top 10 cars that seem to last forever
- Thread starter jwyshrek
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SkylineGTRracer
New member
I agree with the f150. however along with JED some of the cars are to new in order to qualify for this IMO.
Thai
Elite Member
I think that the Prius is over 10 years old. The 1st gen Prius is still being used as Taxis and have accumulated well over 300k miles (some still on original battery!). Given that track record and the fact that the rest of the Prius is just like any other Toyota sedan, the author is probably not nuts, at least on this one.
aeathb
New member
Bmw 3 series? My mom has had 3 of them, and she loves them to death, but after about 5-7 years the only way they "seem to last forever" is if you put tons of money in them. It becomes a bottomless money pit after a while. Agreed, this author does not know what he is talking about.
Jeff Kleb
New member
Lexus
The Lexus brand has been with us for twenty years now. Remember the old Lexus LX 400 (I think) and how 'big' they seemed?
I'd say they qualify.
:biggrin2:
One overlooked brand is the Ford Crown Victoria (also used as a Mercury Gand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car). Those Crown Vics serve 100,000+ miles as patrol cars for police departments and then put on another 200,000+ miles as taxicabs. There are also Grand Marquis 'executive sedans' and Lincoln limousines that keep on ticking - mile after mile after mile.
The body-on-frame construction and big, 4.6L OHC V8 engine is the key to long-term toughness, dependability and long service life.
Unbeatable reliability - even if they are built in Canada!!
:frisky:
The Lexus brand has been with us for twenty years now. Remember the old Lexus LX 400 (I think) and how 'big' they seemed?
I'd say they qualify.
:biggrin2:
One overlooked brand is the Ford Crown Victoria (also used as a Mercury Gand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car). Those Crown Vics serve 100,000+ miles as patrol cars for police departments and then put on another 200,000+ miles as taxicabs. There are also Grand Marquis 'executive sedans' and Lincoln limousines that keep on ticking - mile after mile after mile.
The body-on-frame construction and big, 4.6L OHC V8 engine is the key to long-term toughness, dependability and long service life.
Unbeatable reliability - even if they are built in Canada!!
:frisky:
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20 years? So if that's true, then only half of Lexus cars have been on the road for more than 10 years, and none for more than 20. I'd say that doesn't nearly qualify the brand for being one of the "cars that last forever" in any way at all.
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Came out in 1989.........(the LS400). Considered by MANY to be one (if not THE) most reliable car on the planet. I can attest to that. My family has had two of them. They JUST don't break.
Cars that last forever is perhaps the wrong choice of words in the context that they last for years, I remember seeing a chap with his 1989 LS400 with something like 450 or 550,000 miles on it (orginal tranny and engine, with NO MAJOR repairs) about 10 years ago. If you "stroll" on over to a lexus forum, it is not uncommon for those LS400s to last that long.
I agree that Mitsubishi and BMW shouldn't be on the list...........jeolous?? ummm, NO! I've driven many BMWs and they are blast to drive, but the majority of bimmer owners seem to be a***oles. I'll take a Lexus any day over a bimmer (my opinion)
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LOL, I have had underwear longer than that. A car that lasts 20 years is not earth shattering or record breaking.
And where do you get the idea that "many" consider the LS400 to be "one (if not THE) most reliable car on the planet"? I think that's just in your head because your family owns the car. Or maybe you read that repeatedly on the Lexus forums? LOL, you're brainwashed. Poll 100 people and ask them what they think is the most reliable car on the planet and I can guarantee you that "many" or "most" of them won't say the LS400.
My neighbor with his Dodge Dart would laugh at you for thinking a 20-year-old car is the most reliable car on earth. You want to see a car that just doesn't break? Research those cars and get back to me.
Thai
Elite Member
Now, some of you guys think that Dodge Dart or Jeep XJ lasts forever. However, what does that mean? Sure, you can make a Jeep XJ lasts forever, but what kind of investment do you have to make to make it so? The engine is trashed. The frame is rusted to pieces. The transmission is gone. So, yeah, these vehicles that last "forever" have to undergo plastic surgery and major restoration. Of course, you always have some old guy with a car in the 1960s still in pristine shape...but that is probably because he never drove it.
