(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.
St. Albert, Alberta
1984 Ford Mustang GT convertible (still in storage, still debating if I should sell it)
1985 Mercury Grand Marquis LS (going up for sale soon, want something smaller)
2003 BMW 530i
2003 Ford Mustang coupe
I live in southern Indiana not too far from Illinois and Kentucky.
I love the site and check it out every day. I can always find something interesting.
My wife and I are the only ones who live at our home now as out 3 daughters are all married and have families of their own.
Our current, fleet includes a 2009 V6 Mustang , 2005 Toyota Solara ( my wife’s car), the 1979 V8 4 speed Malibu coupe that I bought new, and my 1966 Mustang coupe. We also have a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard C50 motorcycle and a 1965 Cub Cadet 100 that I restored from junk a few years back. The Cadet is a toy and is not worked.
Cars have always been one of my favorite things all the way back to about 1 or 2 years old.
My fleet is down to just two cars:
1994 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, daily driver. “One family car” as it was purchased new by my grandmother and passed down to me.
1974 VW Standard Beetle, I’ll-fix-it-up-one-day project. I bought it for a driver when the Caddy got crushed by a tree in Katrina and drove it until the Caddy was repaired.
I love the dichotomy here, one of my cars being the largest land yacht available since the 1970’s and the other being the smallest mainstream car in US history. Yes, I realize that’s an iffy claim but if you focus on the “mainstream” caveat I believe it holds. Nothing smaller than a VW ever really seriously caught on.
I agree. Nothing smaller would even approach the beetle in sales numbers. I like both those cars!
In the late 60’s my Uncle who was an engineer for NASA had a 60’s Cadillac and Beetle. The Beetle was what he drove to work and that is all he used it for. It never moved on the weekend. The Caddy was replaced with a 69 or 70 Olds Delta 88. I’m guessing that since he now had 3 kids was the reason he moved down to the Olds. Both cars had those clear vinyl seat covers with the diamond embossing to protect the cloth for the next purchaser.
Hah, no vinyl seat covers here. That’s basically the idea for my cars: use the VW around town for ease of parking in the old New Orleans neighborhoods and have the Caddy for road trips and hauling friends. Of course for that to happen I need to fix the brakes on the VW…and rebuild the engine…
Hello from rural northern Ohio! This is my rig, a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. I bought it for $601 four years ago from a mechanical contractor. It was smashed, dented, and thoroughly abused. Some elbow grease made it serviceable, and it’s been my ride for almost four years. If it could talk, oh the stories it could tell! Its at almost 196k, and still runs like a top, at least most days…
This is my back up vehicle, more or less. The title may claim that it belongs to my father, which it has since 1988, but I’ve put more miles on it than he has the last few years. Its in pretty rough shape as vehicles go, but there is something about the rumble of a big block Ford engine that makes me love the old wreck. Most of its use comes from farm work, where the 4×4 makes it unstoppable. Its a ’67 F250, for those who are wondering. And while its worked quite hard and put away dripping wet–and looks the part–my eventual goal is to restore the old beast.
Whoops, forgot the picture!
Impressively good deal on that Silverado and never have seen lights on a toolbox like yours. Nice Montana mudflaps on the F-250, never have seen those representing any state east of the Rockies. the Bicentennial plates are also nice.
like that rusty old truck!
Wow – envious! And you paid just 600 bucks! Out here I’d have to pay $15-20K for one of those, even in the condition you described. I looked at a few as a daily driver before settling on my wagon. Was tempted by an 89 Silverado, diesel, but very tidy, and “only” $16K. Passed on it as wasnt quite ready to buy
I’m blown away by that. You should start a car import business!
Was working at a Mercedes dealership in Calgary, Alberta in 1994 when a 1991 BMW 318iS was traded in on a new Benz. Bought the BMW on impulse. Only 250,000 kms now due to a series of winter beaters. Runs as good as new with just a bit of rust appearing around edges, so will keep indefinitely.
Last “winter beater” was supposed to be a 1993 VW Passat 1.9 TD, bought cheap and tired. Put up with high oil consumption for couple years, then had engine rebuilt, turbo replaced, rust repaired… etc. Classic case of mission creep to near total restoration, so now I have to keep it for a decade or two!
Well, you’ve seen a few of my earlier cars in my COAL series, but right now I’m literally in the middle of a massive move from Japan back to Michigan, so I’m in the market for a new car. We just parted with our ’07 Mazda Premacy (mmm, JDM name for a JDM car with JDM bells and whistles, ooo….) yesterday.
Anyways, I’m Matthew, a 34 year old NMU graduate married to a Japanese woman and I just finished 4 years as an English teacher. We have three small children (5 y/o, 3 y/o and 5 mos) and we will be looking for work this summer somewhere. My dream job would be writing (pretty much anything, although I like cars and comic books the most), but at this point I think I’ll take what I can get, ideally in Marquette, MI.
We’ll be looking for two cars this year, but the first one is going to need to be up to family duty. The current front-runner is a Subaru B9 Tribeca, one of the early ones with the goofy front-end, but a Subaru Outback isn’t out of the question, either. It would become my fourth Subaru after a string of good ones. The second car will be after we acquire a job or two, and that can be a more flexible choice, although five seats in case of Subie repairs is a necessity.
Thank you, Paul, for allowing me to run my articles here. I enjoy all the other content, it was my favorite part of TTAC a few years ago, and I’m happy that it made the transition to its own website!
For my family of three (me +2 cats), my current fleet includes:
2003 Honda S2000: Last year for the 9000 rpm redline and a real throttle cable vs. drive-by-wire, and first year for glass rear window in the convertible top. So this is arguably the best year S2000 to have, IMO.
Purchased brand new, and hasn’t broken 70K miles yet. It’s been my DD and I have a short commute to work. I have not done any mods except for upgrading the door speakers and adding headrest speakers. The car has been problem-free since new, except tires do wear out far more frequently due to the suspension design and soft tire compound specified. So every other year or so I’m replacing tires, but it’s been more than worth it for the sheer driving pleasure I get.
Will there be a CC for the S2000 at some point?
2008 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4WD: Purchased used a few years ago, and it has been bullet proof so far.
