I miss the days of buying a $500 car that you could get a few years out of. At least you could til the early 00’s. The cash for clunckers killed off many.
One of my sons was working at a dealership shop during that time. Though he didn’t see anything that old coming in, he did see a lot of 5.0 Explorers and pickups, other V8 cars from the 80s and 90s. Said they couldn’t even harvest parts. That really hurt the market.
I am so sick of new car prices. When my lease is up, I am not getting another new car. I am going to buy two or three classic sedans instead. I have plenty of room to keep them at my house. And thanks to Adam in his channel, I will have the knowledge to fulfill this dream. Huge fan of yours. Thank you so much.
Last year i bought a 2000 Lincoln Town Car as a summer / weekend driver. I paid $3700 with 105,000 miles, a tune up and fluid changes. I've put 13,000 miles on it and i have to say, it is one if the best cars i've owned. It's been absolutely reliable, comfortable, and wonderful to drive. It reminds me of the 70's Fords and Mercuries my parents owned, except more comfortable with better gas mileage. I would buy another panther platform in a heartbeat.
True. My best friend owned a Lincoln Mark VII of similar vintage, same air ride problem. The GOOD news was, there are aftermarket kits to convert them to a traditional steel spring setup at a reasonable cost. He & I successfully did it in an afternoon.@@byronmcgee4118
I have a 1987 Crown Victoria with 236,645.0 Kilometres on it with a 5.0l Engines and it still purrs like a kitten. Had it now for 12 Years with very little repairs to it.
All very good choices. I've often wondered how many of these affordable drivers were taken off the road through the "Cash for Clunkers" program. I know it really messed up the used car market.
"Cash for clunkers" was an OBSCENITY! Scrapping perfectly functional cars that SO many people of lower economic rungs could have gotten a LOT of use from!
As a retired Ford mechanic, I can agree with you on the 1973-78 LTD/Grand Marquis were very reliable cars. Most that came through are dealership were regular maintenance or rebuilding the not so good Autolite carburetors. The 351M/400 did have a block casting issue in the 1978 (I think) model year. It was caught but not soon enough, so quite a few went out the door. One other thing with the 98-2011 Panther platform. If you live in the salt belt, make sure the steering shaft is inspected. They were prone to corrosion and steering would be difficult with a lot of clunking noise. In some cases they would break and the driver would be in deep sh*t. Some models were recalled for this issue but better safe than sorry, have it inspected.
Still daily driving a 1997 Buick Park Avenue Ultra and my wife's 2005 Buick LeSabre. I love these cars, and, as long as there are good examples still available, I'll always look for a Buick with the 3800 V6.
Took my 66 Bug on a 300 mile Christmas road trip, got a lot of looks. 29 mpg at 65 to 70 mph most of way. It can go a bit faster, but it gets buzzy above 70, and it needs the slow lane with the trucks on the steep upgrades. Loads of fun.
My every day car for about 13 years was a vw bug. Great car, put a lot of miles on it. Excellent in the snow and the gas heater worked well keeping the cabin warm even in brutally cold weather. By 2015 or so the salt was really starting to take its toll but mechanically it still ran excellent.
Never got more than 25 mpg on my 69 bug convertible. I did the tuneups and oil changes every 3k miles but never got more than 25 mpg. Wondering how you got 29 to 30 mpg?
Absolutely agree on the Ford panther platform cars. I have 2 currently and hopefully will never be without one in "my fleet." Not indestructible, but close and oh so easy (and cheap) to fix if anything goes wrong. Peace of mind is the ultimate luxury.
Over the years I've owned a 1993 crown victoria, a 1996 and a 2006 Grand marquis, and a 2007 Town car. All were rock solid and needed only maintenance and minor repairs. I got well over 200,000 miles out of all of them. And they all had over 100.000 miles on them when I bought them. And indoor a couple of them were looking a little rough after I got done with them, they were all in good running condition when I parted with them or stopped driving them. The biggest job I did was an intake manifold on a 1996 , and air springs on the 2006 Grand Marquis and the 2007 town car. And I was able to go to a junkyard and find good air springs off of a wrecked vehicle that had them recently replaced .
For the last 5 summers I've been daily driving my '85 Grand Marquis. Classic styling with chrome bumpers and upright grille, but with with all the modern goodies like auto-AC, cruise control, power everything, overdrive and tolerable MPG.
@@Vaino_Hotti i believe The 1979-1990 panther platform cars were the last of the Box shaped Ford-Mercury-Lincolns that started with the 1978 Fairmount. I think the 1985 was that last before the mild refresh in 1986. But they were SOLID too. I loved the TBI that made them run more smoothly than the carburetor versions.
@@TheDude12374 the ONLY ones that leak and potentially catch fire tend to be those that are hit from behind at highway speeds while sitting still. Nothing like the pintos which would leak and potentially catch fire at MUCH lower speeds. These were usually cop cars that were hit when they were sitting still such as when they’d pulled someone over. Ford did a recall on the cop cars where we made some modifications. But they didn’t do so with civilian cars because virtually none of those were involved in type of accident that resulted in fires. But a I believe a civilian COULD request the modification be done to their vehicle as well.
I agree with your list 100%. The Bucik 3800 cars and the Vic/Marquis are typically what i recommend for people looking for cheap reliable transportation. However a lot of younger people (under 30) see these cars as lame grandpa cars and are embarassed by their looks so they pick up used BMWs or Malibus/Fusions/Altimas/Sonatas etc and they always come back to me complaining when they break down...if they would have just gotten over the grandpa status of those other cars theyd be way happier and have more money in their wallets but i guess they gotta learn somehow.
3800 cars arent classics they are shitboxes that rust way too easily and are fucking ugly as well, pontiacs buicks chevys they all looked the same badge engineering at its worst
The 3800 might be bulletproof and I like the W-bodys, but the transmissions have their problems. To me it doesn't matter as much how great the engine is if the transmission can't make it
@@Jason-fp7vi I only every had 1 trans go out and it was replaced with a Buick one. Didn't quite fit but it seemed stronger. Most of my cars got sold or passed on to apprentices at around 350,000 and 4 years old. The boxes were always serviced once a year. Only been through 1 Fairmont box as well but that's because the dealer servicing it did burnouts and blew it.
I daily drove a 1993 Fleetwood for around 8 years. Chevrolet's 5.7 TBI V8 (LO5) is on par with the 3800 for reliability and service life. Fuel mileage was surprisingly good in the Cadillac with 2.56 rear end and overdrive transmission.
The most fuel efficient engine in a 1972-1978 LTD is the engine you did not mention -- the 351W. I had two of them and they both did better than 20 MPG on a trip. On the 1977 and up downsized full-size GM cars, beware of the ones with the TH200 Chevette transmission.
My Mom had an ‘81 Bonnevile with the Chevette transmission. It lasted 1000 miles past the warranty. GM of course would not stand behind it. Good catch there!
I had a 1976 Mercury Montego four door sedan with the 351 two barrel that I bought in 1978. Great runner, reliable car. And after adjustments by emptying out the converter and rejetting the carb 20+ mpg on the highway was not unusual at all.
The TH200 ruined the Chevettes that had it too, cars that small just couldn't pull automatic transmissions. Find one in good shape with a manual and be pleasantly surprised, especially if it has the rear sway bar or full F41 package.
I daily drive my 78 Buick Electra all summer long. Comfortable, reliable, and stylish. The huge trunk is supremely useful. 17 mpg. About the same milage as my modern Jeep Wrangler.
I have been driving for 52 years and it always amazes me when a new car comes out that we never know if it will be a great car until 10-20 years later. I agree with your list. And that 3.8 GM engine is one of the best GM ever put out.I would pick it over many of the V6's today due to durability and mpg.
My first car in 1999 at the age of 19 was $500. It was a 1971 Mark III. I remember when I was a kid in the 80s everybody who was 16 and older had a car because you could get something from the seventies or 1960s and it was only a few hundred dollars. I remember a geek having a 1970 Cadillac in 1985 and it was only a few hundred dollars and it was in decent shape the body was straight and the interior was in good shape. You get something 15 years old today and it's thousands of dollars and you wonder if it's even worth it to buy versus putting that money towards a down payment for something new.
EVERY word here is spot on! I own a 66 Toronado that I daily drove from 98-2000 and I can tell you its an absolute BEAST in the snow! Nothing holds it back, I nick named it the "Bull Dozer" LOL I also know people whom have the RWD GM cars Adam mentioned and they drove them 200-300K miles, i worked for Buick 1985-6 when these FWD Buicks came out and again SPOT ON. YES the early ones had teething issues but the last few years were great cars. THe RWD Big Fords of late 90s-2000s were also great as mentioned. I own a similar one in regards to engine, a 97 Mark Vlll with now .......... drum rolll 348,000 miles and it still runs and drives great. GRanted its a "hotter" version 4.6 with DOHC / 32 Valves VS the SOHC 4.6 found in theCVs and Marquis/Town cars but that 4.6 in its day one awards and is a stellar engine and loved by all!
All great choices. Having owned most of these vehicles I always try to steer people towards the Buicks, my 04 Lesabre Limited is just an awesome, easy to love machine -they even tow surprisingly well. Park Avenues were also stellar vehicles for the money (had a 2000 years ago). Always wanted a 03-05 Ultra -but they are getting harder to find, even the "base" Park Aves seem to get picked over first -but there are still a lot of Lesabre around, which I just highly recommend. Mine even came with tire pressure monitoring, a nice Bose stereo, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and a heads up display! They're out there🙂 Good coverage Adam!
