cool dad car

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > cool dad car

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

So. This is not a project thread, but a very special request for recommendations.

My dad has found himself coming into some money. Until now, he's been driving my old Volvo 940, which he likes, but is a little tired of it occasionally having electrical/other old car problems (several of which are caused by deferred maintenance), failing to start, having the PO's lovely heater valve explode in San Francisco rush hour traffic, etc. He's told me he wants to buy another car to drive on longer trips, and keep the 940 to drive around town.

He's turning 65 in May. He has a decent amount of mechanical experience, but mostly with older cars; he can follow instructions from a Haynes manual, but from what I've seen he's still stuck maintaining them as if they're his first car, a '64 Pontiac Catalina. He thinks that Stop-Leak is a good fix for a problem in a pinch, and hasn't had a car that was really well maintained in a long time. He hasn't had money to keep any of his cars well-maintained in decades.

I'd like to find him a car from the 90s or older that meets the following criteria:

Reliable - he can pay to have it fixed, but dealing with the actual process of getting it fixed is difficult for him. He'll happily do basic maintenance work himself.
Stylish - imagine the sort of car Johnny Cash would drive. A car that complements the way he looks.
Powerful - by this I mean both "speed" and "makes a satisfying noise"
Comfortable - he'd like to do some traveling, and has various problems including arthritis in his hands and feet. Something with good ergonomics is vital. Notably, a manual may be out of consideration if the clutch has any sort of stiffness to it. For manual driving, if he does it again, he'll have his Saab. He really loves Volvo seats, and says the seats in my '98 V70R are the best car seats he's ever sat in.
Old - by this I mean 00s or older. He doesn't have that much money, and both he and I prefer older cars, without all the touchscreens and computer doodads and visibility problems and fancy bits.
Safe - by which I mean it should probably have airbags.

Cars he has owned/driven in the past (an incomplete list, excluding what he didn't really like/family cars):

'64 Pontiac Catalina
Saab 99 sedan (blue, with a 5-speed from a 900 jammed into it by a Saab genius; he described it as "a little rocketship." It's been sitting with the water pump broken since 1997 and he still hopes to restore it/have it restored.)
1983 Saab 900 Turbo (red, broke)
1984 Saab 900 Turbo (black, broke)
Volvo 960 sedan (red, timing belt broke; he really loved this car. Notably, one of his favorite things about it was the color: #418, Pearl Red/Regent Red Metallic.)

Notably, he really likes Volvos, primarily because of the comfort, safety, and reliability aspects, but would definitely consider something else. He tends to prefer European cars nowadays, but I'm not ruling out something else.

The cars that come to mind off the top of my head are, in black, dark metallic red, or another suitable color:

Volvo C70, hardtop or convertible, any generation; a P80 would have a bonus in that I already know how to work on those
Volvo S80 V8, late model
BMW 635CSi
He likes Cadillac Allant�s but I will not let him buy one
Buick Grand National

Thoughts?

Edit: post pictures of the cars please, I plan to show him this thread.

atomicthumbs fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Apr 25, 2016

# ¿ Apr 25, 2016 22:47

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 01:41

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

Powershift posted:

262c

my friend this is a serious thread and you bring this PRV-powered sludge pile into it??

but now that I'm thinking of older Volvo coupes, a 780 Turbo would fit him quite well (although other than the body it's practically identical to the 940 he already has):

# ¿ Apr 25, 2016 23:31

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

Powershift posted:

Well if johnny cash was forced to drive a volvo, i don't think he would pick anything other than a 262c. In black, of course.

It certainly wouldn't be the one that looks like an accord.

I have seen them with the vinyl removed, and they look alright. However, I refuse to let my dad drive a car that features camshafts as a wear item.

# ¿ Apr 25, 2016 23:48

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

ultrabay2000 posted:

I'd consider regular old 240s. The sedans are cheap, you can find a fair number of late model manuals, the last few years had driver airbags.

Believe me, both him and I appreciate the good ol' 240, but he drove one for three years and then drove mine between when his 960 died and when I got my V70R and I think he's looking for a step up.

A driver hit-and-ran him (backed into him, told him "I HAVE A SICK FRIEND CAN WE HURRY UP", drove away when he pulled into a parking spot to get out) in my gold 240 that looks exactly like that first one and I still need to go find a fender for it someday. Maybe if I can't find the right color I'll just get one with lovely paint and put black and yellow hazard stripes on it.

That 240 has been the most reliable car in my family, by far. It was my first car, I learned to wrench on it, and it's never left me stranded anywhere or had ominous engine issues - only obvious stuff like "someone replaced the alternator and forgot to use a washer and it wore through and half fell off" and "the ignition fuse needed reseating".

For that alternator issues, I just took the alternator off my 940 and installed it in the 240, since the 940 was out of commission at the time anyway :v:

And thanks for the advice about the BMWs. I like the cars and am utterly unfamiliar with them other than knowing that I would like a 525ix.

...maybe I could convince him to get a wagon.

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 03:47

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

Raluek posted:

I'm having a hard time thinking of the cross-section between cool looking, cool sounding, airbag-having, and reliable. C5? WS6? Mechanically solid, but usual GM interior stuff. You mention seats a lot, so maybe you care about interiors?

E: A 540i with mufflers deleted would be neat, but they're uncool sedans. There was no 6 in those years, so that's out. Hm.

my dad is fine with a sedan, he's driven sedans for 40 years now

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 04:02

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

excuse me but the GS400 is a cool uncle car, not a cool dad car :colbert:

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 04:49

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

Now that I'm remembering it, my dad's been in love with late-model Crown Victorias since he rented one in the 00s. I can throw that on the list of things to look for.

Edit: or maybe an '03-04 Mercury Marauder :getin:

atomicthumbs fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Apr 26, 2016

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 05:05

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

leica posted:

Crown Vics (or any Panther platform) are not safe, in a side collision they fold like a cheap lawn chair at 30mph and you will most likely die or be horribly injured.

My wife used to drive Vics and she now drives an LS430 for this reason.

[edit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI2ctRRtQXo

I explicitly specified "safe" to mean "has airbags"

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 09:21

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

if it helps here's a picture my dad just posted on facebook

# ¿ Apr 28, 2016 09:49

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

# ¿ Apr 28, 2016 09:49

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

everdave posted:

After seeing this picture I honestly feel the correct car would be a Chrysler TC by Maserati

ah yes the good ol' reverse collaboration "Mechanics by Chrysler, body by Maserati" strategy

# ¿ Apr 28, 2016 20:04

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 01:41

atomicthumbs: Dec 26, 2010; We're in the business of extending man's senses.

Godholio posted:

'59-78 Eldorado.

there is a '69 Eldorado in cream yellow in what seems to be very good condition for $3000 (IIRC) with a somewhat recently rebuilt 472 near me...

edit: holy poo poo

# ¿ Apr 28, 2016 20:07

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