it comfortable enought to drive 28hrs straight in. Best car by far I have owned. Why isn't this wrapped in orange vinyl? 
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Feb 20, 2015 23:56
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Blaise posted:TLDR: Buy 1g miata, add torsen, live happy forever. I had one for six months or so but it never really clicked with me - sure it was great to drive with the top down, but the whether round here meant that was a rare occurrence. Also not being able to take passengers (or indeed any luggage) got old fast. It taught me that I'm more of a hot-hatch guy - for me it is the one category of car that can do it all.
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Feb 21, 2015 00:04
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Adding another S2000 to the list: 05 Silverstone  This car took me everywhere, including my cross country move from Atlanta to LA, without a hitch. Only stranded me once cause of a flat battery (my fault). And like all former S2000 owners, I regret selling mine, considering the prices that it commands now. Too bad the insurance premiums for them are now even crazier than it once was.
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Feb 21, 2015 00:41
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It's a toss up between my 01 Z28, or my 05 Grand Prix GXP. Had the Camaro for 6 years now, bought it from a retired man who had it since it was brand new and babied it. All I have had to do is put new brakes and shocks in it, and a new Borla exhaust, and its now at 127k. Still looks less than a couple years old although the roof could use a repaint as its bubbling a bit. Got my GXP off a friend who wanted it out of his garage last winter, and he let me steal it at $4000. To this day, it still books at 10k. Has that fantastic teal blue/purple metallic GM factory paint and is fast as hell. Something about either the DD or the fun car having an LSx is just all levels of 
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Feb 21, 2015 00:42
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KillHour posted:Why isn't this wrapped in orange vinyl? It would look like a taxi and lolz would be lost when people panic passing me at 90mph on the interstate. It's also amazing how people drive properly when I'm in this car. I don't get cut off, turn signal seem to exist again, and people don ride in the left lane when you are behind them.
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Feb 21, 2015 06:04
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My shitbox 320d. Bought as a quite nice car, five years and 80,000 miles later it's hauled loads of crap, been taken much further off road than it should have, killed deer, and barring a few age related things has been dead reliable. It's only got 150hp, but it feel quick enough compared to the shitboxes I drive at work, and gives me about 43mpg(uk, 36 us) with a very heavy foot. Its bloody brilliant at getting places quickly, with no fuss. Part of me wishes I had kept it nicer, or bought something quicker, but it owes me nothing and it's nice having car I can take anything anywhere in it and not having to worry about loving it up or how much fuel I'm using.    
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Feb 21, 2015 13:57
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A lot of the usual suspects in here, but some surprising choices too. I expected a lot of e39 540is, s2000s, miatas, and civics. I wish I had a *best* car, I've only ever owned 2 cars (I cant comment on my e39 as its still not street ready) and honestly don't love either. My stepdad owned a 1992? ranger. One of the last years of the boxy ones. Had the super underpowered V6 and a manual, and it was incredibly reliable and I learned how to drive stick on it too. They also own a 2004 camry hybrid, which is definitely the best car they ever owned. It has run at 30-40 mpg for 10 years, cost literally nothing other than gas tires and occasionally oil, until around 130k when it needed a cell rebuild. Fantastic appliannce car, even if it feels like driving a weird whirring spaceship with mush pedals.
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Feb 21, 2015 14:44
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When people ask for car recommendation just send them to this thread. My best car was a 1955 chevy two door post. I don't have pictures because I am old and digital cameras didn't really exist. The car was amazing and completely manageable and drivable even today. it was bastardized with a 350 4 speed of course. I also had a 83 trans am 5 speed which was pretty awesome and fun but could not touch the 55 in terms of build quality.
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Feb 21, 2015 15:16
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 2006 Corvette convertible w/ the Z51 suspension. I've owned it for almost 3 years now and its given me no problems except for a dead keyfob battery once. I still get a poo poo eating grin on my face every time I drive the thing too.