Great list, Adam! I can vouch for the Ford Panthers. I’ve been driving Crown Vics as daily drivers for 20 years now. Usually pic them up with 90K miles, and drive them for another 100K before selling and getting a newer one. Absolutely trouble free. Just regular service. I can’t say enough good things about these cars!
thank you Adam! I daily drive a 2011 Crown Vic P7B, formerly owned by the PD in Palos Verdes Estates, CA, and I can't think of a more reliable car that gets you through a cold winter as well as a hot summer without any major issues. tons of space, super comfy ride, lots of spare parts and there are even YT channels solely focused on them.
A great list, Adam! The only downside to running some of these wonderful cars on a daily basis is the gas mileage, which you did touch on. I think that's an important thing to know, especially if the owner lives in a hilly environment. While my '73 Marquis 429 can easily get 15-18 MPG on a flat freeway, around San Francisco the MPG was a solid 6.
Yeah but there's A LOT of other cars that WON'T be a gas-guzzler. I had both Marquis '77 with the 400 and another one with the 460 (exactly like the green one). I had to get rid of them because of the gas mileage when gas was cheap back then. So for today's usage, that will be horrific! And think about parking. These things are huge land yatch. In today's parking slots, you won't be happy. (Might be better with the 2-door Thunderbird) But on the highway, you forget about it. Smooooooth ride. The LeSabre is right on the target though. Cheap and reliable.
@@pepetherealfrog9846Hey, there's another one, the lighter and beautiful '77 Thunderbird/Cougar! (Your MPG is right on. With our own gas pumps, we never figured out the mileage driving around Marin County, but on the freeway our HIGH compression Lincoln only got 14 MPG with the A/C on...
It's hard to believe $5k-6k is considered cheap for a car td. Plus good luck finding a drivable vehicle from the 70s that's not falling apart. At least here in the northeast. I would love to daily drive any one of these cars!
I had to sell my 2010 Toyota Tundra 4WD because 8mpg city and 15mpg freeway was eating my vehicle expenses. I Loved the pickup and the power, but I simply couldn’t afford to drive it
@@johnz8210 if he installs a K&N intake and a 4” dual exhaust system, he’ll get more hp, torque and MPG. So he should go for 6mpg city to 8mpg and 13mpg highway to 15mpg. I did get 19mpg on a few tanks, but normally 15mpg. A friend of mine can’t get more than 14mpg, so I told him about what I did. I had the 5.7 V8 and he has the 4.6 V8.
I totally agree with your picks. I would include the B body GM through 89-90 such as the Caprice in your list. As for the Marquis, I have two of them, 04 & 05, and they are awesome. They do have an issue with cracking intake manifolds. Both of mine did, but it was not too bad of a job to replace them. There are lots of aftermarket intake manifolds available. I also had both have the A/C drier rust through on both of them. Otherwise, these are fantastic gas and go cars that get fantastic fuel economy for their size. Steve
The 1972 Marquis was just stunning to this boy in high school. I still love it. All these are great choices and I appreciate the mech knowledge. Thanks for the video!
i got a 95 buick park avenue for 2 grand and its been the best daily ive ever had for years. Low miles, body is excellent, zero rust, absolutely could not be happier with it
Thanks for this one, Adam.. My favorites are the GM C and B bodies, 1977 - 1981.. Those are all great, and I owned a 1977 and 1980 Cadillac Coupe, 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham 2 door, 1981 Buick Electra Limited sedan and 1981 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupe, and another 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 4dr sedan. Also a 1978 Chevrolet Impala coupe with the bent rear glass.. Some of Detroit's and GM's finest.
Used to work for local governments. The cops would get the Police Interceptor Crown Vics. They would wear them out then pass them along to the admin. fleet. We drove the hell out of them. The garage kept plenty of spare parts on hand for them.
I owned a 1989 LeSabre with the 3800 V-6. Super comfy & reliable, got really good MPG. Sadly, it was squashed flat by a giant oak tree blown over in a storm. Bummer.
I bought a 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Collector’s Series in August. While it was supposed to be my entry into “classic” cars, I’ve been driving it almost every day. It was in almost perfect condition, I did brakes, hoses and what not and it runs almost perfectly. Needs a carb adjustment to be perfect. Just about everything works, only minor electronics to be fixed, already have the replacement parts. This particular car is really loaded, all options and moonroof. I just haven’t decided what to do about upgrading audio and minor electronics like getting FOB locks. The car did displace my Audi out of the garage, but that’s ok.
I'm digging that dark blue LTD @4:37! Pole Barn Garage just picked up a cream colored one with ~50,000 miles on it, and it is very clean. You might want to contact him. Not a fan of big modern mag wheels, but I actually like the wheels on the exported Buick @10:28. I guess that they're European.
Happily drove an early 2000s Buick Lesabre throughout my thirties. I wanted the chance to enjoy a car designed for older people who were still driving at the time. The style of that vehicle is very reminiscent of the big and comfy American autos from back in the day that I missed out on. I loved my grandpa mobile. But those cars are over 20 years old now and and will have a lot mechanical problems as they approach 200k miles. Sadly I had to let mine go as repairs were becoming too costly.
I was looking at buying a new car and that's when I realized that most cars today are the same silly box (small SUVs) and only a couple of sedans have any style at all. So the answer is right here in your video. Thanks Adam! Always knew about the 3800 Buicks and have heard the intake is what bears close examination.
Great advice, Adam. The 3800 V6 powered GM W-bodies are also fantastic - Grand Prix, Regal, Century et al. Just make sure to check the rear strut mountings for rust. It seems to be the W-bodies Achilles heel...😊
Back in 2013, my mom died, and I inherited her beautiful 2000 Grand Marquis, with only 38,000 miles. I was driving my 99 Escort ZX2. I debated for quite a while about which car to sell. The Merc lost out, only because I parked every day in a very crowded parking lot, where door dings, scratches and minor dents were the norm. I didn't think that docking that land yacht every day would be much fun. But, what a ride it had! I was able to sell it in 2014 for $4400, which was a pretty good amount back then.
8:00 '79 Caprice was the car that would not die. We drove the piss out of that thing. Everything broke, got smashed, or rusted in the Texas sun, but the engine and transmission gave a mighty hooting sound and went 70 mph like the first day we got it. Who knows how many 100k miles it went. Can't remember where it ended, probably for ugliness.
About the Ford V8s: The 351M/400 is a tall deck Cleveland engine. The oiling issue is a very easy thing to work around. Change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, and use high mileage semi-synthetic 5W30. If you want increased gas mileage and performance, the first step is a dual 2¼ inch exhaust with H crossover. Dynaflow mufflers sound almost stock but flow much better. If highway mileage is a concern or the transmission gives out, a mechanical AOD from a carbureted Panther 351 car is a drop in. Also, that late 80s 351 has more horsepower and more torque than the 70s version of the 460. Done right, one of these will see in excess of 30 mpg on the highway
351M / 400 have big block bolt pattern for the transmission, so a C6 will fit , AOD from a '351 Panther' will NOT FIT, as these have the small block bolt pattern for the transmission applications. However, the AOD will fit the 70 -74 351C engines . There are other options out there , but usually pricey, also having a 351M /400 or 460 and expecting great gas mileage is usually not a realistic expectation , even an inline 300 with a C6 is not good on gas either unless you consider 13MPG to be good . Panther 302 or 351W with an AOD is a good idea for a swap, but be prepared to change the mounts and oil pan/ pickup/ and timing cover etc. as well , and the throttle valve rod / cable issue is a pain too. :)
Hi Adam, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for this prescient video on daily drivers. I have a 1987 Ford Crown Victoria wagon that I have owned since 1988 and has been in year round service since then. I have had the car rust-proofed initially, then spray oiled inside all body panels and frame bi-annually and use a seperate set of steel wheels with snow tires in the winter and save the summer radials and aluminum turbine wheels from salt exposure. The 1976 Ford LTD you feature in this video appears to be the same color as my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 50th Anniversary Edition sedan I bought in January of 2022 with 67,000.0 miles on it in excellent condition. I store this one in the winter months as it is far too beautiful to expose to winter weather. Also saved from the elements is my 1991 Crown Victoria LX wagon with only 14,000.0 miles since it's restoration in 2020. The 1987 is nearing 250,000.0 miles and still serves me well and is very dependable. Fuel injection and overdrive transmission are the order of the day for all of these vehicles.
For 2 years between '98-2000 I drove a 9 hours one-way, one-weekend-per-month trip between Mid-Missouri and the Memphis area, regardless of the weather, rain, snow, or shine. It gave me a great feeling of comfort, satisfaction, and security to drive the rented Pontiac Bonneville SE with the 3800 engine I borrowed from the Enterprise agency. Those cars just went, and like crazy and seemingly effortlessly, with decent fuel mileage and a huge gas tank. Didn't need to stop for fuel along the way, just fuel up before the return trip. Plenty of power and very comfortable driving, eating up the road whether wet, snowy, or dry with remarkable stability. Wish I could find a lightly-used, low mileage item today!
What I would do with a car with the broken endura fender extensions between the tail lights and the quarter panels, is just take some tin and bend it to fit. I happen to have some experience with sheetmetal, to me it's pretty easy. Honestly I ought to find one just so I can make some and sell them, if people are paying $3,000 to get them replaced, I could probably make some good money selling them $50 each, or installing them for $200 a car.
