I miss the days of buying a $500 car that you could get a few years out of. At least you could til the early 00’s. The cash for clunckers killed off many.

@joshuagibson2520

4 ай бұрын

Indeed. It sure did. Ruined the used parts market too.

@2006gtobob

4 ай бұрын

Cash for clunkers was basically criminal.

@michelsaarloos4392

4 ай бұрын

We know who did the horrable thing. Drone bom b e r Ob a ma

@The_R-n-I_Guy

4 ай бұрын

It should be illegal to crush any car built before 2000 unless it's been completely stripped of every usable part

@sombra6153

4 ай бұрын

One of my sons was working at a dealership shop during that time. Though he didn’t see anything that old coming in, he did see a lot of 5.0 Explorers and pickups, other V8 cars from the 80s and 90s. Said they couldn’t even harvest parts. That really hurt the market.

I am so sick of new car prices. When my lease is up, I am not getting another new car. I am going to buy two or three classic sedans instead. I have plenty of room to keep them at my house. And thanks to Adam in his channel, I will have the knowledge to fulfill this dream. Huge fan of yours. Thank you so much.

Last year i bought a 2000 Lincoln Town Car as a summer / weekend driver. I paid $3700 with 105,000 miles, a tune up and fluid changes. I've put 13,000 miles on it and i have to say, it is one if the best cars i've owned. It's been absolutely reliable, comfortable, and wonderful to drive. It reminds me of the 70's Fords and Mercuries my parents owned, except more comfortable with better gas mileage. I would buy another panther platform in a heartbeat.

@byronmcgee4118

4 ай бұрын

The air shocks are the potential issue

@jasonrodgers9063

4 ай бұрын

True. My best friend owned a Lincoln Mark VII of similar vintage, same air ride problem. The GOOD news was, there are aftermarket kits to convert them to a traditional steel spring setup at a reasonable cost. He & I successfully did it in an afternoon.@@byronmcgee4118

@wigletron2846

3 ай бұрын

​@@byronmcgee4118they're easy to replace and you could always replace with coils if you really wanted.

All very good choices. I've often wondered how many of these affordable drivers were taken off the road through the "Cash for Clunkers" program. I know it really messed up the used car market.

@jasonrodgers9063

4 ай бұрын

"Cash for clunkers" was an OBSCENITY! Scrapping perfectly functional cars that SO many people of lower economic rungs could have gotten a LOT of use from!

@aquarianstar67

4 ай бұрын

Obscene is spot on! I've never been so heartbroken in my life.

@peterdaniel66

4 ай бұрын

another fine quality well thought out plan by liberal democrats.. lol

@DanEBoyd

4 ай бұрын

@@peterdaniel66 I'm sure that those clunkers somehow got some cash out of the whole thing...

@roger628

4 ай бұрын

Cash for Clunkers only went back to 1983 models.

As a retired Ford mechanic, I can agree with you on the 1973-78 LTD/Grand Marquis were very reliable cars. Most that came through are dealership were regular maintenance or rebuilding the not so good Autolite carburetors. The 351M/400 did have a block casting issue in the 1978 (I think) model year. It was caught but not soon enough, so quite a few went out the door. One other thing with the 98-2011 Panther platform. If you live in the salt belt, make sure the steering shaft is inspected. They were prone to corrosion and steering would be difficult with a lot of clunking noise. In some cases they would break and the driver would be in deep sh*t. Some models were recalled for this issue but better safe than sorry, have it inspected.

@ericrombouts7698

4 ай бұрын

When American cars were quality made

Absolutely agree on the Ford panther platform cars. I have 2 currently and hopefully will never be without one in "my fleet." Not indestructible, but close and oh so easy (and cheap) to fix if anything goes wrong. Peace of mind is the ultimate luxury.

@thegoldendog7991

3 ай бұрын

Your peace of mind comment ticks every box. Nothing is better.

Took my 66 Bug on a 300 mile Christmas road trip, got a lot of looks. 29 mpg at 65 to 70 mph most of way. It can go a bit faster, but it gets buzzy above 70, and it needs the slow lane with the trucks on the steep upgrades. Loads of fun.

@ValdezJu

4 ай бұрын

I loved my '61 Beetle! This one was equipped with the optional gas gauge and even had a sun roof.

@michaelconverse5127

4 ай бұрын

My every day car for about 13 years was a vw bug. Great car, put a lot of miles on it. Excellent in the snow and the gas heater worked well keeping the cabin warm even in brutally cold weather. By 2015 or so the salt was really starting to take its toll but mechanically it still ran excellent.

@Apocalypse_Cow

4 ай бұрын

And it's RWD! My 1960 went everywhere a 4WD would go!

@deansapp4635

4 ай бұрын

@@Apocalypse_Cow Remember the commercial, What do snow plow drivers Drive? Beetles

@markiskool

4 ай бұрын

Never got more than 25 mpg on my 69 bug convertible. I did the tuneups and oil changes every 3k miles but never got more than 25 mpg. Wondering how you got 29 to 30 mpg?

Still daily driving a 1997 Buick Park Avenue Ultra and my wife's 2005 Buick LeSabre. I love these cars, and, as long as there are good examples still available, I'll always look for a Buick with the 3800 V6.

