I was reading top gear magazine a few weeks ago, and James may posed the question:
you can have any car you want, but it has to last you the rest of your life.
this is a really age dependant question as if your 95 you could have a veyron, but if your 17, im not sure a veyron will last you. thinking about
availability of parts, you dont want something unpopular or rare. but nobody wants to drive a focus for the rest of their life. im also going to
pretend petrol or diesel will be around forever
my own theory on the matter is you would be better going for something from the 80's, no ecu and few electricals will make life a lot easier, but
you have a 20 year old car already.
what do other people think?
Volvo V70R
To see me to the end of my days?
Audi Q5 TDi Quattro Automatic.
Easy to get in / out of... robust... all-season capability... easy to drive... reasonably economic.
Some sort of mercedes saloon I guess - I know an old boy who started driving in 1947 and is only on his 3rd car(all mercs). I think the first one
lasted 27 years/400k, the second was 'only' 25yrs/380k and the current one's still new at 13 yrs old (10 years of his ownership)(E320).
All of them were used when he bought them, and he often tows a big caravan/small sailing boat.
Regards
Hugh
You need something that will last forever. that you can fix yourself and runs on anything.
I maintain a 50 year old aircraft. The only complication in engine management is a mechanical injection pump (totally unobtainable but someone with
skill could machine all of the parts), spark is by magneto. Anyone of a certain age with experience of old motorbikes would have no problem with the
engine. Downside is it's as rare as rare and no bits are available. Art the other extreme, my modern diesel car would fit the bill but it's
stuffed with fragile electronics and won't run on anything except pump diesel.
I would suggest a mechanical diesel, no fancy electronics at all, you could always run it on veg oil or some home-brew bio.
So a brand new 20 year old Mercedes? There must be some lying around!
Audi A6 TDI avant with all the trimming ( extras)
535D touring
one car as in the only car, like mad max, or one car when everyone else has one too?
Having to make replacement parts would sway the decision, otherwise anything new and german
VW beetle bought a new one in '71 and kept it for 30 years, only terminal rust forced me to sell it.
Would buy a new or 100% rust free one again in an instant.
Sure.. noisy, cramped and smelly but it NEVER let me down.. and I tried :-)
Surely this is Mercedes 190 territory?
XJ6 series 1
Jaguar XJC 4.2 manual in BRG
quote:
Originally posted by alistairolsen
one car as in the only car, like mad max, or one car when everyone else has one too?
Having to make replacement parts would sway the decision, otherwise anything new and german
If your considering availability of parts you need to stick to mainstream, popular but with something that will keep petrolheads interested (ie racing
/ rallying).
So in the 1970's the escort would have been the perfect choice. Now ..... scooby from when they where still rallying?
Personally, i'd take a ford mondeo. A brand new one should get 20 years service (which means i'm 57) without too much trouble, 30 may push
it. The number they've made and the number of cars with the mechanicals means that parts shouldn't be too much of a problem till later on in
its life.
What i'd like to have is a top spec german barge .... but suspect the mondeo is the wiser choice.
The other alternative is to get a mk2 escort. Yep, its already old but if you get a pristine one then you know you can still get the mechanicals.
Stock pile them and drive on for another 30 years with no electronics to worry about.
wrx,... on my 5th they have all done over 90,000 and none have let me down, will tow, and the wagon has space for "stuff"
reliable is good,
well thats an easy one... my 7 ofcourse and im only 26 ...only another 60 years or so on the road 
If it purely on any choice I would have an E90 M5, quick, comfy, big enough.
If i had to consider all the other sensible options then it would have to be a Passat Tdi or a mondeo tdci.
I think I may already have it
A4 Avant 3litre TDI quattro - with loads of bells and whistles
I decided on just this strategy in 1993 when I had enough of cars losing 50% of their value in 3 years. I reasoned that if I bought a car that would
last forever then it would never depreciate.
