In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: (x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: (x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

Can only list and not positive it's complete...not what I pay much
attention to as for the statistics...mixture of personal and farm
included...

55 Ford
60 Rambler
63 Impala 2D HT (shoulda' kept this 'un)
69 Charger (ditto...)
7? Buick Centurion (gas crisis bargain)
84 '88
88 '88 (touring package; _great_ road (interstate) family car)
93? Park Avenue
97 LeSabre (*)
99 300M
10 Buick Enclave (3 weeks--think I'm going to like this a
lot...reluctantly traded the 300M but it was a terrible mud/snow car on
country roads and the LeSabre while superficially the same as the Park
Ave. is not nearly as good a mudder as was it altho can't explain why.
The AWD Enclave w/ 18" wheels has much more ground clearance and the
larger tires are much smoother on washboard'y gravel roads. And, it
drives very much better on highway than one might expect and is nearly
as quiet as the 300 as well...we've yet to have a hub-deep rain event
but the neighbor that has one on their road a mile south which is about
the same condition as ours says it's good...) (*)

LD Trucks
28 Chevy (owned by grandad/dad not me what I learned to drive -- we used
it for feeding cattle daily until the early 60s)
55 Dodge 1/2T (5?) [150,300]
58 Chevy C10 (first farm pickup)
72 Chevy C10 (27+ still in daily use; left w/ friend in TN when came
back to KS farm as already had trucks)
78 Chevy 4x4 (20+)
86 Chevy Silverado C10 (14+)
98 Chevy K20 4x4 (*)
99 Chevy C1500 (*)

MD Trucks
39 Chevy 2T
48 Chevy 1T
58 Chevy C60 (52 and counting...) (*)
59 Chevy C38 1-1/2T (this is still running but taken to TN in early 90s
where I used it for trips to sawmills and general utility hauling and
was gifted to friend of son starting out on his own in
masonry/stone/concrete when we returned to farm)
78 Chevy C70 tandem (32 and ditto...) (*)
88 Ford(! but Cat 3208-powered ) L8000 (2) (the "cookie" truck w/
24-ft box purchased at auction for the move from TN; used for storage
until had place for all stuff arranged then sold was a Nabisco
distributorship lease return w/ the painted out "Chips Ahoy" signage
still faintly visible on the sides if looked carefully )

HD Trucks (for grain/cattle/hay trailers)
80 White tractor (12 counting) (*)
00 Kenworth tractor (4 ditto) (*)

(*) current inventory...

--

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:04:06 GMT, Mat wrote:


1- 1965 Chevy Nova, bought used in 1979

2-1984 Toyota Tercel, bought new in 1985

3 -1992 Subaru Loyale, bought in new 1993

4 - 1998 Subaru Forrester, bought used in 2007

Don't plan to buy another car for at least 15 more years, since I drive less
than 2K a year.

On Jul 19, 9:04*pm, Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: *(x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

I once counted the cars I owned about 15 years ago. It totalled 76 at
that time. I can't remember all the cars now. I am guessing over 100.
I would buy a used car and then someone would want to buy it from me.
They would give me a decent profit, so I'd sell and find another one.
I am not a dealer.

Hank ~~~~likes cars, doesnt LOVE cars

Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: (x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

My first 3 cars and the best ever were Studebakers.


--
LSMFT

I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months.
I don't like to interrupt her.

Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: (x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