Adam, I am so happy to see the Panther Platform is finally getting some respect on this channel. When are you going to add a couple to your fleet?🤔 😉😁

@dmandman9

4 ай бұрын

Over the years I've owned a 1993 crown victoria, a 1996 and a 2006 Grand marquis, and a 2007 Town car. All were rock solid and needed only maintenance and minor repairs. I got well over 200,000 miles out of all of them. And they all had over 100.000 miles on them when I bought them. And indoor a couple of them were looking a little rough after I got done with them, they were all in good running condition when I parted with them or stopped driving them. The biggest job I did was an intake manifold on a 1996 , and air springs on the 2006 Grand Marquis and the 2007 town car. And I was able to go to a junkyard and find good air springs off of a wrecked vehicle that had them recently replaced .

@Vaino_Hotti

4 ай бұрын

For the last 5 summers I've been daily driving my '85 Grand Marquis. Classic styling with chrome bumpers and upright grille, but with with all the modern goodies like auto-AC, cruise control, power everything, overdrive and tolerable MPG.

@TheDude12374

4 ай бұрын

Pass on those. As with other Ford models, they have an unsafe fuel tank design.

@dmandman9

4 ай бұрын

@@Vaino_Hotti i believe The 1979-1990 panther platform cars were the last of the Box shaped Ford-Mercury-Lincolns that started with the 1978 Fairmount. I think the 1985 was that last before the mild refresh in 1986. But they were SOLID too. I loved the TBI that made them run more smoothly than the carburetor versions.

@dmandman9

4 ай бұрын

@@TheDude12374 the ONLY ones that leak and potentially catch fire tend to be those that are hit from behind at highway speeds while sitting still. Nothing like the pintos which would leak and potentially catch fire at MUCH lower speeds. These were usually cop cars that were hit when they were sitting still such as when they’d pulled someone over. Ford did a recall on the cop cars where we made some modifications. But they didn’t do so with civilian cars because virtually none of those were involved in type of accident that resulted in fires. But a I believe a civilian COULD request the modification be done to their vehicle as well.

My sister had a Pontiac with the 3800. Great car and not outlandish. We cruised 80mph down to Mexico comfortably and securely.

It's hard to believe $5k-6k is considered cheap for a car td. Plus good luck finding a drivable vehicle from the 70s that's not falling apart. At least here in the northeast. I would love to daily drive any one of these cars!

@trickyricky12147

4 ай бұрын

Same here!

My first car in 1999 at the age of 19 was $500. It was a 1971 Mark III. I remember when I was a kid in the 80s everybody who was 16 and older had a car because you could get something from the seventies or 1960s and it was only a few hundred dollars. I remember a geek having a 1970 Cadillac in 1985 and it was only a few hundred dollars and it was in decent shape the body was straight and the interior was in good shape. You get something 15 years old today and it's thousands of dollars and you wonder if it's even worth it to buy versus putting that money towards a down payment for something new.

I daily drove a 1993 Fleetwood for around 8 years. Chevrolet's 5.7 TBI V8 (LO5) is on par with the 3800 for reliability and service life. Fuel mileage was surprisingly good in the Cadillac with 2.56 rear end and overdrive transmission.

Back in 2013, my mom died, and I inherited her beautiful 2000 Grand Marquis, with only 38,000 miles. I was driving my 99 Escort ZX2. I debated for quite a while about which car to sell. The Merc lost out, only because I parked every day in a very crowded parking lot, where door dings, scratches and minor dents were the norm. I didn't think that docking that land yacht every day would be much fun. But, what a ride it had! I was able to sell it in 2014 for $4400, which was a pretty good amount back then.

The most fuel efficient engine in a 1972-1978 LTD is the engine you did not mention -- the 351W. I had two of them and they both did better than 20 MPG on a trip. On the 1977 and up downsized full-size GM cars, beware of the ones with the TH200 Chevette transmission.

@Greg-ly2rz

4 ай бұрын

My Mom had an ‘81 Bonnevile with the Chevette transmission. It lasted 1000 miles past the warranty. GM of course would not stand behind it. Good catch there!

@bobbyheffley4955

4 ай бұрын

The 1978 model year marked the return of the 302 V8 in the LTD.

@jefftarwood4594

4 ай бұрын

I had a 1976 Mercury Montego four door sedan with the 351 two barrel that I bought in 1978. Great runner, reliable car. And after adjustments by emptying out the converter and rejetting the carb 20+ mpg on the highway was not unusual at all.

@cleverkitsune4302

4 ай бұрын

351w is an anemic piece of shit cars only drove nice with a 460

@nlpnt

4 ай бұрын

The TH200 ruined the Chevettes that had it too, cars that small just couldn't pull automatic transmissions. Find one in good shape with a manual and be pleasantly surprised, especially if it has the rear sway bar or full F41 package.

I agree with your list 100%. The Bucik 3800 cars and the Vic/Marquis are typically what i recommend for people looking for cheap reliable transportation. However a lot of younger people (under 30) see these cars as lame grandpa cars and are embarassed by their looks so they pick up used BMWs or Malibus/Fusions/Altimas/Sonatas etc and they always come back to me complaining when they break down...if they would have just gotten over the grandpa status of those other cars theyd be way happier and have more money in their wallets but i guess they gotta learn somehow.

