[Shiny]

Best- Hodaka Super Rat I bought used in college. Nothing but fun, lots of noise, no hassle.

Worst- Plymouth Voyager as described previously:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...7&postcount=34

[66sprint6]

Worst car: 1969 Chevelle. Rusted and messed with. Should not have been driving it. But I needed a car to get to whatever work I could find in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the 80's recession. Someone tried to switch the bench to buckets. I didn't go well they were loose. It was so rusted, I'll bet that the car was 20% lighter than when new. The whole car was rigged together and barely ran. Not good when you are trying to start it at -30.

Best car: A truck. My 2007 Tundra that I still have after 12 years and 200,000 miles and counting. Truly bulletproof, no squeaks or rattles, still looks great. Paid for since 2011. That's the best and most endearing quality.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Simple Man

Best....1992 Ford F150 Supercab. 4.9 Automatic overdrive transmission. Bought it new, went almost 95,000 trouble free miles, traded it on a 97 F150, and regretted it, didn't like the 97 anywhere near as much as the 92.

Those OBS Fords are great trucks. My 94 F350 351W has been super reliable, and it's had quite a hard life.

It was bought new in 94 by a construction company owner, and traveled from job site to job site, and doing some material hauling. Afterwards it was sold to a landscaping company where it pulled trailers and hauled brush. It was then sold to another landscaping company where it was used as a commercial plow truck and a maintenance vehicle.

When I bought it, I used it for commercial plowing for a few years. There would be days where I'd start the truck, and it wouldn't shut off for over 30 hours. I also used it as a daily driver for 4 years. Now it's retired, waiting to be restored.

Here's an old pic of it when it was on 35s. Now it's on 37s and has a light bar on it.

[Ben M.]

I haven't had too many POS vehicles myself, mostly because until recently I've always stuck with '60s and '70s GM full size products (back when they were mostly quality despite some flaws). I drove a '72 Lemans, a '73 Grand Am, a '74 Catalina wagon, and a '73 Grand Safari from 1999 until 2016, with some minor excursions here or there into more "modern" vehicles.

My best "modern" daily has been my 2005 Lincoln Town Car. 100k miles and all I've done is change the AC high side port (leaking) and replace the steering sensor (leaking). All $5-6 parts and a half hour of time. I've upgraded the factory surround sound using a modern in-dash receiver that still utilizes the original factory amplifier but now has a backup camera and iphone support. I'll likely drive this until it dies.

My least favorite car was a 2002 Saturn SC2. Manual trans, 5 speed. Couldn't get more than 21MPG out of it and it was completely gutless. The weatherstripping failed after a few weeks when it was new and the dealer said "so?" so it always leaked in the rain and oozed goo on you when you closed the doors. The dealer also screwed up the tinting (that I said I DIDN'T WANT) and it had to go back 4 times to fix bubbling and peeling (in a 3 month timeframe). I think that Saturn dealer was glad to see me move away. I dumped the car after less than 2 years of ownership and got a guy to pay me what I owed to take it away - he was thrilled!

My parents have had their share of lemons... a 1983 AMC Eagle that left dad stranded every week or two for 6 months. A 1990 Plymouth Voyager that needed the tranny redone 3 times before it was 5 years old.

[David Jones]

Best? 2005 Tundra double cab with the 4.7 V8. At 230,000 miles it’s had a couple of timing belts and other various maintenance items but nothing else. I drove it for 120k miles and among other things for 3 years it pulled an 18ft tandem axle trailer all around Alabama that contained the local high schools band equipment. My youngest son took it when he got his license at 16 and still owns it. I think he’s 25 now?
Worst? 1977 Pontiac Phoenix. Bought new. Warranty carried it for a while, then I gave up when the trans puked. GM eventually paid me back for most of that repair after they lost the lawsuit. Charlie Johnson was the service manager. Only service mgr I ever knew on a first name basis:

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

For me its hard to say whether its the late model GM's I owned, the VW Passat Wagon I had or the 2 Jaguars I had. I will say this much, once you own a Jaguar you know you'll never own another.

Those ^^^ were all the worst.

My best probably has to go to my first 1977 Grand Prix SJ that went 275,000 miles, then I sold it to a friend who had it 3 more years. The carb throttle shaft was so wore you could move it back & forth but for some reason the car still idled smooth and got 21mpg. Also, the car never used more than a pint of oil between changes so when the oil dipstick tube rotted off there really was no need to check the oil as long as you gave it its 3000 mile oil change.