Let's see if I can remember, all were used, I never bought a new car
in my life,
First car a 54 Nash Rambler the ultimate POS
and then,
56 chev.
55 chev. V8 (with wonder bar radio!)
63 chev Nova SS (got drafted when I had this one)
61 Corvette (College years and got married)
1949 chev pickup (back up for the corvette)
67 Camero
65 Imapala SS
61 Chev Pickup (torsion bars in the front!)
67 Malibu SS
68 Datsun Station wagon (pink and found a bong in it)
68 Chev Biscane (a donor car for the Malibu) (got divorced)
72 Pinto (I wrecked it)
70 Comet (a good simple car, lots of miles put on it)
69 Datsun station wagon
66 Chev Caprice (found a baggie of grass in it)
73 Chev Impala (the biggest car I ever owned)
73 Monte Carlo (totaled in a wreck, not my fault, broken ribs hurt!)
72 Toyota Corolla (28 mpg! and found several roach clips in it)
74 Toyota Corolla station wagon (non running fixed it drove it)
76 Datsun 280Z put over 100K on it. Had it for over 20 years, kid drove
it through his college years.
81 Datsun 280 parts car
74 Datsun 260 non running but I drove it home
73 Toyota Corolla station wagon
81 maybe a 82 Chev Caprice 4 door (POS)
70 Ford Courier (Mazda) bought to fix and drive
72 Ford Courier (Mazda) bought to fix and drive
78 Ford Courier (Mazda) bought to fix and drive
80 Datsun Pickup bought cheap to sell, ran OK
82 Datsun King Cab bought it to fix and drive, my kid in the Marines at
the time showed up and drove off in it, said he'd bring it back in a
couple of months, never saw it again, never got paid for it either.
80 Ford 1/2 ton pickup
78 Corvette Silver Anniversary (POS but it held it's value)
85 Honda Accord (repaired auto trans and put 130K mile on it)
85 Toyota (inherited it with 40K on it put over 100K on it)
Currently
98 Toyota Camry maybe drive it 6K a year
94 Mazda Pickup (Ford) probably drive it 2K a year
I'm sure I missed a few. I don't drive much any more, now retired.
I think at one time I could have taken a chev small block V8 apart and
put it back together blind folded.

On Jul 19, 8:04*pm, Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: *(x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

1.'65 Corvair Corsa (Turbo 180HP) Crap, traded
2.'66 Chev Impala (283) Good car, 12yrs
3.'76 Chevett (4) basic but reliable
4.'79.5 Chev Citation (V6) Crap, junked
5.'80 Chevett again just basic
6.'86 Celebrity Euro (V6) rust-bucket
7.'90 Hyundai basic
prior were all bought new
8.'95 Saturn (SL2) excellent car, still running.(belt idler,belt
tensioner,muffler,alternator,battery,water pump) less than $500 DIY
9.'01 Buick LeSabre(3.8)excellent car,have it

"Bob Villa" wrote in message
9.'01 Buick LeSabre(3.8)excellent car,have it

I'd give you mine for a parts car, but none of the parts work any more.
Heated seat, power windows, climate control, transmission, brake lines,
assorted lights. All crap. The rear windows are held up with pieces of wood
I put in the doors. By far, the worst car and poorest value of any car I've
evern owned.

On 2010-07-20, wrote:

Rolls Royce and Bentley featured automatic transmissions from GMC,
that were designed for a pickup truck.

.....and a small block Chevy was a great conversion for Jag XJs.

On the other side of the coin, I had a Triumph Spitfire, and while the
rest of the car disintergrated around it, the motor was a jewel.

nb

notbob wrote:
On 2010-07-20, wrote:

Rolls Royce and Bentley featured automatic transmissions from GMC,
that were designed for a pickup truck.

....and a small block Chevy was a great conversion for Jag XJs.

I did work for a guy who worked full time at home pulling the v12's and
installing chevy 350's.

On 2010-07-20, Tony wrote:

I did work for a guy who worked full time at home pulling the v12's and
installing chevy 350's.

Coolest setup I've ever seen was a 300+ bhp small block XJ with
Whipple supercharger and fuel injection that still managed 22 mpg!

nb

On Jul 19, 8:04*pm, Mat wrote:
In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: *(x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr

I really don't remember all the #s
I can tell you a 66 Fury and an 87 F-150 turned out to be the cheapest
rides ever. Bought for $100 and $300, neither ever really needing
much, aside from tires, brakes and oil changes Many years of service,
I still have the F150 and will for some time.