@cleverkitsune4302

4 ай бұрын

3800 cars arent classics they are shitboxes that rust way too easily and are fucking ugly as well, pontiacs buicks chevys they all looked the same badge engineering at its worst

@2DogsVlogs

4 ай бұрын

The 3800 is bullet proof. Had that engine in many of my Commodore's and plenty of power to do doughnuts and burnouts.

@Jason-fp7vi

4 ай бұрын

The 3800 might be bulletproof and I like the W-bodys, but the transmissions have their problems. To me it doesn't matter as much how great the engine is if the transmission can't make it

@2DogsVlogs

4 ай бұрын

@@Jason-fp7vi I only every had 1 trans go out and it was replaced with a Buick one. Didn't quite fit but it seemed stronger. Most of my cars got sold or passed on to apprentices at around 350,000 and 4 years old. The boxes were always serviced once a year. Only been through 1 Fairmont box as well but that's because the dealer servicing it did burnouts and blew it.

@Jason-fp7vi

4 ай бұрын

@@2DogsVlogs very nice, that's a good record then. I would like to own a 3800 super charged but don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity

EVERY word here is spot on! I own a 66 Toronado that I daily drove from 98-2000 and I can tell you its an absolute BEAST in the snow! Nothing holds it back, I nick named it the "Bull Dozer" LOL I also know people whom have the RWD GM cars Adam mentioned and they drove them 200-300K miles, i worked for Buick 1985-6 when these FWD Buicks came out and again SPOT ON. YES the early ones had teething issues but the last few years were great cars. THe RWD Big Fords of late 90s-2000s were also great as mentioned. I own a similar one in regards to engine, a 97 Mark Vlll with now .......... drum rolll 348,000 miles and it still runs and drives great. GRanted its a "hotter" version 4.6 with DOHC / 32 Valves VS the SOHC 4.6 found in theCVs and Marquis/Town cars but that 4.6 in its day one awards and is a stellar engine and loved by all!

Having rented both the Crown Vic and the 3.8 powered Buicks, I can definitely agree that they are good cars with decent highway mileage.

That yellow Eldorado? Yes, please!

The 1972 Marquis was just stunning to this boy in high school. I still love it. All these are great choices and I appreciate the mech knowledge. Thanks for the video!

Great list, Adam! I can vouch for the Ford Panthers. I’ve been driving Crown Vics as daily drivers for 20 years now. Usually pic them up with 90K miles, and drive them for another 100K before selling and getting a newer one. Absolutely trouble free. Just regular service. I can’t say enough good things about these cars!

All great choices. Having owned most of these vehicles I always try to steer people towards the Buicks, my 04 Lesabre Limited is just an awesome, easy to love machine -they even tow surprisingly well. Park Avenues were also stellar vehicles for the money (had a 2000 years ago). Always wanted a 03-05 Ultra -but they are getting harder to find, even the "base" Park Aves seem to get picked over first -but there are still a lot of Lesabre around, which I just highly recommend. Mine even came with tire pressure monitoring, a nice Bose stereo, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and a heads up display! They're out there🙂 Good coverage Adam!

I have been driving for 52 years and it always amazes me when a new car comes out that we never know if it will be a great car until 10-20 years later. I agree with your list. And that 3.8 GM engine is one of the best GM ever put out.I would pick it over many of the V6's today due to durability and mpg.

A great list, Adam! The only downside to running some of these wonderful cars on a daily basis is the gas mileage, which you did touch on. I think that's an important thing to know, especially if the owner lives in a hilly environment. While my '73 Marquis 429 can easily get 15-18 MPG on a flat freeway, around San Francisco the MPG was a solid 6.

@charlesb7019

4 ай бұрын

Keep in mind that you will not have a car payment. You can buy a lotta gas with $700.00!

@DSP1968

4 ай бұрын

@@charlesb7019 I agree -- that's why I've had it for 20+ years! But in CA, $80+ fill ups are not everyone's cup of tea.

@pepetherealfrog9846

4 ай бұрын

Yeah but there's A LOT of other cars that WON'T be a gas-guzzler. I had both Marquis '77 with the 400 and another one with the 460 (exactly like the green one). I had to get rid of them because of the gas mileage when gas was cheap back then. So for today's usage, that will be horrific! And think about parking. These things are huge land yatch. In today's parking slots, you won't be happy. (Might be better with the 2-door Thunderbird) But on the highway, you forget about it. Smooooooth ride. The LeSabre is right on the target though. Cheap and reliable.

@marko7843

4 ай бұрын

​@@pepetherealfrog9846Hey, there's another one, the lighter and beautiful '77 Thunderbird/Cougar! (Your MPG is right on. With our own gas pumps, we never figured out the mileage driving around Marin County, but on the freeway our HIGH compression Lincoln only got 14 MPG with the A/C on...

I totally agree with your picks. I would include the B body GM through 89-90 such as the Caprice in your list. As for the Marquis, I have two of them, 04 & 05, and they are awesome. They do have an issue with cracking intake manifolds. Both of mine did, but it was not too bad of a job to replace them. There are lots of aftermarket intake manifolds available. I also had both have the A/C drier rust through on both of them. Otherwise, these are fantastic gas and go cars that get fantastic fuel economy for their size. Steve

thank you Adam! I daily drive a 2011 Crown Vic P7B, formerly owned by the PD in Palos Verdes Estates, CA, and I can't think of a more reliable car that gets you through a cold winter as well as a hot summer without any major issues. tons of space, super comfy ride, lots of spare parts and there are even YT channels solely focused on them.