Fantastic list Adam and I hope you and yours have a great 2024😊 a former coworker of mine had a Crown Victoria after his sister had it and he told me before the odometer zeroed out, it had 500k kms on it! My parents bought a brand new dark blue Regal in 92, they loved it, the only reason they sold it was because my brother was born a year later and we needed more room. This is a great addition to uncle Tony's video on daily driving old cars, he goes into what to do/not do and what years to go with and you mirror some of that.
I have driven and repaired many cars in six decades, both in Europe and here in the US. The Crown Vic, especially the P71, is clearly an unbeatable combination of practicality and fun.
Regarding your number 3 choice: Years ago I had a 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine. It was actually the limousine without the divider. It was fully loaded, but the rear self-levelling suspension had been disconnected. It was white with black vinyl top and black cloth interior. It had less than 90k miles on it. But after a year or two it suddenly developed an engine problem. The engine banged, and the banging sound came from down low, on the driver's side. It was a slow banging, and the faster the engine was running, the faster the banging was. The car was my second driver. My daily was an `87 Ford F150 that we had gotten new. So when the banging started on the limo, I simply stopped driving it because I didn't make much money in those days, and knew I would have no way of having it fixed. As for the condition, it had a little bit of rust blistering under the body side moldings, and the fender extensions started to break up and go away. As for your number 1 choice, I always heard good things about the Crown Vics and Grand Marquis from that era, and know they were a top choice for police cars and taxis. That's why when it came time to replace my mom's car, I suggested to my dad that he get her something on that platform. So he got her a 2008 Grand Marquis. It runs well, but I don't like the cheap plastic interior fittings, and I don't like the rough ride compared to my `97 Lincoln Town Car and my `96 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. It also has issues with the automatic climate control.
All great choices. Something to look out for on the Panther cars is, '03-'05s have headlight relays that are kinda undersized and tend to fail after a while. The relay is soldered onto the lighting computer's board, under the dash, and isn't user-replaceable unless you're handy with a soldering iron. The official fix is to replace the whole LCM, but a likely better solution is to wire in an aftermarket relay to the outside of the LCM. If the relay hasn't failed yet, you can buy an external headlight relay harness that will take the load off of the factory relay and make the headlights a little brighter too.
Good choices. I've owned a few of those, a couple I wish I had never gotten rid of. I wish I could afford to get a late model Checker wagon and modernize it somewhat. I think that would make a wonderful daily driver.
Back in the 70's, I wanted to get a civilian Checker and add air shocks, side pipes and mag wheels to it, just to be weird and different. Never did, tho.
The only problem with these old cars (besides the constant little repairs) is the 0-60 in 14 seconds, yet they still guzzle fuel like a space shuttle. But yeah, they are oh so cushy. 🥰
I'm still kicking myself for not picking up a 25k mile 05 Grand Marquis back in early 2020. The car was an absolute slug with the 2.73 rear end but i ended up passing because the dealership was screwy with the price.
The problem I've observed with the pre 90's car's is not just rust but everything breaks down pretty fast under daily drive conditions. There is a guy that runs around my town with a 76 ford f100 explorer and he has restored it 3 times now. Not all of it of course, after the first time it's just a refresh but it always starts to look pretty shabby at the 5-6 year mark. Then he has it painted or whatever it needs. He may have replaced it once and it just looks too similar for me to tell. But I'm old enough to recall when a 10 yo car was ANCIENT. lol Currently own a 2010 Crown Vic PI and LOVE it. Had an 01 Mercury GM before and the platform refresh is amazing though, the GM was still a great riding car. I could get something newer but after getting t-boned at 65 mph in the GM and walking away with LIGHT bruising, I won't drive any other car.
My first car - back in 1980, was a 1971 chevy Caprice 2door hardtop with a 400 V-8. It was a great car and was amazingly good in the snow. Paid $900.00 for it. Sadly these cars are now all being “donked” aka ruined and cost ridiculous money….
It is a shame as to what is being done with these cars. One possible problem with driving a 71 daily is the seat belts. In the 71 with separate lap and shoulder belts with two completely separate buckles, a lot of people would probably be lazy and only wear the lap belt. In a collision in these cars, both the lap and shoulder belts need to be worn for the best protection. As a teenager in the mid 70s I had a 71 Impala coupe and I was that rare kid that wore both belts. Probably saved my life one night in a head on collision with a drunk driver. Walked away with only minor scratches and bruises from the belts.
Great points you've raised! Spot on...and, for states like Missouri, bear in mind we have property tax on vehicles. When you're looking at anywhere from upwards of $400-$600/year in property taxes vs $100, that adds up quick! My dad sold his '22 Santa Fe and is currently turning his '85 2wd F150 into his daily driver. A crisp little 302 .030 over, nice C6...great truck. Cheap to insure, cheap (relatively speaking) on taxes, and turns more heads than any Hyundai ever would! Unfortunately around here, the RWD Caprices and LTD's have been turned into demolition derby and stock cars. Thanks for the great video!
@@joshuagibson2520 I tell you what...and of all times, our property tax is due on Dec 31st! Yes, Missouri gets you...any personal property is taxed. I have a 12' flatbed trailer; it's assessed a $100 value, and is taxed. Boats, ATV's, UTV's...yep. So jumping into an older vehicle absolutely has its perks. My '15 F250 Super Duty has an assessed value at $7740, vs my '85 Chevy K30 CUCV and '92 Park Ave at $100 respectively.
I have 2 Mercury Grand Marquis LS models - a 1994 and a 2009. Both have well over 100,000 miles. Both great cars and reliable for the most part except for replacing the radiator and manifold gasket on the '09 model and to have the power windows back in their tracks on the '94. Would not have anything made today if at all possible.
Not the same motor. The Mustangs used the HO version that made significantly more power. The LTD and Marquis used the "lopo" (low power) version that made only 150 horsepower.
The top three are great choices, especially the Panther platform cars. I just sold a 97 Town Car with 189k. Still ran like a tank and everything worked. The Panther cars are among the best cars ever made. In the late 90s I drove a 78 Delta 88 coupe as a winter beater, paid $400. To this day it is one of the best cars I ever owned, even though it was rusted out. Never let me down.
Loving this channel and content! Growing up poor in the 80's and 90's meant that these boats were what my family could afford. My Dad would dig most of these out of a hay field for a few hundred bucks and daily them for years.
When I was 14 years old a neighbor was selling their car and I got it even though I couldn't drive yet. It was a 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance, about 82k on the clock and some surface rust in small areas (from Chicago). I put about 12k miles on it and made a lot of great memories. For starters my mom would go driving with me every Saturday on a scenic route so I could learn how to move the thing around. Once I got my license I remember being so excited to finally drive the thing on my own. I took it to high school a bunch of times and it was always fun to load up 3 buddies and screw around. Unfortunately I had to get something a little more dependable for University so I had to sell it. Last I heard it was at a pick and pull in Englewood. My buddy tried to buy it back but they wouldn't sell it. These boats are a lot of fun though and although mine was kind of clapped out, I think they are superb daily drivers if you can find a good example. They are getting hard to find clean though since so many get tricked out
I remember a guy picked me and a friend up when I was 16...he had a LTD with a 351 M engine...we were drinking of course, but this boat of a car was kicking ass...he was smoking the tires and the 4 barrel was screaming until we had to hit the gas station. The 351M was such a underrated engine. But to be a boat it was so fun to ride in.
350dx aka 5.7L diesel is the only option id want for a full sized gm RWD. 22-27 mpg mixed use as family daily driver and 27-36 mpg highway. Very reliable for hundreds of thousands of miles with very little work. 1983 olds 98 diesel w/ 200-4R overdrive I own now is by far the highest millage car ive owned other than my 500k mile cvpi Great list bud.
In the summer (spring to fall) I drive a 69 Olds Vista Cruiser that I dropped a 1986 6.2 diesel engine into (not easy, but I did it) in 1999. California car so no rust. Most reliable car I've had and also cheap on fuel, although it won't win any drag race LOL! (changed all the suspension and brake components to brand new when I built it and still good 20 years later). put 1996 Cadillac electric leather seats in it (with cup holders). Have over 100k on it since the build, and that's towing trailers across the country for years. Best thing is there is no electronics anywhere, only a few wires under the hood...to me, 60's and 70's rust free GM cars are the bomb as daily drivers... Yes you pay for gas, but you save on everything else.
Hey Adam, great video. I myself own a 95 Buick Park Avenue and an 07 Grand Marquis. Funny to see the two cars I own being in top #1 and #2 spot LOL. All the panther platform cars are real solid, I will add that the 92-97 models have more of a jelly ride feel than the later ones, if that's what you're after. The 1980s models are okay, but the AOD transmission is trouble-prone and I always found the interiors on those cars to be pretty cheap and chintzy. The newer 03+ models handle and drive very well for being a big Ford. My 07 Grand Marquis is a pleasure to drive.