2012 Starcraft Comet 816 popup camper aka tent trailer (can we include RVs here?) This is less than 12′ long when closed down, so it fits inside my small San Francisco garage (all our garages seem to be tiny here in SF)
My past fleets have been somewhat more colorful:
1987 VW Vanagon Westfalia camper – bought it used in 2000, drove it home from Colorado. I totally restored it and enjoyed it until 2013 when I finally sold it, since I really wasn’t using it much for its intended purpose anymore (camping), and I was becoming increasingly tired of replacing torn axle boots and worrying about a 25-year old vehicle leaving me stranded somewhere. Plus it was stored outside, and our SF marine climate wasn’t doing it any favors. I was sad to see it go, though.
The aforementioned 4Runner towing the popup camper now meets my camping needs, and is much more comfortable and reliable (and even pulling the trailer it gets better gas mileage from a V6 that is twice the displacement of the old wasserboxer).
And from when I lived in San Mateo, CA and had more room to park and work on cars:
– 1975 Porsche 914 2.0 with D-Jetronic FI (very fun to drive!)
– 1982 VW Vanagon Adventurewagen, air-cooled. The very definition of slow. That Type 4 engine with L-Jetronic FI was OK in a Bus, but somewhat overtaxed in pushing the larger, heavier Vanagon around, let alone a high-top camper. But I drove it to Alaska and back in 1991, and only suffered a couple of flat tires for over 10,000 miles of driving. Adventurewagens deserve a CC write-up, too!
– 1973 VW Type 2 Westfalia camper
– 1966 VW Type 2 Kombi
– 1972 Toyota Corona MkII coupe (my very first car)
– 1973 Toyota Hilux pickup
– 1982 Datsun 200SX coupe
– 1971 Mercedes 250/8 (W114 model)
– Probably others I can’t remember
For some reason, my parents had mostly American cars, but I was always attracted to foreign makes.
From Royal Oak, Michigan
My fleet, in reverse chronological order:
1. 2012 Chevy Sonic Turbo
2. 2008 Pontiac Solstice GXP
3. 1979 Seville, proud to be honored at last October’s CC meet-up in Auburn
4. 1964 Corvair, which I may sell soon. But it’s a great Corvair
And formerly:
2(a). 1997 Mazda Miata, now in the stable of CC’s own Jim Cavanaugh
Your Seville has me seriously thinking about finding the seats from one in a salvage yard and converting it into an office chair. Those were some of the absolute most comfortable seats I’ve ever encountered.
A certain Miata will be employed in my 5 minute commute momentarily. 🙂
Interesting question and comments…
4 car fleet here in the Midwestern US, and enjoy them all:
2010 Dodge Challenger (hobby car 1, good weather driver)
1952 MG TD (hobby car 2)
2011 Dodge Caliber (daily driver, winter car)
2007 Volvo V70 (wife’s car, winter trip car)
Long time reader, occasional commenter. Enjoy the site. One very good thing is that the comments and discussions are generally kept pretty civil and respectful on this site. Nice break from so much of what’s on the internet these days. And much appreciate the photography and write-ups on such a wide variety of cars, both foreign and domestic. Keep up the good work!
2008 Toyota Yaris 3-door. Not the most interesting car but it is a stick and keeping 44 PSI in the tires gives it the cornering of an old-school French car – it doesn’t help the massive body roll but it’ll hang on.
Would love a hobby car – I was sorely tempted by a colonnade Chevelle sedan in great shape for cheap some years ago – but don’t have the time, money or space.
the little d fleet here in st louis consists of 93 ranger xlt stick owned 12 yrs 130 k barely broken in decent old ford probably never get rid of it also have 00 forester owned 7 yrs usual forester issues 170k like it to go 190k before it goes to taylors salvage it really is a nice driver though this is a fine website!
My fleet has two ships that can put out to sea at any time: My wife’s 2014 Mazda 3 sedan, and my 2003 Mini Cooper S. The Mazda is a very good car, but there is nothing special about it. I’ve owned the Mini from new and it just passed the 234K mile mark last week. It’s makes a great pint-sized Sport-Utility vehicle. I autocross nearly every weekend April-November and it also makes occasional trips to the dump. Here it is in “sport” mode:
Here is the Mini in “utility” mode:
Wow! I didn’t realize Mini’s were so hardy!
I’m 64, retired from the title insurance field. Our current fleet actually looks like a fleet: my 2003 Chevy Silverado and Mrs. Tom’s 2008 Trailblazer, both Kelvinator white (don’t laugh, it does make a difference in Phoenix)
Mrs. Tom can’t drive now since a stroke, but she would shoot me if I sold her ‘Blazer. I’ve always had some sort of pickup (F100’s and Rangers before my conversion by St. Mark of Excellence); she has had a ’71 Beetle, a ’77 Rabbit, a couple of Cavaliers, a Dodge Intrepid, and a Volvo S80 T6. I tend to hold onto vehicles until they cry uncle.
Paul, thanks for the daily dose of information and humor. I appreciate that you include trains, planes and buses as well as cars.
As others have noted, the discussion on this blog tends to be civilized and informative with the right touch of humor (intentional or otherwise.) Kudos to Paul for his moderating skills.
I used to live in the Valley and I concur there is a good reason why white cars are so popular there.
We drive a lot, so here goes (From oldest to newest):
1986 Dodge Ram D250 (No bed- it runs and drives, but isn’t on the road until I put a bed on)
1987 Chevrolet R10 Custom Deluxe
1992 Dodge Dakota LE (Farm truck only- not driven on public roads anymore)
1995 Ford F150 Flareside (All Show, No Go)
1995 Buick LeSabre (220k and still my secondary car- I still make the 80 mile round trip to work in it)
2000 Chevrolet K3500 “Classic” – Our “Tow Pig”
2002 Audi A6 Avant (Our main driver)
I’ll see what I have in the way of photos. Nothing rusts out here- even on the 1986 Dodge, there isn’t a speck of rust.
This is the 1986 Dodge. I paid $450 for it back in February. It was a county truck consigned to a farm auction that almost nobody attended. Trucks were going cheap, and I wanted a project.
It has the 360 with 4bbl carburetor, and a 4 speed manual. The truck drives very nicely. I can’t believe how quiet it is. I traded some work for a bed. I just have to put it on. The truck had a service box that wasn’t included in the auction.
These are wonderful pickups. It appears to be a 3/4 ton, too. Nothing is going to phase it and seeing yours makes me miss the one I had.
It is a 3/4 ton. It has the 4bbl 360 that will pull anything (At least on the farm- I’m excited to tow/haul with it on the road). It’s my only carbureted vehicle, so I’m learning how to become better at starting it. Other than that, it’s a tight, solid truck.
I bought it figuring that I could flip in when I was done, but you know how that always goes….
From pulling with my ’87 3/4 ton (automatic) it was happier with 4000 pounds or better behind it and there was no appreciable drop in fuel mileage – it’s just bad either way. The 4.10 or steeper gears likely helped in both regards.
Does yours have a Quadrajet? Mine did and it was one push about 2/3 of the way to the floor and she’d start every time.
I want to say that it’s a Rochester, but my knowledge of carburetors is small, and that’s putting it generously. Here’s how I’ve gotten it going:
When it’s sat for at least a day, don’t touch the accelerator. Crank for 10-15 seconds. Then, turn the key back to run, and pump the pedal twice. Crank with 80% throttle, and it’ll come to life within 5 seconds.
If I drove it earlier in the day, two pumps, and 80% throttle, and it’ll start.
There is probably a better procedure that someone on here knows, but that’s always worked for me. Until I came up with that method, the Dodge was far and away the hardest starting truck that I’ve ever owned. Now, it’s bearable.
This is the 1987 Chevrolet. We bought the truck back in 1996 with about 50k miles on it. It was used as a farm truck until about 75k miles. We quit farming for a couple of years when we had a drought, so the truck sat abandoned for 8 years. I fixed it up and got it roadworthy. When I needed this truck the most, it was always there for me. If it wasn’t for this truck, I would have been up a creek without a paddle many times. It now has about 82k original miles on it. This truck has the 305 with TBI, and the automatic transmission.
This is the 1995 LeSabre. The story on this one:
My Flareside was in the shop (Again), and our only two vehicles at the time were an Impala with major electrical issues, and the 1992 Dakota- a truck that shouldn’t have been on the road. Due to a family emergency, the Impala would be leaving the state for a week. The two of us were left with an 80 mile commute every day, in the winter time, with a truck that was ripe for a breakdown. I had some money at the time, but refused to rent a car. I figured that we would be better off to buy a $1000 beater, and sell it if we didn’t like it. My F150 was running me broke on gasoline, and the regular cab didn’t work well for my business. I found the Buick on Facebook for $900. We literally looked at it the day before the Impala was leaving. Nobody wanted a 1995 LeSabre, so the seller lowered his price to $700. We bought it, and 3 years later, I still have it (I even had the transmission replaced when it went out). It’s my favorite vehicle, far and away….
Nice mix. Where’s the “here” that vehicles don’t rust?
Wyoming.
The Dodge spent it’s whole life in state, and there isn’t a speck of rust to be found. We have paint fade and vinyl roofs don’t do well, but I’ve seen Ramblers that have been in the junkyard for 5 years that are in excellent body condition.
As for my vehicle choice, I’m definitely “eccentric” when it come to cars. Even though I own the Audi A6, I still prefer to drive the Buick. I’ve been known to drive a certain vehicle that day, just because I “felt like it”.
What makes the Chevy and R10? Nice fleet and the LeSabre looks good.
The only reason that it’s an R10 is because it’s a 1987. Since the new trucks were coming out in 1988, GM wanted to use the C/K designations for them (So that you could have a C1500 or K2500). Through 1986, they used the C/K designation on trucks (Such as a C10 or K20), but for 1987, they switched to the R/V designation. An R designation (Such as my R10) meant that the truck was a 2-wheel drive unit, while the V designation (Such as V20) meant a 4 wheel drive truck. I think they used the R/V on the Suburban through 1991, and I believe that it stayed on the 3500 chassis cabs that retained the square body styling.
1987 is an odd year. It was the last year of the square body styling, and the first year of the fuel injected engine. So, it’s a one-year-only truck. A lot of collectors seek out the 1987s, but mine isn’t worth much, because of the abandonment. The only thing that benefits from being parked is the odometer.
Thanks on the Buick! There is a little paint missing on the rear doors that I’ll need to address, but since there is no rust, it’s not an urgent matter. I like the car a lot. It may be a grandmother’s car, but granny must have good tastes!
Sort of like how the remaining RWD A-bodies were redesignated G-bodies when the FWD A-bodies came out.
Thanks for the info and I had a 307 Carbureted 1987 Caprice Estate so I might be assuming wrong, but I cannot imagine a 305 in a Full Sized Truck.
From what I understand, the Olds 307 had more torque, while the Chevrolet 305 had a little bit more power. My other half ton is a 1995 F150 with the 300 I6. The 305 makes the Ford it’s whipping boy whenever I use it. I have the 2.76 rear end, which is not what you want for towing or hauling. I’ve towed identical loads with both trucks- about 4000# including trailer. With the Ford, it was foot-to-the-floor on the hills, and I was pulling at 25 MPH. With the Chevrolet, I was able to cruise at 55 MPH (And, without really pushing it). For most uses, the 305 is fine. I hauled a load of scrap (About 1400#) to the yard that is 100 miles away. I was able to do 65 (70 in Montana) without kicking down. Now, on the way back, I hit a strong wind while unloaded. I couldn’t go above 60, then.
For a half-ton, the 305 gets the job done. I’d much rather have a 350, but the truck started out as free. I only spent a few hundred dollars and some weekends to get it on the road, so I’m not going to complain there.
It’s still a lot better than my Ford!
I’m in Maryland, near Baltimore.
The fleet consists of:
2012 Nissan Pathfinder LE – the daily driver
1989 LaForza 5.0 – an eBay impulse purchase, I saw one in a magazine when I was 9 and thought they were the coolest thing ever, figured this was my only chance to own one. It currently lacks working headlights (again), presumably after I shorted something out jump-starting it.
Wow, a LaForza! I had forgotten that LaForza’s ever existed until just last week when I came across an old ad for one from 1989. At the time, I wondered if there were any still on the road; I guess you answered that question for me (at least in the daytime when the lights work).
I shot one here and wrote it up a few years back. And then just the other day, i saw it again. It’s in good hands, apparently.
I had to Google that (the La Forza).
Never even knew they existed until now
Nice collection you have there and I like that style of MD plate especially since it is a funny vanity.
Ok then,
2009 Kia Rondo
2008 Toyota Corolla
2001 Ford Taurus
1967 Imperial Crown Coupe
1960 Imperial Custom
Don’t tease us! We want Imperial pics! 🙂
Yeah, Imperial Pictures!!!!!!
Gulp! I will post some pictures I promise!
I am admittedly a little gun shy though as a 60 Imperial (in the same Glacier Blue as mine) was a CC a while ago and was crucified for its styling .
I saw a ’60 Imperial the other day. You’ll get nothing but positive from me about it.
Never let that stop you. There’s a big difference between critiquing a car’s styling when it was done at the time, and admiring it now. We all love the grand old cars of those times, even if they are a bit eccentric.
Dont know why – those Imperials are one of my dream cars, they’re unique and awesome looking cars, really stand out in a sea of Jap econoboxes. They are rare here, only two that I know of
2009 mazda5. Closest we could get to replace our 98 odyssey
2007 Honda accord. 4dr exl 4cyl and stick. A rare Combo I think
2004 ford focus wagon surprisingly good car
2002 Mazda miata laser blue. Was my mother’s.
I had a ’98 Odyssey too – loved it — the 2.3 VTEC made a world of difference over the 2.2 from prior years. I wish we could still get a van of that size – Rondo and Mazda5 are a bit too small for my family. Currently we have a ’10 Odyssey and it is a battleship by comparison.
I really liked the 96 Oddy that I had. It was a “just right” kind of size, there were/are very few other cars of that size.
Architect living in Melbourne, Victoria. Followed Paul from another site for his entertaining outlook. Always enjoyed the variety of cars, trains, planes and characters to be found here. I love the detail related from first hand experience and the context provided by stories of ownership, especially when new. I enjoy other sites but too often the commercial motivations overwhelm the discussions.
This site is about using cars as intended, they are not static artifacts here or investments under glass. They are integral parts of families and lifestyles. They are used, adapted, worn out and reborn often at greater cost than replacement because they provide that something indefinably special for, at least, the majority of the time. At those times when recalcitrant mechanicals and other maladies erode enthusiasm this place can be inspiring.What do you mean “design life”?!
Metal, glass and rubber residents on our property now: 1966 W112 300 SE Coupe, 1968 W108 280 S (daily driver – base model with only tinted glass – I love my radio delete plate), and W116 450 SE L 6.9.
W116 6.9 *and* a W112 coupe? Wow, very nice indeed. And that W108 is none too shabby either. Like so many others, we’d love to see write-ups…
+1 Lovely little fleet!
I’ve told the stories of our vehicles plenty of times in these comments over the past couple of years,,,,,,
2005 Subaru Forester X (base model) 74K
2002 Dodge Dakota SLT Quad Cab 4×4 117K
I’m in Alton, Illinois, where the ghosts are many and the Subarus are very few!
I’m 32 and on the warm side of the Rockies in BC. Sadly I have no license due to medical reasons, but that doesn’t stop me from working on cars or reading CC. Fleet is smaller than it’s ever been, but that’s probably a good thing.
-1975 AMC Gremlin X, original V8 car, now 343cid, 727 Torqueflite. Permanent garage-hogging project car, had it since I was 17.
-1983 Toyota Pickup 22R, 4spd, no options. Firewood hauling go-cart, converted to propane. Gets 1000+kms to a 120 litre tank of propane. Half the size of most trucks out here.
-1983 Honda Magna V65. Bought from original owner, 35 000 kms. Love it, have no desire for any other bike
-2009 Toyota Tacoma, 4cyl, 5spd 4×4. Reliable daily driver, great in the back country. Only vehicle I bought new, I plan on driving it forever
I’ve also got an old Bigfoot camper I’m fixing up and a ’97 Polaris 700 triple that requires constant attention. Love the website, probably the only place I actually read the comments.
Love to see an article on the Gremlin X particularly with your having owned it since age 17…. Those were always feisty little Traffic-signal-surprise racers in my day.
Perhaps I’ll do an article when we’re both back on the road. It’s the last of a long line of AMCs I’ve owned/destroyed.
I am in the Detroit Metro area
1987 Audi 5000S Quattro – driven every work day 110 miles round trip.
1984 Audi 5000S Avant – In storage as a future replacement to the 87
1976 Ford Mustang II – Exactly like the wife’s first car.
1992 Mazda Miata Turbo – New addition
2001 Chevrolet Blazer – Wife’s vehicle and it tows the watercraft
I heartily commend you for keeping not one but two C3 5000s alive! My family had an ’86 years ago, electrical nightmare, but a car that looked great, drove well, and was comfortable and spacious inside. Shame its constant electrical issues made it totally impractical to keep.
Both of yours look great and are rare to see these days. And a Mustang II and a turbo Miata? Very nice stable.
1999 Dodge Dakota 2 wd reg cab, 8 foot bed. 157,000 miles. Everyone tells me it looks funny, too short and the bed too long. I tell them that’s what trucks are supposed to look like. I don’t think I’ve convinced anyone yet.
Some of those Dakotas look odd because the third brake light is mounted on the tailgate.
On a 1999, it would be above the rear window. The tailgate light was only on the 1994-1996 models. To me, that seems like a terrible place to put it….
We own a 1992 Dakota that’s also a regular cab/ long bed. I think they can look a little weird, because of their width. They’re narrower than a C1500 or F150. But, they’re just as much truck. You get all of the large truck benefits, with the ease of driving a compact truck. It’s a win-win!
I’m nearing retirement age, living near Charlottesville, Virginia. I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, went to college in the Philadelphia area, then graduate school in Bloomington, Indiana. I got married in Bloomington, lived for short periods in the Indianapolis area and Louisville, Kentucky. I moved to the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC at the time I started working for my current employer when Jimmy Carter was still president.
I was transferred to the Charlottesville location in the early 90s and have been here ever since. My wife and I tend to keep cars for a long time, but my fleet just turned over in a major way because of two great deals from my employer. This is the first time I’ve had all of my “fleet” courtesy of said employer:
1998 Nissan Frontier XE 2wd regular cab, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, 5-speed manual, 86,000 miles. This August, I will have owned this truck for 17 years. I feel certain that it will still be in our driveway beyond the 21 years we had our 1980 Volvo 240, although I don’t think it will ever come close to the 245K miles racked up on that car.
2014 Toyota Prius Five liftback, 1.8 4-cylinder + electric motor, CVT, 12,000 miles.
2015 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid, 2.5-cylinder + electric motor, CVT, 3000 miles.
CC is my favorite for cars and I check in essentially every day. I’ve been following Paul since he wrote for TTAC and absolutely love this site. I am totally blown away by the huge number of curbside classics still on the road in Eugene, Oregon. Here, I see many of the traditional classics on fine weather days, but never any Datsun 710s, Toyota Coronas, Isuzu I-Marks, or others like these!
We have two in our stable:
2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Lots of bells and whistles, but has proved ridiculously reliable. Comfortable highway car, and gets about 34 mpg, city or highway. Does even better in spring and fall when we don’t need heat or A/C. Plenty of acceleration.
2000 Ford Ranger XLT with the extended cab and rear doors, 3L V-6 and automatic. It has about 120,000 miles now, but still is reliable. The only thing that doesn’t work is the power door locks; they failed early on, and were ridiculously expensive to fix. It really, really likes E-85 fuel, but loses about 3 mpg on it.
Tucson has an amazing number of old cars on the road, enough that I sometimes take it for granted. To be sure, a lot of these old cars look every bit their age; the sun here is NOT kind to paint, plastic, or rubber! But rust is not an issue. I see a number of early Mustangs, for instance, as daily drivers, apparently unmolested and not tarted-up into something they never were originally. There’s someone who lives in our area, apparently, who has a 1971 Chevy Impala 4-door sedan that looks amazingly good. It’s probably been repainted, but it hasn’t been “restored” to within an inch of its life. It seems to be a daily driver. And there are lots and lots of Centurys, Cieras, 6000s around, along with plenty of 1977 and later B-bodies, seemingly indestructible. Lots of early-60s Falcons around, too. Not many Mavericks, though.
I really enjoy this site because generally everyone is respectful toward each other. There’s a minimum of politics and religion, and if things get out of hand, well, they get pulled back under control.
My fleet includes a 2008 Lexus RX350 and a 2011 Acura TSX Sportwagon (just like Paul’s except gray). My CC though is a 1975 BMW 530i, which was on this website last year. It has a 5 speed from a later model E12, and is a blast to drive. It’s a great car.
I’m from Worcester, MA, about 40 miles west of Boston. We currently have a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT (with the extended wheelbase and third-row seat), which is my wife’s, and a 2014 Ford Escape, which is mine. The Escape replaced a 1999 XJ Cherokee with 140,000 miles on it in the fall of 2013. I hated to give up the Cherokee — we had owned it since it was new, and you can’t really get anything quite like it anymore — but it had finally reached a point where the amount of repair work it needed was starting to exceed the potential monthly payments on a new car, and it was time to get something that would be more reliable. I couldn’t afford to both fix the Cherokee and buy a new car, so I reluctantly cut the Cherokee loose.
My automotive buying method has historically been to buy new but inexpensive vehicles and run them as long as possible. In the last 15 years my wife and I have had only four vehicles — the Escape, the Traiblazer (which was a year old when we bought it), the Cherokee, and a 1995 Ford Escort (which we bought new and had for 12 years). At the time we got rid of the Cherokee, it had been paid off for nine years. The Escape is a base model (steel rims with wheel covers, non-tinted windows, non-Ecoboost engine) that we found on special in a dealer’s ad — you know how they say they have one available at this price,with a specific stock number? Well, this is the one, with that specific stock number. The Cherokee was also a base model (crank windows, manual door locks, grey steel rims with center caps, AM/FM stereo with two speakers and no music player of any kind).
Never been there, but I always remember Worcester since reading about the tragic warehouse fire there in 1999 where 6 firefighters died.
Great stuff here. My fleet is a bit unusual for Southern Ca, I will not give in to the “have to have the newest mentality. 1 1970 Opel Kadett sedan with the 1.1R. This is my current daily driver and a fun one at that. 2 1962 Studebaker Champ shortbed. 289 Studebaker V8 huge truck 4 speed, 3:55 twin traction rear. This one was put together from several different vehicles, truck and Lark. Not a bad driver. 3 1971 Dodge D 200 Sweptline crewcab. This one is a monster, 383 auto, P.S. P.B. factory air, limited slip 4:10 Dana 60 rear. 4 1977 Chevy Vega wagon. Still has the aluminum Vega motor, auto, air. This was the daily driver for 5 years before I found the Opel on Ebay. Very rust free for a Vega, it needs a new home.
Wow! You win “The most eclectic” award. A DD Opel Kadett!! Holy Mackerel! as my father would say. And a Vega too, with original engine.
I hate to be pushy, but I would love to have you write up a little something on the Kadett, as I’m a bit obsessed with them, and you’re probably the only person with a DD Kadett.
Not to mention, don’t you still have that “bounty” out for a stock-engine Vega sighting?
If it were a ’71-73, I’d be mighty tempted!
Mighty impressive fleet, how does the Vega do with Smog Testing?
My current “fleet” is my 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (148k miles), and my 1975 Chevy Camaro that, despite running and driving very well, is in need of some serious rust repair. The real fun begins with my Dad’s fleet.
Currently running and driving:
1981 Mercedes 300D– 230k miles, Dad’s ‘nice car’
1990 Honda Civic hatchback– 250k miles, Dad’s daily driver
1996 Ford E150– 135k miles
The projects and parts cars:
1962 MGA – in storage until Dad retires, and can start the restoration
1977 MGB- parked since 1997, I have been slowly trying to make a presentable driver out of it. Will be ready for paint in a few weeks. Looks like I will take the MGB and Dad will get my ’75 Camaro
1981 Mercedes 300D- parts car for the other ’81 and the ’83
1983 Mercedes 240D- awaiting engine swap and other misc. repairs
1990 Honda Civic – parts car for the Civic hatchback, will be cut up in next few weeks and sold for scrap.
…He still has a Lola T642 Formula Ford race car with a trailer full of parts…
My Dad is also storing a 1964 Austin FX4 (London Taxi) for his sister. Wasn’t too bad when she bought it, but after 9 years parked outside in the NW Suburbs of Chicago, it is probably beyond hope of ever getting a full restoration (RUST!)