@captainamericaamerica8090

3 ай бұрын

The town cars' are the best We have two with over" 600.000! Miles.

Good choices, all. I'm driving an 02 LeSabre and just turned 103k. Absolutely love it. Thanks Adam.

I owned a 1989 LeSabre with the 3800 V-6. Super comfy & reliable, got really good MPG. Sadly, it was squashed flat by a giant oak tree blown over in a storm. Bummer.

@jumpinjehoshaphat9075

4 ай бұрын

I had 1988 Olds 98. top of line every feature, over 30 Mi a gallon. 275000 trouble-free miles and sold it to a man that kept on Going.

10:25 As a norwegian, I can't help but notice the norwegian license plates and added turn signal lights. 😊

@stratfordbaby

4 ай бұрын

And those hideous wheels.

Thanks for this one, Adam.. My favorites are the GM C and B bodies, 1977 - 1981.. Those are all great, and I owned a 1977 and 1980 Cadillac Coupe, 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham 2 door, 1981 Buick Electra Limited sedan and 1981 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupe, and another 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 4dr sedan. Also a 1978 Chevrolet Impala coupe with the bent rear glass.. Some of Detroit's and GM's finest.

I was looking at buying a new car and that's when I realized that most cars today are the same silly box (small SUVs) and only a couple of sedans have any style at all. So the answer is right here in your video. Thanks Adam! Always knew about the 3800 Buicks and have heard the intake is what bears close examination.

For 2 years between '98-2000 I drove a 9 hours one-way, one-weekend-per-month trip between Mid-Missouri and the Memphis area, regardless of the weather, rain, snow, or shine. It gave me a great feeling of comfort, satisfaction, and security to drive the rented Pontiac Bonneville SE with the 3800 engine I borrowed from the Enterprise agency. Those cars just went, and like crazy and seemingly effortlessly, with decent fuel mileage and a huge gas tank. Didn't need to stop for fuel along the way, just fuel up before the return trip. Plenty of power and very comfortable driving, eating up the road whether wet, snowy, or dry with remarkable stability. Wish I could find a lightly-used, low mileage item today!

Regarding your number 3 choice: Years ago I had a 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine. It was actually the limousine without the divider. It was fully loaded, but the rear self-levelling suspension had been disconnected. It was white with black vinyl top and black cloth interior. It had less than 90k miles on it. But after a year or two it suddenly developed an engine problem. The engine banged, and the banging sound came from down low, on the driver's side. It was a slow banging, and the faster the engine was running, the faster the banging was. The car was my second driver. My daily was an `87 Ford F150 that we had gotten new. So when the banging started on the limo, I simply stopped driving it because I didn't make much money in those days, and knew I would have no way of having it fixed. As for the condition, it had a little bit of rust blistering under the body side moldings, and the fender extensions started to break up and go away. As for your number 1 choice, I always heard good things about the Crown Vics and Grand Marquis from that era, and know they were a top choice for police cars and taxis. That's why when it came time to replace my mom's car, I suggested to my dad that he get her something on that platform. So he got her a 2008 Grand Marquis. It runs well, but I don't like the cheap plastic interior fittings, and I don't like the rough ride compared to my `97 Lincoln Town Car and my `96 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. It also has issues with the automatic climate control.

Happily drove an early 2000s Buick Lesabre throughout my thirties. I wanted the chance to enjoy a car designed for older people who were still driving at the time. The style of that vehicle is very reminiscent of the big and comfy American autos from back in the day that I missed out on. I loved my grandpa mobile. But those cars are over 20 years old now and and will have a lot mechanical problems as they approach 200k miles. Sadly I had to let mine go as repairs were becoming too costly.

I enjoy my 1973 Plymouth Fury III. 360 V8 with a 2.71 rear end. Big, comfortable and extremely reliable.

I daily drive my 78 Buick Electra all summer long. Comfortable, reliable, and stylish. The huge trunk is supremely useful. 17 mpg. About the same milage as my modern Jeep Wrangler.

I bought a 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Collector’s Series in August. While it was supposed to be my entry into “classic” cars, I’ve been driving it almost every day. It was in almost perfect condition, I did brakes, hoses and what not and it runs almost perfectly. Needs a carb adjustment to be perfect. Just about everything works, only minor electronics to be fixed, already have the replacement parts. This particular car is really loaded, all options and moonroof. I just haven’t decided what to do about upgrading audio and minor electronics like getting FOB locks. The car did displace my Audi out of the garage, but that’s ok.

My '89 Olds 98 Touring Sedan was sublime. The 3800 purred, luxury gadgets ahead of their time, and in triple navy blue - gorgeous.

I have driven and repaired many cars in six decades, both in Europe and here in the US. The Crown Vic, especially the P71, is clearly an unbeatable combination of practicality and fun.

Those mid 90s Buicks with the 3800 are hard to beat. Also the last of the Panther platform Ford are bullet proof.