Ive always told people shopping used cars you can buy cheap or reliable but of you want cheap AND reliable your options are 1 a 3800 powered gm (prefrebly w body) or 2 a ford panther. Ive owned both and can attest to this. I paid $2700 for my 94 Regal in 04 and drove it for 7 years 100k and it was done in wity a car crash at 200k (no injuries). I then spent $3700 on an 01 grand marquis which gave me 7 years and 100k miles. Betweeen the two only issues besides routine maintinance was ball joints (grand maruis) alternators, fuel pump, ac, and leaf spring bushings (regal- i made them custom from a flat tire)
My 1975 Imperial LeBaron, Virginia, wishes to express her dissatisfaction with your list, Adam. 😄 I've been practically daily driving her for the last seven or eight years. She's still all original except for the electric choke I had installed in 2018. Everyone confuses her a Cadillac for some odd reason, but those in the know, know.
Nice car. There was an old man that ran a bookstore I went to prior to the covid shut down that had a 76 New Yorker which was essentially an Imperial. Had the 440. Beige. Only issue was some rust behind the rear wheels. Unfortunately he had to shut down the bookstore and I lost track of him and the car.
@tholmes2169 Yes, the '74 -'78 C body "formals" are underrated, in my opinion. Had a '77 Newport that was an excellent car once the Lean Burn ignition had been removed.
I've daily driven a '77 LTD for the last decade. It cost me $970 and only had about 60,000 miles when I got it. As far as I can tell, they're basically the best car ever made (if you don't care about going fast). Gas mileage is decent (10-15 in town, 16-20 highway), comfort is un-rivaled, passenger/cargo space is excellent, styling is nice (and much better than anything built after it), and mine has had virtually no issues in the time I've owned it. I don't drive the LTD in the winter since it's rust-free. My winter car is a '73 DeVille that's basically all rusted away from the rear window back. The car was undercoated at some point, though, so the frame is completely solid from bumper to bumper and there are no holes in the floor of the passenger compartment. With snow tires, it's a great winter car.
I can vouch for the 71 Ford LTD/Galaxie. I love my 4 door Brougham hardtop. Its got the premium fuel 429 4v hi comp but i go easy on it and use additives just in case usually. Great list. Thanks for all the advice you give, Adam 👍🙂
My First car was a 78 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in Bronze with a 425 and Turbo 400. Bought it in 98 for 800 bucks with 80,000 miles on it. Drove it for 5 years with little to no issue's. Just oil changes and basic maintenance. Was super reliable, Comfortable, had power everything, and one of the best looking Cadillacs made IMO. Absolutely loved that car. Only downside was terrible gas mileage but back then gas was cheap and nobody cared 😂. Buy one and you wont regret it. Happy New year Everyone!!!!
I daily drove a $900 1976 Electra for about 6 years. It had a head gasket failure at about 165,000 and I sold it for $500. In total, I replaced the master cylinder, ignition module, and fuel pump. Obviously the fuel cost was high, but including the initial car price I was less than $1,500 into that car. Normal maintenance items on top of that, but they were dirt cheap.
I was wondering if the 4th gen(75-79) nova is a good daily driver since I own one and i see those novas being sold pretty cheap on Facebook marketplace especially the sedans
They're pretty much the same underneath, as the '68-'74 Novas, so I'd say yes. Watch out for sagging leaf springs, and broken axle-to-leaf-spring-pad pins or bolts or whatever they used. You'd see those X body Novas and their corporate cousins dog-tracking down the road, because the rear axle was no longer deadnuts perpendicular to the springs and car body...
In 87 I had a 77 LTD with a 400M. Great car. Some guy rear-ended me as I was pulling into the barracks. Crumpled his little car. The LTD barely had a scratch. My Parents bought a new 94 Grand Marquis. It was quick! The rear air ride suspension was nice. Super comfy car for long trips. Great highway milage if you drove easy. Way before I was born my Mom had a 54 Crown Vic.
Thank Adam. Excellent. I approve of the options on the list. I agree with what you said completely. What about the GM E Bodies? Cadillac Eldorado/Seville, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado 1979-1985( Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera) and 1988-1992( All E/K-Bodies)? They used the 3800 V6 and the Oldsmobile 307, and Cadillacs much improved 4.5 and 4.9 liter V8 which was based off the HT 4100. A loaded Grand Marquis LS is sharp with digital gauges. The 1989-1993 Deville and Fleetwood I feel should be on the list too as well. I know you recently did a Deville video. You forgot the Pontiac Parisienne 1983-1986. I really enjoyed the video and footage. I smiled all the way through nodding my head. Thank you Adam!
@@toronado455 Thank you for sharing. It is good to know I was not the only one thinking this. I was shocked he did not mention the 78-88 GM G Bodies( Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Malibu, Pontiac Bonneville and Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Buick Regal. He did mention the W Body Regal with the 3800. Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Lumina, Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Intrigue all offered the 3800 as well.
@@OLDS98 I think the W bodies are an excellent choice. The G bodies are attractive, but have ergonomic compromises. The driver's footwell area is very cramped and off center to the left. The accelerator pedal is positioned very far to the left from where it should ideally be because of the wide transmission hump. Other's complain about the rear door windows that don't roll down, but that doesn't really bother me because those doors have vent windows. But I would choose the front wheel drive X, A, or W before I'd go G.
@@toronado455 The A Bodies were quite reliable and a good choice as well. They were durable and ran until 1996. A loaded Oldsmobile Ciera in Brougham trim is quite nice. The Pontiac 6000 STE and the other Chevrolet and Buick versions are quite durable as well. My aunt had a G Bonneville Bonneville. It was a great car inside and out. I just did not realize people felt that way about them. They are classic cars now and highly demanded too.
The the Pontiacs of that era sporting the 3800 series II and III typically were supercharged. That was one of the Pontiac's known variations on GM vehicles; they were teh "sports" version of similar rides. In the Buicks, (I'm running an 05 La Crosse. Any time I need to replace any parts, I get I source parts for police fleet Malibus, Impalas, etc.)) you had to get the Riviera to get the super charger or the Le Sabre Custom "elite" or something, I forget what additional badging it had, "Titanium" some shit, and THT had the m85 supercharger on it.
I'm still driving a 94 Buick Regal that I got in 2013 for $2600 its a 2 door 3800 and was old lady's car with 62K now has 130K which out here in Cali is low miles, cheap on insurance very reliable nice ride, no worry of it getting stolen either even though great shape. Only complaint is seat belts on door and OBD1.
I miss the days of buying a $500 car that you could get a few years out of. At least you could til the early 00’s. The cash for clunckers killed off many.
Indeed. It sure did. Ruined the used parts market too.
Cash for clunkers was basically criminal.
We know who did the horrable thing. Drone bom b e r Ob a ma
It should be illegal to crush any car built before 2000 unless it's been completely stripped of every usable part
One of my sons was working at a dealership shop during that time. Though he didn’t see anything that old coming in, he did see a lot of 5.0 Explorers and pickups, other V8 cars from the 80s and 90s. Said they couldn’t even harvest parts. That really hurt the market.
I am so sick of new car prices. When my lease is up, I am not getting another new car. I am going to buy two or three classic sedans instead. I have plenty of room to keep them at my house. And thanks to Adam in his channel, I will have the knowledge to fulfill this dream. Huge fan of yours. Thank you so much.
Last year i bought a 2000 Lincoln Town Car as a summer / weekend driver. I paid $3700 with 105,000 miles, a tune up and fluid changes. I've put 13,000 miles on it and i have to say, it is one if the best cars i've owned. It's been absolutely reliable, comfortable, and wonderful to drive. It reminds me of the 70's Fords and Mercuries my parents owned, except more comfortable with better gas mileage. I would buy another panther platform in a heartbeat.
The air shocks are the potential issue
True. My best friend owned a Lincoln Mark VII of similar vintage, same air ride problem. The GOOD news was, there are aftermarket kits to convert them to a traditional steel spring setup at a reasonable cost. He & I successfully did it in an afternoon.@@byronmcgee4118
@@byronmcgee4118they're easy to replace and you could always replace with coils if you really wanted.
I have a 1987 Crown Victoria with 236,645.0 Kilometres on it with a 5.0l Engines and it still purrs like a kitten. Had it now for 12 Years with very little repairs to it.
All very good choices. I've often wondered how many of these affordable drivers were taken off the road through the "Cash for Clunkers" program. I know it really messed up the used car market.
"Cash for clunkers" was an OBSCENITY! Scrapping perfectly functional cars that SO many people of lower economic rungs could have gotten a LOT of use from!
Obscene is spot on! I've never been so heartbroken in my life.
another fine quality well thought out plan by liberal democrats.. lol
@@peterdaniel66 I'm sure that those clunkers somehow got some cash out of the whole thing...
Cash for Clunkers only went back to 1983 models.
As a retired Ford mechanic, I can agree with you on the 1973-78 LTD/Grand Marquis were very reliable cars. Most that came through are dealership were regular maintenance or rebuilding the not so good Autolite carburetors. The 351M/400 did have a block casting issue in the 1978 (I think) model year. It was caught but not soon enough, so quite a few went out the door. One other thing with the 98-2011 Panther platform. If you live in the salt belt, make sure the steering shaft is inspected. They were prone to corrosion and steering would be difficult with a lot of clunking noise. In some cases they would break and the driver would be in deep sh*t. Some models were recalled for this issue but better safe than sorry, have it inspected.
When American cars were quality made
Still daily driving a 1997 Buick Park Avenue Ultra and my wife's 2005 Buick LeSabre. I love these cars, and, as long as there are good examples still available, I'll always look for a Buick with the 3800 V6.
The Car Wizard is also high on the Buick 3800 & the Panther platform cars.
Took my 66 Bug on a 300 mile Christmas road trip, got a lot of looks. 29 mpg at 65 to 70 mph most of way. It can go a bit faster, but it gets buzzy above 70, and it needs the slow lane with the trucks on the steep upgrades. Loads of fun.
I loved my '61 Beetle! This one was equipped with the optional gas gauge and even had a sun roof.
My every day car for about 13 years was a vw bug. Great car, put a lot of miles on it. Excellent in the snow and the gas heater worked well keeping the cabin warm even in brutally cold weather. By 2015 or so the salt was really starting to take its toll but mechanically it still ran excellent.
And it's RWD! My 1960 went everywhere a 4WD would go!
@@Apocalypse_Cow Remember the commercial, What do snow plow drivers Drive? Beetles
Never got more than 25 mpg on my 69 bug convertible. I did the tuneups and oil changes every 3k miles but never got more than 25 mpg.
Wondering how you got 29 to 30 mpg?
Absolutely agree on the Ford panther platform cars. I have 2 currently and hopefully will never be without one in "my fleet." Not indestructible, but close and oh so easy (and cheap) to fix if anything goes wrong. Peace of mind is the ultimate luxury.
Your peace of mind comment ticks every box. Nothing is better.
My sister had a Pontiac with the 3800. Great car and not outlandish. We cruised 80mph down to Mexico comfortably and securely.
Having rented both the Crown Vic and the 3.8 powered Buicks, I can definitely agree that they are good cars with decent highway mileage.
Adam, I am so happy to see the Panther Platform is finally getting some respect on this channel. When are you going to add a couple to your fleet?🤔 😉😁
Over the years I've owned a 1993 crown victoria, a 1996 and a 2006 Grand marquis, and a 2007 Town car. All were rock solid and needed only maintenance and minor repairs. I got well over 200,000 miles out of all of them. And they all had over 100.000 miles on them when I bought them. And indoor a couple of them were looking a little rough after I got done with them, they were all in good running condition when I parted with them or stopped driving them. The biggest job I did was an intake manifold on a 1996 , and air springs on the 2006 Grand Marquis and the 2007 town car. And I was able to go to a junkyard and find good air springs off of a wrecked vehicle that had them recently replaced .
For the last 5 summers I've been daily driving my '85 Grand Marquis. Classic styling with chrome bumpers and upright grille, but with with all the modern goodies like auto-AC, cruise control, power everything, overdrive and tolerable MPG.
Pass on those. As with other Ford models, they have an unsafe fuel tank design.
@@Vaino_Hotti i believe The 1979-1990 panther platform cars were the last of the Box shaped Ford-Mercury-Lincolns that started with the 1978 Fairmount. I think the 1985 was that last before the mild refresh in 1986. But they were SOLID too. I loved the TBI that made them run more smoothly than the carburetor versions.
@@TheDude12374 the ONLY ones that leak and potentially catch fire tend to be those that are hit from behind at highway speeds while sitting still. Nothing like the pintos which would leak and potentially catch fire at MUCH lower speeds. These were usually cop cars that were hit when they were sitting still such as when they’d pulled someone over. Ford did a recall on the cop cars where we made some modifications. But they didn’t do so with civilian cars because virtually none of those were involved in type of accident that resulted in fires. But a I believe a civilian COULD request the modification be done to their vehicle as well.
I agree with your list 100%. The Bucik 3800 cars and the Vic/Marquis are typically what i recommend for people looking for cheap reliable transportation. However a lot of younger people (under 30) see these cars as lame grandpa cars and are embarassed by their looks so they pick up used BMWs or Malibus/Fusions/Altimas/Sonatas etc and they always come back to me complaining when they break down...if they would have just gotten over the grandpa status of those other cars theyd be way happier and have more money in their wallets but i guess they gotta learn somehow.
3800 cars arent classics they are shitboxes that rust way too easily and are fucking ugly as well, pontiacs buicks chevys they all looked the same badge engineering at its worst
The 3800 is bullet proof. Had that engine in many of my Commodore's and plenty of power to do doughnuts and burnouts.
The 3800 might be bulletproof and I like the W-bodys, but the transmissions have their problems. To me it doesn't matter as much how great the engine is if the transmission can't make it
@@Jason-fp7vi I only every had 1 trans go out and it was replaced with a Buick one. Didn't quite fit but it seemed stronger. Most of my cars got sold or passed on to apprentices at around 350,000 and 4 years old. The boxes were always serviced once a year. Only been through 1 Fairmont box as well but that's because the dealer servicing it did burnouts and blew it.
@@2DogsVlogs very nice, that's a good record then. I would like to own a 3800 super charged but don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity
I daily drove a 1993 Fleetwood for around 8 years. Chevrolet's 5.7 TBI V8 (LO5) is on par with the 3800 for reliability and service life. Fuel mileage was surprisingly good in the Cadillac with 2.56 rear end and overdrive transmission.
The most fuel efficient engine in a 1972-1978 LTD is the engine you did not mention -- the 351W. I had two of them and they both did better than 20 MPG on a trip. On the 1977 and up downsized full-size GM cars, beware of the ones with the TH200 Chevette transmission.
My Mom had an ‘81 Bonnevile with the Chevette transmission. It lasted 1000 miles past the warranty. GM of course would not stand behind it. Good catch there!
The 1978 model year marked the return of the 302 V8 in the LTD.
I had a 1976 Mercury Montego four door sedan with the 351 two barrel that I bought in 1978. Great runner, reliable car. And after adjustments by emptying out the converter and rejetting the carb 20+ mpg on the highway was not unusual at all.
351w is an anemic piece of shit cars only drove nice with a 460
The TH200 ruined the Chevettes that had it too, cars that small just couldn't pull automatic transmissions. Find one in good shape with a manual and be pleasantly surprised, especially if it has the rear sway bar or full F41 package.
Those mid 90s Buicks with the 3800 are hard to beat. Also the last of the Panther platform Ford are bullet proof.
I daily drive my 78 Buick Electra all summer long. Comfortable, reliable, and stylish. The huge trunk is supremely useful. 17 mpg. About the same milage as my modern Jeep Wrangler.
I enjoy my 1973 Plymouth Fury III. 360 V8 with a 2.71 rear end. Big, comfortable and extremely reliable.
I have been driving for 52 years and it always amazes me when a new car comes out that we never know if it will be a great car until 10-20 years later. I agree with your list. And that 3.8 GM engine is one of the best GM ever put out.I would pick it over many of the V6's today due to durability and mpg.
10:25 As a norwegian, I can't help but notice the norwegian license plates and added turn signal lights. 😊
And those hideous wheels.
My first car in 1999 at the age of 19 was $500. It was a 1971 Mark III. I remember when I was a kid in the 80s everybody who was 16 and older had a car because you could get something from the seventies or 1960s and it was only a few hundred dollars. I remember a geek having a 1970 Cadillac in 1985 and it was only a few hundred dollars and it was in decent shape the body was straight and the interior was in good shape. You get something 15 years old today and it's thousands of dollars and you wonder if it's even worth it to buy versus putting that money towards a down payment for something new.
EVERY word here is spot on! I own a 66 Toronado that I daily drove from 98-2000 and I can tell you its an absolute BEAST in the snow! Nothing holds it back, I nick named it the "Bull Dozer" LOL I also know people whom have the RWD GM cars Adam mentioned and they drove them 200-300K miles, i worked for Buick 1985-6 when these FWD Buicks came out and again SPOT ON. YES the early ones had teething issues but the last few years were great cars. THe RWD Big Fords of late 90s-2000s were also great as mentioned. I own a similar one in regards to engine, a 97 Mark Vlll with now .......... drum rolll 348,000 miles and it still runs and drives great. GRanted its a "hotter" version 4.6 with DOHC / 32 Valves VS the SOHC 4.6 found in theCVs and Marquis/Town cars but that 4.6 in its day one awards and is a stellar engine and loved by all!
All great choices. Having owned most of these vehicles I always try to steer people towards the Buicks, my 04 Lesabre Limited is just an awesome, easy to love machine -they even tow surprisingly well. Park Avenues were also stellar vehicles for the money (had a 2000 years ago). Always wanted a 03-05 Ultra -but they are getting harder to find, even the "base" Park Aves seem to get picked over first -but there are still a lot of Lesabre around, which I just highly recommend. Mine even came with tire pressure monitoring, a nice Bose stereo, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and a heads up display! They're out there🙂 Good coverage Adam!
Great list, Adam!
I can vouch for the Ford Panthers. I’ve been driving Crown Vics as daily drivers for 20 years now. Usually pic them up with 90K miles, and drive them for another 100K before selling and getting a newer one. Absolutely trouble free. Just regular service. I can’t say enough good things about these cars!
thank you Adam! I daily drive a 2011 Crown Vic P7B, formerly owned by the PD in Palos Verdes Estates, CA, and I can't think of a more reliable car that gets you through a cold winter as well as a hot summer without any major issues. tons of space, super comfy ride, lots of spare parts and there are even YT channels solely focused on them.
The town cars' are the best
We have two with over" 600.000! Miles.
Good choices, all. I'm driving an 02 LeSabre and just turned 103k. Absolutely love it. Thanks Adam.
Picked up a 2006 Town Car for $7k with 75k miles. Most comfortable ride ever. The only car I’ve ever had that gets compliments from strangers.