I will give a car sequence, #s where I remember.

1959 Triumph MC
1967 Honda MC
1965? NSU
1960 Chevy Bellaire
1965 Chevelle
1970 Duster 340 NEW $2900
1966 Fury $100 drove 10 years and sold for $80
1962 Imperial
1973 454 Corvette
1975 Dodge Van
1970 Chevy caprice
1970 Volvo SW
1979 F350 Ford (Still have)
1965 GTO
1987 F-150 Ford $300 (Still have)
1987 BMW 325is
1983 Jag Xj6
1997 Jag Xj6 (Still have)

Over all the beaters gave the most for the least, the fancy expensive
ones are that way cradle to grave.

"FatterDumber& Happier Moe" wrote

I think at one time I could have taken a chev small block V8 apart and put
it back together blind folded.

I could have the heads off a 283 in an hour.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On 2010-07-20, Steve B wrote:

I could have the heads off a 283 in an hour.

I could have the heads off my mopar 318 in my dodge van in an hour
while sitting on the front seat listening to the radio during a
rainstorm. I used to adjust the distributor timing while driving home
from work ....while drinking a beer. Damn, I miss that truck!

nb

On Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:04:06 GMT, Mat wrote:

In my 40 yrs of car ownership I have owned and driven: (x) yrs owned;
[xxx,yyy] xxx = purchase price, yyy = selling price

1. 65 Plymouth Fury III (1) Junk [$700,0]
2. 73 Merc Capri (2) a little better than Junk [2600,2000]
3. 76 Pontiac Firebird (2) Junk [5000,5000]
4. 79 Pontiac grand prix (14) Junk [9000,1300]
5. 90 Acura Integra (17+) Best by far and still going strong [12,000,n/a]

Total cost net of trade ins: $21,000

Estimated total cost of repairs (over 40 yrs) $2,500

Needless to say I do almost all work myself

All cars were driven approx 12k/yr


I won't list them all, but my formulae for the last couple decades is
to buy a 5 or 6 year old car with 100,000km (60,000 miles) for 5 - 6
thousand dollars and drive it another 160,000 Km (100,000 miles) and
then hopefully sell it still running and roadworthy.

Worked fine for the 88 New Yorker and the 90 Aerostar. Sold them both
with 240,000 km on them for $1700 - the New Yorker was 18 years old
and the Aerostar was 14?. The '94 TransSport had more miles on it when
I bought it and cost less to buy, but the same by the time it was on
the road, (factory rebuilt 3.8 and tranny) and it only lasted just
under 100,000km before it went straight to the junkyard (where I
should have let it go in the first place) The '85 LeBaron made the
100,000 before the body fell off - Sold the (rebuilt Mitsu 2.6) motor
and tranny and interior which were on the road for another 8 years or
more. (Another one that I paid less for, but did a lot of work to get
on the road - and likely should not have)

Going back a few years, my first car was a $60 1961 Mini (7 years old
with 196,000 miles) that I drove 18,000 miles in just over a year and
sold for $300 (after rebuilding the engine and having a lot of fun
with it) Then I put about 100,000 miles onto a '63 Valiant that I paid
$700 for with about 50,000 on the clock, and put the '69 dart that I
bought 1 1/2 years old with 60,000ish miles on it up to about 204,000
before selling it in 1972, still running and looking great when I left
the country for a few years.

My average cost of ownership, excluding oil changes, insurance and
gasoline, is well under $1000 per year.

Current vehicles are 1996 Mystique 2.5 and 2003 PT Cruiser - both
bought for $5500 - $6000 with 90-100,000km on them and 5 years old -
now both around 135,000 km.

Repairs on the Cruizer so far have been about $900 - brakes, radiator,
battery, and steering parts - and the Mystique about $3000 - intake
manifold gaskets - exhaust, lower control arms, inner tie rod ends, AC
reciever drier, window regulator, brake lines, and numerous electrical
connections.
And a set of snow tires and winter rims for each ($500 per vehicle).

