Best/Worst car you've ever owned?

[Oldgator73]

Best car was a 73 AMC Gremlin. We could drive from Bossier City, LA to the Florida panhandle on a tank of gas.
Worst car was an Oldsmobile Cierra. Had a transverse engine and had a habit of throwing belts. It had electrical problems too.

 

[garyb1st]

The undisputed worst was a 1950's era Vauxhall. It didn't have a muffler. Don't remember much about the car but I have vivid memories of the neighbor who lived across the street. She would come out of her house and scream at me every time I started it up.

The best as far as appearances was a 1960 Pontiac Catalina convertible.

Honorable mention for both best and worst was a 2005 Ford F250 fire engine red crew cab long bed with a matching cap. I loved the truck but it had every problem imaginable starting with the problematic 6.0 diesel.

 

[garyb1st]

Best car was a 73 AMC Gremlin.

I remember the commercial when a young woman is getting gas for her Gremlin and the attendant says, "where's the rest of your car sweetheart".

 

[8Muddypaws]

I forgot my two VW busses.The first was an air cooled pancake engine. I added and oil temp gauge and an oil cooler because that was the weak point with those engines. It was an ‘almost a camper’. Had three rows of seats with two facing a table. Two rows turned into a very uncomfortable bed. I wish I had kept it.

The other one was a Worlfsburg edition ‘VasserBoxer’ the first year they were made. Big mistake that one. It threw a piston at 20K miles, was repaired under warranty by my sister in laws father. 20K miles later the engine exploded so violently the engine case was destroyed. Just after the warranty expired but luckily VWoA chose to replace the engine but I had to pay for installation and fluids. I got rid of that turkey as fast as I could and never bought another VW.

We had a bunch of other VWs, blew up a couple of Beetle engines, no big deal. We had two water cooled VWs that both had electrical and fuel system problems but were a blast to drive. A GTI and a Sirroco 16v that was electronically limited to 146MPH (and it would do it). The next year they detuned it. I got too many tickets.

 

[Boonie Buster2]

In my early years, I worked for a company that provided company cars. Every 60,000 miles, I got a new car, generally from a different brand.

Since I drove about 25,000 miles a year servicing equipment for the company, I got a lot of new cars. The first was a 69 Ford, then a 73 Ford Torino, a 76 Plymouth Fury, a 78 Buick, an 80 Ford Econovan, and last was an 82 Chevy van.

The Plymouth was the only car that I had a lot of trouble with. I think my favorite was the Torino and the Econovan. I now have a personal 86 Bronco II with 450,000 miles on it and a 2014 Ford Focus with 241,000 miles. I had a 2005 Focus 3-door hatchback that I gave to my grandson after I purchased the 14 Focus. It had 220,000 miles on it when I gave it to him. I've had many more cars than that, but they are the only ones listed.

 

[House Husband]

Worst car was a new 1967 383/4 spd. Plymouth Barracuda. Poor breathing exhaust manifolds, too front end heavy, Poor traction, no PS or AC.
Best car so far is a 2013 Honda CRV AWD. It just does everything right, with minimum failures.

 

[Oldgator73]

I remember the commercial when a young woman is getting gas for her Gremlin and the attendant says, "where's the rest of your car sweetheart".

Yeah, I got that a few times. Car had a huge straight 6 and a 3 speed on the floor.

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

I had that Gremlin as well, 6-cyl, inline, with 3 on the floor….

 

[ButchW1]

My neighbor's kid won a purple Gremlin, with a bunch of goofy graphics, in some contest... Poor guy drove it throughout high school... His dad was a body and finder guy, you would think he would have painted for him...
Butch

 

[TheBar]

My neighbor's kid won a purple Gremlin, with a bunch of goofy graphics, in some contest... Poor guy drove it throughout high school... His dad was a body and finder guy, you would think he would have painted for him...
Butch

My college roommate had a brand new Gremlin his father bought for him. One of those cars you'd win and be better off selling before putting a mile on it.

 

[Oldgator73]

My college roommate had a brand new Gremlin his father bought for him. One of those cars you'd win and be better off selling before putting a mile on it.

Best car we ever had. Dependable as ****. Wish I had it today. I really don’t care what the vehicle looks like.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

I agree: our '71 Gremlin took us from San Jose, Ca to Fayetteville, NC pulling a U-Haul trailer, then up and down the East Coast a couple of times, then Back to San Jose, again towing a U-Haul, then up and down the West Coast several times. Got a consistent 26 mpg and never gave us a hint of trouble. No telling how many miles it would have had on it if it didn't get T-boned by a drunk driver and totaled. Wish we still had it!

 

[kolsen]

Those AMC straight six engines (and cars) were very dependable. My Dad bought a '72 Hornet Sportabout wagon that survived 3 crazy high school boys and ran for many more years later. The only issue I remeber it had was a bad gas gauge. For some reason never had it fixed, I ran out of gas too many times to remember.

 

[Oldgator73]

Those AMC straight six engines (and cars) were very dependable. My Dad bought a '72 Hornet Sportabout wagon that survived 3 crazy high school boys and ran for many more years later. The only issue I remeber it had was a bad gas gauge. For some reason never had it fixed, I ran out of gas too many times to remember.

Our gas gauge pooped out too. And we had to replace the water pump.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Best and worst?

Every automobile I owned over my entire life time, that is an easy answer.

Every time I purchased a "new to me" automobile, that was the BEST auto I ever owned. Every time I got rid of the same vehicle and purchased a different one?.... well, THAT one was the absolute worst. So, each vehicle I've ever owned was the best and the worst! Every one!

 

[Ex-Calif]

Best and worst?

Every automobile I owned over my entire life time, that is an easy answer.

Every time I purchased a "new to me" automobile, that was the BEST auto I ever owned. Every time I got rid of the same vehicle and purchased a different one?.... well, THAT one was the absolute worst. So, each vehicle I've ever owned was the best and the worst! Every one!

Sounds like a boat...

 

[jymbee]

Ouch!