Hi Adam, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for this prescient video on daily drivers. I have a 1987 Ford Crown Victoria wagon that I have owned since 1988 and has been in year round service since then. I have had the car rust-proofed initially, then spray oiled inside all body panels and frame bi-annually and use a seperate set of steel wheels with snow tires in the winter and save the summer radials and aluminum turbine wheels from salt exposure. The 1976 Ford LTD you feature in this video appears to be the same color as my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 50th Anniversary Edition sedan I bought in January of 2022 with 67,000.0 miles on it in excellent condition. I store this one in the winter months as it is far too beautiful to expose to winter weather. Also saved from the elements is my 1991 Crown Victoria LX wagon with only 14,000.0 miles since it's restoration in 2020. The 1987 is nearing 250,000.0 miles and still serves me well and is very dependable. Fuel injection and overdrive transmission are the order of the day for all of these vehicles.

@rightlanehog3151

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for keeping those classic wagons on the road!

All great choices. Something to look out for on the Panther cars is, '03-'05s have headlight relays that are kinda undersized and tend to fail after a while. The relay is soldered onto the lighting computer's board, under the dash, and isn't user-replaceable unless you're handy with a soldering iron. The official fix is to replace the whole LCM, but a likely better solution is to wire in an aftermarket relay to the outside of the LCM. If the relay hasn't failed yet, you can buy an external headlight relay harness that will take the load off of the factory relay and make the headlights a little brighter too.

@fubarmodelyard1392

2 ай бұрын

I had to replace the headlight unit in my 05. That outside relay sounds interesting. I can probably find a how to on KZread. Thanks

Oh Lord won’t you buy me a FORD LTD, my friends all drive Kia’s I must make amends.😅😅 Great Advice as ever Adam thanks.

I picked up a 99 Marquis last December for $5500 with 133k on the clock. It’s been the best car I’ve owned so far! I absolutely love the panther cars.

Great advice, Adam. The 3800 V6 powered GM W-bodies are also fantastic - Grand Prix, Regal, Century et al. Just make sure to check the rear strut mountings for rust. It seems to be the W-bodies Achilles heel...😊

Good choices. I've owned a few of those, a couple I wish I had never gotten rid of. I wish I could afford to get a late model Checker wagon and modernize it somewhat. I think that would make a wonderful daily driver.

@61rampy65

4 ай бұрын

Back in the 70's, I wanted to get a civilian Checker and add air shocks, side pipes and mag wheels to it, just to be weird and different. Never did, tho.

i got a 95 buick park avenue for 2 grand and its been the best daily ive ever had for years. Low miles, body is excellent, zero rust, absolutely could not be happier with it

About the Ford V8s: The 351M/400 is a tall deck Cleveland engine. The oiling issue is a very easy thing to work around. Change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, and use high mileage semi-synthetic 5W30. If you want increased gas mileage and performance, the first step is a dual 2¼ inch exhaust with H crossover. Dynaflow mufflers sound almost stock but flow much better. If highway mileage is a concern or the transmission gives out, a mechanical AOD from a carbureted Panther 351 car is a drop in. Also, that late 80s 351 has more horsepower and more torque than the 70s version of the 460. Done right, one of these will see in excess of 30 mpg on the highway

@garycotnam6780

4 ай бұрын

351M / 400 have big block bolt pattern for the transmission, so a C6 will fit , AOD from a '351 Panther' will NOT FIT, as these have the small block bolt pattern for the transmission applications. However, the AOD will fit the 70 -74 351C engines . There are other options out there , but usually pricey, also having a 351M /400 or 460 and expecting great gas mileage is usually not a realistic expectation , even an inline 300 with a C6 is not good on gas either unless you consider 13MPG to be good . Panther 302 or 351W with an AOD is a good idea for a swap, but be prepared to change the mounts and oil pan/ pickup/ and timing cover etc. as well , and the throttle valve rod / cable issue is a pain too. :)

I'm digging that dark blue LTD @4:37! Pole Barn Garage just picked up a cream colored one with ~50,000 miles on it, and it is very clean. You might want to contact him. Not a fan of big modern mag wheels, but I actually like the wheels on the exported Buick @10:28. I guess that they're European.

Picked up a 2006 Town Car for $7k with 75k miles. Most comfortable ride ever. The only car I’ve ever had that gets compliments from strangers.

Fantastic list Adam and I hope you and yours have a great 2024😊 a former coworker of mine had a Crown Victoria after his sister had it and he told me before the odometer zeroed out, it had 500k kms on it! My parents bought a brand new dark blue Regal in 92, they loved it, the only reason they sold it was because my brother was born a year later and we needed more room. This is a great addition to uncle Tony's video on daily driving old cars, he goes into what to do/not do and what years to go with and you mirror some of that.

What I would do with a car with the broken endura fender extensions between the tail lights and the quarter panels, is just take some tin and bend it to fit. I happen to have some experience with sheetmetal, to me it's pretty easy. Honestly I ought to find one just so I can make some and sell them, if people are paying $3,000 to get them replaced, I could probably make some good money selling them $50 each, or installing them for $200 a car.

