In Jr. High, one of the coolest teachers in school bought one. How on a teacher's salary I'll never figure out, but each day at the end of school about 20 of us would line up along the driveway to the teacher's parking lot and clap and cheer as he drove by. God's honest truth.
Summary: In the 49 years that I have been an automobile owner I have owned only four vehicles and I still own two of them.
Can anyone beat that record?
My “track record”:
1) 1961 Buick Special station wagon: bought from my mother, the second owner, in 1965 for $1,000. When buying vehicle #2 the dealer graciously gave me $75 for it. It had around 90k on the odometer.
2) 1973 Olds Cutlass Supreme: ordered from the factory. Sticker price was $5,500; I got it at $4,400, which was $100 over dealer cost because a guy in my Army Reserve unit was a salesman there. Junked in 1986 with 130k miles. Transmission had started to slip and it had topside rust damage from living next to the ocean.
3) 1986 Toyota Camry liftback: bought new for about $10k from Rose Toyota, which claimed to be the first Toyota dealer in the US. It now has 274k miles. I am on the third radiator and third or fourth catalytic converter. Replaced a couple of pumps but no engine or transmission work. The guys at the local Toyota dealer have said, “Toyota doesn’t make them like that any more.”
I used to do tuneups myself for about $40 in parts and a few hours of work; stopped doing them when I was in my 50's.
4) 2003 Mazda MPV: bought new from dealer for about $20k. Now has 93k miles. A dealer tuneup to the transverse engine (coils not wires) cost me about $800.
Take the challenge. I assume only males might be able to come close.
If all my cars were as good as the one I have now, maybe I could have.
My present car is a 2003 Buick Park Ave with 220,000 miles and it still runs like a top. Burns a quart of oil every 3,000 miles and has needed only a few repairs, and none major. I'm still using all the original exhaust system parts.
Funny thing is that car I had before it was also the same model, only a 1997. It needed a new transmission and engine by 120,000 miles. I guess Buick puts effort into perfecting their models over time. It's too bad that they discontinued the Park Ave shortly after I bought my last one.
I suppose eventually I'll need a new car, but I can't justify having such a big model any longer. I still had two kids at home and a wife and needed the room when we'd go on trips. Now it's just myself. I'm hearing good things about the Hyundai and it's 100,000 warrantee. Anyone care to opine about that one?
By the way, gals are always telling me how they love being chauffeured around in my Buick. One calls it my love machine.
Here's a little tune that sums up my feelings for it:
.... I've owned or leased four of them, starting with a 2001 model, and also have leased a Kia, which shares powertrains and many other parts with Hyundai. Had excellent service from all of them. I took a chance with the 2001 fourteen years ago, when Hyundai was just beginning to get its quality act together, and I'm glad I did. All of the cars are still in the family except one that I traded in a couple of years ago.
About that 100k powertrain warranty... I've never had to use it.
...Bought my daughter a 2000 Corolla in '03. Little over 60,000 on it. She drove it 7 years. I got it from her and drove it 4 years. Just sold it to my son in law. It has 200,210 miles on it. Uses a qrt of oil between oil changes.
Just bought a '99 Crown Vic from my uncle less than 70,000 on it. I plan on wearing it out. I've decided in my old age I like going to my sessions in comfort.
I have had my present vehicle, a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer EXT since 2006. It now has just over 120K miles. I've put a new set of tires on it (Michelins), 2 new motor mounts, nothing else major, and the routine maintenance. Not sure how long I'll keep it, but do not want to go to anything smaller for next vehicle.
About 30,000 or so a year.. so for me.. after 4 years my car has high mileage.. and I get rid of them before I have any problems.. I want to have some value left for a trade..I hope to reduce my meleage so a car will last longer..
Right now I have 2 land rovers and believe it or not.. I have owned 3.. and NEVER had any issues.. despite what people say about them...so FWIW
So, the OP has me beat if we are talking least number of cars owned. I've owned 100 give or take Currently: 2011 Caddy DTS, daily driver 1996 Corvette roadster 1963 Buick Riviera, my ATF
I agree. The 63 Riv was the design brainchild of Bill Mitchell who at the time was the design chief at GM. He wanted a "knife edge" look and that is what he got. IMHO, the car still does not look "dated" despite being 51 years old. Mine is Arctic White with black leather interior and got a full frame off, ground up restoration 5 years ago. As I posted earlier, it is my ATF and the car has been in my family since my grandmother bought it new in 1963. Here is a little known factoid; There is a big push to go to Constant Velocity Transmissions (CVT) in many new cars. The Riv had one of the very first CVTs called Super Turbine Drive that used twin turbines to deliver power to the wheels. Fast, smooth and way ahead of its time.
Oh, and Felicity, you would look exquisite riding with me in that Riv, with your gorgeous locks in the wind....