A great list, Adam! The only downside to running some of these wonderful cars on a daily basis is the gas mileage, which you did touch on. I think that's an important thing to know, especially if the owner lives in a hilly environment. While my '73 Marquis 429 can easily get 15-18 MPG on a flat freeway, around San Francisco the MPG was a solid 6.
Keep in mind that you will not have a car payment. You can buy a lotta gas with $700.00!
@@charlesb7019 I agree -- that's why I've had it for 20+ years! But in CA, $80+ fill ups are not everyone's cup of tea.
Yeah but there's A LOT of other cars that WON'T be a gas-guzzler. I had both Marquis '77 with the 400 and another one with the 460 (exactly like the green one). I had to get rid of them because of the gas mileage when gas was cheap back then. So for today's usage, that will be horrific! And think about parking. These things are huge land yatch. In today's parking slots, you won't be happy. (Might be better with the 2-door Thunderbird) But on the highway, you forget about it. Smooooooth ride. The LeSabre is right on the target though. Cheap and reliable.
@@pepetherealfrog9846Hey, there's another one, the lighter and beautiful '77 Thunderbird/Cougar! (Your MPG is right on. With our own gas pumps, we never figured out the mileage driving around Marin County, but on the freeway our HIGH compression Lincoln only got 14 MPG with the A/C on...
It's hard to believe $5k-6k is considered cheap for a car td. Plus good luck finding a drivable vehicle from the 70s that's not falling apart. At least here in the northeast. I would love to daily drive any one of these cars!
Same here!
In Canada, if it's not from the last decade or never driven in winter, it's a rust bucket
It's quite sad
I had to sell my 2010 Toyota Tundra 4WD because 8mpg city and 15mpg freeway was eating my vehicle expenses.
I Loved the pickup and the power, but I simply couldn’t afford to drive it
@@johnz8210 if he installs a K&N intake and a 4” dual exhaust system, he’ll get more hp, torque and MPG.
So he should go for 6mpg city to 8mpg and 13mpg highway to 15mpg.
I did get 19mpg on a few tanks, but normally 15mpg.
A friend of mine can’t get more than 14mpg, so I told him about what I did.
I had the 5.7 V8 and he has the 4.6 V8.
I totally agree with your picks. I would include the B body GM through 89-90 such as the Caprice in your list. As for the Marquis, I have two of them, 04 & 05, and they are awesome. They do have an issue with cracking intake manifolds. Both of mine did, but it was not too bad of a job to replace them. There are lots of aftermarket intake manifolds available. I also had both have the A/C drier rust through on both of them. Otherwise, these are fantastic gas and go cars that get fantastic fuel economy for their size. Steve
The 1972 Marquis was just stunning to this boy in high school. I still love it. All these are great choices and I appreciate the mech knowledge. Thanks for the video!
i got a 95 buick park avenue for 2 grand and its been the best daily ive ever had for years. Low miles, body is excellent, zero rust, absolutely could not be happier with it
Thanks for this one, Adam.. My favorites are the GM C and B bodies, 1977 - 1981.. Those are all great, and I owned a 1977 and 1980 Cadillac Coupe, 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham 2 door, 1981 Buick Electra Limited sedan and 1981 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupe, and another 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 4dr sedan. Also a 1978 Chevrolet Impala coupe with the bent rear glass.. Some of Detroit's and GM's finest.
Used to work for local governments. The cops would get the Police Interceptor Crown Vics. They would wear them out then pass them along to the admin. fleet. We drove the hell out of them. The garage kept plenty of spare parts on hand for them.
I owned a 1989 LeSabre with the 3800 V-6. Super comfy & reliable, got really good MPG. Sadly, it was squashed flat by a giant oak tree blown over in a storm. Bummer.
I had 1988 Olds 98. top of line every feature, over 30 Mi a gallon. 275000 trouble-free miles and sold it to a man that kept on Going.
I have a 1996 Crown Vic. and I consistently get 30 to 32 miles per gallon on the highway with the cruise set to 113 km. per hour.
I bought a 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Collector’s Series in August. While it was supposed to be my entry into “classic” cars, I’ve been driving it almost every day. It was in almost perfect condition, I did brakes, hoses and what not and it runs almost perfectly. Needs a carb adjustment to be perfect. Just about everything works, only minor electronics to be fixed, already have the replacement parts. This particular car is really loaded, all options and moonroof. I just haven’t decided what to do about upgrading audio and minor electronics like getting FOB locks. The car did displace my Audi out of the garage, but that’s ok.
I'm digging that dark blue LTD @4:37! Pole Barn Garage just picked up a cream colored one with ~50,000 miles on it, and it is very clean. You might want to contact him.
Not a fan of big modern mag wheels, but I actually like the wheels on the exported Buick @10:28. I guess that they're European.
Happily drove an early 2000s Buick Lesabre throughout my thirties. I wanted the chance to enjoy a car designed for older people who were still driving at the time. The style of that vehicle is very reminiscent of the big and comfy American autos from back in the day that I missed out on. I loved my grandpa mobile. But those cars are over 20 years old now and and will have a lot mechanical problems as they approach 200k miles. Sadly I had to let mine go as repairs were becoming too costly.
My '89 Olds 98 Touring Sedan was sublime. The 3800 purred, luxury gadgets ahead of their time, and in triple navy blue - gorgeous.
I was looking at buying a new car and that's when I realized that most cars today are the same silly box (small SUVs) and only a couple of sedans have any style at all. So the answer is right here in your video. Thanks Adam! Always knew about the 3800 Buicks and have heard the intake is what bears close examination.
Great advice, Adam. The 3800 V6 powered GM W-bodies are also fantastic - Grand Prix, Regal, Century et al. Just make sure to check the rear strut mountings for rust. It seems to be the W-bodies Achilles heel...😊
Back in 2013, my mom died, and I inherited her beautiful 2000 Grand Marquis, with only 38,000 miles. I was driving my 99 Escort ZX2. I debated for quite a while about which car to sell. The Merc lost out, only because I parked every day in a very crowded parking lot, where door dings, scratches and minor dents were the norm. I didn't think that docking that land yacht every day would be much fun. But, what a ride it had! I was able to sell it in 2014 for $4400, which was a pretty good amount back then.
Wish you had sold it to me. That car was small compared to my '64 Electra , '72 Delta 88, & others I've had - & I would still be driving it today.
8:00 '79 Caprice was the car that would not die. We drove the piss out of that thing. Everything broke, got smashed, or rusted in the Texas sun, but the engine and transmission gave a mighty hooting sound and went 70 mph like the first day we got it. Who knows how many 100k miles it went. Can't remember where it ended, probably for ugliness.
About the Ford V8s: The 351M/400 is a tall deck Cleveland engine. The oiling issue is a very easy thing to work around. Change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, and use high mileage semi-synthetic 5W30. If you want increased gas mileage and performance, the first step is a dual 2¼ inch exhaust with H crossover. Dynaflow mufflers sound almost stock but flow much better. If highway mileage is a concern or the transmission gives out, a mechanical AOD from a carbureted Panther 351 car is a drop in. Also, that late 80s 351 has more horsepower and more torque than the 70s version of the 460. Done right, one of these will see in excess of 30 mpg on the highway
351M / 400 have big block bolt pattern for the transmission, so a C6 will fit , AOD from a '351 Panther' will NOT FIT, as these have the small block bolt pattern for the transmission applications. However, the AOD will fit the 70 -74 351C engines . There are other options out there , but usually pricey, also having a 351M /400 or 460 and expecting great gas mileage is usually not a realistic expectation , even an inline 300 with a C6 is not good on gas either unless you consider 13MPG to be good . Panther 302 or 351W with an AOD is a good idea for a swap, but be prepared to change the mounts and oil pan/ pickup/ and timing cover etc. as well , and the throttle valve rod / cable issue is a pain too. :)
I daily drive 2003 burgundy Town Cars...25 mpg highway, crazy reliable, safe...comfortable..
Hi Adam, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for this prescient video on daily drivers. I have a 1987 Ford Crown Victoria wagon that I have owned since 1988 and has been in year round service since then. I have had the car rust-proofed initially, then spray oiled inside all body panels and frame bi-annually and use a seperate set of steel wheels with snow tires in the winter and save the summer radials and aluminum turbine wheels from salt exposure. The 1976 Ford LTD you feature in this video appears to be the same color as my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 50th Anniversary Edition sedan I bought in January of 2022 with 67,000.0 miles on it in excellent condition. I store this one in the winter months as it is far too beautiful to expose to winter weather. Also saved from the elements is my 1991 Crown Victoria LX wagon with only 14,000.0 miles since it's restoration in 2020. The 1987 is nearing 250,000.0 miles and still serves me well and is very dependable. Fuel injection and overdrive transmission are the order of the day for all of these vehicles.
Thanks for keeping those classic wagons on the road!
For 2 years between '98-2000 I drove a 9 hours one-way, one-weekend-per-month trip between Mid-Missouri and the Memphis area, regardless of the weather, rain, snow, or shine. It gave me a great feeling of comfort, satisfaction, and security to drive the rented Pontiac Bonneville SE with the 3800 engine I borrowed from the Enterprise agency. Those cars just went, and like crazy and seemingly effortlessly, with decent fuel mileage and a huge gas tank. Didn't need to stop for fuel along the way, just fuel up before the return trip. Plenty of power and very comfortable driving, eating up the road whether wet, snowy, or dry with remarkable stability. Wish I could find a lightly-used, low mileage item today!