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Feb 21, 2015 16:07
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It's crazy how contemporary S2000's look - they could be a current car. Hard to believe they were released 16 years ago. To put it into perspective, AW11 MR2's were released 15 years before the S2000... My current Peugeot 306 GTI is awesome and really took me by surprise as it was a bit if an impulse buy. The 6 speed gearbox and motor are so well matched and the handling has killed any anti-fwd bias I had. I miss this goofy thing however. It was a pain in the arse to maintain, the police wouldn't leave me alone and I missed a manual but I loved it's eccentricity and flat 6.   I'll will get another soon.
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Feb 21, 2015 16:39
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Sadly, I don't have pictures of either of these cars I'm going to talk about.  My best car is probably the one that got me into cars. 1992 Eagle Talon TSi AWD. Yeah, it was probably on it's way to spinning a rod bearing when I sold it and the paint looked like poo poo and it was starting to bubble with rust in areas, but it was decently quick and mostly reliable because I was always fixing poo poo on it that hadn't totally failed yet. I learned a lot because of it, which was a secondary goal of buying the car. The one that I enjoyed most of the fun ones (04 CTS-V, 06 Saab 9-2x Aero, turbo Miata R package, 08.5 MS3) was probably the MS3 GT. It was crystal white pearl (best color), had a nice interior and seats, and it had decent passing power. It's the one that I regret selling most because it was my first new car and it was just so nice and pretty. The others pissed me off in some form or another while the MS3 was just the best DD all around, similar to how I'd expect a Focus ST would be today. Anymore I don't even have a fun car because I'm too old to drive like an rear end in a top hat on the street and it's just wasted on me. I'd rather have something with good gas mileage and "good enough" in the fun department, which is a pretty low bar.  I'll get a race car (Spec Miata) soon to fill that void.
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Feb 21, 2015 21:52
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This is the car that got me into cars. I'd looked around for something practical for ages without knowing what I was after when a friend at work showed up with an E36 M3 and I just though, well if he can have fancy cars, so can I.  R33 GTST Skyline. Completely unmodified and wonderful for it. Always wanted one but figured sports cars were for other people. Had a few age related problems and the fuel cost was high, but otherwise just wonderful. I panicked a couple of years later with the cost of keeping it on the road and having just got a mortgage, so I sold it for said practical car. Now I'm better placed I'm going full circle and buying another one. In many ways, the chopping and changing of cars since this one has been an effort to get something that was as good as this one was. Should never have sold it, seemed like the right move at the time etc. etc. Major Ryan fucked around with this message at 08:25 on Feb 22, 2015 |
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Feb 21, 2015 23:18
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Bibendum posted:1st place for driving like a maniac without getting hassled by The Law: 1988 Subaru GL also was a wagon so it carried a 1-UZ engine in the back for a while and had a locking center diff and low range so urban offroading was a must. Wasn't the subaru free as well? That geo put up with so much abuse its not even funny. I don't even know how many times that thing overheated before actually giving up the ghost. I think honorable mention has to go to the Suzuki Swift you bought in NZ. Dirt cheap and dealt with the abuse of a month of us driving the insane roads, most of which were un-paved. For me, it has to be my '89 mr2 with a BT 20v 4age.  Got it super cheap and it never gave me a problem, except for 1 broken throttle cable which I "fixed in a parking lot. With the velocity stacks on the ITB's it made an amazing sound and made enough power to make it fun. Ended up getting totaled twice, first time was minor cosmetic damage from someone pulling out of a parking spot into the side of me and then someone ran a stop sign in front of me and I t-boned him.
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Feb 22, 2015 05:08
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Toss up. My 1999 Honda Accord DX. Came with the optional tape deck with two speakers and the optional AC. It was my first car and it lived abuse. Never missed a lick. Sold it at 250k miles to buy my miata and I still miss it. My M3 is giving it a run for the money though. Frost Autocross i took it to with real tires on it. I was almost laughing out loud driving it it was so much fun. It's so much more expensive than the miata or accord were but it's so loving fun I can't not love it. 