Current fleet:
1972 Ford Pinto
2012 Volkswagen up! 5 door
I claim to be the only person in the world to have owned both an up! and a Pinto. Eccentricity runs deep.
Where are you? Presumably you can’t get an up! stateside and I’m wondering how many Pintos left North America?
I’m in Australia.
The Pinto was a private import, and the up! was marketed here for a brief time. It was a huge sales flop, but they are great little cars.
’05 Pontiac Vibe. Just about one year ago i was looking to replace the ’03 Ford Windstar SEL with something smaller. I still needed a hatch to accommodate an English Springer. Jim Grey’s dilemma of which to keep: Ford Focus ZX5 or Toyota Matrix XRS swayed me to go for the Pontiac Vibe (sister model of the Toyota Matrix) that popped up on Craigslist only 1 mile from my place. It was not all love from the get go but it has grown on me. I made minor modifications to improve on the weird seating position and to get some lumbar support.
My wife’s Ford Contour was purchased in 2006 and still does its in town duties. It is rusting away though.
A ’98 Mazda Protege 5 speed taught my 2 boys how to work three pedals. It is the younger one’s daily driver. It too is nearing retirement because of rust. Both boys have a thing for Mazda now.
The older son uses a ’97 Mazda B2300 truck. It is the sister model of the Ford Ranger 2.3. It too has a manual 5 speed transmission. We bought it not running. The previous owner tried to replace the timing belt and lost his patience in the process. I had it running 2 days later thanks to the internet.
I love those 1st Gen Vibes!
I’d love t see a write up on the Vibe with the GM SPO supercharger option. It was listed in earlyVibe brochures as an option, and they are certainly very rare. Supercharger or otherwise, the Vibe has always been one of my favorite cars of the modern era.
Live in Iowa and work as a machinist. Married with one daughter.
46? Oliver 70 (snow tractor)
48 Allis Chalmers C (mowing tractor)
50 GMC half ton
58 Allstate mo-ped
65 Marlin + a parts car
66 Bonneville convertible
69 AMX
70 AMX
71 Scorpion snowmobile
74 Javelin (my first car)
92 Civic + parts car
95 Saturn SL1
96 Dodge Ram half ton
05 Honda Pilot
Also 66 Ambassador 660 for parts
74 GMC 3/4 for parts (454 mostly)
I am currently in Toronto, Canada. I own a blue ’06 Honda Accord EX-L sedan, auto with a 2.4L four cylinder engine that has 52,301 km (or about 32,500 miles), which is a practical choice. I had purchased it used from a dealership and have owned it for 7 years. I think of replacing it sometimes but it is my first car. I used to drive V6 Pontiac sedans from the 90’s owned by my dad prior to that, but GM had its own issues. Parking is currently limited but maybe some day I will have a fleet. I was born in the 80’s but I have an appreciation for all kinds of cars and vehicles, old and new. I never got into auto mechanics but I have a strange disease which is an unusual obsession for cars. This site helps fuel that obsession.
Good idea to post this, Paul. I’m always curious about my fellow Curbsiders and what they drive.
Like many people here, I followed Paul over from TTAC and right away knew this was my favorite site. On literally any other website, I get so angry reading the comments section but here… This site has the best community of any site I’ve ever been to. There’s no petty name-calling or political derailments or ad hominem attacks. And the experience and insight offered by the commentariat means that so many people end up contributing articles, which is wonderful!
I’m a (less and less) recent university graduate (Marketing and Journalism), born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It’s a perfectly serviceable city but it’s not where I want to live, and I briefly moved to NYC until I was forced to move back. Loved that city with all my heart, even though I didn’t have a car there! I’m hopeless mechanically, although I am endeavoring to improve my skills there, and I want to work in automotive journalism or in marketing for an automaker. I submitted my first article here in 2013, I believe, and I have a helluva lot more in the pipeline. Once you start writing for CC – and I thank Paul ever so much for giving me this amazing platform on which I can write and publish articles – you find that ideas keep coming to you, and it’s not enough to just photograph interesting cars anymore. You have to write too!
2013 Subaru Impreza hatch, black, mid trim, 2.0 H4 and a godawful CVT that redeems itself with excellent mileage. Delightfully roomy and it actually has glass area. A novel concept in today’s market.
1959 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan (4 dr hardtop), Snowcrest White, 283 with a 2 bbl and Turboglide. Someone was trying to pull a funny on the order sheet with a powertrain combo like that. It’s been in various phases of restoration since my Dad and I acquired it when I was 8.
I’m not sure how many Subaru owners out there also have 59 Chevy’s, but my guess is not many.
Earlier this year, I traded in my “fun” 2001 MR2 Spyder and “practical” 2013 Acura ILX on one vehicle that met both criteria for me, a 2015 Jetta GLI 6-speed.
Just my 01 Sable for now. I saw a car today I might ditch it for. Too many little goofy things are going wrong with the Sable, making it unpleasant to drive.
I might keep both for a while, since it doesn’t affect my car insurance much. The “other” car is a 2003 Grand Am GT.
Here’s a far-away shot, but you get the point.
1995 Miata M-Edition and 1996 Avalon XLS. 93k and 105k, respectively.
Loving it in sunny Sarasota, FL. Btw old cars abound in these parts due to the lack of snow/salt and the retirees who keep their last vehicles in pristine garaged condition before….well, you know.
-my DD is our trusty and trouble-free 2009 Saturn Aura XR. We were looking at Accords and stumbled upon this at a dealership in Ocala. We stole it compared to the 2004 Civic we were walking away from at the time. Been great for going on 6 years and hopefully we’ll get at least 6 more.
-the family hauler is our 2005 Nissan Quest XE. It’s been a great around town an occasional road trip ride with our two young kids. It’s been impossible to keep the interior clean on this one.
-I use my 1993 Ford Ranger XLT 5 speed for my work beater and also take it on all my fishing and kayaking trips. Best $850 I ever spent.
-My 1992 Volvo 240 is the 5th Volvo I’ve owned. It’s a rolling project that I’ve been fixing up while driving on the weekends. Other Volvos I’ve owned: ’88 240DL wagon, ’97 850, ’01 V70 T5 wagon.
Within the next 2-3 years I want to replace the Quest with a new-ish Volvo XC90 and replace my old Ranger with an old F150 or 250 to tow toys around with. I also have a hankering for a convertible. Maybe sell the 240 and get an e36 M3 while they’re still cheap.
Here’s a pic
due to early retirement from work “the fleet” is only one vehicle but over 35 years as a driver it is number 51 on the list of DDs. you could probably add that many again of projects, non working toys etc.
the start was at age 5(1968), when my dad decided to be a smartass coming out of the local grocery store. the owners son was trying to get his 1950 Hudson started in a thunderstorm and the old man gave me 5 bucks and told me to offer it to the kid for his car. nearly 50 years later I can still remember the look of shock/horror on dads face when I came tearing back across the street screaming I had bought it! since then I have always had an affinity for oddball cars.
the current DD is my first 4×4, a 97 jeep grand Cherokee limited. love it! wish I had bought one years ago. of course it had to have an oddball moment to be mine. was owned by an older german lady who hated winter driving!(and she bought a full time 4×4 why???) works for me tho as here in the salt belt of Canada(Ontario) an original bodied rust free jeep is a rare and wonderous thing. could have sold it several times and made money but I like it too much.
like the blog too! recent arrival but read it every day and as some said earlier only one I read the comments on.
so thanks paul, and everyone that contributes for a fun, entertaining and enjoyable internet site…again like my jeep something rare and wonderous in the web these days!
bill shields
Another southern hemisphere reader here, from Sri Lanka no less, which I guess is a great indication of just how global CC’s reach is. I visit daily though I don’t comment very often and I would say CC is my favourite automotive website (it’s certainly the one I spend the most amount of time on!) with fantastic content and a lively and always civilized comments section as well (honestly quite hard to find online these days!)
I live in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka and I work in the Agriculture sector (Seed supply, specifically), so my daily driver is something that is at home off the beaten track.
It’s a 1993 Toyota Hilux with a 2.8 Litre naturally aspirated diesel four, five speed manual and leaf springs all round. It’s been in my family since new and now has just over 500,000 Kilometres on the clock and is still going strong. I aim to push it past the Million mark…. Here it is doing some splashing at one of our national parks.
And this is the weekend fun/project car, a 1998 Jaguar XK8 Convertible, one of only two XK8 convertibles in the country and the only one that is now left in original shape. Used to drool over this car when it was new each time I saw it on the road (interesting cars are VERY rare here due to our import restrictions) so when the opportunity came up to buy it, I jumped!
Keeping it in good shape is a bit of a challenge here because basically everything needs to be imported from the UK and specialist knowledge is hard to come by but that’s part of the fun!
Wow, impressive story and I hope you keep enjoying your vehicles. Never have seen a license plate as small as the one on your Jaguar.
OK.
Daily Drivers:
1998 GMC Safari SLE van
1986 Volvo 760 Turbo
2002 Lincoln TC (wife’s)
Rest of Fleet:
1962 Corvair Monza Coupe 4 on the floor
1964 Austin Mini Cooper S
1965 Austin Healey BJ8
1968 Mercedes Benz 280S (W108)
1972 Maserati Bora 4.7
1973 Citroen SM
1973 Citroen DS21 5M
1973 VW Super Beetle
1974 Porsche 911 Targa
1977 Lincoln Versailles
1979 Lincoln Versailles
1980 Maserati QP III
1982 Maserati QP III
1983 Maserati Biturbo
1983 Porsche 928S
1983 Porsche 928S
1983 Fiat Pininfarina 124 Spider
1984 Maserati QP III
1985 BMW 745i (E23 turbo)
1986 Maserati 425
1987 Maserati Biturbo Si
1987 Jaguar XJ-S V12
1989 Maserati 430
1991 Jaguar XJ-S V12
1994 Suzuki Swift GT
1994 Jaguar XJ V12
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson SC
2004 Mercedes Benz CL500
1979 Honda CB750 Super Sports
Multiple Maseratis, Citroens AND V12 Jaguars? You sir are a Brave, Brave man!
Wow! All current daily drivers? One for every day of the month? And where do you keep them all? A warehouse for a garage? My hat’s off to you!
Update: I missed the break after the first three cars…only those are the DDs. Still…..
Whaaaaa? What a phenomenal (and phenomenally large!) list of cars! Are you a dealer or just a collector with excellent taste?
Insane. I’ll take the QPIII. Or one of them, at least.
It must take some time to choose a car on any given day!
Actually, a nice problem to have
He did say only the first 3 are daily drivers. Still, if they are all registered and running, damn impressive!
I told myself several posts back that I was going to stop commenting on each interesting fleet and consign the rest into one appreciative post, but…just wow. Really, wow. Eight Maseratis, including a Bora? SM? More than one V12 Jag? Incredible. Any photos? 🙂
BTW I forgot to list one, a 1972 Lotus Europa SII.
I also forgot to introduce myself, I am 65 retired consultant (Accounting Systems) and live in Houston, Texas.
Yes, I do rent a 5k sq/ft warehouse to keep all my toys indoors. I am basically a collector but sometimes I have to sacrifice some of them to cover expenses. In the past 12 months I sold a 1979 Porsche 930 and a 1966 Porsche 912.
Thank you for your comments.
I knew I should have studied Accounting…
Youd need to be ana ccountant to count them all….;-)
You win the award for the most eclectic list ever!
Never in my life would I have expected to see Jaguars, Maseratis, and Porsches occupy the same list as not one but two Lincoln Versailles!!! Even the Swift GT makes more sense. Bravo to you!
Yes, those two Lincoln Versailles-es popped out at me as well. “Two of these things are not like the others . . . . ” 🙂
+1
By golly that is an impressive list!!
This is such an interesting site with a diverse group of contributors, Oddball and unpopular cars and models are appreciated here. Six cylinder lovers unite! The home of “Panther Love” I’m a retired state trooper living in San Jose Ca. I admit to loving the Brougham Life. Ex long time m/c rider. Current stable consists of:
2007 Mustang V6 Pony edition. Great handling very stable and secure handling. Plenty fast and returns 27 mpg at 70 mph. This model really is a huge improvement over the previous model. Was my wife’s car which we gave to our daughter.
2007 F150 XL long bed access cab V/6. This truck is a revelation. Extremely comfortable, rides as smooth and quiet as a Lincoln and handles just great. returns 20-21 mpg at 65 mph,
1996 Mustang GT convert. Bought this four years ago as a hobby car. Replaced top and keep it good mechanical repair. Loud with Flowmasters, rides rough, handles good rides terrible. A scrappy little fun car. 25 mpg. at 70 mph.
1970 Mustang base hardtop with 250 six/auto. My current project which is now driven almost everyday. Modified suspension handles pretty good. Slow, and gas mileage is not very good, around 17 mpg. at 65mph. You gotta love it for what it is.
1996 Chrysler Town and Country LXI I loved this van and put over 75k after buying it with 75K on it, Trans went out twice, Sat for almost a year in my driveway before I got rid of it. Miss it. I will admit to liking Minivans.
hi all…I live in southern AZ with two daily drivers, a 2000 Vic Police Interceptor and a 2001 Grand Marquis. My wife drives a 2012 Xb cause I can’t talk her into a Panther, lol…I also have a currently non-operational 75 Chevy pickup. Plan on getting a B-body wagon pretty soon as we are foster parents and one of my unbreakable rules is that I will not drive a minivan. 🙂 love the site, mostly because it covers cars you don’t see anywhere else.
Another Crown Vic owner – 2001 P71 living in TX. A big thanks to Paul and everyone else who works hard to keep this site running.
I think I’ve written about all of these here and there:
2015 Honda Fit EX (rebadged as a Jazz just to keep people guessing)
2012 Volkswagen Routan SEL
1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty XL Powerstroke 4×4 (the farm truck)
1963 Volkswagen Type I Sedan (sitting disassembled at the moment)
1962 Volkswagen Type I Sunroof (ditto)
1977? Allis Chalmers 190 Series III (75 hp tractor with loader)
1973? Hesston 6400 Windrower (/6 powered!)
1950 Ford 8N
Just added to the fleet yesterday.
Wife’s
2010 Fusion Hybrid
Son
2001 Grand Marquis LS Limited
Daughter
2003 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
General Family use
2003 Mountaineer, I had been using it as my DD since my son took over the Grand Marquis as his daily driver, but it is mainly kept around for its passenger and tow capacity and for traveling over the pass in the winter
Mine
Panthers
2005 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, new daily driver, purchased at the auction yesterday.
2003 Marauder, toy.
1992 Crown Victoria, was my daily driver for 15ish years, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it because I think the aero nosed 6 window is the best looking version of the lesser Panthers, but it hasn’t been really used in a long time.
Work rigs mainly used for maintaining and improving my properties.
1984 F350 crew cab
1982 E150 high top
1973 International 1510 dump
Part work/part toy
1973 Scout II Cab top.
Other toys
1972 Scout II Travel Top
1972 Travelall 1010
Parts rigs/projects for when I get around to it
1971 IH 1210 4×4
1973 IH 1210 Travelette flat bed 4×4
1973 Travelall 1010
1969 Buick LeSabre 400 Convertible
1969 Buick LeSabre 400 Sport Coupe
1956 F100 (x2)
1992 Crown Victoria
1989 Tempo AWD
Nice fleet there and I saw an AWD Tempo in Missoula last month with a bug shield. Do not think I had ever seen an AWD Tempo until then.
Knew of a few farmers back in the Southern Tier who used High Roofed Wheelchair Econolines and other Vans as work trucks, they found the lift to be handy. Think one of them loaded at least one round Hay Bail in the back as an experiment to see if their Van could make a Hay hauler for those times the Hay cannot get wet.
We actually have had 3 AWD/4WD Tempazes. The first was a 1991 the last year when they properly labeled it a 4WD. I also picked up a Topaz for $200 as a parts car and then the current 89 as a parts car too but when the 1991 got T boned I put its low mile power train into the 200K+ 89.
My van was originally a wheel chair lift van with the left over holes and switches from the lift and power sliding door which where both removed before I got it. I wish it was still there some times.
97 Lincoln Mark VIII DD 200,000 miles
84 GMC Caballero
Central California
Currently:
1965 Ford F-100
1967 Mercury Park Lane
1968 Mercury Couga
1968 Ford Mustang
1973 Dodge Polara Custom
1991 Mazda 626 hatchback
1998 Mercury Sable wagon
2004 Ford Focus.
Have an option to buy these two:
1986 Plymouth Caravelle for 1K. Never seen one before and only 67,000 miles and owned by a retired US Navy Captain JD. Just diagnosed his smog failure today.
1978 Celica GT Liftback with 134,000 miles and owned by a fellow volunteer on the Hornet for 800. Good deal because he knows I am a strict traditionalist as evidenced by my restoration work on the Hornet. The Hornet is my ultimate toy with about 12,000 hours into her.
Of course, neither are that easy for locating parts that are not mechanical.
Celica
I live in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne , Australia.
Discovered CC late last year , without a doubt its the best thing on the web for me.
I have learned so much, its just the best.
I love the civilised friendly nature, and the knowledge that when you read something here you can trust its right , or if its not , there’s always someone to put it right.
I dont have a fleet , but drive a 2003 Falcon ute with 4.0 straight six & 4 speed auto.
Love American cars and hope to get something special one day.
Love Mopars and your El Camino’s and Rancheros.
Thanks so much.
John
Love this site and digging the bizarre combos and stories. We split time between Guerneville, CA and San Francisco. We haul furniture and antiques for our businesses -thus we have a small fleet–
-2011 Toyota Sienna Limited. Brilliant, plush and you can shift it manually and retain some level of driving pleasure and control. 54k.
-2006 Toyota Sienna XLE. 155k miles and bulletproof. Spent most money on door workings but this van is a star.
-2002 BMW 325it. We’ll never sell it. Fits in our 1890’s narrow San Francisco garage and remains the most brilliant vehicle (in a list of 21) ever.
-if I ever find a decent one, I’ll add a Renault LeCar (5) in Orange, lime green or yellow with that bonkers sunroof. Dream car besides a ’72 MB SL.
– 2010 Prius, Barcelona red, 17 ” wheels (my wife daily)
– 2010 Mazda MX-5 Nizeko roadster coupé, black (my daily)
– 1996 Civic coupé LSi, black (not common in Europe)
– 1994 Toyota Previa GL, auto, dual sunroof, 8 seats, “cool box” and independent rear suspension (for vacation)