What I would do with a car with the broken endura fender extensions between the tail lights and the quarter panels, is just take some tin and bend it to fit. I happen to have some experience with sheetmetal, to me it's pretty easy. Honestly I ought to find one just so I can make some and sell them, if people are paying $3,000 to get them replaced, I could probably make some good money selling them $50 each, or installing them for $200 a car.
Bought a 91 Buick Lesabre several months ago for my daily driver, I definietly recommend it!
That yellow Eldorado? Yes, please!
Fantastic list Adam and I hope you and yours have a great 2024😊 a former coworker of mine had a Crown Victoria after his sister had it and he told me before the odometer zeroed out, it had 500k kms on it!
My parents bought a brand new dark blue Regal in 92, they loved it, the only reason they sold it was because my brother was born a year later and we needed more room.
This is a great addition to uncle Tony's video on daily driving old cars, he goes into what to do/not do and what years to go with and you mirror some of that.
I have driven and repaired many cars in six decades, both in Europe and here in the US. The Crown Vic, especially the P71, is clearly an unbeatable combination of practicality and fun.
Regarding your number 3 choice: Years ago I had a 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine. It was actually the limousine without the divider. It was fully loaded, but the rear self-levelling suspension had been disconnected. It was white with black vinyl top and black cloth interior. It had less than 90k miles on it. But after a year or two it suddenly developed an engine problem. The engine banged, and the banging sound came from down low, on the driver's side. It was a slow banging, and the faster the engine was running, the faster the banging was. The car was my second driver. My daily was an `87 Ford F150 that we had gotten new. So when the banging started on the limo, I simply stopped driving it because I didn't make much money in those days, and knew I would have no way of having it fixed.
As for the condition, it had a little bit of rust blistering under the body side moldings, and the fender extensions started to break up and go away.
As for your number 1 choice, I always heard good things about the Crown Vics and Grand Marquis from that era, and know they were a top choice for police cars and taxis. That's why when it came time to replace my mom's car, I suggested to my dad that he get her something on that platform. So he got her a 2008 Grand Marquis. It runs well, but I don't like the cheap plastic interior fittings, and I don't like the rough ride compared to my `97 Lincoln Town Car and my `96 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. It also has issues with the automatic climate control.
All great choices. Something to look out for on the Panther cars is, '03-'05s have headlight relays that are kinda undersized and tend to fail after a while. The relay is soldered onto the lighting computer's board, under the dash, and isn't user-replaceable unless you're handy with a soldering iron. The official fix is to replace the whole LCM, but a likely better solution is to wire in an aftermarket relay to the outside of the LCM. If the relay hasn't failed yet, you can buy an external headlight relay harness that will take the load off of the factory relay and make the headlights a little brighter too.
I had to replace the headlight unit in my 05. That outside relay sounds interesting. I can probably find a how to on RUclips. Thanks
Good choices. I've owned a few of those, a couple I wish I had never gotten rid of.
I wish I could afford to get a late model Checker wagon and modernize it somewhat.
I think that would make a wonderful daily driver.
Back in the 70's, I wanted to get a civilian Checker and add air shocks, side pipes and mag wheels to it, just to be weird and different. Never did, tho.
The mid to late 80's Lincoln town cars, Lincoln mk7, Mercury marquis, Cougar, Ford LTD, Thunderbird. All good for 200k or better miles.
Looks like my car made the list. ‘89 Olds 88 Royale coupe with 81k miles
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a FORD LTD, my friends all drive Kia’s I must make amends.😅😅
Great Advice as ever Adam thanks.
The only problem with these old cars (besides the constant little repairs) is the 0-60 in 14 seconds, yet they still guzzle fuel like a space shuttle. But yeah, they are oh so cushy. 🥰
I picked up a 99 Marquis last December for $5500 with 133k on the clock. It’s been the best car I’ve owned so far! I absolutely love the panther cars.
I'm still kicking myself for not picking up a 25k mile 05 Grand Marquis back in early 2020. The car was an absolute slug with the 2.73 rear end but i ended up passing because the dealership was screwy with the price.
Adam, check out, Staughton Il, country car, Classics. There are some neat daily drivers in there for not a lot of money. Let me know what you think !
The best resource on RUclips. Thank you Adam.
The problem I've observed with the pre 90's car's is not just rust but everything breaks down pretty fast under daily drive conditions. There is a guy that runs around my town with a 76 ford f100 explorer and he has restored it 3 times now. Not all of it of course, after the first time it's just a refresh but it always starts to look pretty shabby at the 5-6 year mark. Then he has it painted or whatever it needs. He may have replaced it once and it just looks too similar for me to tell. But I'm old enough to recall when a 10 yo car was ANCIENT. lol
Currently own a 2010 Crown Vic PI and LOVE it. Had an 01 Mercury GM before and the platform refresh is amazing though, the GM was still a great riding car. I could get something newer but after getting t-boned at 65 mph in the GM and walking away with LIGHT bruising, I won't drive any other car.
Mercury GM?
Grand Marquis@@rgrndu
Grand Marquis
--totally understand the confusion as I was caught off guard for a moment myself
1980's Caprice Classics are my choice!! I love the look of the 2 door coupe in particular!! Good video
My first car - back in 1980, was a 1971 chevy Caprice 2door hardtop with a 400 V-8. It was a great car and was amazingly good in the snow. Paid $900.00 for it. Sadly these cars are now all being “donked” aka ruined and cost ridiculous money….
It is a shame as to what is being done with these cars. One possible problem with driving a 71 daily is the seat belts. In the 71 with separate lap and shoulder belts with two completely separate buckles, a lot of people would probably be lazy and only wear the lap belt. In a collision in these cars, both the lap and shoulder belts need to be worn for the best protection. As a teenager in the mid 70s I had a 71 Impala coupe and I was that rare kid that wore both belts. Probably saved my life one night in a head on collision with a drunk driver. Walked away with only minor scratches and bruises from the belts.
I still drive a 1983 Buick Lesabre sedan 3.8V6 as a daily driver for $600 with 63K miles on it.
Great points you've raised! Spot on...and, for states like Missouri, bear in mind we have property tax on vehicles. When you're looking at anywhere from upwards of $400-$600/year in property taxes vs $100, that adds up quick! My dad sold his '22 Santa Fe and is currently turning his '85 2wd F150 into his daily driver. A crisp little 302 .030 over, nice C6...great truck. Cheap to insure, cheap (relatively speaking) on taxes, and turns more heads than any Hyundai ever would! Unfortunately around here, the RWD Caprices and LTD's have been turned into demolition derby and stock cars. Thanks for the great video!
That is insanity. Do they get you on 4 wheelers and boats too?
@@joshuagibson2520 I tell you what...and of all times, our property tax is due on Dec 31st! Yes, Missouri gets you...any personal property is taxed. I have a 12' flatbed trailer; it's assessed a $100 value, and is taxed. Boats, ATV's, UTV's...yep. So jumping into an older vehicle absolutely has its perks. My '15 F250 Super Duty has an assessed value at $7740, vs my '85 Chevy K30 CUCV and '92 Park Ave at $100 respectively.
Wow try living in South Carolina, my 2016 CTS Vsport tag renewal finally dropped below $1000 dollars this fall.
I have 2 Mercury Grand Marquis LS models - a 1994 and a 2009. Both have well over 100,000 miles. Both great cars and reliable for the most part except for replacing the radiator and manifold gasket on the '09 model and to have the power windows back in their tracks on the '94. Would not have anything made today if at all possible.
My vote is an '89-91 RWD Crown Vic or Gran Marquis with the 5.0L v8 found in the Mustang !
The 80s Crown Vic/Grand Marquis were pretty good too I had an 86 and an 88 still felt like a 70s boat in many ways and by 88 you got the efi 5.0l
Not the same motor. The Mustangs used the HO version that made significantly more power. The LTD and Marquis used the "lopo" (low power) version that made only 150 horsepower.
The top three are great choices, especially the Panther platform cars. I just sold a 97 Town Car with 189k. Still ran like a tank and everything worked. The Panther cars are among the best cars ever made.
In the late 90s I drove a 78 Delta 88 coupe as a winter beater, paid $400. To this day it is one of the best cars I ever owned, even though it was rusted out. Never let me down.
Loving this channel and content! Growing up poor in the 80's and 90's meant that these boats were what my family could afford. My Dad would dig most of these out of a hay field for a few hundred bucks and daily them for years.
When I was 14 years old a neighbor was selling their car and I got it even though I couldn't drive yet. It was a 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance, about 82k on the clock and some surface rust in small areas (from Chicago). I put about 12k miles on it and made a lot of great memories. For starters my mom would go driving with me every Saturday on a scenic route so I could learn how to move the thing around. Once I got my license I remember being so excited to finally drive the thing on my own. I took it to high school a bunch of times and it was always fun to load up 3 buddies and screw around. Unfortunately I had to get something a little more dependable for University so I had to sell it. Last I heard it was at a pick and pull in Englewood. My buddy tried to buy it back but they wouldn't sell it. These boats are a lot of fun though and although mine was kind of clapped out, I think they are superb daily drivers if you can find a good example. They are getting hard to find clean though since so many get tricked out
1972 to 1978 Capri by Mercury, Opel 1900 coupe (Manta), Opel GT.
