Long Term Classic Modern Car

[ykX]

Most of today's cars are very computerized, full of gadgets and like all things high tech they become obsolete in just few years (for example cars only 5-6 years old lack Bluetooth, have screens that look like cheap kids toys, etc).  Today's cars have better screens, more high tech toys but in 5-6 years they will be obsolete as well.

Lets say you want to get a car you would like to keep for a very long time, lets say at least 15-20 years.  Something like Mustang, Camaro, Challenger or Corvette, something that you can have in addition to your daily driver, a weekend car for your soul and fun, something that you will keep very long time.

What car do you think you would get?  Let's avoid cars from 60's, 70's or earlier.  What would you pick more modern that still will be timeless?

[Drew Dowdell]

We should have an age cut off... but I think the '96 Fleetwood, Impala, and Roadmaster have that potential.   After the Hertz spec models get crushed, I think the top end 300C might qualify. 

[ccap41]

This is easy for me as it's kind of the end of an era as cars quickly became electronic this and that. This car wasn't yet. It has traction control, but it sucked. You had to WANT to gain traction for it to really work.

2003-2004 Mustang "Terminator" Cobra

Choice number 2 would be easy as well..

C5Z.

Edited April 11, 2017 by ccap41

[ykX]

26 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

We should have an age cut off... but I think the '96 Fleetwood, Impala, and Roadmaster have that potential.   After the Hertz spec models get crushed, I think the top end 300C might qualify. 

I think 90's is a good cutoff age, but I was thinking even more modern then that if possible.

[Drew Dowdell]

Challenger for sure... all of the Hellcats.

[frogger]

Styling hasn't changed much over the decades, I'd mope around in this on weekends.

[G. David Felt]

Depending on the type of auto, mass produced Impala or limited production Trailblazer AWD SS, I take my 2008 Trailblazer as a classic over the Impala and the rest of the TB's out there with a 6 banger only.

[Robert Hall]

Been there, done that.  Drove my WJ JGC almost daily for almost 17 years, long after it was obsolete.  

If I were to do something like that again, I'd maybe pick a Panther. A late Grand Marquis or Town Car.  Driven many as rentals, they were pretty low tech and obsolete 20 years ago, plenty of parts out there.  

[Drew Dowdell]

Just now, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Been there, done that.  Drove my WJ JGC almost daily for almost 17 years, long after it was obsolete.  

If I were to do something like that again, I'd maybe pick a Panther. A late Grand Marquis or Town Car.  Driven many as rentals, they were pretty low tech and obsolete 20 years ago, plenty of parts out there.  

I could do that as long as I put a modern Android Auto compatible head unit and upgraded speakers in. 

[frogger]

If it doesn't give me reason to, I might end up driving the TSX until it is 15+ years old.  Have only been putting 10-11,000 miles on it a year for its first 10 years.   Hard to say goodbye to a paid for reliable car when you have a 300K mortgage on a 100 year old house that could be described as "unreliable" lol.

 

 

 

 

[balthazar]

Still wrapping my head around "cars from 5 yrs ago are in many ways obsolete vs. modern, better stuff, but chose something older than 5-6 yrs old/obsolete (but not older than 1990s obsolete) you want to live with for 20 years".

IMO, if stuff from 5-20 yrs ago is troublesome in terms of obsolescence to one as an owner, why even make that constraint?

IMO, once ECMs and body panels of plastic started showing up, IE: circa 1980, you either fall on one side of that line or the other for something you WANT to own. 

2007 vs 2017? I don't see any significant distinctions.

Personally, I have 3 project vehicles I am happy to live with for the rest of my days- I am quite lucky in that respect. But they are all older than me.

[Frisky Dingo]

It'd have to be a Porsche.

Any of these would work-

 

 

 

 

[balthazar]

Swung by my buddy's shop this afternoon- he has a extremely clean '68 New Yorker 4-dr hardtop for sale, pale ice green ext with black vinyl roof, black interior, 440. Power everything. Says it floats like a dream. That'd be totally drivable, anywhere (*there were numerous gas stations) and in possibly better comfort than many MUCH more modern cars.

If I take it for a spin tomm, I'll submit a review.

[hyperv6]

Any LS model car. Parts are cheap and they can be easily improved.

The LNF Models as they can be easily modified. 

The pre DEF Duramax desiel trucks again easy to modify. 

Mustang Fox body cars again cheap to modify.

Good condition 3800 SC cars again easy to modify. 

Anything with a modern hemi

Jeeps. 

Special rare models like CTS coupe and wagon.

The PT Cruiser,Prowler, SSR  and HHR in good condition extra points for turbo models. 

Kappa anything.

GTO and G8 will hold a special place.

And anything from Hummer. The H3T will hold a lot of value.

Miata

 

The big boat cars will have their followers but not much more value than we saw with past models.

[oldshurst442]

Obsolete?

I dont understand what this means? Although I buy all my cars with all the bells and whistles, I dont use any of the technology available. There are certain technologies that I despise and refuse to use...like Ill never ever use. Back-up cameras, lane departure beep beeps...I HATE THESE OPTIONS that are soon to be standard equipment on all cars...

The only technology I love and cant live without since I was introduced to this tech is ABS brakes and traction control. Even traction control pisses me off sometimes as in winter driving, to get rolling in ice or snow, the wheels need to spin somewhat...

On the entertainment side of things, the only thing that I may or may not require is just a regular radio with a USB port so I could lug my music around. Apple car play and the cloud and stuff....I dont need it, there is enough music on my USB key to entertain me for hours...that would be like 50CDs worth...on one key...and since I love all types of music and all types of music is on this USB key, Im entertained. The sports talk radio does the rest.

So, with that being said, and we are preferably to stay from the 1980s on...there are some cars that I wouldnt mind driving for 20 years as a toy.

Id love to own a 1980s G-Body from GM, preferably the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with T-Tops. Hurst or 442. Or a Grand National/GNX from Buick. Even though these dont have ABS or traction control. Summer driven only so Id probably wouldnt get myself too much into trouble and I would probably not drive them like an idiot either.

 

Then there is a Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am 4rth gen in any high performance guise either as a Firehawk or WS6. T-Tops a must.

Again...summer only car.

 

This one. Has AWD, and a V6. 300 horsepower. More than the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme as a V8 and slightly less than a Trans Am 4rth gen.

2017 Challenger V6 AWD so I could daily drive it summer and winter. I could live with this car for 20 years easily.

 

[ykX]

Here are the interiors of 2017 Mustang GT and Camaro SS

Do you think these cars with these screens, gadgets, applications, new electronics will last / work / be adequate in 15-20 years? 

 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, ykX said:

Here are the interiors of 2017 Mustang GT and Camaro SS

Do you think these cars with these screens, gadgets, applications, new electronics will last / work / be adequate in 15-20 years? 

 

I hope so, otherwise your screwed. Pretty much I thnk auto companies plan for this.