What is the best car you have ever owned?

[Tra3]

After growing up downhill ski racing, nothing was as excitingly dangerous as 80 mph on skis, so I didn’t feel the need for a fast car. Capabilities of a vehicle in snow has always been my primary goal. I drive a Jag F-pace diesel, which is amazing for snow and ice driving. It is hands down the best bad weather vehicle I’ve driven. (Audi get the #2 spot) the F-pace also gets very good mileage at over 30 mph.
I test drove the 3.5 liter F-Pace for about 20 minutes. That was all it took to realize it was too fast for me.
The next move will be something electric, not sure what.
My wife drives a minivan, which happens to be a perfect vehicle for weekend hunting trips with kids.
For a truck, my father drives a newer Chevy 4 door 3500 diesel. I believe it has a 7 liter engine. He even lets me drive it when I visit! I’m amazed how well it pulls a 4 horse trailer. It makes all the older trucks we used to use for pulling horse trailers seem weak (and they weren’t).

 

[steve white]

In this order: 1937 Ford p/u with 283 v8 and power glide trans, wood bed, trophy winning condition. Next, 1958 Mercedes 220S two toned charcoal, silver, inline 6 cyl--high build quality. Last, 1993 Nissan Pathfinder--a real bulldog. Lots of good memories.

 

[GeoffB]

For me it would have to be my 1997 Toyota LandCruiser 80 series.
It has been a very capable vehicle for all of my hunting, fishing and camping needs.
They are not a power house with the 6 cyl turbo diesel engine but ultra reliable.
This pic below was taken on the way to a week long pig hunt 990 kms (615 miles) west of my home.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

My favorite car was my 1972 Ford Mercury Cougar. Like a twat I sold her
351 Cleveland V8

 

[BigSteve57]

2000 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 series. Drove it from 2000 to 2019. I replaced it with a new 2018 Land Cruiser 200 series leftover 11/2019. It will probably still be going after I'm gone.

 

[Foxi]

ML 320 cdi -good and a beauty

 

[spike.t]

I’ve had the pleasure of driving one for a fortnight and a couple of thousand fun, quick and sometimes scary kilometres. I had a chance to buy it at a very reasonable price. The car was pristine with about 30 thousand kms on it. Stupidly I turned it down. Another guy bought it and is now willing to sell it for no less than double what he paid for it. What a car! I could not believe Mercedes made a car like this. It is so very different from the “regular” CLK 63.

As for the cars I did buy, the most fun was probably Renault Clio Cup (a factory-built single-seat, non-road legal, racing car). It was only a 2litre atmospheric 200bhp engine, and its straight-line performance was boring, but that thing could sure go around a corner. I drove it around a track back to back with a V10 Audi R8 with nearly triple the power and still did quicker laps in Clio. Also, being light and punny, it was very cheap to run. Tires and brakes lasted a couple of full-day track days. One drawback was it had to be towed to the track as it was not road legal, and anyway, the cooling system was too efficient for road conditions.

I wanted a reasonably fast GT style car for daily use, and having had very poor experience with BMW and Merc dealerships and service, I have settled on a Lexus RC F. So far, I’ve put 100000kms on it, and it has not skipped a bit. I’m not sure I will ever sell it. The car has done grocery runs, gorgeous alpine roads (I’m particularly fond of a trip to north Italy through the spectacular Grossglockner pass), skiing trips, track days, holidays - it just works. Not much of a hunting vehicle though so I had a heavy-duty offroad tuned Y61 Patrol that worked the hunting duties, but it was too much of a purpose-built offroader (it was barely road legal). It was too high and didn’t fit in the garage and was just too tiring to drive on the road, plus the wife hated it and refused to travel in it, so I sold it. I decided to replace it with something that could be used for hunting but also for everyday use, holidays etc. and started looking for a 2-3 year old 200 series Land Cruiser. Couldn’t find anything to my likening but stumbled upon a 2 year old Lexus LX570 that the owner hated and barely ever drove. He looked at the engine size in a catalogue and thought it was a fast SUV and went ahead and ordered it. And a fast SUV it is not. But it is comfortable, quiet and capable. I bought it. When my friends and family saw the car, felt the soft leather seats etc. they thought I’ve gone mad, and there was no way the car was ever going to leave the road and be used for hunting. Within days I proved them wrong.
View attachment 432683