When I was 14 years old a neighbor was selling their car and I got it even though I couldn't drive yet. It was a 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance, about 82k on the clock and some surface rust in small areas (from Chicago). I put about 12k miles on it and made a lot of great memories. For starters my mom would go driving with me every Saturday on a scenic route so I could learn how to move the thing around. Once I got my license I remember being so excited to finally drive the thing on my own. I took it to high school a bunch of times and it was always fun to load up 3 buddies and screw around. Unfortunately I had to get something a little more dependable for University so I had to sell it. Last I heard it was at a pick and pull in Englewood. My buddy tried to buy it back but they wouldn't sell it. These boats are a lot of fun though and although mine was kind of clapped out, I think they are superb daily drivers if you can find a good example. They are getting hard to find clean though since so many get tricked out

Great points you've raised! Spot on...and, for states like Missouri, bear in mind we have property tax on vehicles. When you're looking at anywhere from upwards of $400-$600/year in property taxes vs $100, that adds up quick! My dad sold his '22 Santa Fe and is currently turning his '85 2wd F150 into his daily driver. A crisp little 302 .030 over, nice C6...great truck. Cheap to insure, cheap (relatively speaking) on taxes, and turns more heads than any Hyundai ever would! Unfortunately around here, the RWD Caprices and LTD's have been turned into demolition derby and stock cars. Thanks for the great video!

@joshuagibson2520

4 ай бұрын

That is insanity. Do they get you on 4 wheelers and boats too?

@jefweb5043

4 ай бұрын

@@joshuagibson2520 I tell you what...and of all times, our property tax is due on Dec 31st! Yes, Missouri gets you...any personal property is taxed. I have a 12' flatbed trailer; it's assessed a $100 value, and is taxed. Boats, ATV's, UTV's...yep. So jumping into an older vehicle absolutely has its perks. My '15 F250 Super Duty has an assessed value at $7740, vs my '85 Chevy K30 CUCV and '92 Park Ave at $100 respectively.

@ronbrock6153

4 ай бұрын

Wow try living in South Carolina, my 2016 CTS Vsport tag renewal finally dropped below $1000 dollars this fall.

The top three are great choices, especially the Panther platform cars. I just sold a 97 Town Car with 189k. Still ran like a tank and everything worked. The Panther cars are among the best cars ever made. In the late 90s I drove a 78 Delta 88 coupe as a winter beater, paid $400. To this day it is one of the best cars I ever owned, even though it was rusted out. Never let me down.

I remember a guy picked me and a friend up when I was 16...he had a LTD with a 351 M engine...we were drinking of course, but this boat of a car was kicking ass...he was smoking the tires and the 4 barrel was screaming until we had to hit the gas station. The 351M was such a underrated engine. But to be a boat it was so fun to ride in.

All great choices. I appreciate the "what to watch out for" for each of the chosen models.

My first car - back in 1980, was a 1971 chevy Caprice 2door hardtop with a 400 V-8. It was a great car and was amazingly good in the snow. Paid $900.00 for it. Sadly these cars are now all being “donked” aka ruined and cost ridiculous money….

@bradparris99

4 ай бұрын

It is a shame as to what is being done with these cars. One possible problem with driving a 71 daily is the seat belts. In the 71 with separate lap and shoulder belts with two completely separate buckles, a lot of people would probably be lazy and only wear the lap belt. In a collision in these cars, both the lap and shoulder belts need to be worn for the best protection. As a teenager in the mid 70s I had a 71 Impala coupe and I was that rare kid that wore both belts. Probably saved my life one night in a head on collision with a drunk driver. Walked away with only minor scratches and bruises from the belts.

The best resource on KZread. Thank you Adam.

350dx aka 5.7L diesel is the only option id want for a full sized gm RWD. 22-27 mpg mixed use as family daily driver and 27-36 mpg highway. Very reliable for hundreds of thousands of miles with very little work. 1983 olds 98 diesel w/ 200-4R overdrive I own now is by far the highest millage car ive owned other than my 500k mile cvpi Great list bud.

@bobbyheffley4955

4 ай бұрын

The original D block diesel was the one that was problematic.

@trickyricky12147

4 ай бұрын

​@@bobbyheffley4955yep

Great channel and awesome updates and reports that you have done recently. Keep up the great work and Happy New Year!

The problem I've observed with the pre 90's car's is not just rust but everything breaks down pretty fast under daily drive conditions. There is a guy that runs around my town with a 76 ford f100 explorer and he has restored it 3 times now. Not all of it of course, after the first time it's just a refresh but it always starts to look pretty shabby at the 5-6 year mark. Then he has it painted or whatever it needs. He may have replaced it once and it just looks too similar for me to tell. But I'm old enough to recall when a 10 yo car was ANCIENT. lol Currently own a 2010 Crown Vic PI and LOVE it. Had an 01 Mercury GM before and the platform refresh is amazing though, the GM was still a great riding car. I could get something newer but after getting t-boned at 65 mph in the GM and walking away with LIGHT bruising, I won't drive any other car.

@ranlive1

4 ай бұрын

Mercury GM?

