Most reliable 20+ year old car

[GTOguy]

I just ran errands today in my 41 year-old Toyota Hi-Lux. Never been apart, always on the road, bought it 31 years ago as a used truck and it's been a daily driver ever since.
For a 20 year old car---Camry, Crown Vic, or Buick LeSabre with the 3.8 V6.

[MikeB]

I got a 2002 Saturn SC2 coupe my son drives (rarely, 59k miles).
Had a remanufactured engine installed maybe 15 years ago (dealership
forgot to add oil during oil change when it was my FILs car).

Other than that, I do regular maintenance on it. Nothing major.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

I just ran errands today in my 41 year-old Toyota Hi-Lux. Never been apart, always on the road, bought it 31 years ago as a used truck and it's been a daily driver ever since.
For a 20 year old car---Camry, Crown Vic, or Buick LeSabre with the 3.8 V6. Attachment 98353

I bought the same truck same color (no stripes) new in 1986 for $9,900. Sure would like to still have it. Those are near indestructible.

[Steve_R]

Love that Hi-Lux.

[Newby]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

I just ran errands today in my 41 year-old Toyota Hi-Lux. Never been apart, always on the road, bought it 31 years ago as a used truck and it's been a daily driver ever since.

Had a similar older 2D one late 70's.
Back then they were very unpopular, wish I had kept it now.
Yours looks perfect. Good on you

[A/E]

3 Fiddy Z

[NoOne]

Cheap, reliable and overbuilt?

First gen Jeep Liberty.

They were tanks. 06 and up added stability control.

[RMVette]

My 2008 Lexus ES350 that my son drives (bless it's heart.. been in too many teenage accidents between my daughter and son) is still going strong with 185K.

[Frankie the Fink]

Well if you broaden the category - then the 2013 era Tundras with the V-8; many have gone 400,000 miles (even a million miles) with regular service.

[SurfnSun]

Most reliable 20+ year old car



The math seems to elude some here…

[vettemed]

Originally Posted by SurfnSun

Most reliable 20+ year old car



The math seems to allude some here…

and it eludes them too.

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by vettemed

and it eludes them too.

Yes, that as well.

But why are you editing my posts? JK

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by Newby

Had a similar older 2D one late 70's.
Back then they were very unpopular, wish I had kept it now.
Yours looks perfect. Good on you

Yeah. Original paint, still shiny. Not as nice as the photos make it look, but very nice. Closing in on 300k miles and doesn't burn oil, still running original rear brake shoes and drums, and front rotors and calipers. Only garaged from 2018 to October 2023, when it got kicked back out for the new GTO. Love those oem, solvent-based single stage enamel paint jobs. No clear coat will go more than 15 years before failing. This stuff is over 40 years old and hanging in there. The Achilles Heel of these is rust-out....they have no E-coat or rust protection, so in other areas of the country, they dissolved in 5 years or so. Not an issue out here, though. For running around, off roading, or hauling stuff, it's hard to beat. I use my Tundra for towing. (it's a 4.7 '05 4x4 with only 84k on it)

[GTOguy]

If I were just going to buy a 20 year old CAR, not a truck, to get around in, IMO the deals are the 95-05 Toyota Avalon or Lexus 400, which are loaded and usually have less milage than comparable Camry's....or a 1986-2005 Crown Vic or Marauder or Grand Marquis. Absolute tanks, good on gas, limousine comfort, and high quality. These are cars to get if you don't want to spend time or money broken down and just need reliable comfortable transportation. The 3.8 front drive full size Buicks are as good, but they are front drive, which I don't care for and most of you guys likely don't either, since you're actual men on a car forum.

[Tpatt]

1993 Toyota pickup. 4cyl 22re. Daily drove up to Christmas of 2023. 364,800 miles. Building the motor. Crank and bore went std. Waiting on spring to warm the garage up to finish the job.

[BayouCountry]

My ‘65 Mustang never left me on the road, but radiator had to be replaced with a four core and it handled like shit.

My 70 Challenger 440 started on first crack. That was gold.

[WydGlydJim]

Originally Posted by The_Dude

I have an '03 Marauder that's been pretty darn reliable. It's basically a cop car and they go for 100s of thousands of miles.

^^
this......they sat around and idled for millions of hours all over the nation, thrashed, and beat to hell...........plus they still retain a serious cool factor

[Vette40th]

My 2002 Corolla was without issue till a curb jumped out and bit bending the frame.
2019 Limited, 72K, only one recall due to weird issue with Lexus cars.
MB 200000 plus on it, 2015 GLK350. Only issue was one coil pack..
2016 Ford Focus. Skip it, Period!
2015 Mazda 3, 130000 miles, only needed oil changes and brakes and tires, still going.
Jeep, both of mine were POS. 2012 and 2010.
1993 Corvette, 154000 miles, brakes something every 5 to 50 miles..If I could get rid of it I would.

[04 commemorative]

Never had a problem with this

[GTOguy]

We bought a '64 Galaxie with the FE 352 4bbl and factory AC as a used car with 14k miles in 1966. It became mom's car in '69 after the folks split up and she drove it until '85 when she moved out of state and gave it to me. I used it for another 9 years and sold it in 1994 with 200,000 miles on it. Right before I sold it, it needed a new fuel pump. First one ever. Had to do brakes on it a few times and that was about it. Yeah, it burned oil by that time and the steering was a little sloppy, but the SelectAire AC blew 38 degree air and it was bank-vault solid and whisper quiet at 80 mph. Extremely well built cars. Just like the '79-'05 Crown Vics, Marquis, Marauders. Only not as good on gas mileage!