The friend I sold the car to was a Pontiac mechanic and engine builder. He was so amazed and impressed with the GP's 400 that when he finally had to junk the car due to rust, he pulled the engine and saved it. He said that there had to be something special about it to go as long as it did and never was opened for anything. I wonder what he ever did with that 400?

[TAKerry]

Ive had quite a few, cant really think of one that is the 'worst' I suppose I have been lucky.
Best- Again not really any bad ones but I tend to favor '93 grand Cherokee, that thing was bulletproof, bought it new and traded at around 80k never had a moments problem.
Worst- and this is kind of stretching it '01 MB 320ML. Just gave up driving it a month or 2 ago. This has been a great car considering I have had it for so long (almost 20 yrs now). Recently started to have electrical gremlins, hence the reason it was put up.

[T.Weber]

The best - you're not going to believe it a 2002 Pt Cruiser 308,000 miles and other than the ordinary oil changes,brakes, plugs, battery, belts & timing belts - Chrysler says every 90,000 - I've been going 100,000 or tried to. I've replaced 2 radiators, 2 cooling fans, 1 set of battery cables, 1 power steering pressure switch, 1 temperature switch, 1 starter, 1 set of rear lower control arm bushings & 3 sets of the lower & upper motor mounts. I'm still running the original clutch, pressure plate & throw-out bearing BUT I live in the valley and there is no such things as hills here & once the car is on the move I don't use the clutch unless I have to down shift for more power. The car has left me stranded twice - once when the plastic radiator drain plug failed and once when the timing belt failed on the way to work at 297,000 miles. I was planning on changing at the 300,000 mile mark. I pulled the valve cover to make sure none of the valves were bent and I was surprised how clean the inside of my 300,000 motor was.

The worst? I can't really say. At 66 I've only purchased 2 new vehicles a 97 V10 Dodge truck & my PT. and had good luck with both. I've purchase 2 vehicles from Pick N Pull and put another 100,000 miles on a 73 Toronado & had a 65 C-10 pickup from there & sold it cause my now ex wife hated it.

[1965gp]

Best would be :

1997 Mustang 6 cylinder my wife had when we got married. I put Cobra wheels on it, kept it waxed and until 2005 the only thing it ever needed was a brake caliper.

1970 LeMans 350 2bbl. My dad bought this in ‘75 before I was born. It was their daily growing up, then my high school car. I couldn’t tell you how many times that car was hit. It was run over by a U Haul, crushed by a tree, jumped over rail road tracks and still started all the time. As it sits that car has 208,000 miles on it and the motor, Trans and rear have never been overhauled.


Worst:

Without a doubt our 1957 Pontiac Chieftain. We bought it with a Tri Power on it when I was 15. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve driven that car without an issue in the past 30 years. It was always the Tri Power, then I converted to a 4 bbl and it ran hot. After I got it to run cool the brakes went to crap. Sat for several years and the fuel turned to varnish. Got the tank cleaned out, flushed lines and finally got it to run right.... wheel cylinders go out. It’s currently sitting in my dads shop and gets cussed out every time I see it.

[1965gp]

Interesting to hear about the 73 Chevy truck that rusted, our 73 K5 was completely rusted away...

[389]

Best hands down 1969 Chevy el Camino SS396 I have now.. Nothing I ever had or drove in 40+ years of cars could touch it. The massive frames they put under these cars make them handle like there on rails.. Mine has a healthy big block with a Turbo 400 2;87 rear end..

Worst, I never buy junk, never had a worst...

[Mister Pontiac]

Best: Well, besides the obvious answer (my Pontiac's), I'd say my old 1991 Acura Integra I drove in the early 2000's. Put north of 265K on it with only one junk distributor. After that, gave it to my niece her senior year in High School. It never made 300k like it should have, but it wasn't the car's fault. I knew it was doomed the moment I handed the keys over.