If I had to scap them both today my total cost per year on the Merc is
($8000/9=) $888 per year, and The PT Cruiser about ($7000/3=)$2333.
The Merc should be good for another 2 or 3 years, and the Cruizer
another 5 or more

1975 bought a 55 2door hardtop. $200 No motor or tranny but my brother
had some crap ones he was going to let me put in to make it run.

1976 sold the first 55 back to my brother and bought a different one in
better condition. $350

1979 company car, a Vega station wagon. Drove that thing everywhere,
always filled the tank for the weekends, still sometimes I had to pay
for a little gas.

1980 I killed the Vega, they bought a new pinto station wagon for the
older employee and I got his Vega SW. That one was worse than mine.

1981 Got a brand new company car, a Pinto SW Stick shift. Ran OK but
didn't hold the road as good as the first Vega... and I pushed it to
it's limits all the time, The Pinto would overheat the front brakes
during rat racing on back roads, luckily it was stick.

Somewhere around this time I lost my license and had to buy my own car
and let others drive it for me for work. Paid kids to do it for
$100/week but they got so bored they all quit.
Oh, that was a Mustang II. Six cylinder piece of ****. Mustard Yellow.

1982? junked the mustang and bought a GMC Gremlin. No joking, I loved
that car and wish I had it. When it wouldn't start I'd open the hood
and put the distributor cap back on. The vacuum advance would leak gas
fumes to the distributer and first spark of the points, Pop! Funny,
often it stayed in place enough that I drove it for who knows how long
until I popped the hood and saw the cap off again. The plug wires were
the only thing holding the dist cap in place and it still ran great!

1984? Bought a really nice 1978? Monte Carlo with low low miles. Loved
that car also.

1988, traded in the Monte for a GMC Safari cargo van and started my own
business

???? Bought my first new vehicle, a full size 1/2 ton cargo van (last
year of the old style) Hated that vehicle! It handled bad, it road
bad, took 2 years and many trip to the dealer to put new axles in the
rear. Brakes would pulsate. First time they replaced the brake drums
and it still did it, I told them it was the axles. A whole other story,
you wouldn't believe what they did to it. Still under warranty a shift
solenoid went bad which left me with no low gear and no overdrive. Took
the idiots a few days to fix it, the computer was also bad making that
solenoid not right.

???? got a 1988? Thunder Chicken. It was loaded. I liked it, it was
like a Ford version of the Chevy monte carlo.

2001, gave T-Bird to my daughter for graduation. Back to driving only a
work van again.

2002 Got a new leftover 2000 1 ton Chevy cargo van for a song and a
dance. I think about $9,000 under invoice. Chevy wanted it sold so
they gave the dealer $3000 so they could sell it soon. Plus other
rebates, and free parts racks, and about $1500 less thanks to my GM card.

2004? A 2002 Saturn SL2 with 1,000 miles on the factory warranty. Boy
did I luck out

I still own the 55 Bel Air, the 2000 cargo van, and the Saturn

Tony wrote: GMC Gremlin

Of course you meant AMC.

I can take an orphan out of Kenya and have the entire USA looking for
work in 18 months.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Steve B" wrote in message
...

I could have the heads off a 283 in an hour.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On Jul 20, 1:50*am, harry wrote:


American cars are the most **** in the world. Ideally they would all
have gone straight from the factory to the crusher. *As the years went
by thet became more obsolescent. They're so bad now, even Americans
don't want them and the manufacturers are going bust.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

This could not be a more incorrect statement.

