Driving A Clunker

[Rocky4]

 

1998 Dakota. 185,000 miles. No heat, no AC, tranny slips in the cold, makes all kinds of squeaks and creaks, fuel pump getting questionable. Payed for, cheap insurance, I don't have to lock it when I park, I don't care if it gets scratched. Has to run Lucas oil or I get no oil pressure. For me, this is the way to go. You guys can have your brand new shiny cars, I'll take what feels like home away from home.

 

......but it does have a vintage US Acoustics amp and an 8 inch Cerwin Vega sub tucked away behind the seat......

[ksdaddy]

1992 Camry with 230,000 miles. The inspection runs out next April and the rocker panels will need to be rebuilt, it will need tires, and it's clunking like the rear struts are going bad. I paid $650 for it 1-1/2 years ago so I'll probably just walk away. I have my late father's 1988 S-10 Blazer with 83,000 miles on it, which I will then press into the primary driver slot.

 

 

I do, however, have my toys:

 

My '57:

 

 

A few weeks back I picked up this 1970 Chrysler Newport, never driven in winter, 60,000 original miles:

 

[surfpup]

 

A few weeks back I picked up this 1970 Chrysler Newport, never driven in winter, 60,000 original miles:

 

 

That's a sweet boat right there. My dad had one, but in 4 door. Like the 2 door better.

[Rocky4]

1992 Camry with 230,000 miles. The inspection runs out next April and the rocker panels will need to be rebuilt, it will need tires, and it's clunking like the rear struts are going bad. I paid $650 for it 1-1/2 years ago so I'll probably just walk away. I have my late father's 1988 S-10 Blazer with 83,000 miles on it, which I will then press into the primary driver slot.

 

 

I do, however, have my toys:

 

My '57:

 

 

A few weeks back I picked up this 1970 Chrysler Newport, never driven in winter, 60,000 original miles:

 

Nice collection. You don't see to many classic Chevys running around. The 500 pound bumper on the Newport would be great for my 16 year old stepson....

[bonzoboy]

I love your taste in toys KSDaddy,those '57 Belair 4 dr. hardtops were among the most beautiful of the 4 dr. hardtops that GM ever released.The old Mopar sleds were like driving around in a living room while sitting on the sofa-they had incredible interior room. A guy I know has a New Yorker around the same vintage body style as yours but it was a special edition called the St. Regis or something like that.It had a sumptuous burgundy leather interior that would give any Rolls or Bentley a run for its money and riding in it you just floated down the road completely isolated from all but the largest bumps.

 

With regard to clunkers I had a little '91 Suzuki Samurai and drove it until 2002 putting almost 250,000 km.(just over 150,000 mi.) on it.When I finally sold it,it was still running strong but the body had rusted badly and would've cost way too much to justify keeping it.That little Suzuki was about the most reliable vehicle that I ever had and certainly was the best 4 X 4 I ever had.We are thinking about getting rid of our 5 cyl. GMC Canyon 4X4 because it burns more gas than the 4.8 lt. V-8 and buying another Suzuki,based on the trouble free miles the little Samurai gave us.A lot of times buying a clunker makes more sense than buying a new vehicle.Due to the poor reliability ratings a lot of new vehicles are getting I certainly would buy a good used model with good reliability than a new one that was almost assured to give trouble.

[Flight959]

Lol 230,000 miles!

 

Now that's Starship mileage!!!

[milod]

Well... On the Dodge, good luck with heavy oil when it gets cold.

 

The '50s and '60s Chryslers don't get the respect they deserved for dong what they were supposed to do as well or better than just about anything else on the road.

 

My '55 was marvelous. A 2-door hardtop New Yorker St. Regis... Hemi. I had a batch between the '55 and my '61 383-325 horse fun car. The 4-door hardtop - 57 or 8, one had been a 2-d and one a 4-d, carried six fairly comfortably, and had a monstrous trunk for band equipment - and could get around 27 mpg at 65 or so on the highway.

 

KS...

======= No vehicle inspections here, likely because it's kinda a poverty pocket and the United Sioux Tribes likely wouldn't care for it - and they'd have a lotta company. So if it runs, is licensed and you have proof of insurance and a driver's license, you're good unless lights don't do what they're s'posed to and you get a warning ticket. Or alternatively, you could be nasty to the officer and get an expensive "ticket." '

 

One problem with the "new" vehicle "reliability" factor is that the computers are trying to give not only power with minimum emissions, but also "safety." So... even if in theory the car could do 200 mph, it's likely to be stalled by the computer if it figures your tires aren't good enough. Or if it decides it's running a different engine or on different tires. Or if there's a bad sensor someplace. Sheesh. And try "fixing" it outside a shop with lotza computer diagnostics.