Posted By: FelicityMcKenna
A perfect symphony of curves and sharp, crisp angles. Heavenly.
In Jr. High, one of the coolest teachers in school bought one. How on a teacher's salary I'll never figure out, but each day at the end of school about 20 of us would line up along the driveway to the teacher's parking lot and clap and cheer as he drove by. God's honest truth.
I still get excited when I see pixs of that Riv. IMHO it is one of the top designs in automobile history. I drive mine, which looks just like the one pictured (except different wheel covers), frequently in the spring and summer. Alas, it is almost time for its winter hibernation.
I think that the view from the rear was more appealing than the front (similar to the 1959 Chevy).
About 1964 I rode in the back seat of one from Washington DC to Chicago, with a brief meal stop in Lancaster PA, which included shoo fly pie. All I remember is that the rear seat was mighty roomy and comfy.
was available on autos back in the 60's! Honestly, I thought Continuous Variable Transmission was something Nissan perfected. I am holding you to that joyride invite, PC Repellant. Wait-did i just invite myself
Posted By: PC_Repellant
I agree. The 63 Riv was the design brainchild of Bill Mitchell who at the time was the design chief at GM. He wanted a "knife edge" look and that is what he got. IMHO, the car still does not look "dated" despite being 51 years old. Mine is Arctic White with black leather interior and got a full frame off, ground up restoration 5 years ago. As I posted earlier, it is my ATF and the car has been in my family since my grandmother bought it new in 1963. Here is a little known factoid; There is a big push to go to Constant Velocity Transmissions (CVT) in many new cars. The Riv had one of the very first CVTs called Super Turbine Drive that used twin turbines to deliver power to the wheels. Fast, smooth and way ahead of its time.
Oh, and Felicity, you would look exquisite riding with me in that Riv, with your gorgeous locks in the wind....
Posted By: FelicityMcKenna
A perfect symphony of curves and sharp, crisp angles. Heavenly.
I have read one of "The Car Talk" guys' books; they said the exact same thing about Toyotas made in the 1970's and 1980's- the best cars for reliability ever made.
I won't list every car I have owned but I owned a 1987 Toyota Corolla FX that I bought in 1992. I believe it had around 65,000 miles on it when I bought it. It was a manual transmission -remember back in the day if you drove a German or Japanese econobox you automatically drove a stick? All my friends drove sticks, so many people these days don't know how to drive a manual transmission. I drove it until approximately 157,000 miles. Oddly enough, although it was in great condition for an eleven years old car, I could not find a buyer for it before I moved 1300 miles away. I ended up selling it to my ex-husband for next to nothing. That was back in 1998 and the city I lived in (and was moving away from) had a very strong economy; everybody drove new cars. I bet you anything that car would have been easy to sell over the past four years.
Fast forward to 2006, after two Fords, I bought my third Ford- a 2003 Ford Taurus. I walked off the lot paying a total of $6900 for it. This is the best car I have ever owned. It has 189,000 miles on it and my repairs have been an alternator, a Serpentine belt, and recently a starter and a emergency brake repair. I question that last repair as it was a repair I had done during my annual State Inspection. I have never had problems with the transmission, and Fords are notorious for lousy transmissions. Unfortunately some idiot plowed into when it was parked in a lot and took off without leaving a note. Although I can still drive it, the body damage it sustained will not pass a state inspection. Alas, I will need to get a new (used) car. Too bad, my Taurus is still running strong.
You know the best thing about buying used cars? Over the years I have learned to diagnose what is wrong with my car. I am not always correct but I feel comfortable talking to mechanics. The internet has also been a big help. I know I didn't accept your challenge but thanks for letting me ramble about a favorite subject.
Why are we discussing cars on the TER board? Nice discussion,but really guys. Now, if we could discuss what we did with girls in the cars that would be a different story. Trying to get the bra off, then the panties. Lots of challenges.
I count the cars I have had or the women I have had. Happy to say the women outnumber the cars. Cars -10 women - 67 and still counting. The difference is I can remember the names of all the cars : )
3rd owner, bought it in 85 for 500. Complete restoration (I do all my own work) and still my daily driver. 215K miles on it, several cross country trips including the Rally to Reno which started on the boardwalk in Ocean City and followed Route 50 to Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran. The MGA has 220K and have owned that one since 74. The MGB is still undergoing restoration
1947 Chevy Thriftmaster pick-up. Older than I am. First thing I ever drove as a kid. Bought it from my uncle when he quit farming in 1980. Mileage unknown as the odometer broke in '65. Unrestored but still runs good, for certain antique values of good. No back seat, though.
1987 RX-7 TII, purchased new. Hasn't been a daily driver since '94, but lately I try to take at least one 2-3K mile trip in it every year. Drove the Tail of the Dragon last spring, briskly. 116,000 miles or so on the clock. Still no back seat.
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