Yeah the black series are what I think the "mad" ones at AMG would like all AMGs to be....the clk black series is compact..Great visibility..so can use the performance....everything including porsche 911 series is growing in size..especially width unfortunately...only newish cars that interest me are the 992.2 GT3RS and couple of the GT3RS in the preceeding series....and a Lamborghini gaillardo balboni....manual and rear wheel drive...named after Valentino balboni the legendary Lamborghini test driver...Nice bloke.....when I picked my QV up from the factory he took me out in the big Lamborghini LM002 4x4...the roads on the flat plains near sant'agata where the factory is ...are not exactly wide...basically narrow double lane on built up mounds with lots of bends....Valentino only drives fast...so all I knew was he was the factory test driver and obviously knew what he was doing...so I affixed a big grin on my face and convinced myself that this big lunatic 4x4 actually could go around the first bend we were heading to at unrelenting speed...no braking ...and just whistled around it...was a way too short blast with him ..but still stuck in the memory banks

 

[spike.t]

I was hoping to see this!!

 

[Opposite Pole]

Yeah the black series are what I think the "mad" ones at AMG would like all AMGs to be....the clk black series is compact..Great visibility..so can use the performance....everything including porsche 911 series is growing in size..especially width unfortunately...only newish cars that interest me are the 992.2 GT3RS and couple of the GT3RS in the preceeding series....and a Lamborghini gaillardo balboni....manual and rear wheel drive...named after Valentino balboni the legendary Lamborghini test driver...Nice bloke.....when I picked my QV up from the factory he took me out in the big Lamborghini LM002 4x4...the roads on the flat plains near sant'agata where the factory is ...are not exactly wide...basically narrow double lane on built up mounds with lots of bends....Valentino only drives fast...so all I knew was he was the factory test driver and obviously knew what he was doing...so I affixed a big grin on my face and convinced myself that this big lunatic 4x4 actually could go around the first bend we were heading to at unrelenting speed...no braking ...and just whistled around it...was a way too short blast with him ..but still stuck in the memory banks

Oh yes, the LP550-2 Balboni. Interesting car, unfortunately, I only had the opportunity to drive it once and it was the paddle-shift version. In all fairness though, on dry it didn't feel all that different from the regular LP560. I suppose on wet and in the hands of Balboni himself the differences would be more pronounced.

Still, CLK Black is the car that really stirred my emotions. Even the sluggish gearbox doesn't take all that much from the experience. In any case, given how lively the rear axle is you're probably better of going through that corner in a higher gear anyway ;-)

Parked in front of the CLK is another missed opportunity of mine. A manual, RWD, 997.2 GTS. I put few thousand kms on it and wanted to buy it badly. It was available but financially I just couldn't do it back then and some other lucky bloke got it. I think in terms of driver interaction in a streetcar it was the most pleasant vehicle I've ever driven. Nothing extraordinary on a spec sheet, but what an enjoyable car to drive. Fantastic gearbox, mechanical feel to the whole thing, just awesome.

I love the no-nonsense interior of The Black.

I share your sentiment regarding the cars growing too much in size. Recently I saw a 993 C4S parked next to the current gen 992.2 Turbo. The size difference is astonishing. This thing is huge! It is so wide I'm not sure it would actually fit in the lane on some of the narrower mountain passes.

 

[spike.t]

Well @Opposite Pole I put my black series sideways whenever I can...traction is always off...First thing i did in any car I had fitted with traction control .(which wasn't many , as mine were more from the analogue age) was to turn it off...hate the things ...and yeah those latest 911 are huge compared to even the 996 or 997 turbos...the countach was wide in its day...but now is nothing compared to the aventador etc...my db9 caused me to breath in a few times when bus or truck was coming the other way , with a granite wall on the other side being as equally unforgiving...

 

[jduckhunter]

My best car was and is my 1970 Plymouth Superbird. She is as much fun to drive today as she was back in the day. Recently my wife has been after me to sell it, I told her that I've had that car longer then I've had her and she should be very careful about asking me to start giving up things that I love.

 

[Newboomer]

My favorite offroad rig was a custom 1967 Toyota Landcruiser with a 454 Chevy, 4 on the floor and 12x16.5 mud and snow tires. Put many a hot jeep to shame in the back country and in a drag race.

 

[Kalthoff]

Land Rover 90"

For all the same reasons Kevin Peacoke gives in the first post, with the added benefit of being capable of keeping up with todays traffic, so it can be used as a daily driver.

This was my first ever roebuck, quite some years ago. I did the gralloching on the tailgate.