After much consideration I decided that it would have to be 1) of reliable high quality build 2) exciting enough to keep my interest, and 3) Timeless
classic looks that wouldn't age.
I bought a Mercedes 300 SL with the new 24 valve engine which fitted all the criteria. I still have it after 18 years and 165k miles.
But... I am a bit bored with it and it is now worth about 1/10th of what I paid for it. So I am caught in a classic Catch22. I don't really use
it and it is currently sitting under a car cover in the barn, but I can't sell it as I would realise the horrendous depreciation I was trying to
avoid.
Hence the fact I am building my 7esque.
MK 1 Escort Mexico
Manual DB7 for me, early one straight 6 supercharged.
Okay its an XKR jag in a pretty body, but that suits me just fine
The car I have now would be a good candidate for me. RX7 FD3S chassis so quite a plasing shape, well engineered with 50/50 balance and double wishbone
suspension all round. Mostly stripped out but not totally bare. The engine is an unstressed large capacity LS1 with long service intervals and
standard PCM (ECU). Plenty of power and torque so can be driven sedately or spirited depending on the mood. The engine going on previous Chevy V8s
should be supported for decades hopefully anyway.
Only the cost of fuel and taxation will spoil all that!
what about modifed / moderised classics ?
I recon I can do something that ticks most of these boxes with the scimitar I've got in the shed (I was given it for free as a project)
as a standard car its got loads of issues - but with a few tweaks I recon its got the potential (also it tax exempt 
)
I'd love a mk2 escort (obviously an RS1800 would be ideal) but good rot free ones go for scary money 
[Edited on 16/3/2011 by mcerd1]
Probably a MK2 Jetta 16v GTi
Fun, soild, practical, reliable.
My current ride Range Rover Sport.
nearly all the above cars will be dead of rust before i plan on dying - statistically ive got 50 years left. You need something totally modular where
the chassis itself can be bought new and replaced, with a touch of waxoyl odding in.
Landrover a good start?
quote:
Originally posted by dave
My current ride Range Rover Sport.
How much can we do to it with it still counting as the same car?
I'd want a T Bucket or a Duece Coupe, and just replace anything that went on it as you can pretty much get all the components brand new and
it's already a full on Classic.
My thrid candidate would be a Facel Vega Excellence but I think I'd have to employ a team of skilled people to keep it going.
quote:
Originally posted by RickRick
535D touring
My E39 530 Sport is as near to perfection as there is!
Heres mine
Image deleted by owner
quote:
I think I may already have it
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
i bet its cheap to run, but i'd rather not look like i'm driving something that got produced from a giant birds chuff earlier in the day.
Early 90's Toyota Hilux if it needs to be indestructible. Classic mini or MGB according to taste if you want to buy parts forever.
Audi RS4 avant,will do me just fine.
Andy
quote:
Originally posted by lotusmadandy
Audi RS4 avant,will do me just fine.
Andy
quote:
Originally posted by carpmart
My E39 530 Sport is as near to perfection as there is!
quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
If your considering availability of parts you need to stick to mainstream, popular but with something that will keep petrolheads interested (ie racing / rallying).
So in the 1970's the escort would have been the perfect choice. Now ..... scooby from when they where still rallying?
Personally, i'd take a ford mondeo. A brand new one should get 20 years service (which means i'm 57) without too much trouble, 30 may push it. The number they've made and the number of cars with the mechanicals means that parts shouldn't be too much of a problem till later on in its life.
What i'd like to have is a top spec german barge .... but suspect the mondeo is the wiser choice.
The other alternative is to get a mk2 escort. Yep, its already old but if you get a pristine one then you know you can still get the mechanicals. Stock pile them and drive on for another 30 years with no electronics to worry about.
I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the London Taxi, they're made to last 500k miles.
Not read all the thead, but surely a landrover defender, simple, loads of spares, and LR will probably be still making them!
quote:
Originally posted by MK9R
Not read all the thead, but surely a landrover defender, simple, loads of spares, and LR will probably be still making them!