what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

[TilliamWe]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

1946 Willys CJ2a (One of my old toys)
1970 Triumph Spitfire (One of my wifes old toys)
1984 VW Sirocco (first decent car I ever owned)

I've got a 53 Ford F350 that might make the list later if I ever get around to finishing it.

Wait a minute... you rag on my three favorite cars, which are all "modern", fairly well equipped, and very reliable, and this is your list? Are you kidding me? You "old" guys are so funny. You all sound like my dad. He used to talk about how hot his 1963 Olds Starfire convertible w/283 tri-power, Duntov cam, and M22 was. Then he looked up the 1/4 mile times to our 88 Mustang and realized it blew that Olds away. Stock.
To each his own, but your cars are no better than mine. Yours were your favorites, mine were mine.

 

[aspeck]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

72 Catalina Convertible ... only had it a short time because the frame and trunk floor boards were rusting away, but it was great fun while I had her.

72 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible ... That car was great fun as a senior in high school. Rest of football team kept messing with me and it was always moved after practice between trees, in the middle of a mud puddle, sideways between parked cars, etc. Would compete to see who could crawl under it and do push-ups. Blew out my left knee and couldn't push in the clutch ... time to sell the Spider and get an automatic.

76 Trans Am, 50th Anniversary Edition. Still have this one with 42,000 miles on her. Sweet car.

4th place would have been the 80 Jeep Scrambler. Man that little pick-up was a blast. Underpowered (141 Iron Duke 4cyl) rustbucket, but all kinds of fun in the woods or on the street. Hated the day I sold it, but it was either that or do major body work. Had 6 guys coming with cash in hand ... thought I overpriced it and ended up with a bidding war. Yep, fun vehicle.

 

[lakelover]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

In order of favoritism!:

1) 1996 Chev. Lumina - 209,000 miles at the end

2) 1972 Ford Custom w/ 351 V8 - just a fun car, & comfortable; big

3) Working on becoming #3 - 2005 Malibu, we'll have to see how that works out, haven't had it that long, just since May.

 

[southkogs]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

I'm thinking things peaked with the US auto industry in 1969 . . . shortly thereafter a lot of federal regulations on bumper fortification, pollution controls, mileage, etc. kicked in . . . and the automotive industry too a while to adjust. I remember not being too fond of any of the US automotive designs from the 1970's.

I'd agree mostly - Guys like Harley Earl and Ray Loewy were designing more in the 50's and 60's, but there are some pretty spectacular designs that survived into the 70's: 1973 Buick Riviera Boattail, the 70's era Stingrays, Some of the Grand Torino's for example. The late 70's TransAms are actually the ones that I like the best.

The 1970's killed American innovation off for a while, no doubt though.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

Wait a minute... you rag on my three favorite cars, which are all "modern", fairly well equipped, and very reliable, and this is your list? Are you kidding me? You "old" guys are so funny. You all sound like my dad. He used to talk about how hot his 1963 Olds Starfire convertible w/283 tri-power, Duntov cam, and M22 was. Then he looked up the 1/4 mile times to our 88 Mustang and realized it blew that Olds away. Stock.
To each his own, but your cars are no better than mine. Yours were your favorites, mine were mine.

If modern conveniences were the criteria then my list would be:
2009 Ram 1500 Crewcab
2011 Kia Optima EX
2003 Kia Sorrento

All very nice, bulletproof, comfortable, reliable cars. But all pretty forgettable over time. (FWIW I'd take the 63 Starfire over an 88 mustang any day of the week)

 

[Slip Away]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

Of the 25 cars I have owned, here are the top 3.

1968 Chrysler 300 2 door
1974 Chevy Camaro Z-28
2004 Toyota Avalon

 

[82rude]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

how about the ones we missed by that much!before i bought my superbee i was looking at a dodge with tri power for the princely sum of 4400 bucks in 76 so i passed on it.well you guessed it ,plymouth superbird!doh!all original also,double doh.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

Here are mine..
My 97 Expedition - I just loved to drive that thing. Especially in the winter - You could haul just about anything and go through about anything - dumped it at 178K
My 2004 Suburban - Simply the most versatile reliable vehicle I have had - I still have it and put 162K on it. I will drive it well over 200K I am sure. At one point I had two cars that could accomodate 9 persons each. I love the fact I can buy 10 ft pieces of lumber and haul it with out having any windows open.