 

[Don458]

A car or truck is a necessity, but it can also be so rewarding. Perhaps this is because of it's capability that never ceases to amaze you, maybe the sheer quality of what you are driving. Or maybe just because it brings a smile to your face every time you get behind the wheel. So which is it for you and why?
I'll start this one off - it is easy - my little Land Rover Series 1! It is so capable, so adequate for it's intended task, so functional and practical. It is tiny, but it seats seven, and then takes them up a mountain. It exudes charm, neither pretty nor shiny, just beautiful. It has character by the ton, always pleases and has been doing so for 70 years, and will continue to do so for many decades more. Once we put a zebra, two impala and five adults in it, no problem. I will never sell this little car, just too much fun.
View attachment 432649

1970 Torino Cobra 429 SCJ

 

[thi9elsp]

Well, this got me thinking to what I've owned over 46 years of driving. The list surprised me:

2018 F150 Crew FX4 Platinum
2013 RX350
2012 GMC Sierra Crew
2004 Buick Rendezvous
2000 F150 Crew 4x4
1999 Isuzu Trooper
1995 Cadillac Sedan d’Ville
1993 F150 Extended
1989 Chevy S10
1984 Maserati Bi-Turbo
1982 Subaru Outback
1977 Chevy Caprice 4Dr
1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass 2Dr
1979 Ford Pinto (British racing green, Tan vinyl and 4 speed!)
1968 Buick LeSabre 2Dr
1967 Chevy 1/2 Ton (straight 6 w/ 3 on the column)

Since the 2018 F150 is owned now it is my favorite vehicle. Capable and comfortable. Making the list brought back fond memories.

'67 Chevy with my girlfriend on the back roads of Indiana in high school.
'79 Pinto saving my life when I side-swiped a palm tree - and it didn't explode!!
'84 Bi-Turbo driving 2 hours from Houston to Austin with my roommate (including a stop)
'04 Rendezous - amazing how much we could fit in it, never a problem. My wife called it a platypus - wasn't sure if it was a minivan or an SUV.

 

[roverandbrew]

1985 110 with a 300tdi.

 

[baxterb]

For me it would have to be my 1997 Toyota LandCruiser 80 series.
It has been a very capable vehicle for all of my hunting, fishing and camping needs.
They are not a power house with the 6 cyl turbo diesel engine but ultra reliable.
This pic below was taken on the way to a week long pig hunt 990 kms (615 miles) west of my home.

View attachment 432772

Man I’d love to have a little, simple trailer like that. We’ve gone nuts here in the states and want to put everything in them including the kitchen sink! Price to match!

 

[Bonk]

Best car: Tie. 2019 Audi Sportback and 2011 BMW 318i
Best truck: 2020 F250 Lariat

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

My 2002 Toyota Tundra. 235k miles and still drives like the day it was new. Last trip from
Boise to Pocatello I got 19.5 MPG. My daughter drives it now and I have added a 2021 Tundra TRD for the next 20 years.

Yah I'm not so into cars as I was when I was younger. The new Corvette I must admit gives me the itch for one, but I'd rather rent one for a weekend than to plunk down that kind of money.

I'm with you on the Tundras Baxter. I've had two. Traded the first one which I had leased and was going to take the purchase option on. But there was a new 2012 that was at a crazy deal as it was November and the dealer wanted it gone. So now nearly nine years and about 146,000 miles later, she starts like the day I got her. Goes into and through the gears the same. A little worse for wear in the interior hauling kids around so much. But not bad at all. Even the Arizona sunshine has failed to crack any of the interior plastics.

I finally put new brake pads on her at about 130,000 miles. Even then the tech told me if I wanted to wait I still had several thousand miles left. I get the itch once in awhile for a new truck, but then I realize mine is paid for and runs like a champ. So why?

My favorite vehicles in reality are Harley's. I've had a few. My first was a 2004 Fat Boy, that I don't have pictures of. I did a lot of work on that bike to make it fast and gorgeous. Like an idiot I sold it to a kid who completely ruined it.

This is my latest. From a recent ride with my wife thru the AZ high country.

 

[pjaln]

I had a 1990 landcruiser that I loved ran it up to 225k thats my favorite and sold it wish I never did ,,93cruiser ,2000 cruiser,2002 cruiser 2013 4runner thats nice but not a cruiser ,2007 4 dr jeep jk which was nice and many pickups also my new 2500 ram is a good heavy truck I always have 5 vehicles at once so I will update this !!