Thread: Your best and worst cars?

I have many times lately started to feel like I'm aging. One clue is that I've suddenly become nostalgic about a few things, where I never was before. But I love cars, so I thought I'd create this as I'm currently hating a car (and really missing a car).

I have a feeling the best car I'll ever own was my '00 Saab 9-5 Aero. I bought the car used in '02 w/25k mi and drove it until '13, where I let it go on a failed clutch @175k (on this car, a clutch meant an engine pull and a huge bill - something I'd have eaten but Saab had gone under and parts were already starting to be a huge pain to find). We thought it might need a new Turbo soon, and with scarcity and everything else we decided to donate it and get a sporty dogwagon. That was a mistake.

But that car - 260HP, black, leather, ventilated seats, factory BBS rims, Remus exhaust, amazing HK soundsystem - legit power in a straight line, as big as a 5-series, 24MPG. Handling was what what it is with FWD - you can't put power to the road with FWD...I still autocrossed it with reasonable success considering. It was a piece of machinery. Man, I miss that car. Was really rock-solid until the last couple years and if Saab had not gone under I'd have that car now. Damn.

I've had comically "bad" cars - a "batmobile" '78 Z28 Camaro painted flat black with chipping fiberglass and a modified back-end that covered 295 series tires and got 9mpg, a '76 Honda "CVCC" in forest green that looked like that chick's car in "True Blood"...my wife had a Saturn that was a true, utter, total POS that literally gave up completely at 65k mi - soggy gearbox, seats that barely held you in place...not to mention a VW Bug (actually liked that car)...

But right now our '08, e91 BMW 328i wagon...POS has never-ending bills and difficult-to-troubleshoot electrical problems - and I love BMW - we also have an e46 ZHP coupe daily driver that seems like it's going to run forever that I'd never talk shit about - but man oh man I really hate our e91. One of those cars where something goes wrong, and you look online and try the top 2-3 most common fixes for the problem and they never work. Never. I'm so sick of burning up my weekends wasting time and money replacing things in this car with no luck. Base model BMW should not be such a pain in the ass to own. I wanted a pre-owned Subaru wagon actually initially for this purpose -- wife car, kid-and-dog-hauler I don't despise driving--but turns out those things don't depreciate whatsoever. But look a BMW wagon for *less* than a Subaru? Sold! Ugh, bad mistake.

Anyway unsure if this will catch on or die quickly like Buff's talk-shit-about-music thread but if you have a car you want to talk up or talk shit to I'm all about it.

I'm not sure if I'm old enough to answer, so I'll just put the cars I've had from best to not best.

2010 Ford Fusion Sport
2007 Dodge Caliber Base
2007 Ford F150 5.4L
2001 Dodge Dakota Sport
1994 Cheverolet Camaro 3.4
2008 Dodge Caliber SXT

Originally Posted by Dapper Dan

I'm not sure if I'm old enough to answer, so I'll just put the cars I've had from best to not best. 2010 Ford Fusion Sport 2007 Dodge Caliber Base 2007 Ford F150 5.4L 2001 Dodge Dakota Sport 1994 Cheverolet Camaro 3.4 2008 Dodge Caliber SXT

You are with that list.

And see - would have totally expected a softer spot for that "Heat-era" Camaro and F-150; are Fusions nice?

When I was younger I had a hand me down Datsun B210. That thing was great. It got 30-33 mpg around town, and 35-38 on the highway.
I also had a 97 Saturn SL2 that performed the same way, but was a much more comfortable car.
My best two trucks I had were:
1. 08 f150 4x4
2. 05 Tacoma 4x4.

Right now I'm driving a company car which is a Hyundai Excel, 08' or so. I don't care for the car at all. It's more gutless than a lawn mower and it only get 26mpg.

Originally Posted by tomjonesrocks

You are with that list.

And see - would have totally expected a softer spot for that "Heat-era" Camaro and F-150; are Fusions nice?

I fell in love with the Fusion back in 2010, when they re-did everything. It became the Motortrend or Car and Driver car of the year. At my job, I drove the 4 cyl. model a few times. When I was looking for a car to buy while trading in my 2008 Caliber I found the 2010 Fusion Sport and I love it. Sadly, the sport is the only model not made in the USA, it's made in Mexico. It has a Microsoft Sync system and Sony Speakers. I like the technologies it has, mixed with some simplicities. It syncs with my phone and doesn't have automatic head lights. The 6 cylinders aren't great for gas mileage, but I average about 24 mpg. It comes with 268 HP from the factory. It's no muscle car, but it's decent for a 4 door family car. It moves when you press the gas, which I missed when I had a 4 cyl. I'm up to about 125k miles right now.

