This is purely subjective. "Best" could be the most reliable or most fun to drive or even return on investment. Pictures of actual vehicle are always a bonus.
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"Best" car/truck/van you ever owned
- Thread starter Philpug
- Start date
2003 Toyota Highlander. Solid.
1998 Dodge Durango - owned 13 years - no major repairs - 365,000 miles - sold for $500 in 2011 and would pass inspection
2002 Audi A6 Wagon. Bought it in 2006 with 27,000 miles, drove it 11 years until it crested 180,000 miles. AWD, all the till-then unappreciated luxo details, lots of room for stuff, and ... it held the road like a vacuum cleaner.
We finally traded it in when I got tired of futzing the emissions test. I don't know if they were all this good, but we've missed this car ever since.
We finally traded it in when I got tired of futzing the emissions test. I don't know if they were all this good, but we've missed this car ever since.
Most fun - 1978 Datsun 280Z
1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 (Highlander) -3rd gen, which was replaced by a
2008 Toyota 4Runner UrbanRunner -4th gen
Both are our touring, adventure vehicle (family vacation, fishing, ski, etc).
Very low maintenance both. 4 gen more comfortable then 3rd, 3rd gen livelier drive. Tradeoffs made for growing family. Some minor complaints, but as @scott43 says, "solid".
2008 Toyota 4Runner UrbanRunner -4th gen
Both are our touring, adventure vehicle (family vacation, fishing, ski, etc).
Very low maintenance both. 4 gen more comfortable then 3rd, 3rd gen livelier drive. Tradeoffs made for growing family. Some minor complaints, but as @scott43 says, "solid".
95 and 02 Suburban.
Most epic stories and best times: 1965 VW Beetle.
Mine didn't have the fancy wheels shown below, but it was a great snow car with studs. It went any and everywhere during my college years.
Mine didn't have the fancy wheels shown below, but it was a great snow car with studs. It went any and everywhere during my college years.
Worst would be a lot more fun hahaha. Cognitive dissonance prevents me from not loving almost all of them for different reasons. Wife's 2010 Sentra has been the most bomb proof low maintenance vehicle I've ever owned. 81 Firebird was my favorite car. Scirocco was fun but man, a lot of work to keep running smooth. Ran like a clock when well maintained though.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2017
- Posts
- 327
Datsun 510. Stage 3 racing suspension, headers, factory tach.
I love the Datsun rankings..here in Canada, you had perforated body panels in year 2 on those vehicles!!! 
+1
Had a 92 Integra 3 door. Loved it too. Can't believe how nice was that clutch. So smooth.
My current commuter, Acura TSX, is an attempt to keep that feeling, but it lacks in some ways, and out performs in others.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 6,329
Best is surely the one you have right now given what you've learnt and evolving technology. So mine is a Peugeot 308 sportwagon diesel. Averages around 60 MPImpG highway or better, barely cresting 3000revs, enough toys and a load space of an E class in a width that can actually be parked in teeny euro parking bays. Manual of course because I like the scalding in summer/ frozen in winter feel of a polished Alu gear knob. Peugeot because I like the near certainty that something will go wrong electrical and render the wisdom of running all controls through the dash touchscreen an expensive indulgence. 
Of course I'm blasting around in Forza in a Nissan GTR or Suby Impreza WRC but driving like that best left to the virtual world.
Of course I'm blasting around in Forza in a Nissan GTR or Suby Impreza WRC but driving like that best left to the virtual world.
Best--2002 Corvette, see my avatar. Still have it with 182K miles.
Worst--1974 mercury Capri, left me stranded once with a stripped timing gear, and suspension and steering were shot at 50k miles when I traded it in.
Worst--1974 mercury Capri, left me stranded once with a stripped timing gear, and suspension and steering were shot at 50k miles when I traded it in.
2002 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab. 140K miles. Routine maintenance only.
I can't wait for it to get broken in. ;-)
I can't wait for it to get broken in. ;-)
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- Apr 27, 2017
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- 1,471
most reliable has been my 2010 tacoma -just tires and brakes once so far, currently at 180k
so reliable that while replacing the wifes Forestor (which I always found was a great ski car) we went with a hybrid Rav4 instead- not enough miles on it to know if that was smart..
but others have been more fun to drive
so reliable that while replacing the wifes Forestor (which I always found was a great ski car) we went with a hybrid Rav4 instead- not enough miles on it to know if that was smart..
but others have been more fun to drive
2009 Pontiac G8 GT. V8 powered but had cylinder displacement so it got 25 MPG on the highway. Bought it for $29k during the Carpocalypse and sold it 5 years later for $24k. Loved that car and I miss it every day.
Why did I sell it? My son was turning 16 and the googly eyes that he made at it in the driveway scared the crap out of me. I had nightmares of him wrapping it around a telephone poll doing 130. Bought him a Subaru Crosstrek with about 5 horsepower, instead. I sleep much better at night.
Why did I sell it? My son was turning 16 and the googly eyes that he made at it in the driveway scared the crap out of me. I had nightmares of him wrapping it around a telephone poll doing 130. Bought him a Subaru Crosstrek with about 5 horsepower, instead. I sleep much better at night.
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2017
- Posts
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my ski buddy replaced his rusted out 510 with a new honda accord at the same time I replaced my rusted out 68 bettle with a new scirocco.I love the Datsun rankings..here in Canada, you had perforated body panels in year 2 on those vehicles!!!
we have always maintained those new cars started to rust in the dealers show room.
2009 VW Rabbit. 5 cylinder, auto trans. When we test drove it, we looked down at the speedometer and said "oh crap, we're doing 80", didn't even realize it. At about 100K, I totally redid the suspension with Koni shocks and Brembo brakes. Handed it off to my daughter, who commuted to college with it and then drove it to Texas where she now lives. At 200K, I suggested that since she has a good job, maybe it's time to take a look at a new one rather than pay the nickel and dime repair jobs. She sold it to a friends boyfriend, who is now a VW convert.
Second best would be the 2014 TDI that replaced it...but that went with the buy back offer, so never got a chance to see how it would have been long term.
Second best would be the 2014 TDI that replaced it...but that went with the buy back offer, so never got a chance to see how it would have been long term.