 

m

[surfpup]

======= No vehicle inspections here, likely because it's kinda a poverty pocket

 

We got rid of the inspections years ago. I have some fun memories of trying to pass... like loading bags of sand and/or cement in the trunk to try and pass the brake test. Once my '67 Cutlass got flagged for play in the steering wheel. I took it to our family mechanic and he said it was fine and to just go through the inspection again and tell 'em I fixed it. Amazingly it sailed right through!

[Rocky4]

Well... On the Dodge, good luck with heavy oil when it gets cold.

 

m

 

That, along with the tranny, and no heat keeps it idle in the winter

[ksdaddy]

The Chrysler had been stored inside since 2000 and not started. The person who owned the building in which it was stored lost it to "the bank" and the owner of the car had to have it towed the mile to their house. They recently sold the house and had no place to put it or desire to store it again. It has been in the family since June 2, 1970, when it was bought for $3990 tax included. I gave them $600 for it. The starter dragged so I bought one of the newer high energy starters ($60 for a rebuilt with lifetime warranty!). I also put plugs in it. Because of the newer style starter, it does NOT have the typical Mopar kaw-raw-raw starter sound... it sounds "normal". It fired right up. It has a little flat spot, which is likely a dried out accelerator pump cup. Stupid little things like the gas gauge doesn't seem to work, the dimmer switch is frozen solid, stuff like that. I think the most expensive thing will be the power brake booster, which may or may not be bad. The brakes WORK but no apparent power assist and a distinct vacuum hiss when the brake is applied.

 

The tires have been on there a loooong time. They're not even radials. H78-15.

 

It does have a horrific exhaust leak, which you will hear:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDkSeuOE_ns&feature=share&list=UU00RTcmuNxYHZczwkVpci4Q

[milod]

Well... on the Chrysler, you got a helluva deal on something that won't take all that much to be a great couple's car with plenty of room for guitars or long firearms in the back seat.

 

I'm jealous, and that's no joke.

 

On the Dodge pickemup truck... I dunno. I ran a '50s Austin Healey that for all intents had no heater at all and air-leaky side curtains to Chicago a cupla times from here "out west," in the winter and had no problems around 1969-70. Of course, I did dress appropriately. It was a super vehicle on ice compared to others of the late '60s-early '70s era. Ah, to be young again.

 

m

[quapman]

You guys can have your brand new shiny cars, I'll take what feels like home away from home.

 

 

 

 

No brand new shiny cars here,, just got rid of our 99 Odyssey van with 280,000 kms for a newer Kia Sedona.

Still have the 98 Cavalier with 270,000 kms on it.

 

But you are right,, there are plenty on this forum who have very nice shiny everything, including guitars.

 

Happy for them. But not jealous nor do I care.

Me? I'm must happy my kids are healthy,, everything else is a bonus.

[Dennis G]

 

 

My '57:

 

 

Used to have one very similar to this one until it caught fire one morning. I was more concerned about getting my guitar and amp out of the trunk than I was in putting out the fire! Hey, what did I know at 18?

[Searcy]

Here's my 96 Honda Accord Wagon. 150,000 on her.

 

 

My 97 Honda Accord 4 door came from up north somewhere. I gave $900 for it. When the exhaust fell off this summer at 250,000 miles I bought a new stainless steal one off Ebay.

 

Here's my 1992 Yoda. 280,000 miles not counting the year it spent with no odometer. Still has the original spark plugs. I did put a clutch slave cylinder in it.

 

 

I told a 25 year old kid the other day who has bought three new Chevys in three years that I had never made a car payment in my life. He didn't believe me. He told me that "wasn't possible" and "The little man cant get ahead". Then he pre-ordered a Play Station 4 on payments and bought $100 worth of scratch tickets...

[RaysEpiphone]

No brand new shiny cars here,, just got rid of our 99 Odyssey van with 280,000 kms for a newer Kia Sedona.

Still have the 98 Cavalier with 270,000 kms on it.

 

But you are right,, there are plenty on this forum who have very nice shiny everything, including guitars.

 

Happy for them. But not jealous nor do I care.

Me? I'm must happy my kids are healthy,, everything else is a bonus.

I've got a 2001 Cavalier with 115K on it. It's turning into a total POS atm but I do admit it's been a good car since I got it back in 2004.

[btoth76]

1997 Dodge Avenger ES Sport here. Around 100K miles in it. When it doesn't gets hit by an old driver who hardly sees the road, or by a concrete mixer, it's flawless. My dad bought it in 1998/99? and I bought it from Him 3 years ago. A very reliable car, never had any issues that couldn't be fixed at home. I have changed the tie-rods and the steering rack boots on the weekend, greased all bushings - that's it.

 

The pain only comes when I am taking it to local DOT for mandatory inspection every second year. They aren't happy about the US-standard symmetric headlights.