@user-wu2pg5zh2r

4 ай бұрын

Grand Marquis@@ranlive1

@zigforjustice

4 ай бұрын

⁠Grand Marquis --totally understand the confusion as I was caught off guard for a moment myself

Hey Adam, great video. I myself own a 95 Buick Park Avenue and an 07 Grand Marquis. Funny to see the two cars I own being in top #1 and #2 spot LOL. All the panther platform cars are real solid, I will add that the 92-97 models have more of a jelly ride feel than the later ones, if that's what you're after. The 1980s models are okay, but the AOD transmission is trouble-prone and I always found the interiors on those cars to be pretty cheap and chintzy. The newer 03+ models handle and drive very well for being a big Ford. My 07 Grand Marquis is a pleasure to drive.

1980's Caprice Classics are my choice!! I love the look of the 2 door coupe in particular!! Good video

Bought a 91 Buick Lesabre several months ago for my daily driver, I definietly recommend it!

I was just thinking of you and what you'd daily drive, then came home and this video was recommended. Nice picks.

My 1972 Toronado was a daily driver from 1994 to 1997. Since I worked at an Oldsmobile dealership, I started leasing new cars in 1995 (1995 Cutlass Supreme SL Coupe, 1997 LSS and a 1998 Aurora). Today I have four Toronados: 1969, 1972, 1974 and 1985.

@DanEBoyd

4 ай бұрын

I've always found it a little odd that the 1971 Toronado picked up so close to where the 1970 Eldorado left off - the Toronado went from racy to formal for '71, while the Eldorado went from the previously mentioned formal, to behemoth for '71. I prefer the elegant and formal looks of the '67-'70 Eldorados, and the '71-'77 Toronado.

I daily drove a $900 1976 Electra for about 6 years. It had a head gasket failure at about 165,000 and I sold it for $500. In total, I replaced the master cylinder, ignition module, and fuel pump. Obviously the fuel cost was high, but including the initial car price I was less than $1,500 into that car. Normal maintenance items on top of that, but they were dirt cheap.

The mid to late 80's Lincoln town cars, Lincoln mk7, Mercury marquis, Cougar, Ford LTD, Thunderbird. All good for 200k or better miles.

My vote is an '89-91 RWD Crown Vic or Gran Marquis with the 5.0L v8 found in the Mustang !

@LordEvan5

4 ай бұрын

The 80s Crown Vic/Grand Marquis were pretty good too I had an 86 and an 88 still felt like a 70s boat in many ways and by 88 you got the efi 5.0l

@melvinharris7859

4 ай бұрын

Not the same motor. The Mustangs used the HO version that made significantly more power. The LTD and Marquis used the "lopo" (low power) version that made only 150 horsepower.

I agree those late 90s-early 2000s the Buicks & Olds are really nice looking cars. I'd love to have an older car with a bench front seat. I miss the floaty big cars. Good samples in this video. Thanks!

You speak very knowledgeably about these vehicles Thanks for your listing! Some definite winners here

Great topic and recommendations.

Happy new year and thx for your channel.🎈🥳🎈

Happy New Year Adam... thanks for all your hard work and great videos this year.. .All the Best in 2024.

Solid choices, and great premise. I’ve owned at least 50 cars over the course of 40 years, and I completely agree with this list. I had a 1973 ElDorado coupe I bought for $700 from an elderly woman as my college car in the 1990s, and that was the best driving car I ever owned, by far! Very reliable as well. I know this is an entirely domestic car video, but another can’t-miss daily classic is any “Brick Era” RWD Volvo (240-740-940). These are cheap, plentiful, super simple to work on, rock solid reliable, decent on gas, and they can go 1,000,000 miles when maintenance is kept up. Very fun to drive if you get the Turbo version, though you have to watch out for head gaskets when picking one up. Either way, no need to ever buy new and have that payment and insanely high maintenance. Have some fun and be free of the burden!

Great Reveiw Adam ! yes makes so much sense !! I can't agree with you more ! a sleeper thats out there is the Bick Park Ave and great mpg and durability thanks for the great video

Had a 1979 Buick Regal 4.9 liter and 1993 Buick Riviera with the 3800 engine and both were great cars with no issues

You're right about the panther platform cars. Couple years ago I bought a '95 Grand Marquis with 50k for $1500. Fixed one window regulator, replaced ball joints and tie rod ends. This is the most reliable car I have ever owned.

My First car was a 78 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in Bronze with a 425 and Turbo 400. Bought it in 98 for 800 bucks with 80,000 miles on it. Drove it for 5 years with little to no issue's. Just oil changes and basic maintenance. Was super reliable, Comfortable, had power everything, and one of the best looking Cadillacs made IMO. Absolutely loved that car. Only downside was terrible gas mileage but back then gas was cheap and nobody cared 😂. Buy one and you wont regret it. Happy New year Everyone!!!!

I had a 67 and a '76 eldo too. I actually once ran out of gas and coasted to a stop in front of the gas pump.

@toronado455

4 ай бұрын

😂

Yes, great video and great advice. Thanks! While you kinda hit around this, I would add any ‘73-‘77 GM A-body. I have a ‘76 Cutlass with the 350 with the TH350 transmission which I consider bulletproof and very easy to work on. Cutlass, Regal, Monte Carlo, & Grand Prix.

@mikee2923

4 ай бұрын

Beat me to the punch. Any of the Pontiac variants with a 400 or 455 (including all Grand Prix as long as it had a Pontiac V8 including the 301) had the ultra bulletproof TH400. Any of these GMs would out handle the other listed RWD cars except the Crown Vic. But the simplicity of them and the better engines make up for that difference. And they even stop extremely well considering their size.