This next one is a logical, not necessarily emotional choice. - My current 2009 mazda 6i Touring sedan 4cyl with 6sp manual - While I love the looks and how it is equipped, I just am not in love with it. Part of that is because I miss driving a truck (my expy). The reason it makes my list is that I bought it new and with 52K on the odo, it has not had a single issue. Not a sqeek, not a bulb, nothing. Every other new car I have bought had new car adjustment issues - squeeks, little problems, not this one.. Nothing.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

2005 Lexus GS 300, bought new and now has 150K miles on it, still drives like a brand new car and nothing ever fails on it.
2001 Chevrolet 3/4T 4WD Suburban bought new. Most comfortable seats on any vehicle I have owned.
Although I didn't have it long, a 1979 Mazda RX-7 when they first came out. I never owned a car that was so fast and got me so much attention. In 1979, it was ahead of its time.

These first two cars on this list were the last 2 new cars I have purchased. Probably will never buy another new car again.

 

[V153]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

All time best is my lil '99 Ranger. 207K & still goin' strong. Pulls my little boats wherever they need to be.

 

[sam60]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

This thread has reminded of two fine vehicles that I owned in high school and forgot about, and another word of wisdom from my Dad.

I had a '63 Olds Holiday 88, rusted out and ugly but hauled ***. The Olds was followed by a fine $100 '63 LeSabre Big Block. I put gas in it daily and 2 quarts of oil a week. The frame was so rusted that the rear shock mounts broke off. I told my dad that I needed to find a better job and get a nicer car because mine was being made fun of at school. He explained to me that my friends were driving Datsuns and old Fords which are cars and that I was driving an Automobile. :facepalm:

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

65 Comet Cyclone, 300hp 289, 4-spd, 3:89 diff. First car in high school, emptied my savings account out on the engine. Mom could not understand why, after spending that much $$$ on it the kitchen windows rattled when I went down the driveway.

64 Ford F100 shortbed, 6 cyl., 3 on the tree.

78 Malibu Classic 2 dr., 305 v-8 automatic, white with red interior, buckets and console. Gorgeous car.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

Do motorcycles count as vehicles? My 96 Harley Heritage Softtail Classic might replace one of my top 3.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

My first car was/is still my favorite. A good 'ol '81 Volvo, 2-door, 240 GL with tinted windows, mag wheels and a manually powered "moon roof". Easily capable of doing 0-60 in under 2 hrs. One of these days I'll find one and restore it to its former glory.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

My first car was/is still my favorite. A good 'ol '81 Volvo, 2-door, 240 GL with tinted windows, mag wheels and a manually powered "moon roof". Easily capable of doing 0-60 in under 2 hrs. One of these days I'll find one and restore it to its former glory.

I had one of those as well. It was a 76 and had 300K miles on it when I sold it. Very reliable but boring car.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

...reliable and boring, just like me Volvo: boxey, but good. Although, some of the new ones are down right sporty!

 

[pjitty]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

1st car 1963 Olds Starfire convertable [handled like a tug boat], 1960 Thunderbird convertable [electrical nightmare], 1990 Thunderbird Supercoupe [bad tranmission], and 1984 Trans Am [pile of crap, but was fun to drive]. With that said, I would buy any one of them again...

Joe D

 

[drrpm]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

1. 2005 BMW 330 Ci ZHP with a 6 speed manual transmission. Black Saphire with tan interior. Its fast and agile with a firm but resilient ride and gets good gas mileage @ 25.5 average in general suburban use.

2. 1992 BMW 325 IS 5 speed. Red and grey, almost as good as the 330 and was my previous favorite. I drove it for 15 years but eventually it needed more repairs than it was worth. It still ran well when I sold it.

3. 2007 Toyota Tacoma 6 speed. Blue/grey. Good ride, tows and hauls well, mileage could be better.

 

[mommicked]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

#1, 84 Toyota shortbed 4x4 that's had 33" tires and a 4" lift since I bought it in 85. It has been beyond dependable and i have about beat the crap out of it many times. It's been in 3 accidents and rolled on it's side. It's no longer pretty, but it goes anywhere I want it to.

#2 1967 Mercury Cougar w a hotroded 66 289 motor, 4 speed Toploader and inline Hurst Ramrod Shifter, Way too loud and fun to drive and snatch all the gears.

#3 1982 Toyota Corolla hatchback 5 speed w the 3tc motor, I was the third owner and it just ran and ran and ran, 225k when I gave it to my brother, and it was stolen months later and never found. Great handling, driving car w plenty of power and good mpg.

 

[mscher]

Re: what are the three top favorite vehicles you have ever owned???

98' Nissan Pathfinder (14 years same coolant, never touched the engine, except for plugs, finally needs a clutch at 171K miles)
80' Toyota truck (owned for 16 years repainted twice)
01 Siverado 1500 (purchased 2 years ago with 161k miles)