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Feb 22, 2015 05:18
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When my '65 Plymouth Fury threw a rod on the way home from work one fine day in 1988, it caught me between paychecks. That evening, a friend got me to the Commonwealth Auto Auction, where, for the princely sum of $60, I drove home in this:  (only extant photo)...a 1974 Mustang II, 4-banger, 4-speed. All it needed was a coil spring. I never registered it. I never insured it. I never even flipped the title into my name. I never changed the oil. Hell, I never even put air in the tires. But she took me everywhere for almost two years with nary a complaint. Without question the best car I ever had,
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Feb 22, 2015 05:22
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Kinda hard to pick between two.. My old 92 Hilux was absolutely unstoppable and went like stink after i threw out the naturally aspirated 2.8L engine and dropped in a factory turbo 3.0L EFI diesel, Lift, lockers and paintwork that was ruined and it just went EVERYWHERE  Only downside was its cramped inside, has a crap driving position and front and rear leaf springs suck arse for comfort, although the Old Man Emu gear went a LONG way to fixing that. Its still in the family though and I still can grab it when needed. The landcruiser tho is still the one i smile into everytime I jump into it, its big, its powerful, its roomy and its comfortable, and even though its IFS its tough as nails offroad. Did a few things to the engine to get it going a bit better- Piggyback ECU chip, bigger exhaust and a bigger intercooler and the thing gets up and fucks off faster than any vehicle that weighs 3.7T has the right to. its awesome at everything- Stick some slightly smaller All Terrains onto it and its a great commuter vehicle and highway cruiser, whack the big mud terrains onto it and it will just go offroad almost anywhere you point it. Once it gets a pair of twin lockers and some scrub bars like the old hilux had it will be just about done. Been ultra reliable too, even after i cooked the engine and destroyed all the big end bearings its still going just as strong and just as hard after a bearing swap.  its our offroad home and kitchen  Our submarine/bog hole depth tester (thats what killed the engine bearings, radiator full of mud from this effort- but not a drop inside!  And my photography platform. I love the drat thing 
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Feb 22, 2015 05:33
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I'd have to say my current Miata, a black on black '97 that I bought from Toolshack. It's my fourth Miata and this one is the best because it's right in that sweet spot of not too nice but not a pile of poo poo either so I just drive the loving thing and have fun. It's gotten a few decent parking lot dents in it so far but I really don't care, I don't wash it much because it's black so why bother. I drive with the top down 90% of the time and just love the visceral driving feel of Miatas. Best car ever. Honorable mention for my '02 Crown Vic Sport, most dependable car I ever owned and best road trip car.
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Feb 22, 2015 05:42
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1979 Porsche 911SC with a targa was probably my most fun car. Thing drove incredibly well; previous owner had put in a nice Bilstein suspension. It was more like operating a machine than driving in a lot of ways. And the rear defroster was a pretty sweet pull lever. Also it was metallic poo poo brown. The best color. 
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Feb 22, 2015 06:38
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Ford Escort ZX2. You know that saying about picking 2 out of fast, cheap, and reliable? Well, you could get all 3 with those cars.
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Feb 22, 2015 16:14
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fakeaccount posted:Ford Escort ZX2. You know that saying about picking 2 out of fast, cheap, and reliable? Well, you could get all 3 with those cars. One of my friend's has had a 5 speed ZX2 since it was brand new. It's at nearly 300k miles now, gets very little maintenance, and is still a ton of fun to toss around on a backroad. Never given them any real problems. If the seating position wasn't so terrible in them (I seriously feel like I'm sitting on top of those cars) I would have probably tried to get one as a beater myself.
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Feb 22, 2015 16:34
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I'm gonna have to go with my 1995 Saturn SL2 It looked like that, but with a lot of hail damage. It was everything a beater should be. Reliable, fit more poo poo in it than it looks like it should, and absolutely devoured oil. Still it got me through college and 5 extra years, only ever left me stranded once, which I then fixed with a coat hanger and duct tape and got home after some time. It took me all over the South West United States, and got decent gas mileage for me, especially when I previously had an LT1 Firebird that got a whopping 8mpg at the start of the fuel price increases. Ugly, sure, slow, absolutely, and overall pretty horrible to drive, but it was reliable and cheap to run, something which can't be said about any other car I've owned. Somehow my Miata was not cheap to run at all (chasing electrical issues) and I haven't had my S2k long enough to really say "best" because it too is requiring some deferred maintenance and other issues from the PO. It might be my best car some day, but right now it's my lovely beater Saturn. Edit: Should mention that the coat hangar/duct tape shift linkage bodge job held for at least 6 years and until after I sold the car, which I should have never done but it started failing inspections.
