Anyone have a favorite older car they would recommend?

[Denim Deb]

I'd like to have one that runs on horse poop! After all, I get plenty of that!

 

[so lucky]

My moms toyota corolla ran far better than my nissan sentra ever did.Over the years it needed a lot less work.Right now I have a prius that dh bought without my input a year ago.All I can say is hey it's new.

I keep telling dh I would love to get a vehicle that has no electronics and could run on homemade bio fuel if needed.Mainly though no electronics.Dh is into that stuff and the prius is like a robot on wheels.

Lol,on the check engine light. Dh had issue with that in his freestar van and ford truck. Stinks to pay $75 just to get a dx. Now,with his truck I do like it(SEMI) since it reminds me of the furnace, and you can look up the flashing light number to let you know what the problem is.

Glad the OP found a good vehicle!

You can take a car to Auto Zone and use their diagnostics for free to narrow down the possibilities for a particular problem. My check engine light comes on if I don't have the gas lid screwed down tight. :/
(I don't have any affiliation with Auto Zone)

 

[piglett]

My moms toyota corolla ran far better than my nissan sentra ever did.Over the years it needed a lot less work.Right now I have a prius that dh bought without my input a year ago.All I can say is hey it's new.

I keep telling dh I would love to get a vehicle that has no electronics and could run on homemade bio fuel if needed.Mainly though no electronics.Dh is into that stuff and the prius is like a robot on wheels.

Lol,on the check engine light. Dh had issue with that in his freestar van and ford truck. Stinks to pay $75 just to get a dx. Now,with his truck I do like it(SEMI) since it reminds me of the furnace, and you can look up the flashing light number to let you know what the problem is.

Glad the OP found a good vehicle!

You can take a car to Auto Zone and use their diagnostics for free to narrow down the possibilities for a particular problem. My check engine light comes on if I don't have the gas lid screwed down tight. :/
(I don't have any affiliation with Auto Zone)

if your looking for a vehicle with no eletronics you have to get back into the 80's
even then many had a really odd carb with strange electric wehams & widgets
so that takes you bak to the early 80's with most cars
though some trucks just had a plain old school carb up till about 1986

a friend of mine had a small car that had the check engine light on
so it wouldn't pass inspection
he did the the whole autozone deal
they came out with the code scanner & said
well it could be this,this,this, or maybe this the OBD2 computer doesn't tell ya what the exact problem is
so he looked rite at them & said
"so it i buy all for of those parts(hundreds of $$$) your telling me the check engine light will go out ...your 100% sure?"
they were not sure & said it might also need some other little gizmo or gadget also
i know another guy who had a trailblazer i think about a 2004
the light came on
come to find out the cats (there is 4 of them!!!)
& the O2 sensors (i think there are 4 also) were shot
the vehicle only had 70k on it
they wanted over $2300
he stopped making his payments & let GMAC take it back
he only got the thing because his farther inlaw is a retired GM line worker
now i'm not bashing GM
i'm saying after 1996 the feds made car companys put a new OBS2 system in cars/light truks
that is the real problem
i'll stick with my pre 96' vehicles
but maybe that is just me


good luck all
piglett

 

[the_whingnut]

60s or 70s VWs. If you maintain them they are easy on the budget. The down side is finding one in good shape. My 1965 beetle had a lot of issues but once it was tuned up and cleaned out ($200 in parts about 4 hours of work) I didn't have to do anything to it to keep it on the road. It had holes in the corners but it was a great daily driver and will be again once I finish the resto-mod. From 67 up is 12v minimalistic is in the design. Just have to do the maintenance every time it comes around. Fuel economy is OK like driving a mid sized car, heat is fine except if the heater channels are rotted (very important issue because the heater channels are also a big structural component). Once we finish the bug and bus they will be the only means of transport. Plus I love them.

 

[piglett]

60s or 70s VWs. If you maintain them they are easy on the budget. The down side is finding one in good shape. My 1965 beetle had a lot of issues but once it was tuned up and cleaned out ($200 in parts about 4 hours of work) I didn't have to do anything to it to keep it on the road. It had holes in the corners but it was a great daily driver and will be again once I finish the resto-mod. From 67 up is 12v minimalistic is in the design. Just have to do the maintenance every time it comes around. Fuel economy is OK like driving a mid sized car, heat is fine except if the heater channels are rotted (very important issue because the heater channels are also a big structural component). Once we finish the bug and bus they will be the only means of transport. Plus I love them.

i know a couple of guys that were really into those bugs & busses
however the supply up here in new hampshire is really pi$$ poor
almost all are so far gone that they are just plain junk
maybe if you found 1 from the south


piglett