What's your favorite car?

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Matt, almost son and I replaced the front strut assemblies today on the Buick, wow what was I waiting for?? I had done strut cartridges 11 years ago, but still had a noise, and over time the ride was not SMOOTH. It sits over an inch taller in front now!! Looks like tie rod ends are a bit worn too, so check those and align now. It drives like a different car, like I remember it. He also fixed a fading display on the climate control 4 resisters loose and cooked ends. Wow, it lights up and even listens to the commands. So glad he took a week off!!!!! Love that car again. That kid has talent, kid 47! He moved into my house at 18, wish I could call him mine and say he inherited that talent and brains. Brad his son does call me grandpa, at 60 I can handle that fine!
 
I can't tell you how many of those variants I've seen; primer-ed, Bondo, missing the trunk lock, parked in the front lawn and waiting for the next bank robbery....lol.


 


Kevin
 
I love my 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. Its a big, heavy car compared to other sedans sold now and very comfortable to drive on trips. Cheap to maintain too! I'm not sure which cars would be comparable now as rear wheel drive sedans are far and few between.
 
There are none made today

comparable to the Panther platform Ford, Mercury, and Lincolns discontinued in 2011.
They had full perimeter frames and separately mounted bodies.
All passenger cars today are unibody construction.
If you want a V8 sedan, you have to buy a Genesis, Lexus, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, Rolls or a Bentley.
Closest to them from Ford would be an Expedition, or Navigator.
Crown Vic's, Grand Marquis, and Town cars are now old school.
 
Ford's Panther Platform...

...was a holdover from the '70s, literally. It was already 'old school' when it was still being manufactured. Law enforcement fleet sales kept it going, long after it logically should have been replaced, but it created economies of scale to enable them to be produced affordably for the consumer market. GM killed off its comparable platform, which included the Chevy Caprice/Impala, Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Brougham in 1996 to free up production capacity for more profitable full size SUV's like the Suburban and Escalade.
 
Yes Edgar, I also forgot the Audi 8 V8,and VW Paheton

I have looked for side by side photos of the Panther frame and the prior Gran Torino/Cougar/Montego/LTD II frame, but haven't been able to verify they are identical. The wheelbase is 116 inches for both.
The GM B body frame after 1976 is also 116 inches, but not the same exactly as the 1973 through 1977 A body special coupe, sedan, and wagon frame that also was.
Chevelle coupes, LeMans, Cutlass and Century/Regal's had a 112 inch W.B., sedans, Monte Carlo and Grand Prix, and wagons 116 inches.
These frames had a hollow center section with no inner rail. The 1977 B body frame does. Ford frames always had one. The GM A body frame prior to 1973 did have.
The main difference between Ford and the GM rear drive body on frame design was that the steering gear on GM's was in front of the engine main cross member, and behind it on Fords. The other was the fuel tank mounting. Below the trunk on GM's, between the rear axle and trunk pan on Fords. Except station wagons. The GM wagon tank was behind the drivers side quarter panel area. The Fords had the deep well trunk.
 
And speaking of the GM wagon tank. Kid next store turns 16 and dad gives him the family Buick Sport Wagon which was in great shape. Johnnie drives it for a while and tells dad that he thinks it has a leak and water is collecting in the drivers side rear panel. Dad gets drill and the rest is history.
 
Oh yeah that was the standard fix. I remember helping my grandfather do that to his '76 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon when water was collecting in the cargo well just inside the tailgate. A couple of holes at the lowest point was all it took. That was one massively huge vehicle.
 
I have a 2004 Prius and love it. Mine has nearly 200,000 miles on it and runs like new. I haven't had a single problem with it in 10 months/20,000 miles. Going to need some exhaust work in the spring though, starting to get a bit noisy. Oil changes every 5000 miles and gas when it needs some. I've found it to be a pretty enjoyable car to drive, comfortable, pretty quick for what it is and very economical to drive. 50 mpg in the summer without too much trouble, around 45 average. 35-40 in the winter. I don't drive gently, but I don't beat on it too bad. Not unusual for me to floor it when merging onto the highway and it doesn't mind a bit. It has a tiny 1.5 liter 4 cylinder engine, along with an electric motor powered by a 200 some volt battery, feeding into a CVT transmission. Not a "fast" car but will do 0-60 in less than 10 seconds and 30-60 very quickly. I will definitely be buying another Prius when (if) I wear this one out. Actually how I got the car- original owner traded it in on a new Prius. It's very high tech for a 13 year old car, mine has the smart key and standard touch screen, but Bluetooth, navigation, and a backup camera were options.
 
My first car was a 64 Dodge Dart, and gas was 35 cents a gallon. I sold it when I moved across the country. My first California car was a Studebaker Lark. Loved that car. My dream car is a 64 MG.
 
Favorite Car

was my 1988 Ford Crown Victoria Country Squire station wagon; I loved that car I let my then roomate use It when I got my new Chevy Lumina LTZ. But he literally ran it into the ground. Sold it for $100 bucks I cried when he drove it away.I sure wish they still made big station wagons.I could haul a lot of vacuums in that car. But now I love my 2011 Buick Lucerne Super Series.I plan on driving that for the rest of my life since they don't make a Lucerne anymore. 2011 was the last year for that model...I hope it lasts 20 years. It has 33400 miles on it now.....
 
Im driving a 2003

Grand Marquis LS, Nothing like rear wheel drive and v8 power....26 mpg on a trip suits me just fine.
 
Hans

I had a 2003 Crown Victoria that I practically drove the wheels off of! When I sold it, the car had well over 200,000 miles and was still going strong! People were shocked at the decent gas mileage it got as well, I guess that wasn't expected from such a big car! I still have a big body Ford/Lincoln that I drive on occasion, and while it doesn't NEARLY get the gas mileage of my 03, you simply CANNOT beat the ride or comfort of it! It's literally like floating down the highway on the most comfortable living room couch you could imagine! That would be my 78 Continental Town Car!

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My dad had a '72 Lincoln Town Car and then a '78 Town Car with the oval opera windows and red velvet cloth interior. I loved driving that car. Like you say, it was like floating down the highway....never felt a bump and there was room to sit 6 adults comfortably along with all their luggage.

Gary
 
We had a '67 Lincoln convertible...sky blue, white top, saddle leather interior. One guy in the Midwest who could work on the top hydraulics etc....top stuck one time straight up in the air with me as a teenager...lol.


 


I consider THAT a premium touring car of American heritage. It had enough vacuum lines under the hood to probably stretch across the state.  Fortunately, I didn't have to work on that car as it was leased. Suicide doors, of course...trunk lifted up and the whole top disappeared into it.....on a good day.


 


Kevin
 
Just for curiosity sake....I trolled the Net for '67 Lincoln convertibles. They range from about (drivable and licensable) $10,000-$69,000. Obviously, there are some really delusional owners out there. One seller bragged about a complete restoration which to me, is stripping the car to its frame, putting the frame on a car rotisserie and rebuilding the whole car. This was not even close to being done, yet the huge price tag. In the photos, I could see things that weren't restored.


 


And nobody said anything about rebuilding/updating the motor...the very heart of the car. You've got the heaviest production convertible ever made (over 5,700lbs) and no mention of the engine/drivetrain that moves it around. The people that buy these must not be too picky.....just looking for the flash/bling of this old car I guess.


 


Kevin
 

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