When you absolutely positively have to get there quickly

[dryheat]

Maybe they called it the AMX Javelin to dis associate them from AMC. American Motors built some of the ugliest junk ever to have four wheels. I owned a Pacer wagon once. Something broke weekly. Some things broke time after time. If you drove through a puddle of water the distributor cap got flooded. I got to where I could pull over, open the hood, pull the cap and wipe everything down and be back on the road in two minutes. Both rear springs rusted completely through and broke. There was rust in the gas tank. One day the entire muffler/tail pipe just broke off. That was the rust problems. Plenty of other problems. The bell housing shattered. The water pump disintegrated. One day the whole ignition lock work fell out with all these little copper parts everywhere. I ended up towing that thing to the junk yard. Very happy day. Kind of like getting out of a really bad relationship. I've not had any bad relationships. Some were shorter than others.

[Merc]

After a long history of bad experiences with cars, I finally started paying attention to Consumer Reports and started buying cars based on CR’s reliability ratings. The first result was a 2011 Toyota Sienna that now has over 170,000 miles and has made 7 trips to Fort Myers, Florida from Pittsburgh. The most recent was in February. The only major repairs needed was a water pump at 70,000 miles and an upper motor mount (the “dog bone”) at 150,000 miles. The rest has been the wearable items like wiper blades, battery, tires, brakes, struts and shocks. The 2018 Highlander is also rated high in reliability. Both were made in the US.

I watched a video about a 2007 Toyota Tundra in Louisiana with over 1 million miles that Toyota bought back and tore down to see why it was able to accumulate so many miles on the body and drive train. The only major repairs were to the transmission (lost reverse), a water pump and a timing chain. The owner worked in the oil fields delivering tools and supplies and averaged 125,000 miles per year. Google “Toyota Tundra With 1 million miles” to hear and watch the story.

Edit: The only complaint the owner had was that the odometer stopped at 999,999 miles.

[Allen]

My Ford Crown Vic has 220K miles now with the original water pump and hoses.

The worse car I've ever owned (by far) was a Mercedes Benz.

[shadycon]

"96 Izusu trooper; speedo stopped about 4 yrs ago at 189k. Everyone wanted around $130 for the VSS [sensor] . I finally found one from Rock Auto for $7.44 shipped.Now I can put GPS away. I have only changed the usual, water pump, timing belt [2] , starter, belts, muffler/tailpipe, shocks, brake pads/rotors. I had the auto trans serviced twice. Bought it 3 yrs old with 29k miles on it for $15k. Still going to the store!!!

[Merc]

The worse car I've ever owned (by far) was a Mercedes Benz.

My all time worst - 95 Buick Roadmaster, 70s Plymouth wagon and a 98 Chevy Venture. Runner up was a Ford Flex. It ran ok but was the most uncomfortable car I’ve ever sat in. The trip to Florida was pure agony. Came home and traded it in on the Sienna.

[dryheat]

I've owned two Toyotas. I only go rid of them because I was a little bored with them and the mileage was apporaching 150K and I thought that was pushing it(experience with other cars). I own a Ford SUV now and in four yrs it's been in the shop four times. Right now the drivers side door "clicks" upon opening and closing. You know the sound. I'm taking it in to get it fixed. TG I got the very high end warranty. Next car will be a Toyota.
My buddy gave his daughter his Toyota. She had 300K on it when she got a good job and bought a new one. He used to own a Toyota Tundra. We took that thing everywhere. But I had to ride in the back one time for about twenty miles. That experience is etched in my mind. Back seats are for kids.

[dryheat]

My all time worst - 95 Buick Roadmaster, 70s Plymouth wagon and a 98 Chevy Venture. Runner up was a Ford Flex. It ran ok but was the most uncomfortable car I’ve ever sat in. The trip to Florida was pure agony. Came home and traded it in on the Sienna.

My all time favorite vehicle was my Chevy Silverado crew cab. But either Chevy makes the seats deep or some big farmer owned it before me. I'm tall and thin and I just fell into those seats. There's nothing I can't fix so I taught myself upholstery one morning and built the front seats up to fit me. Man I loved that truck. In ten years nothing went wrong except both rear windows stopped working. A
few minutes on Utube and I knew how to fix that. Cost: $35 ea. Sadly, it finally developed an oil leak so I just sold it a week ago.

[Merc]

My all time favorite vehicle was my Chevy Silverado crew cab. But either Chevy makes the seats deep or some big farmer owned it before me. I'm tall and thin and I just fell into those seats. There's nothing I can't fix so I taught myself upholstery one morning and built the front seats up to fit me. Man I loved that truck. In ten years nothing went wrong except both rear windows stopped working. A few minutes on Utube and I knew how to fix that. Cost: $35 ea. Sadly, it finally developed an oil leak so I just sold it a week ago.

It’s the “Dry Heat” that dries and shrinks the gaskets. HA!

My sister (lived in Cave Creek, AZ) owned a smooth riding 2000 GMC Sierra with about 55,000 miles that she mainly used to trailer the horse. I sold the truck to her neighbor. That was a really comfortable riding truck. It was clean and in perfect shape except for the nasty habit she had of driving it without releasing the parking brake. I had to have the shoes and drums replaced twice.

We’ll be flying out tomorrow to wrap up some of my sister’s tax and trust stuff with lawyers and accountants and will be staying at a condo in Scottsdale for a week. I still own and board her horse and I gave her golden retriever to a great couple from N. Scottsdale.

[dryheat]

It's the perfect time to visit. The Dry Heat will do a number on paint out here too. See my earlier post of my truck. I just got a Ram 1500 and I'm looking for someone to build me a carport.

[Merc]

I've owned two Toyotas. I only go rid of them because I was a little bored with them and the mileage was apporaching 150K and I thought that was pushing it(experience with other cars). I own a Ford SUV now and in four yrs it's been in the shop four times. Right now the drivers side door "clicks" upon opening and closing. You know the sound. I'm taking it in to get it fixed. TG I got the very high end warranty. Next car will be a Toyota.
My buddy gave his daughter his Toyota. She had 300K on it when she got a good job and bought a new one. He used to own a Toyota Tundra. We took that thing everywhere. But I had to ride in the back one time for about twenty miles. That experience is etched in my mind. Back seats are for kids.

Both Toyota and Honda specify 0W20 synthetic oil in their cars and changing it every 10,000 miles. I don’t know when that started but I’m sure the type and weight of the oil has something to do with engine longevity we’re hearing about.

I swore off ever owning a car that isn’t a 5 on a scale of 1-5 on Consumer Reports reliability scale. I’ll keep the Sienna as long as the body doesn’t rust away.