Hands down the worst vehicle I've ever owned was the 2002 Deville my great grandma gave me a couple years ago. Problem after problem. That car was a front wheel drive V8. I let the dealership work on it because I wasn't trying to mess around in that mess. Every other vehicle I've had has been great for one reason or another. I've owned a few Mustangs but the last one I had was hands down the biggest blast to drive....1998 Cobra with a built and blown 4v 4.6, "Viper spec" T-56, built 35 spline rear end, etc. made only 11 PSI at 5500 RPM but 21 PSI at 7000 RPM. Fast and fun. Never drove it once I moved to SD so I sold it.

Love my '15 Sierra too.

worst cars I have had... ford tempo, mercury lynx, dodge omni -- all winter beaters and didnt last long.

I currently have... 11 Ram 1500, 08 Ram 1500, 1996 Yukon, 1977 Camaro (was my first car and still have it... only 33500 miles on it)

other cars I have had... dodge intrepid, chev camper van, 2 chev 1500's,

Make fun of me all you want but the best car I've ever owned is a Honda Element. Never had a minute of trouble with it and I used to drive it all the way up my 400' driveway all winter even with two feet of snow. The best car I've ever had for winter driving and you can fold the back seats up and carry all manner of lumber and materials in the back. Another positive is that you can take it to the car wash open the doors and wash the entire car out with the pressure washer.

The only negative is that I don't love the way the doors to the back seats open up.

My favorite vehicle I've ever owned is a very close race between my Chevy Tahoe and my current truck which is a 2007 Dodge Cummins. I miss my Tahoe like crazy, shouldn't have sold it.

I've driven the same 4-cylinder 2006 Ford Fusion since 2006. It's been really reliable if a little underwhelming. I really need to upgrade to 4x4 but I don't want another car payment.

My 2003 neon I bought in 04 has survived my 20s, an ex, and a shit ton of abuse, and amber now drives it every day. Other than brakes and oil changes we had to replace the cam sensor (not that tough) and that's it. At 120k (bought it with 10k) it's been a warrior that has been beaten on. My 1997 Tacoma shit a fuel pump a couple weeks ago which sucked, but it was the original pump. At just short of 400k (that's right bitches, 400k miles) it speaks for itself. Honorable mention goes to: 1990 Dodge Dakota, 1998 neon acr turbo (obviously not a factory turbo).

The biggest piece of shit ever was Ambers 2007 Caliber she owned when we met. That thing was the biggest, most poorly designed, I dont know what I am so I will suck at everything piece of crap ever. Almost mercifully, she nailed a deer with it (thanks deer!) in 2011 so it went bye bye. Dishonorable mention: 1992 Dodge Daytona.

I owned a couple of these in my younger years. LOVED them.



Then, when a newer model came out, I bought this one:



Made it from Lakewood to Aspen in 2.25 hours over Independence Pass.

Originally Posted by Timmy!

My 2003 neon I bought in 04 has survived my 20s, an ex, and a shit ton of abuse, and amber now drives it every day. Other than brakes and oil changes we had to replace the cam sensor (not that tough) and that's it. At 120k (bought it with 10k) it's been a warrior that has been beaten on. My 1997 Tacoma shit a fuel pump a couple weeks ago which sucked, but it was the original pump. At just short of 400k (that's right bitches, 400k miles) it speaks for itself. Honorable mention goes to: 1990 Dodge Dakota, 1998 neon acr turbo (obviously not a factory turbo).

The biggest piece of shit ever was Ambers 2007 Caliber she owned when we met. That thing was the biggest, most poorly designed, I dont know what I am so I will suck at everything piece of crap ever. Almost mercifully, she nailed a deer with it (thanks deer!) in 2011 so it went bye bye. Dishonorable mention: 1992 Dodge Daytona.

I rented a Caliber in 2009 when I was in DC. Giant POS.

Originally Posted by SR

I rented a Caliber in 2009 when I was in DC. Giant POS.

Not only are they a total pos, they are horrible in the snow. Amber got hers stuck in a gas station parking lot.....in a parking spot. Meanwhile I've never gotten the 03 Neon stuck, and I've tried pretty hard, once resulting in jumping a curb median.

Originally Posted by Timmy!

Not only are they a total pos, they are horrible in the snow. Amber got hers stuck in a gas station parking lot.....in a parking spot. Meanwhile I've never gotten the 03 Neon stuck, and I've tried pretty hard, once resulting in jumping a curb median.

Was it 3 feet of snow?

Originally Posted by Dapper Dan

Was it 3 feet of snow?

About 2 inches. It was ice underneath and the parking lot had a tiny downslope (parked by the door). Hunk of crap didn't have enough traction to back out, so she called me. I got it out with some effort, but holy crap. It then promptly shit an alternator the next day....at 38k miles. Enormous pos.