 

 

Cheers... Bence

[badbluesplayer]

My wife usually customizes my trucks before they get too far over 100,000. She totalled the Dodge. It had about 120,000 on it. She's been working on my Tundra, banging it up here and there. It's got just about 100,000 on it. She's banged up her catering van pretty good. It's got about 90,000 on it.

 

[AndyK]

I had to buy a car in a hurry, so ended up with a battleship grey coloured Ford Focus diesel estate. It's about 10 years old, and sounds like a tractor - of course I haven't got a picture of it - why would I bother?! Current mileage 195,000. The best thing about it is the economy - it does well over 50 MPG even around town. Over here in the UK, cars are taxed to the hilt, in the name of being green. We pay road tax (which gets higher the larger engine you have - for me with a 1.8 it's currently about £165 a year I think) and every car needs to pass an annual roadworthiness test, which costs about £45 (before any work that might be required). Fuel is roughly £7 per gallon - about US $11! Local governments are also charged for work car parking spaces, so they pass that charge onto employers - hence to park at my work costs about £30 a month. That's why I walk instead!

[pippy]

My 16 year old Mazda just died a couple of months ago. It was already 8 years old when I bought it and for the next 8 years it only broke down once.

The previous year's MOT (roadworthiness) saw it needing nothing more than one replacement side-light bulb. This year the bulbs were fine. Everything else, however.............

TBH the only problem that really sealed it's fate were the engine emissions. The UK is incredibly strict in this respect. Shame as it still went as well as it ever did.

Short of refurbishing the whole engine and buying a new catalytic converter - which would cost about four times the car's worth - nothing could save it.

 

Our big problem was we had a slot booked on the Eurotunnel (a car-train which runs under the English Channel linking England and France) for our hols so a replacement was needed a a matter of urgency.

 

After many, many hours of poring through tons of data and a word or two with my friendly neighbourhood mechanic I settled on my new old ride. M-B C180K SE

Whilst she's probably not yet bad enough to be accurately described as a 'Clunker' she's already 10 years old and I hope to at least double that age before we say bye-bye.

 

Crappy cell-phone snap of 'Clochette';

 

 

P.

[Markini]

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5.9 liter original owner, only made 1,800 of them for domestic sales. Last year before Mercedes bought Chrysler out. Paid $35,000. Still my only vehicle and

always garaged.

 

Mine has 62,000 miles. There are several on the road over 200,000 miles, one on you tube had 300,000 miles. The 360 ci is bullet proof.

 

With K&N filters and a tuned chip she puts out 304 HP and 370 lbs torque on a dyno. 0 - 60 6.5 secs, 1/4 mile 14.3 secs.

 

All time 4 wheel drive. Gas milage is terrible. 10 mpg city (light foot) and 16 mpg hwy (light foot)

 

But I really have a bond with her, shes 15 years old and drives like new. I will post photos later.

[milod]

my '98 Jeep has 136,000 miles on it and still runs well. I do better with mileage, somewhere in the low 20s on the highway.

 

Odd thing is I was in an odd situation when I got it relatively new and just under 90,000 when I was running somewhere around 100 miles at a bit over 100 mph on the interstate and the little "mpg" gauge showed I was getting around 35 mpg which filling the tank later tended to confirm. Odd.

 

It does have a major weakness in this part of the world in that if the battery power gets below a certain level, the vehicle won't start because the computer decided it shouldn't be pushed. At -40 F around here, that can be literally life threatening, IMHO. At least that seems to be the worst aspect of the computer on this vintage; newer vehicles have even more striking examples of the computer taking over from the driver and that scares the socks offa me.

 

As for vehicle taxes in the U.K., it's an additional proof that the power to tax is the power to control behavior. That's a knife with two edges.

 

m

[buliwyf]

Some nice cars and all I can afford is a 1923 Ford with a 392 Hemi in it,maybe I'll get a new car someday!

[Bender 4 Life]

Some nice cars and all I can afford is a 1923 Ford with a 392 Hemi in it,maybe I'll get a new car someday!

 

ever met Chuck or Chad Miller from Alabama......Chuck (the Dad) has built some FINE Rods, including a T-bucket w/dayglo green powdercoat wheels.

 

my "clunker" is a '98 Silverado w/240,000 mi. on it.....the 1st generation Vortec 350 is as strong as any stocker should be, and gets a steady 20 mpg, thanks to a little tweak here & there.

i'm the 2nd owner....1st owner was a Senior Citizen Disabled Vet. w/an artificial left hand.....except for some damage to the steering wheel & headlight switch (from the hand/hook) the truck's cherry.

just before I bought it, he'd had the top-end rebuilt....so it should be good for another 200,000 before I NEED a new engine.

 

[daveinspain]

Love those old cars with no electronics... So untraceable... B) Wish I still had my Corvetts... Had a 68, 78 and an 84... Loved them all.