I've daily driven a '77 LTD for the last decade. It cost me $970 and only had about 60,000 miles when I got it. As far as I can tell, they're basically the best car ever made (if you don't care about going fast). Gas mileage is decent (10-15 in town, 16-20 highway), comfort is un-rivaled, passenger/cargo space is excellent, styling is nice (and much better than anything built after it), and mine has had virtually no issues in the time I've owned it. I don't drive the LTD in the winter since it's rust-free. My winter car is a '73 DeVille that's basically all rusted away from the rear window back. The car was undercoated at some point, though, so the frame is completely solid from bumper to bumper and there are no holes in the floor of the passenger compartment. With snow tires, it's a great winter car.

The Car Wizard is also high on the Buick 3800 & the Panther platform cars.

Being in England, I didn't get to grow up with anything like these. Now I would love any of these. It's amazes me when you mentioned the gas mileage. I'm used to 40+mpg even around town, but that's what cars over here can be like. The downside is that any car over 20years old is likely to be either a pampered granny car or a rust bucket........

@jamesengland7461

4 ай бұрын

Remember, 40mpg in the UK is around 32mpg in the US, as the gallons are bigger there.

All of the cars on your list are great, comfortable vehicles!!! Happy New Year!!! 🎊🎉🎈

Great video Adam. A '71 Ford with the 390 (yes the 2v 390 was still available in cars in '71) or 400 engines would be a good choice as they ran on regular fuel. As you mentioned, the only downside is they were leaded fuel engines, so running a lead substitute may be a good idea.

The Mercury shown at the end has Anthony's Specialty Motor Cars license plate bracket. He loves old Cadilliac and Lincoln vehicles and is selling them for mega bucks. Getting old (?) , detailing, some mechanical restoration, & PRESENTATION is a used car dealers heaven.

Very interesting. I will keep your suggestions in mind, moving forward. Thanks.

I have 2 Mercury Grand Marquis LS models - a 1994 and a 2009. Both have well over 100,000 miles. Both great cars and reliable for the most part except for replacing the radiator and manifold gasket on the '09 model and to have the power windows back in their tracks on the '94. Would not have anything made today if at all possible.

Ive always told people shopping used cars you can buy cheap or reliable but of you want cheap AND reliable your options are 1 a 3800 powered gm (prefrebly w body) or 2 a ford panther. Ive owned both and can attest to this. I paid $2700 for my 94 Regal in 04 and drove it for 7 years 100k and it was done in wity a car crash at 200k (no injuries). I then spent $3700 on an 01 grand marquis which gave me 7 years and 100k miles. Betweeen the two only issues besides routine maintinance was ball joints (grand maruis) alternators, fuel pump, ac, and leaf spring bushings (regal- i made them custom from a flat tire)

Thanks for this informative video. You are absolutely correct, re: the latter LeSabres, with two caveats--one minor, the other not-so-minor. The big caveat was that EGR valve chimney between the lower and upper plenum chambers of the intake manifold. The factory originals eventually would melt the gasket, thus dumping the vast majority of the coolant into the plenum and combustion chambers. One of those, after the engine cooled, would have a large slug of coolant in it, and when that nice, sweet, blue-haired grandmother tried to start it one more time, bam! A bent connecting rod, at best. So it's imperative to remove all six plugs before even thinking about turning over the engine. The fix is relatively simple, and with some care can be done by the owner. The other is in the last generation, rather than a torque arm motor mount, Buick went to mounts located at the bottom of the subframe, and the driver's side front transmission mount is susceptible to excessive tensile stress and tearing. Very inconvenient, but again, can be replaced (multiple times, I might add) at home. Just stock a spare on the shelf, and you'll be fine. Still a little more road noise than the old body-on-frame cars of the 70s, and 80s (our 85 Bonneville, a B-body car was excellent), it still outclasses my wife's 2018 Malibu in both ride and noise control.

I'm still driving a 94 Buick Regal that I got in 2013 for $2600 its a 2 door 3800 and was old lady's car with 62K now has 130K which out here in Cali is low miles, cheap on insurance very reliable nice ride, no worry of it getting stolen either even though great shape. Only complaint is seat belts on door and OBD1.

1972 to 1978 Capri by Mercury, Opel 1900 coupe (Manta), Opel GT.

You are dead on the money with these choices. Thank you. ( I daily a '78 Bonneville, 301, and all the similar models you mentioned are the same.

I used to daily my 75 Ford LTD and my 76 Grand Marquis, both with the 400 engines, back in the late 1990’s to mid 2000s.

Dead right with your top two picks. The Panther platform cars and GM 3800 engine vehicles are near bulletproof. Probably would pick the 3800 due to impressive fuel economy and the occasional spark plug issues with the 4.6 Ford V8.

I bought a ‘75 Buick Electra for $150 as a daily back in the late 80s, still one of the best cars I ever owned. I’m dailying an ‘08 Crown Vic and a ‘10 Town Car, they’re great, they replaced my ‘77-96 Caprices I bought for twenty years, great video.

Adam, check out, Staughton Il, country car, Classics. There are some neat daily drivers in there for not a lot of money. Let me know what you think !

cool video great selection