Worst: My wife's first (2017) Audi Q5. Had a rattle in the B pillar that they never could find/fix, and after 6 months of ownership (nearly half a dozen trips to the dealer and they had it a combined month of that time), Audi finally relented when we threatened a Lemon Law filing. They gave us a brand new 2018 Q5 in trade, for free. Fortunately, this one is a much better Volkswagon. Er, I mean Audi.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by T.Weber

The best - you're not going to believe it a 2002 Pt Cruiser 308,000 miles and other than the ordinary oil changes,brakes, plugs, battery, belts & timing belts - Chrysler says every 90,000 - I've been going 100,000 or tried to. I've replaced 2 radiators, 2 cooling fans, 1 set of battery cables, 1 power steering pressure switch, 1 temperature switch, 1 starter, 1 set of rear lower control arm bushings & 3 sets of the lower & upper motor mounts. I'm still running the original clutch, pressure plate & throw-out bearing BUT I live in the valley and there is no such things as hills here & once the car is on the move I don't use the clutch unless I have to down shift for more power. The car has left me stranded twice - once when the plastic radiator drain plug failed and once when the timing belt failed on the way to work at 297,000 miles. I was planning on changing at the 300,000 mile mark. I pulled the valve cover to make sure none of the valves were bent and I was surprised how clean the inside of my 300,000 motor was.

So my convertible at 120,000 isn't even half way home? That's good to know. And at that 120,000, I just did the timing belt, water pump, front engine mount and lower control arms last week so I should be good for quite awhile.

[Charlie Brengun]

Alfa Romeo - Mito really nice to drive and the one I had was almost full options. Just a really nice and small get around car for towns and short distances, good for a crowded place like the Netherlands.
As expected it was also the worst as it needed a lot of maintenance. A lot more than the other new cars I had have ever needed..

[66sprint6]

You need a small, reliable car in Holland. How else will you get your Rookvlees or Hagelslag? I'd go crazy without mine. Fortunately, there's a Dutch store near where my wife's parents live, so I'm not jonesing for those. We make our Oliebollen and Pannekoeken at home.

[4dblnkldude]

OK I'll play..the best was an 89 F-150 my father bought new with the 300" strait six and a 5 speed. I bought it from him in 1998 with 150,000 on it. I drove it until 230,000 when I finally did a clutch and a motor mount. Drove it to 280,000 and sold it to a friend of a friend who drove it another 80,000. He then sold it and I don't know what happened after that. Other best was a Jeep XJ of 1990 vintage with the 4 liter. Bought it with 120,000, I put a harmonic balancer on it and fixed a brake line and did shocks. That thing never missed a beat and the kids loved it. The worst was out 2000 ford exploder, constant transmission issues, exhaust issues triggering check engine light, you had to clean the air intake every two weeks along with the IAC. Other worst was a 2001 chevy impala, brake lines rotting, intake gaskets, AC issues, again every month something happened to it. My daughter drove it for 6 months and the exhaust manifold cracked in the back and I said this thing will be a tomato can in 6 weeks.

[Radman]

Worst car was easy: 1984 Plymouth Reliant. It was a company car, but I put 89,000 miles on it in two years. With the tools and parts in the trunk, it was a real snail. After a couple of close calls I timed the car. It would take 2.5 seconds to get the rear bumper across the center line of a state highway when pulling across from a stop sign. Traffic on the other road would cover the distance from the crest of a hill to that intersection in 1.25 seconds if traveling at the speed limit. I changed my route to that customer. That car forced me to drive like a very old man.
Best car was much harder to choose. 1957 Pontiac SuperChief. It had the high performance 347 with a Carter AFB 4bbl, and the 4 speed Hydramatic. My wife sold it while I was in Nam. Wish I still had that one.

[eaglesan13]

Worst car was a 2002 Jetta that my youngest daughter had.

Best was every Honda we ever had, and my 1997 Ford F-150 Lariat with the 4.6 Triton V-8. That truck was indestructible, and I towed some heavy cars and my ski boat behind it all the time. A couple sets of brake pads, rear shoes, a battery, and one set of tires in 122,000 miles. It still looked good when I sold it.

[Gator67]

Worst, 2002 BMW M3. Random electrical problems would leave me stranded. Covered under warranty but got sick of having to have the car towed in for service.

Best, 2000 Accord. 200k trouble free miles in 8 years.

[RAIV55]

Originally Posted by 1965gp

Interesting to hear about the 73 Chevy truck that rusted, our 73 K5 was completely rusted away...

I'm another one who suffered the '73 rust ravage on a K-20. Replaced all the front sheet metal and box sides when 4 years old, rusted again so it was sold.

Can't think of a worst out of all the different makes that I've owned.