The cars I have had:

'82 Toyota Corolla SR5 - free - died with 140K miles on it - NOTHING
but problems
'85 Mitsubishi Pickup - $2000 - rusted out beyond repair at 134K kiles
- Not a horrible little truck
'90 Chevy Cavalier Z24 - $7000 in 1992 - Encounter with a deer at 154K
miles
'99 Pontiac Grand Am - $12,000 in 2000, gave to my dad with 117K miles
on it
1988 Chevy Silverado - Paid 3400 in 2003 - sold for $1100 in 2006 with
264K miles
1996 Chevy Cavalier Z24 - Bought new - sold to mechanic in 2009 for
$1500 - 167K miles on it
2005 Chrysler Sebring convertible - bought new - totalled in 2008 with
44K miles
2004 Chryser Sebring Convertible - bought used in 2008 - still have it
2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS - Bought new in 2006 - Still have it

The Toyota and Mitsubishi needed countless non-routine maintenance
repairs, while the Domestic cars have needed only normail maintenance
items.

Chris

Bob Villa wrote:
Tony wrote: GMC Gremlin

Of course you meant AMC.

Yes, how silly of me.

On Jul 21, 1:14*am, Tony wrote:

Somewhere around this time I lost my license and had to buy my own car
and let others drive it for me for work. *Paid kids to do it for
$100/week but they got so bored they all quit.
Oh, that was a Mustang II. *Six cylinder piece of ****. *Mustard Yellow.

1982? junked the mustang and bought a GMC Gremlin. *No joking, I loved
that car and wish I had it. *When it wouldn't start I'd open the hood
and put the distributor cap back on. *The vacuum advance would leak gas
fumes to the distributer and first spark of the points, Pop! *Funny,
often it stayed in place enough that I drove it for who knows how long
until I popped the hood and saw the cap off again. *The plug wires were
the only thing holding the dist cap in place and it still ran great!

I went the opposite way...

1970 - '70 AMC Gremlin - *the* most appropriately named car in
history. What a pile of *Junk*.

1974 - '74 Ford Rustang-II - (traded in the Gramlin with 35K miles
(got $500 against the Rustang). It had 75K on it when it was totaled,
but very badly rusted. Wouldn't have lasted long.

1978 - '78 Ford Granada ESS - (delivered the morning after I totaled
the Rustang - coincidence, honest). Gave it away to someone who needed
a car to get to work in '91 w/140K on it.

1985 - '85 Plymouth Voyager LE - Got rid of it after its 4th head
gasket (100K miles) in '92

1990 - '90 Plymouth Voyager LE - Got hit 5 months after I got it -
13.5K damage. Damaged side completely rusted out on the kid in '98.
He'd been hit a couple of times and insurance had paid several times
its worth.

1992 - '92 Chevy Beretta - Gave it to the kid in '98. Sold to
"wholesale" in '03 (bought the kid a 2002 Taurus).

1995 - '93 Eagle Vision TSi - Junked in '2002 (transmission died) ~95K
miles

1998 - '96 Chrysler Intrepid - Sold at auction in '03 (transmission
"issues"). 75K miles

2001 - '01 Ford Ranger - will drive the wheels off it (currently 83K
miles)

2003 - '00 Mercury Sable LS - will replace in 2012 (SWMBO wants a
Mustang Convertible, now that we live where such things are
"reasonable"). currently 93K miles

What is TCO? I know that TKO is "To keep open".

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Mat" wrote in message
news

On 7/21/2010 6:21 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
What is TCO? I know that TKO is "To keep open".


Total Cost of Ownership. TCO

TKO Technical Knock Out from boxing

TDD

TYVM / HAGD.

I think that's a vegetable non-food that is popular with survivalists.
And the other is Scottish potato meal. Not totally sure what they
mean. I don't speak letters.

Thank you very much; have a good day.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
On 7/21/2010 6:21 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
What is TCO? I know that TKO is "To keep open".


Total Cost of Ownership. TCO

TKO Technical Knock Out from boxing

TDD

TV show Emergency. Dr. Brackett at the hospital. "Fifty one, start an
IV, D5W, Technical Knock Out. We can't just be bringing in patients.
We need all the revenue we can get."

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
On 7/21/2010 6:21 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
What is TCO? I know that TKO is "To keep open".


Total Cost of Ownership. TCO

TKO Technical Knock Out from boxing

TDD