Looking for a cheapish, not fun to drive, cushy commuter car with some room. I DO NOT want a project (have enough of those) and DO want gas and oil only style maintenance.
Not sure why but I'm focused on a Northstar Caddy. Like early 00s Deville.
What else is out there? Crown Vic/Town Car also an option, though not an ex cop car.
Anything else?
PS. I really want a Jag but it probably/likely fails my "no project" and "gas and oil only style maintenance" requirements.
Got a town car as a rental once. As much as I wanted to hate it, that was a niiiiiiice car at 75 in a straight line.
Similar discussion last week in this thread:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/wtb-high-mpg-commuter-cheap/56210/page1/
There, my recommendation was a GM3800 equipped car such as Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue or Riviera.
Much more reliable than a Northstar, no less luxury.
Research the Northstar, you'll probably find reasons to rule that out very quickly.
Town car is a good suggestion.
+1 on the higher end W body GMs.
Although the Town Car is a great car, my only complaint about the it is the mile-deep leather seats. You sit down and fall and fall and fall and finally you're at the bottom of the seat. Which I suppose is nice at 75 in a straight line.
Raylan Givens has one.
Mercedes 300SD? My mom used to have a 1999 grand prix GTP and I have a 1983 300SD and the only things better about the Pontiac were it had about double the power and the AC still worked well. Mine needed a suspension rebuild when I got it, but other than that it's been reliable for the year and a half I had it, and it is still nicer after 29 years and 400k+ miles than the GTP was after 13 years and 140k.
JohnRW1621 wrote: Similar discussion last week in this thread: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/wtb-high-mpg-commuter-cheap/56210/page1/ There, my recommendation was a GM3800 equipped car such as Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue or Riviera. Much more reliable than a Northstar, no less luxury.
3800 Olds or Buick good mpg rides like a sofa will fit 5 comfortable 6 in a pinch
Big FWD 3.8 Buick/Pontiac/Olds, very squishy cars, couch seats, smooth power, cheap parts, easy to fix. Maintenance is all fluids and filters.
lincoln town car presidential. mercedes luxury, civic money. id rock one as soon as my little minions face forward in their car seat.
JThw8 wrote: Research the Northstar, you'll probably find reasons to rule that out very quickly. Town car is a good suggestion.
Don't even think about a N* if you only want oil and gas. I had a 98 Eldorado, headgaskets fail due to the porous aluminum die-cast block disintegrating around the finely threaded head bolt holes. The only fix is to drill all the holes and install steel timeserts. They make the repair kits in 2 sizes, guess why? The later engines wisely didn't have a split lower case, but the engine is still very leak prone as the seals perish, and once you have to tear it down, you have to add timeserts to just about every hole, because again, the block is more or less powder...
JohnRW1621 wrote: Similar discussion last week in this thread: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/wtb-high-mpg-commuter-cheap/56210/page1/ There, my recommendation was a GM3800 equipped car such as Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue or Riviera. Much more reliable than a Northstar, no less luxury.
This I agree with. Heck I drive one of these myself, a 99 Bonneville SLE, definitely a couch on wheels. Best part is they are usually quite cheap as well and the 3800 can run for a long time.
The Town Car is a good choice too but my experience is in the LeSabre and 3800.
The 3800 delivers small V8 power with large 4cyl economy.
If you want bigger V8 style power then there is the Supercharged 3800 in exchange for a slight drop in mpg and a Premium fuel requirement.
If you are looking for full Cadillac style luxury, the Buick Park Avenue was the highest end of Buick. The Park Avenue Ultra then adds the SC engine and more cush like heated steering wheel.
The LeSabre came in the base Custom trim level and the Limited more loaded model. No SC offered in LeSabre.
If you want a perception of sport added to your luxury then there is the Pontiac Bonneville in many trim levels both with SC and w/o SC.
If two doors and an Eldorado competitor is your style, the Buick Riviera was offered in SC and non-SC.
Just buy my Cadillac:
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3342814090.html
Or... you know... one like it. They're nice cars.
I concur with the above suggestions with the 3800 GM motor. I had a 98 bonneville for many years and it was incredibly reliable. Only replaced the intake manifold, which was pretty easy. Later upgraded to a 06 Malibu with the 3.5l and have only put plugs/wires on it in 205k miles. Can't go wrong with either one.
I had a Dodge Intrepid R/T and really enjoyed it. Big (like really big) massive trunk, some luxury inside, decent power...a great GT car for eating up the miles. Cushy without being too wallowing. The motor was pretty bulletproof, the front steering rack was the only thing that I ever heard going wrong with them.
The later SXT model have the same motor, as do the police versions.
In reply to pinchvalve:
Did those have weak transmissions? Or was that a first gen problem or just internet lore?
RossD wrote: In reply to pinchvalve: Did those have weak transmissions? Or was that a first gen problem or just internet lore?
I never had one apart in three yrs of dealership wrenching. I have done a few oddball valve body things, but never a full rebuild. If there is an Achilles heel to the LH body Chryslers is the E36 M3ty 2.7L V6. Find one with the 3.2/3.5. