(Update: It’s a treat reading all of your responses so far; what a remarkable diversity of readers and their rides. Thank you all for sharing; it means a lot to me to get to know some of you a bit better. I’m going to leave this post at the top of the home page for a few days, so keep them coming!)
It’s a lovely Sunday for a virtual open house. We have about a quarter million readers drop by every month, so maybe at least 0.1% (250 or so) of you might like to stop and say hi and tell us what’s currently in your fleet, and maybe where you hail from? And anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself. Or about CC. Here’s our chance to get to know each other a little better as well as well as anything else you’d like to share.
You all know the Niedermeyer fleet pretty well by now. I’m just about to get into the old Ford F100 and haul a giant load of weeds and brush to the wood recycling yard, and return with a load of compost for the veggie garden. The ’77 Dodge Chinook hasn’t been out on the road since the summer before last, but it doubles as emergency guest quarters when the need arises. The Acura TSX wagon has been a champ, and is a dream on longer trips and gobbles the miles and curves. And the Xb is perfect for in-town errands and short haul trips on rough forest roads. They’re all very different, but each plays its role well; keepers all.
Your turn.
Still got my 98 Citroen Xsara turbo diesel it recently got fed new glowplugs and a starter motor, it does the daily drive duties.
My 59 3a Hillman Minx is still here it recently did a trip over the mountain ranges to Taupo for the club AGM and handled the highway easily and did daily work drive duties while the Xsara was being repaired, I also aquired a 74 Hillman Hunter wagon for mechanical upgrades to the Minx auto adjusting rear brakes power booster etc.
I am from Germany and my fleet – including my wife’s cars – consists of my 2014 Ford Focus ST, my 1982 Porsche 944, my wife’s 2012 Ford Kuga and her 1977 Ford Escort. CC is one of my favourite sites, so keep up the fine work!
A 2003 Toyota Matrix, and a 2015 Mazda 3.
My fleet…or rather, duo: a 2002 dark green metallic SWB Toyota Land Cruiser 90-series 3.0 D4D with a 5 speed manual and a saddle-bronze metallic 1969 Plymouth Barracuda 340 Formula S with a TF 727.
I’m 49 years old and I come (or hail) from the Netherlands.
This site is, by a huge margin, the very best car-related website I ever came across. With contributors and commenters from all over the world, truly unique !
Thanks for that, and all the best to all of you.
So that’s what it looks like. Very nice.
+1, I hardly ever see a 67/69 at shows or in magazines.My brother had a 69 for a few weeks until he lost his storage and had to move to somewhere with space for 1 car and 1 bike
Ditto here. Further up north in my country is a pony- and muscle car specialist. While they have been selling and restoring plenty of E-body Barracudas and Challengers (they end up all over Europe), the previous A-body Barracudas are extremely rare. Never saw one in their showroom, or found one on their website’s “Sold” list.
The 1968 and 1969 Dodge Chargers seem to be the most popular, and generally sell very fast. Often before they even hit the shore.
I’ve shot a rough ’68 in Eugene and then just shot a splendid 340 Formula S when we were down in the Bay Area, so a CC on these terrific cars is way overdue.
Johannes, your car is exceptionally beautiful, and is shown to best effect in that photograph. It made my heart stop for a moment.
Beautiful car, great color.
Ditto, very nice
Beautiful – another Barr-A-cuda fan here.
Lovely Barracuda! I’ve always thought the styling of these to have a certain grace that the first and third-gen cars lack, even if those do have charms of their own (like the huge glass on the 1st-gen and the legendary aggression of the E-body). Nice, uncommon color as well.
A 69 Formula S Barracuda is one of my dream cars and has been since 1969; a friend had one then, and I have been in love ever since.
Wow man….that fish is a beauty! I love the color. Ive always thought Mopar A bodies and slot mag wheels were made for one another.
Thanks guys, for all the compliments. The car was imported from LeNoir City TN, in november 2010. It was in the showroom of a classic car dealer. Its full restoration was completed in 2006.
You really get used to the typical Mopar power steering, yet for a more than 45 year old car its handling and road manners are more than satisfactory on our quite narrow and bendy roads. No white knuckles here, and a very stable ride on the freeway.
The rebuilt 340 engine is stock, except for the Orange Box, and that includes the Carter AVS 4bbl carb. The only thing we had to do, was to advance the timing quite firmly.
If you got a few minutes to spare you can have a closer look here. My brother made the video just after the car had arrived.
The rest of your fleet’s not bad either! 😉
Wow….most impressive, man. That car sounds sweet, and is at least as nice as when it left the showroom floor and its about the ideal setup. For making your friends drool, a B or E body running the Hemi would be the knee jerk choice. But for a car I actually want to drive on the road and savor the flavor, yours seems just about perfect. Thanks for sharing, J.D. What a treat to see and hear that beast snarl.
Beautiful! A 340 A body from the late 60s. Just in case you are wondering, it would be tough to trump that experience no matter where in the world you might be.
Second half of the sixties: The Chrysler Group’s all-time peak ? I mean quality- and engineering wise.
I’ve read (a bit) about their “ups and downs”, since they started building cars. I wonder what their absolute “up”-era was.
Absolutely gorgeous! Love the color!
That beautiful car certainly reminds me of my old 67 383 4-speed Barracuda fastback. Mine was medium metallic blue on black, with chrome wheels.
Haha, my girfriend was making fun of me the other day for calling it “my fleet”. I’ve got a 2000 XJ cherokee 4.0 2wd which is my daily driver/work truck, 1987 chevy caprice classic rat rod w the 305, and a 1976 Honda cb750f.
As for my feelings on the site, well it is the first thing that comes up in my browser when I type in “www” sooooo…
Why not go all the way, and make this your home page? 😉
Our two person family has 5 registered and insured vehicles here in Murrayville Ga., about 50 miles north of Atlanta:
My daily driver is a 2009 BMW 335i sedan with a JB4 tuner pulling 15+ PSI of boost.
My wife Janet drives a 2011 Infiniti G37 coupe.
We also have a 2001 GMC Sonoma super cab with a topper on the bed.
Next is a 1985 GMC S-15 used for brush removal around our property and when an open bed is needed.
Last is a 2006 Harley Davidson Super Glide Custom.
Not for the road is a recently purchased Cub Cadet XT1 GT50.
Yes, our local tag office and insurance company both love us.
Fortunately, I’m able to do about 98% of all maintenance and repairs, and am lucky to have a well equipped heated and air conditioned shop building.
For almost 40 years I was a loyal GM guy in spite of that corporations stupid/evil behavior over the years. I fired them when they killed Pontiac (my favorite brand). Not too long ago, I would have never expected to have Japanese and German hot rods in our garage. I suppose times, people and circumstances change.
Except for my pickup, I realize there are articles on everything I own. But here’s a rundown again, with a few more specifics.
2014 VW Passat with the 1.8T engine. It currently has 8,900 miles. It has never returned less than 30 mpg with a high of 36.3 mpg. Wonderful car.
2007 Ford F-150 Supercrew with the 4.6 liter engine and four-wheel drive. It rolled over 116,000 miles last weekend. It’s easy to see why crew cab pickups are as popular as they are after owning this one since 2012.
2000 Ford E-150 van equipped with a 5.4 liter engine. The drivetrain is the only redeeming feature of this rolling tub. 🙂 It has 112,000 miles.
1963 Ford Galaxie 500 with the 352 cubic inch, 5.8 liter engine. It recently rolled over 77,000 miles – we’ll be seeing it here again.
While having grown up in extreme southern Illinois, I have lived in Missouri since 1992, having lived in Rolla, Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau, St. Joseph, Hannibal, and Jefferson City now for the second time.
Stumbling onto CC in October 2011, I submitted my first article in February 2012. I have no clue how many I have now written other than a bunch.
Jason, can we get an article in which you clarify your exact feelings about the van? 🙂
Yeah, stop holding back and sugarcoating your feelings.
If I were to say anything nice about the van, nobody would believe it.
My mixed bag fleet:
1997 Outback Limited. 200k miles, the dog/camping/yardwork car. My truck
2005 Volvo V70R- 30k miles. Purchased in 2008 off lease with only 27k miles to replace the Outback. Decided it was in way too nice of shape to subject it to that, so now it’s my nice day/Cars & Coffee cruiser.
2013 Nissan Altima- The DD. Very good at what it does; supremely comfortable, quiet, and averages 37 mpg mixed driving.
1994 Chevrolet Beretta- My first car, just never let it go. It just received a new engine (GM 3100 made it to 181k mi, with alot of teenage abuse…). Also rather pristine for what it is; definitely a labor of love over sense.
[URL=http://s216.photobucket.com/user/cgaultokstate/media/myfleet.png.html][IMG]http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc259/cgaultokstate/myfleet.png[/IMG][/URL]
2013 Mercedes Benz E350 and 2005 Chevrolet Impala. My special occasion with valet car, and my trusty daily driver. I love them both in different ways. I’m a 36-year old single professional in Atlanta and this website is my favorite after work relaxation technique. I’ve learned so much on here, thanks to all the brilliant commentary and articles. Well done, my friends. Keep it up!
This old SAAB and a Fiesta ST. Planning on consolidating this year.
From the home of AMC, Kenosha, Wisconsin:
*2009 Mercury Mariner (New to the fleet; replaces the totalled Mazda5)
*2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser (manual)
*1994 Isuzu Pickup (infamous for its complete lack of options)
*2000 Kawasaki 500R Ninja
2012 Ford Fusion. I don’t really have a fleet anymore. Never really did. The most I had insured at one time was a k-car, van, and CRX, but that was during a transitional time during my 4th year at uni.
Instead of talking about a fleet, I thought I’d briefly mention cars I’ve owned in my relatively shorter driving career. I’ve had a 1970 Chevrolet Impala, 1989 Plymouth Reliant, 1989 3/4 ton Club Wagon, 1991 Honda CRX, 2003 Mercedes C230, and 2011 Ford Ranger.
Have to say, besides my current vehicle, if I could go back in time and bring back a vehicle it would be the Ford Club Wagon. I absolutely loved that truck. And it was a truck. A brutish softie with all the luxuries of the XLT designation. Anyway, it drank fuel at the rate of 11 mpg, so it became impractical at a time when gas prices were steadily rising in the early 2000s. It had the fuel injected 5.8 and 3 speed automatic combo (C6?) which I thought was odd since the 4 speed was available and it was the top line model. I believe it had a 3.55 rear as it did have a balanced sort of spunk to it. It was owned by a senior care facility so I knew it had routine maintenance as well as it was required to pass government inspection indicated by the current CVI (commercial vehicle inspection) decal on it when I bought it. In British Columbia, only vehicles used for commercial/social work, etc. purposes require yearly government inspection.
So… why not the Merc? Repair bills.
I’ve been reading this website for a while, but just started writing last month or so. Needless to say, I’ve come to love Curbside Classic and its articles.
Anyhow, I live now in Northern Virginia, and my current vehicles are:
1) 1995 Ford Thunderbird (wrote about this car here recently),
2) 2006 Ford Crown Victoria (hope to write about it soon),
3) 2010 Honda Odyssey (we put most of our mileage on this car — long trips halfway across the country!).
I’m a litigation attorney in Manhattan splitting time between my apartment in Turtle Bay and, especially in the summer, my parents’ house in eastern coastal Connecticut where I grew up.
I have two old cars which I refer to as the “Armada”, being almost 40 feet and 9,000 odd points of steel, cast iron, glass, rubber, and fake wood trim:
1977 Buick Electra 225 4 door sedan. 85,000 miles. Dark green with tan cloth interior, 350 Buick V8.
1975 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency, 4 door hardtop, 71,000 miles, powder blue with navy pillowtop velour interior, 455 Olds V8.
I alternate between keeping one in my storage space in CT and my parking space in NYC. They aren’t daily driven but are driven once or twice a week and almost every weekend in the summer. I tend to switch them out every 3 weeks or so.
I found CC in summer 2012 looking for a no-longer extant article I had seen on a site called Beater Review regarding a Cadillac Brougham (I once owned a 1987 model). Instead, I found JPCavanaugh’s excellent write-up, and was hooked from there. I’ve contributed an article on the Buick, and will eventually do so on the Olds. I’d also like to do a NYC walkabout as my neighborhood in Manhattan is full of CCs.
I used to read Beaterreview as well. Clunkbucket.com wasn’t bad either. CC pretty much easily surpasses both but combines some of their elements.
Here are two shots of the Armada at large in the wild. The Olds is parked at a motel on our road trip together. The Buick is shown in Manhattan, where I found a ’91-’96 Roadmaster wagon to park it in front of. Recently, I’ve seen a 90s Park Avenue parked there as well, and am hoping for a day when I can catch them with an open spot and line all 3 up.
The Olds just received new fender fillers and is having an ignition issue, but hopefully will be fixed soon, in time for a fresh paint job this fall (original color).
Great cars. I dig the Olds- it reminds me of one that used to drive all around Snohomish, same powder blue color. Always liked the Ninety Eights the best of the GM luxury cars.
’86 Jetta GL 4 door sunroof bought in ’91 from original owner with 100k miles. 5 speed, AC, PS. Now at 305k miles, original paint and interior have held up well, except for headliner. Was my drive to work car until the end of ’08 when a layoff ended the daily grind and allowed me to take care of my aging parents, Mom died in 2010 and Dad in 2013, and now manage my 2 rentals at a more relaxed pace. ’04 Nissan Titan is my landlord duties and road trip cruiser, only has a little over 14k miles since purchased new and still looking almost new. Even still has original battery! ’85 Yamaha 700 Maxim, bought used in ’94, now at 74k miles and needing tires and battery. All still have their original engines and transmissions. Yamaha got new paint and seat recover in ’98 and still looking good. Moved from Southern California to present location in Vancouver in ’97. Lived in Portland from ’61-’67 and always wanted to come back. Been a CC fan since the TTAC days. Enjoy keeping my “fleet” maintained, haven’t seen a repair shop in many years except for tires.
1991 Volvo 240 5-speed, 160,000 or so miles. Was my dd since I got it in 2009; now, not so much, but she always starts right up even after sitting for two weeks. Needs the exhaust re-hung because replacement is way too tight and it hits the floor all the time, and the shop that did it is inconveniently 1500 miles away. Some day I’ll fix that, but not today.
2014 BMW 335i 6-speed, factory ordered to exact spec, Msport, Mperformance upgrade, now you know why I don’t drive the Volvo very much anymore. Had it almost exactly one year, but barely 6500 miles because I travel so much for work.
Is that lovely looking Volvo Eggshell White or that Tan some of them were painted? Cannot imagine finding a 5 speed is all that easy. Hope the AC is not outdone by the Georgia climate. Good choice on the license plate by the way, I find the other option to be too busy.
Too many cars:
2000 Mercedes-Benz ML320, black, 190k miles
2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320, black, 180k (the twins)
1994 Isuzu Trooper, beige, 91k
2002 Ford Focus, red, 130k
Still always looking for more cars though it seems!
I’m rolling in a 2014 Honda CRV and my wife just bought a new Beetle TDI, in old school baby blue. This is the first car she has ever bought that I like. I am one of four people who have fond memories of a MK IV Jetta – no big problems with mine and VW really does make a nice driving car, especially in TDI form.
67 Mercury Cougar — in pieces and for sale.
81 Chrysler Imperial — next LeMons race car.
90 Mazda Miata — rust-free car I’ll never sell.
95 Ford Probe — current LeMons race car.
03 Ford F150 — tow vehicle for race cars.
15 Ford Mustang — DD.
90 Honda Nighthawk 550 — haven’t ridden it in three years, don’t want to part with it yet.
Here’s a couple of them together:
Nice job on the Probe!
’81 Imperial Lemons car? Wow, impressive. Though I can’t decide if that’s the greatest idea ever, or kind of a shame to take one of the few remaining ones off the road…
If it wasn’t roadworthy anyway, then obviously the only option left is greatest idea ever.
Thanks John!
Chris — LOL! I’ve always really liked this gen Imperial, and there has never been an Imperial in LeMons, so it’s a natural fit. It runs well and the body is solid, but the red interior was incredibly nasty — it had so much mold/mildew that the back seat was greenish white. Truly disgusting. Good thing that I would’ve stripped the interior anyway, but none of this interior was salvageable or saleable. I figure LeMons was this car’s only chance to stretch it’s legs again and rack up some fun miles!
My fleet currently includes:
2010 Mustang GT. Kona blue, saddle interior, 6 speed.
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. Wife’s car and family transporter.
1996 Buick Roadmaster wagon. 94k mi, white with wood delete option. Project supply hauler and highway cruiser.
I live in the beautiful, scenic little town of Houston, Texas and am a firefighter/paramedic for the fire department. It’s a decent city for curbside classics. Not as good as most of the west coast, but probably better than most of the rust belt. I’ve been a regular reader and occasional commenter since just before CC moved from TTAC. Love the site, but I find I often spend too much time on it. Please make it less interesting!
You know most of my fleet –
2014 Chrysler 300C AWD, rolling up the miles without any issues
2002 Porsche 996, coming up on 78,000 miles now and probably looking at new brakes and suspension soon, may be needing a radiator as well unless it’s just AC condensate that drips every now and again…
2011 XX xx – The wife’s transport which need to do a COAL on soon seeing as how we’ve had it for almost a year and a half now, it replaced the 2012 Touareg TDI.
I spent my first 12 years in Germany, the next 28 in Southern and Northern California and now Northern Colorado for the last five. I still spend way too much time reading CC (and was reading PN’s articles on TTAC before that.) and after my COALman turn trying to find more time to write more soon and more consistently. Interesting pictures keep piling up on my memory cards…
Me and my wife (plus two kids) currently own three:
Renault Clio III – as a daily driver
VW Golf VI Variant – for family trips
VW Golf III GTI 16v – as a future classic (although thinking about using it as a normal car replacing Clio)
We live in Cracow, Poland
Our little fleet consists of a 2010 Edge which is a great car for cross country driving trips now that we are retired. It replaced a 97 Voyager. Would have gotten another mini van but they have become too large for the two of us. Next is my DD an 02 PT Cruiser with a stick. Rust is becoming its enemy here in salty NE Illinois. But I drive so few miles in it now that I’m retired I can’t justify replacing it until something big blows up. Last but not least is our 64 Chevy Impala we have had for over 20 yrs. It was a real rat when I bought it in NC. But is a nicely rebuilt and refinished car for enjoyable cruises now.
The currant “fleet”:
1984 300SD Turbo
1990 300E
1998 Ford Home Schooler Van, 14 passenger plus driver, that is if you wish to leave the parking space. If you have a 15 passenger you’re not going anywhere…
2002 Kia Rio art car, “Carasaurus”
They were many that had to be passed on….
Oh dear!
Here goes;
1968 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 Fleetwood 60 Special
1971 Eldo Ragtop
1973 Eldo Ragtop
1973 CDV
1973 C10 6/standard
2x 1975 Chev Monte Carlo’s
1975 SDV
1976 SDV
1978 Belair
2x 1979 CDV
1981 CDV
1981 Fleetwood 4dr
1982 Buick Lesabre 4dr
1983 Olds 98 4dr
1984 Pontiac Parisienne
1985 C/Vic 351W
1990 G/Marquis (my old man’s last car)
2002 Focus wagon 5spd aka “The Frog”
All are “drivers”, and definitely not show cars. The Frog is the expendable daily driver. Currently out and about are the ’69, the 75 M/C, the 75 SDV, and the truck. I will probably end up on an episode of Hoarders, unless I falter and the cats eat me first.
I think you win!
That’s like two blocks of (awesome) cars!
I envy the fact that you have enough space to store that fleet! Are they all roadworthy? Though I imagine just maintenance takes up more time than many “projects”…
I also wasn’t aware there was still a Bel Air in ’78, thought that nameplate died at downsizing. Love gaining new bits of trivia like the fact that it still existed. Must be a rare car!
Canadian
Yes, the short answer is a large shed, with each car oil sprayed to avoid moisture creeping up from the floor. The Bel Air is second on the right. Unfortunately no power, and long Ontario winters force storage for almost six months.
Belair and Grandad Marquis
I’ve always admired the clean lines of the Belair. It is equipped with a 305 2bbl, THM350, PS, PB, AM radio and rear de-fogger. It is really a solid car, but really needs a new coat of paint to look good again.
Serious envy
Sounds like Heaven!
The current project is the ’75 SDV
Amazing all those cars survived to 2015 especially in Ontario.
Met a fellow in Ennis, MT who owns a 1958 Chevrolet Delray which they say is a former rental car and the 1950s version of a 2005 Chevy Classic.
Fleet!
I live in Glasgow, Scotland, drive Mercedes Sprinters for a living and have had various driving jobs in the past (and non-driving ones too).
We have a rusty 2004 Mazda 2 as our family car, and I’ve started commuting to work on my wife’s rustier 2003 Yamaha SR125.
Did not realize Scotland allowed rusty vehicles on their roadways since I never see any on TV.
You been watching Outlander? 😉 Mazda passed its MOT test yesterday with advisories on rusty coil springs and brake pipes.
Just surface rust on the body really. Not bad enough to notice on TV 🙂
Never heard of that until now. Just from watching Midsomer Murders, Top Gear United Kingdom, Rosemary & Thyme, and some other TV shows I never see any rusty vehicles so I figured rust holes were frowned upon. When there has been a rusty vehicle on Top Gear MOT failure is usually mentioned.
Yeah, it will fail on suspension mounts etc – anything structural. Anything jagged on the body which would slice open a pedestrian is also frowned upon.
I’m amazed when I go to Minnesota and see cars which are more rust than steel, and my favourite is where they seem to have hacked rusty wheelarches and other bodywork off with a can opener, leaving razor sharp edges.
My car doesn’t actually have holes in it. You’re right in thinking that most people here drive relatively shiny cars. Every other 2004 Mazda 2 I see on the road is totally rust free.
1992 Custom Cruiser white on blue. 46 k on the odometer.
Love it!
My friend drove one just like that in high school, except his had over 200K on the odometer. Also we appear to have similar names. Coincidence? Hmm.
Very nice Custom Cruiser though! 307 or 350?
Be still my heart. Very nice.
My, my. Great idea to do an intro round for everyone, I often wonder who is behind those internet handles, who comes here, stays here.
As for me: I’m a 28-year-old recent international law graduate (it took its time) from Maastricht, the Netherlands. NL is a small country, many other countries are almost literally within a stone’s throw, and my current living situation (inner city) makes owning a car more of a burden than a blessing. My fleet therefore currently consists of an older mountainbike, an ’80s racing bike and a train discount card, although I do drive cars frequently.
Nonetheless, the curiosity for and love of those four-wheeled freedom cans has always been with me and will stay so in the future. It is just that, the world that even the tiniest shitbox can open, that makes me love or at the very least appreciate every car made. Certainly, fast sports cars, and the adrenaline kick they give you when driving one are brilliant, but it’s the ordinary, workaday cars that are within arm’s length for most people, and that create that teensy bit of personal space to travel in, wherever you’d want to go, are the one that I value the most. That appreciation for every car, no matter its heritage, and the tons of information, is why I keep coming back here.
I once stumbled onto this site when looking for information on the Omnirizon (imagine), and stayed for the sheer information archive and the clear enthusiasm in each article. There is so much I learned about many cars here, some of which I barely registered the existence of before. Sure, some cars are not everyone’s cup of tea, I’m not fond of Broughams, but the fact that one can easily have a well-informed chat about them without getting hostile, that is what I enjoy about this place.
Thanks and keep up the good work! I have only published an article once here, although I’m sitting on a few half-finished ones. I’ll finish them, but there is a standard to live up to here!
Three cars in our fleet, or four – depending how you’re counting.
At my address in southern Australia:
2000 Mitsubishi Verada (Diamante in US), gold, with 320,000km on the clock, and just starting to get a bit ticky in the valve department. Very comfortable. Jane’s everyday car for the 50km work commute. The main car for hot weather (best A/C) and cold weather (best heater too!).
2005 Mazda 3 Maxx Sport hatchback, blue, coming up to 200,000km. My everyday drive. I’m retired, and just keep fairly close to home these days. It’s good for picking up stuff from the farm supplies and hardware stores, and taking stuff for recycling – yeah, I use it like a pickup! It’s also the family car for in-between weather. Enough oomph, but I wish it didn’t feel quite so heavy to drive. Clutch is going out – we’ll see what that costs!
2006 Honda Jazz VTi-R, in Very Bright Yellow! Our daughter’s car, but she doesn’t drive much. 130,000km and no problems.
Elsewhere:
The ’84 Suzuki Swift has been seconded to my brother-in-law’s farm in southern NSW, where it comes in handy as an economical go-to-town runabout, and for teaching the grandkids to drive. Probably just over 100,000km by now – low mileage! Had the head gasket done about fifteen years ago after sitting almost unused for a few years, but has given no trouble since.
It’s not a proper Mitsubishi if the valves don’t tick. We had the same shape (a Magna) for a while and it also was the car of choice for actually getting places. Mitsubishe hasn’t got a great rep here in NZ, but in my experience they’ve been robust and competent
1978 Mini 1275 GT.
2010 Mitsubishi Outlander.
The mini is my wife’s daily driver. A bit tatty in places but fast and fun!
Sweet!
Did not realize the Mini was given such a facelift.
They gave it the boxy front end to update it for the 70s and called it “Clubman”. They now use that for the wagon, which originally were either “Countryman” or “Traveller” depending if they were Austin or Morris.
The original front was kept on the van, pickup and base model, and outlasted the facelift. Also outlasted the Metro which was supposed to replace it.
Was that Mini built in NZ? I notice it doesn’t have the flush door handles like the Aussie one.
The Mini was assembled in NZ from CKD packs from the UK. Hence no NZ-assembled models had the flush handles. Despite us getting more models than anywhere else in the world (15 variants in 1969 says Donn Anderson in Mini Down Under: 50 Years of the Mini in New Zealand), demand was greater than the assembly plant (in Petone) could keep up with. Hence plenty of Aussie-built models were imported through the 60s and 70s to supplement the NZ-assembled models. The flush handles always give away the Aussie-built ones.
It was a bit polarising when they did it, and ultimately the “classic” front won out as tonito points out. Personally I like both. In theory you get a bit more room in the engine bay but actually it’s identically cramped at the back and sides so unless you’re swapping in a VTEC it’s not really an advantage.
And just to prove I’m ambidextrous about mini styles, here’s the last photo I took of our last one. It was a sad day…
The Clubman front met the ADR crash standards where the original failed so the OZ versions used Clubman front sheetmetal, NZ had no such design regulations.
Here in bumper-to-bumper Vancouver, the garage is:
My trusty 2000 Acura TL. It now has 130,000 km on it,and it is now in secondary duty. I want to keep it nice and it is heavy on premium fuel, so it is now reserved for Annie to drive. We will take it to the Rockies this August, however, and I am looking forward to that.
A little over a month ago, I finally leased a little city car to bomb around in. I got a stripper 2015 Kia Rio LX manual. It drove a lot of cars while shopping, and in all honesty this was the only car that shouted “take me home!” It drives and handles much better than I thought it would. I corners flat as a sports car, has plenty of power (138 hp in a 2500 lb car), a close ratio six speed manual and four wheel disk brakes. The flexibility of modern engines, and efficiency, is really impressive. I mean, cheap car has GDI, CVVT and variable intake manifold. The lease rate was 0% and the residual absurdly high, so it cost peanuts to run. So far it averages 7.9 L/100 km in city traffic, which I consider excellent.
Those bargain leases can be excellent ideas. Isn’t it amazing how far Kia has come?
From Glasgow, Scotland.
2014 Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC ES (Manual!)
2014 Audi Q3 2.0 TDI (177) Quattro S-Line S-Tronic (the number of descriptors here amuses me)
Looking at adding something fun since the newly-qualified young driver in the house has annexed the Honda.
I’m a 57 year old bird watching vegetarian spinster and live in South East England. I haven’t got a car right now as I have no garage space and don’t really need one. I like Curbside Classics when a car I’ve never heard of turns up or it’s a favourite of mine(the big 6 cylinder British Fords and Vauxhalls,Euro American exotics and American cars from 1955 – 70). I love Roger’s pieces on cars from when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s,(even the BL abominations), cars my teachers and parents drove that were common place then.I also enjoy Australian and other “parallel universe” cars.
1977 Mercedes Benz W116 280SE
I live in the inner suburbs of Melbourne and use my feet and public transport to get around. The MB gets used a couple of times a week.
I kept coming across CC on random internet car searches. It took me a while to get a handle on the CC thing; it was Paul’s articles on the influence on the Florida and the Corvair on car styling that gave me the confidence to start writing myself.
The commentariat blows me away here. Knowledgable, well-mannered, international. No other site has a comment stream like this one. Some others come close, but this place feels like a great chat around a table. Sometimes I just love to lurk through comments about which I have so little knowledge. When a bunch of commenters are discussing the run-out versions of the 396 I just sit back and enjoy the arcana.
Thanks so much Paul.
“No other site has a comment stream like this one.”
Go to TTAC Don. Many of the commentators here were/are veterans from over there.
Were I came from, your Benz was called the “tiburon” (shark). Next gen was the “ballena” (whale).
My fleet includes the following:
* 1968 Dodge Monaco 4-dr hardtop, my personal favorite that I like to drive as much as possible in the summer. Going to roll the odometer over soon.
* 1972 Plymouth Valiant Scamp, a car I picked up 4 years ago since it was so close to my dreams of a Duster, but honestly I prefer the Scamp given it’s higher level of rarity by comparison.
* 1997 Dodge Neon Highline, my original high school car. It’s painted up in hemi orange so it really turns heads for just being a Neon.
* 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport, I primarily drive it in winter. It has the 4.0L, 5-spd and 4WD. It’s seen better days as the typical Jeep rust takes hold, I have cranked it past 200,000 miles already though.
*2006 Jeep Liberty Sport, I bought it with the original intent to replace the Cherokee. Though ironically the Cherokee has proven itself to still be more fun to drive and dependable.
Other than that I call Wisconsin, USA home. I used to work for John Deere making their gators and lawn tractors but have since moved onto making Broan-Nutone ventilation products.
I love those 67-68 Monacos, the only flavor of that generation of C that I have never experienced. And aren’t those 71-72 Scamps little sweethearts?
I’m in Lansing Michigan and my current fleet is
1995 Olds 98 which I’ve had almost a year. A little more rust than I’d like, but otherwise love it.
1965 Chrysler which is some combination of project and driver.
I don’t remember exactly when I discovered the site, but I suspect it was one of Big Old Chryslers, or Imperial Captian’s pieces.
This picture was taken last year after I got the Olds, but before I got rid of the ’74 Dart.
When do we learn more about that 300? A ’65 or ’66 is next on my (totally imaginary never gonna happen but a girl can dream) list.
I have about half a dozen pieces started, but can’t ever seem to get them finished. The 300 is definitely one of them. One problem is mine is awfully similar to the 65 Newport that Paul found a few years ago, so I have to find a different spin.
That was a long time ago, so don’t let that stop you.
Bet that 300 is fun in the summer with the top down! I also love the glass-covered lamps, just before such things were made illegal.
That car is a never ending project, that has been a time & money suck for 12 years now, and every time I get to put the top down on a nice day I relax and remember why I put up with it. 🙂
Great photo, Dan! Enjoyed riding in your Olds in Auburn as well!
Gloucester County, VA
My fleet is:
1968 Dodge Coronet R/T 440/4 speed
1969 Dodge Charger 318 semi-survivor
1971 Plymouth Road Runner 440+6/auto
1971 Plymouth Satellite sedan 318
1977 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J 400
1979 Plymouth Volare wagon 318
1984 Olds Delta Royale Brougham 88 307
1996 Dodge Ram 1500 360
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 Hemi
2010 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi/6 speed
All are registered, tagged, insured and driven on a rotating daily basis, except for the Road Runner which is currently mostly apart for a mild restoration.
Nice bunch of vehicles! How did a couple GM’s get into a herd of Mopars?
You sound like a prime candidate for some COAL posts! Especially that 440 6-pack RR…
Thats one impressive roster. Its high time you did a few COALs…
thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments. I was just thinking the other day while catching up on here that Id like to try writing a COAL; some of my cars have cool stories behind them, I just need to find the time to actually do it.
The GMs are there because the Grand Prix is my first car that I got as a hand me down from my brother when I was 16 in 1990 and he had it since 1983, I cant get rid of it! The Olds was my Mom’s car that she gave me a couple of years ago when she got remarried, moved, and didn’t have room to park it anymore. Like many here, I have a soft spot for the big Olds and its the last of the great cars from GM so I kept it as a driver.
Im not a Mopar guy, just a car guy that has a bunch of Mopars; there are plenty of GMs and Fords (imports, not so much) that I would love to own if space and finances would let me. A 66-72 442 is next on my dream sheet.
Nice fleet you have there!
Didn’t realize how many different cars you had! Cool. You should do a COAL on the Grand Prix sometime.
2003 Toyota Matrix XRS automatic, Cosmic Blue, in terrible cosmetic condition but running like a champ. It’s probably worth $1500 in its current condition and I dropped insurance to just liability. It’s my beater and the more beaterish it becomes the happier I seem to be with it.
2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES, in anonymous silver, with leather and a sunroof. Most fun-to-drive car I’ve ever owned — quick, handles pretty well. It went through a long stretch of unreliability last year. Writing about looking for its replacement here at CC late last year seems to have scared it straight.
It went through a long stretch of unreliability last year. Writing about looking for its replacement here at CC late last year seems to have scared it straight.
Please elaborate? I was considering an 06 ZX3 for a beater, was hoping it’s scruffy looks would make the dealer desperate enough to cut the price. No such luck.
I have heard stories about that generation Focus having issues with the hatch wire harness breaking, alternators failing with little or no warning leaving the car stalled in the middle of the street, rear door locks that don’t lock
I think Jim’s Focus has intermittent transmission issues (his is an automatic).
Usually Focii are killed by auto tranny failure or rust.
My 01 is a 5-speed and I rustproof it annually so no such issues with mine.
I have had the alternator fail with no warning light, I had previously experienced this with our Windstar so recognized the symptoms and made it home before it died. There are worse things that can happen with any vehicle.
All in all we love our Focus, recommended as a beater..
My Focus has needed motor mounts (a common problem with these), an alternator, a new valve cover gasket, and a few other things that frankly alcohol has helped me to forget. I dumped about $2500 into it last year keeping it running. Kind of hurts when I paid $6800 for the car.
But it’s a delightful driver. Handles like a champ. Has good power. Most fun to drive cheap car I’ve ever owned.
-retired layabout near Detroit.
Just one resident at casa del Steve at the moment: Fritz the VeeDub
Fritz didn’t look happy encrusted in road salt last winter, so have been considering a sacrificial car. It would be nice to have a second car in which the lights and wiper controls work the same as in the Jetta. As people with used Jettas and Golfs seem to think their sleds are made of gold, I have considered alternatives, particularly the late, unlamented Saturn Astra. Having looked at three Astras, and seen enough check engine lights, tranny fuild leaks and cooling systems clogged with Dexcool sludge, to last me the rest of my life, I’m thinking the Astra isn’t worth the pittance most are asking for them.
Try a 1997-2002 Mitsubishi Mirage. They can be had for cheap due to next to no resale value but are reliable and parts are easy to find.
I got a 2000 Mirage last fall as a beater car to spare my Lesabre and firebird the need to hang out on rock salt all winter and it seems like a good car so far. I am 6ft 1in tall and and with the drivers seal all the way back I cannot reach the pedals without effort.
61 years old here, retired from Ford, living in Bloomfield, MI. Fleet consists of:
2009 Mazda6 4 cyl, auto, roughly 32,000 miles. Wonderful suburban driver, with occasional blasts on the freeway.
2010 Chrysler Town & Country wheelchair van. Around 30,000 miles. Eh, it is what it is, a van with a few hundred extra pounds packed in.
I’ve been addicted to the site since Paul split it off from TTAC. It’s one of my daily reads.
I’m from Auckland, New Zealand. Have a 1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham D’Elegance and a 2001 VX Commodore wagon with a GenIII LS1 350 V8 in it.
The Cadillac has quite an interesting history – it comes from Hong Kong originally, and was assembled there apparently from a CKD kit, the right hand drive conversion being done during assembly. The dealer I bought the Caddy from here in NZ in 1995 (in Christchurch) told me GM had a small plant there doing assembly and conversion for the Asian RHD markets up until the mid 80’s, probably just a warehouse / shed behind a local dealer.
When I got the Caddy it had about 28K miles on it, but the motor in it was the 8-6-4 368 which was not a good motor. It stripped the timing gear within a couple of years of me buying it, and it wasnt going to be worth fixing so I said to the mechanic see what else will fit – he had two, both which would need a rebuild, a 425, and a 500 cubic inch from an early 70’s Coupe De Ville. I told him if the 500 fitted, put it in. It fitted, and he rebuilt it. During the rebuild, he called me asking if wanted it bored out, blueprinted, ports polished etc etc. I figured that while it was apart, might as well, so said yes each time.
As a result of that, and having no smog gear, it gets up and goes! Have given a few local “rice rockets” an unexpected surprise at the lights….
The Commodore is fairly standard apart from a bigger exhaust with no catalytic convertes and mags. Am planning to tweak the V8 to HSV spec, and put in a over the radiator cold air intake, although it goes pretty good now. Pic is not mine but same model same colour
Boyfriend has an Toyota Vitz (known as an Echo in the USA). Its a 1.3 litre, CVT, so not exactly exciting. Or fast. Dull but reliable…. and I dont see the point of posting a pic 🙂
I’ll look out for you! Shouldn’t be a hard spot, as there aren’t too many of those around (the Fleetwood, not the Holden). I’m way out East though, in Bucklands Beach, and those are Westie cars I’m thinking…
Actually funnily enough I’m not far from you, now living out East as well, although orginally I’m from Ranui out West. The Cadillac is garaged, although I have it out every few weeks for a run
Have had a few big V8’s, prior to the Cadillac had a 76 Ford LTD (a car I now really regret selling -possible subject for another CC post – the ones that got away), before that a 73 Holden Statesman, and a 72 Valiant CJ Limo (not actually a limo per se, but a model name, similar to Brougham)
The number of Kiwis on this site is multiplying! Bryce, Scott, now you guys as well. Great to see some other Oceania-dwellers on here 🙂
Also, it’s great to see how many LGBT automotive enthusiasts are on here! We are many! I’d like to think this civil, pleasant, harmonious environment Paul has fostered makes everyone comfortable enough to be able to just casually mention who they are and the special people in their lives. You go to other automotive sites where things are allowed to get too rowdy and too political and you read some really disgusting things said against LGBT people. It makes things tense. I’m quite happy to be blissfully unaware of everyone’s party affiliations and political viewpoints here on CC, so long as we all treat each other with dignity and respect, keep things pleasant and talk about CARS! 🙂
Cheers, have to say that these days the whole LGBT thing is no big deal now most places I go online or off, most people worry more about the price of gas…. I know I certainly do with two V8’s 🙂
And I’m on the lookout for a third, always wanted a Camaro or Firebird, preferably with a big block. Again, being way down in this part of the world I’ll have to pay over the odds
+1 on these sentiments
+1 my best friend is transgendered,we go to car and bike shows and music festivals and concerts.
I’m with you there, William! CC has been a remarkably civil place, thanks to Paul. I have run into so many LGBT people who love, and are knowledgeable about, old cars. When my husband and I got married in San Francisco in 2013, we stayed with friends there who both are very much into classic cars. They themselves have an early-60s Lincoln Continental that they’re restoring, and they took us to a wonderful museum in a town in the Bay Area (darned if I can remember the name!) and their car club had a show as well that day. I saw cars I never imagined I would see in the flesh, as it were! (For instance, a 1958 Edsel Citation convertible; several early-to-mid-60s Lincolns; etc.)
My husband has fond memories of his family’s 1961 Chevy Parkwood station wagon into which they transplanted a late-60s Chevy Camaro engine (maybe a 350? He doesn’t remember, except that it was labeled as Turbo-Fire).
As a gay Kiwi, I say +1 to both the Kiwi and LGBT sentiments William! It was a pleasure to be able to post here about my partner’s Peugeot 307 SW a couple weeks ago and not have to avoid saying “he likes it” etc.
In our circle of friends, I’m one of two gay guys who has any interest in cars beyond filling them with gas. Said other friend just bought a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited; he and I had a blast playing with the adaptive cruise control on various Phoenix freeways while our husbands hung out at the house chatting and watching tv. The friendly climate here at CC is what keeps me coming back…Thank you Paul for fostering this…I really enjoy my time here.
My mother taught at Ranui Primary School in the 1970’s. She always wanted a MkII Jag as her fantasy car, but it never happened.
Wow a dark blue metallic Fleetwood Brougham D’Elegance with 28K miles and a Caddy 500 engine. Would love to see more on that car.
I have a 1986 FWB and it is quite the attention getter. Valet parked it last week and they put it in the front row with some very good company.
Funnily enough yours is much closer to the colour I originally wanted when I bought my Fleetwood. I had been looking at a white 75 but it had rust issues. Does yours have leather or cloth, mine has the leather – again I would ideally have liked cloth, but these are rare out here and beggars cant be choosers. Have put seat covers over the leather for comfort which has also meant that the leather is mint condition
I prefer the dark Firemist-ish metallics like the brown or blue or red but noticed while looking that those colors were always dull or faded no matter how low the miles and were often repaints. The low mile whites and yellows were usually original and shiny looking. GM did not use a clearcoat back then and when they introduced it around 1990 it tended to lift.
I have the base (non D’Elegance) leather. 1986 was the last year for this sew style. In 1987 it moved to the type in JP Cavanaugh’s Hello, Old Friend article the one that brought me to CC.
Your seats have my favorite sew style and material. The design was an instant classic and ran virtually unchanged from 80-92. It may be 77-92.
I gave up looking for that and settled for a base. Probably a good thing I did. If I had your leather I would cover it not because of the heat but to protect it. The pillow tops tend to tear in the creases that the buttons pull in the leather and the buttons like to fade. The dash and carpets in my car are already covered it might look weird if the seats were too.
The cloth version of the D’Elegance is super cool and I would take it if I could get a brand new Brougham but I have a problem with the cleanability of cloth. I got a ton of dirt off these seats using the gentle Leatherique treatment. I can’t image how much dirt a 29 year old cloth seat would carry. Then there is the disturbing mental image still fresh in my head from a thread here some time ago about swap ass + cloth seats in the warmer parts of the country.
One problem with CC when you’re busy is that it can mess with your priorities. Like now I had to tell someone let’s talk later I have something important to do which is to show someone on the internet my leather which you can’t even mention as a real reason because it sounds all wrong.
You should do an article on your car some day for Paul. I hesitate on mine because the 80-92 Broughams have been posted to death on this site, probably 3x more than the next most written about car. But yours is truly special with that color, specs, background and engine.
For Paul and the powers that be my housekeeping input is to allow us to attach more than one pic per post. I know most sites don’t even allow one but CC isn’t like most sites 🙂
Welcome Peter, and that Caddie sounds awesome! I’m not up in Auckland that often, but will keep an eye out for the car – I hope the exhaust note is as delicious as I imagine! 😉
It is nice, would be even nicer with a twin exhaust though, put a twin exhaust on my LTD and that sounded great, wish I’d kept that car. I had a lot of fun in it, deep buttoned red crushed velour and all!. I dont bring the Cadillac out as often as I should, although try to drive it to work on weekends ocassionally
Couldnt load the Commodore pic as well as my Caddy… like I said, not the same car, I just drive it the same…..
And yes, this is an awesome site, now one of my daily reads. Much of the USA stuff on here that is no big deal in the States is rare interesting and desirable here in NZ
I’ve been reading CC every day all the way back to when it was still part of TTAC. Thank you Paul!
I live in eastern Connecticut and my current fleet is made up of:
2002 Subaru Outback Wagon (5 speed)
2003 Subaru Legacy Wagon (auto)
2005 Honda Civic Hybrid
1925 Dodge Brothers touring car
Both of the Subies have well over 200K miles and the Dodge just recently was (legally) put back on the road after 68 years.
You get the prize for biggest spread of years!
Love to see a post on that Dodge! Back on the road after 68 years…just wow. Must be more than a little surreal to drive.
+1
Well, I sold all the “Toys” before leaving Iowa.
All that’s left is “Butchie” my F-150.
It’s a 1995 XLT that I bought off of the original owner last year. It had a tick over 134k on it when I picked it up and it’s at 138,9xx now, before that the last Oil change sticker shows 132k in 2012.
It’s had one repaint and almost every suspension bit replaced. The interior is like new and everything works. The AirCon will freeze you out and the inflatable lumbar supports make sure you don’t get fatigued on long runs.
This ride owes me nothing. Because of that I’m going to “restore” the body. Might as well make it look as good as it drives.
I only have three in the fleet, which is fine for now. Since 2012, I haven’t owned a GM product, which is a first since I started driving.
1) 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport, fastback, unrestored car been in the family since day one. The car has about 150K miles on it, and I have refurbished some of the car and done a few subtle upgrades (it looks bone stock). The sheetmetal, interior and engine/drivetrain are still untouched.
2) 2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4×4. My daily driver and first Japanese vehicle, although my wife has owned Japanese cars exclusively (which of course I used). The 4×4 is a necessity on my rural roads in the winter since I leave before the roads are plowed. it does fine pulling the boat, packed to the gills of vacations or filled with other various materials/junk. It’s got 100K miles on it, and it has been absolutely bullet proof. Top notch truck and will drive the wheels off it.
3) 2010 Toyota Prius – wife’s daily driver and family car. Amazing reliability, amazing MPGs, but not too exciting to drive. She likes it, and the operating costs have been phenomenally low. Getting close to 100K miles, and still top notch reliability. We’ll probably replace it in a couple years with something that has more room for the family.
As for the site, keep up the good work Paul. I especially enjoy reading your articles. I tend to favour the articles on cars from 1946 to about 1980. I don’t really have much interested in the newer stuff. The historical articles are great and keep me referring to my archives/library.
David from suburban Phoenix…
-2013 Mazda 5…bought to use as our cross-country car, so far it’s been to California but performs DD duty for a 42 mile commute.
-2015 Kia Soul !…purchased two months ago to replace a 2010 MBZ GLK 350 4Matic with issues.
1989 635csi
1991 535i
2000 Tahoe Z71
1994 Lumina APV
Officially jealous. The E24 has been one of my favorites since childhood. Looks beautiful!
First time comment! live in the Kansas City, Missouri area.
Love the articles and comments on this site! May have even had something to do with my last two car purchases.
1968 volvo 122s b18b, 80k miles, just bought in Jan. gonna do a top to bottom restoration on this one.
1999 jeep xj limited 4.0 150k miles bought last year to let my daughter drive as her first car, now i like it so much i’m gonna have a hard time giving it up!
2004 f-150 4.6 supercrew 87k miles. my work truck, only vehicle i ever bought new, 11 years old, besides general maintenance zero repairs. 21st century LTD.
2004 volvo xc90 2.5t 130k miles my wife’s car nice to drive, pretty reliable so far… but was a shock last year when I had to shell out $1000 for a new hvac stereo module.
You know whats funny? the ’68 amazon has the lowest mileage!
here’s the rest of the fleet.
KC has been wonderful for CC finds. My daughter was born at St Lukes on Barry Road
That’s pretty close to where I live in Liberty, MO!
I have to agree about the number of CC’s in the KC metro area.
My wife’s best friend lives just off 435 – the same exit where the Mormon church was built a few years ago. I’ve been to Liberty more times than I can count.
Between me and my family, we have a full shed. Start out with my ’74 dart with a slant/ 904 combo. Then my ’78 trans am bandit car that he said, “here”.
My brothers ’73 satellite and ’70 duster are here.
My dads cars are his ’01 olds alero daily, his ’73 and ’74 roadrunner. then another ’73 satellite. (we like early 70’s mopar B’s) A ’77 trans am that has an early formula clone in its future. A white ’66 charger and a hauling 454 equipped chevy dually. My moms got her ’01 pontiac grand prix.
The pace car ’75 olds 442 finishes off our inventory. Needless to say, we have plenty of cars.
Man.. I’m a little jealous! I’m partial to the chargers myself, but your fleet could make a Mopar man green with envy…
Just a leased 2012 Honda Civic coupe, until the lease expires in 1-16.For now anyway.