I remember a guy picked me and a friend up when I was 16...he had a LTD with a 351 M engine...we were drinking of course, but this boat of a car was kicking ass...he was smoking the tires and the 4 barrel was screaming until we had to hit the gas station. The 351M was such a underrated engine. But to be a boat it was so fun to ride in.
Great topic and recommendations.
paid $600 for a Buick park avenue ultra, which lasted over a year before its engine blew. I want another one so bad
350dx aka 5.7L diesel is the only option id want for a full sized gm RWD. 22-27 mpg mixed use as family daily driver and 27-36 mpg highway. Very reliable for hundreds of thousands of miles with very little work. 1983 olds 98 diesel w/ 200-4R overdrive I own now is by far the highest millage car ive owned other than my 500k mile cvpi
Great list bud.
The original D block diesel was the one that was problematic.
@@bobbyheffley4955yep
In the summer (spring to fall) I drive a 69 Olds Vista Cruiser that I dropped a 1986 6.2 diesel engine into (not easy, but I did it) in 1999. California car so no rust. Most reliable car I've had and also cheap on fuel, although it won't win any drag race LOL! (changed all the suspension and brake components to brand new when I built it and still good 20 years later). put 1996 Cadillac electric leather seats in it (with cup holders). Have over 100k on it since the build, and that's towing trailers across the country for years. Best thing is there is no electronics anywhere, only a few wires under the hood...to me, 60's and 70's rust free GM cars are the bomb as daily drivers... Yes you pay for gas, but you save on everything else.
Hey Adam, great video. I myself own a 95 Buick Park Avenue and an 07 Grand Marquis. Funny to see the two cars I own being in top #1 and #2 spot LOL. All the panther platform cars are real solid, I will add that the 92-97 models have more of a jelly ride feel than the later ones, if that's what you're after. The 1980s models are okay, but the AOD transmission is trouble-prone and I always found the interiors on those cars to be pretty cheap and chintzy. The newer 03+ models handle and drive very well for being a big Ford. My 07 Grand Marquis is a pleasure to drive.
Ive always told people shopping used cars you can buy cheap or reliable but of you want cheap AND reliable your options are 1 a 3800 powered gm (prefrebly w body) or 2 a ford panther. Ive owned both and can attest to this. I paid $2700 for my 94 Regal in 04 and drove it for 7 years 100k and it was done in wity a car crash at 200k (no injuries). I then spent $3700 on an 01 grand marquis which gave me 7 years and 100k miles. Betweeen the two only issues besides routine maintinance was ball joints (grand maruis) alternators, fuel pump, ac, and leaf spring bushings (regal- i made them custom from a flat tire)
My 1975 Imperial LeBaron, Virginia, wishes to express her dissatisfaction with your list, Adam. 😄
I've been practically daily driving her for the last seven or eight years. She's still all original except for the electric choke I had installed in 2018. Everyone confuses her a Cadillac for some odd reason, but those in the know, know.
Nice car. There was an old man that ran a bookstore I went to prior to the covid shut down that had a 76 New Yorker which was essentially an Imperial. Had the 440. Beige. Only issue was some rust behind the rear wheels. Unfortunately he had to shut down the bookstore and I lost track of him and the car.
@tholmes2169 Yes, the '74 -'78 C body "formals" are underrated, in my opinion. Had a '77 Newport that was an excellent car once the Lean Burn ignition had been removed.
I've daily driven a '77 LTD for the last decade. It cost me $970 and only had about 60,000 miles when I got it. As far as I can tell, they're basically the best car ever made (if you don't care about going fast). Gas mileage is decent (10-15 in town, 16-20 highway), comfort is un-rivaled, passenger/cargo space is excellent, styling is nice (and much better than anything built after it), and mine has had virtually no issues in the time I've owned it.
I don't drive the LTD in the winter since it's rust-free. My winter car is a '73 DeVille that's basically all rusted away from the rear window back. The car was undercoated at some point, though, so the frame is completely solid from bumper to bumper and there are no holes in the floor of the passenger compartment. With snow tires, it's a great winter car.
351 m was not good. Mine had #8 piston rod spin. And from what I heard it wasn't unusual.
All great choices. I appreciate the "what to watch out for" for each of the chosen models.
I can vouch for the
71 Ford LTD/Galaxie. I love my 4 door Brougham hardtop. Its got the premium fuel 429 4v hi comp but i go easy on it and use additives just in case usually. Great list. Thanks for all the advice you give, Adam 👍🙂
May I suggest getting some high octane leaded fuel and play with the timing on that 429… it’s quite powerful!!
If you can find it in your location, look for non-ethanol fuel. additives are needed till '75 when unleaded was new.
@@socalltd was considering mixing one gallon of leaded 100LL avgas per tank
@@VVT4ME good idea.
Try 10 gallons straight up and you’ll be hooked.
My First car was a 78 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in Bronze with a 425 and Turbo 400. Bought it in 98 for 800 bucks with 80,000 miles on it. Drove it for 5 years with little to no issue's. Just oil changes and basic maintenance. Was super reliable, Comfortable, had power everything, and one of the best looking Cadillacs made IMO. Absolutely loved that car. Only downside was terrible gas mileage but back then gas was cheap and nobody cared 😂. Buy one and you wont regret it. Happy New year Everyone!!!!
I have a Buick 3800 motor in a Porsche 914!
I daily drove a $900 1976 Electra for about 6 years. It had a head gasket failure at about 165,000 and I sold it for $500. In total, I replaced the master cylinder, ignition module, and fuel pump. Obviously the fuel cost was high, but including the initial car price I was less than $1,500 into that car. Normal maintenance items on top of that, but they were dirt cheap.
I was wondering if the 4th gen(75-79) nova is a good daily driver since I own one and i see those novas being sold pretty cheap on Facebook marketplace especially the sedans
They're pretty much the same underneath, as the '68-'74 Novas, so I'd say yes.
Watch out for sagging leaf springs, and broken axle-to-leaf-spring-pad pins or bolts or whatever they used. You'd see those X body Novas and their corporate cousins dog-tracking down the road, because the rear axle was no longer deadnuts perpendicular to the springs and car body...
In 87 I had a 77 LTD with a 400M. Great car. Some guy rear-ended me as I was pulling into the barracks. Crumpled his little car. The LTD barely had a scratch. My Parents bought a new 94 Grand Marquis. It was quick! The rear air ride suspension was nice. Super comfy car for long trips. Great highway milage if you drove easy. Way before I was born my Mom had a 54 Crown Vic.
Thank Adam. Excellent. I approve of the options on the list. I agree with what you said completely. What about the GM E Bodies? Cadillac Eldorado/Seville, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado 1979-1985( Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera) and 1988-1992( All E/K-Bodies)? They used the 3800 V6 and the Oldsmobile 307, and Cadillacs much improved 4.5 and 4.9 liter V8 which was based off the HT 4100. A loaded Grand Marquis LS is sharp with digital gauges. The 1989-1993 Deville and Fleetwood I feel should be on the list too as well. I know you recently did a Deville video. You forgot the Pontiac Parisienne 1983-1986. I really enjoyed the video and footage. I smiled all the way through nodding my head. Thank you Adam!
I had the same thought re: 79-85 E bodies.
@@toronado455 Thank you for sharing. It is good to know I was not the only one thinking this. I was shocked he did not mention the 78-88 GM G Bodies( Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Malibu, Pontiac Bonneville and Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Buick Regal. He did mention the W Body Regal with the 3800. Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Lumina, Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Intrigue all offered the 3800 as well.
@@OLDS98 I think the W bodies are an excellent choice. The G bodies are attractive, but have ergonomic compromises. The driver's footwell area is very cramped and off center to the left. The accelerator pedal is positioned very far to the left from where it should ideally be because of the wide transmission hump. Other's complain about the rear door windows that don't roll down, but that doesn't really bother me because those doors have vent windows. But I would choose the front wheel drive X, A, or W before I'd go G.
@@toronado455 The A Bodies were quite reliable and a good choice as well. They were durable and ran until 1996. A loaded Oldsmobile Ciera in Brougham trim is quite nice. The Pontiac 6000 STE and the other Chevrolet and Buick versions are quite durable as well. My aunt had a G Bonneville Bonneville. It was a great car inside and out. I just did not realize people felt that way about them. They are classic cars now and highly demanded too.
The the Pontiacs of that era sporting the 3800 series II and III typically were supercharged. That was one of the Pontiac's known variations on GM vehicles; they were teh "sports" version of similar rides. In the Buicks, (I'm running an 05 La Crosse. Any time I need to replace any parts, I get I source parts for police fleet Malibus, Impalas, etc.)) you had to get the Riviera to get the super charger or the Le Sabre Custom "elite" or something, I forget what additional badging it had, "Titanium" some shit, and THT had the m85 supercharger on it.
Prices on these classic cars are really increasing these last few years.
I mean like how does he find a 30k mile car for $5k?
@@toronado455 He doesn't.
Had a 1979 Buick Regal 4.9 liter and 1993 Buick Riviera with the 3800 engine and both were great cars with no issues
Good list.
I'm still driving a 94 Buick Regal that I got in 2013 for $2600 its a 2 door 3800 and was old lady's car with 62K now has 130K which out here in Cali is low miles, cheap on insurance very reliable nice ride, no worry of it getting stolen either even though great shape. Only complaint is seat belts on door and OBD1.