I think that this article is not about that. It is a about a modern car that can go a long time without major issues. Remember, for car companies, a "lifetime" for a vehicle is around 200k miles. I don't agree with some of the selection, but it does not automatically mean that the author is an idiot. Remember, read again the TITLE of the article...and clearly, they are not talking about a car made in the 1970s...he is talking about cars that you can easily find on a used car lot today. And you can also read where he got his info from: "we compiled the following list of 'forever cars' from research, reviews from places like Edmunds and Consumer Reports, fun little anecdotes, and even our own personal experience. It's far from scientific, but neither is picking a used car."
And Jed, you need to change your underwear....
I think that this article is not about that. It is a about a modern car that can go a long time without major issues. Remember, for car companies, a "lifetime" for a vehicle is around 200k miles. I don't agree with some of the selection, but it does not automatically mean that the author is an idiot. Remember, read again the TITLE of the article...and clearly, they are not talking about a car made in the 1970s...he is talking about cars that you can easily find on a used car lot today. And you can also read where he got his info from: "we compiled the following list of 'forever cars' from research, reviews from places like Edmunds and Consumer Reports, fun little anecdotes, and even our own personal experience. It's far from scientific, but neither is picking a used car."
And Jed, you need to change your underwear....
techno
New member
Very disappointed that this little gem was overlooked. My parents bought one of these for me in 1978 and today it's still in great condition. I can honestly say that I treated this thing horribly, I even rolled it on more than one occasion. But now, 31 years later all it needs is a new coat of paint since the original has faded somewhat. Granted, it's no performance machine, but I strongly believe vehicles that don't operate at the limits of their performance last much longer than those do.
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No, I think it is YOU who is missing the point of the article. But let me help you out: The article is about vehicles that are known to "last forever". Now of course forever isn't meant to be taken literally, so the best we can do is discuss cars that are known to last a long time. And since the oldest Lexus on earth is barely 20 years old, it would be silly for anyone to even think that a Lexus should be mentioned in the article.
So you're basing your opinion off of two vehicles that were in your family? LOL, that's terrific. I'm quite sure there are people who have had XXX brand vehicles for as many years and feel the same way. Again, you seem brainwashed if you think that the majority of people out there think of your Lexus when asked about the longest lasting cars on earth. But keep thinking whatever you want....
I'm sure it's a reliable car. That's nothing new for a Toyota product. And it very well may turn out to be one of the longest lasting cars on the road. But at this point, nobody knows for sure because it just hasn't been around long enough. Why is it that you can't understand that simple fact?
Where exactly was I being nasty? Point the words out to me.
Thai
Elite Member
Please RE-READ the article again. I think that you're just making an argument out of your own MIS-intepretation of the article. Yeah, i think that not only did you miss the boat, but you miss the freaking dock!
"10 Used Cars That Seem to Last Forever"
We're talking used cars here...not some old car back in the 1960s. This is for car shoppers who is in the market for a used car. These vehicles can be found on a typical used car lot. This is not about an antique car show. Here is a quote from the article to give you a better perspective:
"With the economy in the tank and more folks looking for these used diamonds in the rough, we compiled the following list of 'forever cars' from research, reviews from places like Edmunds and Consumer Reports, fun little anecdotes, and even our own personal experience. It's far from scientific, but neither is picking a used car. In fact it's still relatively a crap shoot, and no model carries an absolute guarantee of everlasting life, but here's a few that seem to beat the odds more than others."
brian2sun
Elite Member
Why not the taco, but still the 4runner? after all, it's the same thing except the body. I really don't know if the older Yota pickups make my list because this is about lasting "forever" without major mechanical issues and almost all of the 22Rs out there have been overhauled or replaced by now. I haven't seen an '80s yota with an original un-rebuilt 22R still running for I'd say at least 5+ years (which is still respectable considering that they're 15-30 years old now).
I would guess an XJ's average life span is ~150-175K before major issues, so definitely nothing to write home to momma about. There were just so many made.
To really get a good idea of what lasts forever, go to a few salvage yards. In my experience, when I see 50 Jeep Cherokees for every 1 4runner/taco, it tells me something about reliability. I would say the most common POSs I've seen in the yards (around here) are actually Dodge Rams (lots of Ram vans too), Chevy S-10 Blazers, and Exploders.
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