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Feb 22, 2015 17:10
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Definitely my 1994 Celica. It has 407,000km on it now, and everything works. Power windows, locks, sunroof, a/c. I have done minor maintenance almost exclusively. It got a wheel bearing a few years ago. It is fun, and hauls cargo, too. I don't have pictures of this, but it carried my old motorcycle 500km in the hatch, and it carried a full size stainless steel electric range across town.  VV Not current, current.. but yeah recent. It's 10 foot paint at this age tbh VV mr.belowaverage fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Feb 22, 2015 |
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Feb 22, 2015 18:05
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mr.belowaverage posted:Definitely my 1994 Celica. It has 407,000km on it now, and everything works. Power windows, locks, sunroof, a/c. I have done minor maintenance almost exclusively. It got a wheel bearing a few years ago. Is this photo current? Because holy poo poo that car looks new.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:09
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Terrible Robot posted:One of my friend's has had a 5 speed ZX2 since it was brand new. It's at nearly 300k miles now, gets very little maintenance, and is still a ton of fun to toss around on a backroad. Never given them any real problems. If the seating position wasn't so terrible in them (I seriously feel like I'm sitting on top of those cars) I would have probably tried to get one as a beater myself. I rode around Carolina Motorsport Park in a ZX2 that was all stock out side sway bars. Even running all seasons and he hauled way more rear end than I thought that car could. In the twisty bits he was up the rear end of a 911 GT2 with slicks. Im sure the 911 driver was awful, but still.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:34
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Quit making me feel bad for wanting to sell mine you butts. 
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Feb 22, 2015 19:41
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Sadi posted:I rode around Carolina Motorsport Park in a ZX2 that was all stock out side sway bars. Even running all seasons and he hauled way more rear end than I thought that car could. In the twisty bits he was up the rear end of a 911 GT2 with slicks. Im sure the 911 driver was awful, but still. I can't tell if this is a troll post or not. A Ford Escort on all seasons is not going even remotely keep up with a GT2 on slicks.
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Feb 22, 2015 20:42
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The number one best and most reliable car I have ever owned was my '99 Jeep Cherokee Sport. It brought me into AI and took years of abuse and improper upkeep and never left me stranded. I traded it in towards the Lightning and still pine for that Jeep to this day.
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Feb 22, 2015 20:46
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2011 GTI. It's great fun and it hasn't given me a single problem in 45,000 miles. ... I hope I didn't just jinx it.
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Feb 22, 2015 20:58
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Comrade Flynn posted:I can't tell if this is a troll post or not. A Ford Escort on all seasons is not going even remotely keep up with a GT2 on slicks. Thats what I thought. But I think the porsche driver was no good and afraid of losing it. The guy in the Escort is a pretty loving good diver and was driving the piss out of it. Clearly the porsche walked him on anything resembling a strait.
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Feb 23, 2015 05:15
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Sadi posted:Clearly the porsche walked him on anything resembling a strait. The Porsche was amphibious,?
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Feb 23, 2015 05:26
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Korwen posted:I'm gonna have to go with my 1995 Saturn SL2 An old friend of mine had a 99 SL1. 5 speed, a/c, same color. Drank oil and smoked a bit if you got on it, it was spitting just about every code possible without going into limp home mode, and closing in on 300k last time I saw it. A/C still blew ice cold, and it "passed" inspection (uh, her brother might have been a state inspector, and a mechanic, so....), and never left her stranded the entire time I knew her. She had a 40-50 mile commute to work that took her across 2 counties for over a year. Since me, her, and a few other people from work frequently went to a bar across the street after work, and she was kind of a lightweight, I'd often wind up driving her (and her car) back to my place (1 mile away) with someone else following in my car. It actually drove pretty good for something with so many miles. Transmission still shifted pretty smoothly, brakes were decent, handling was what you'd expect for an SL with that many miles. I wouldn't be surprised if she still has it today, though it definitely needed rings back then (the last time I saw that car was 5 years ago).
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Feb 23, 2015 08:38
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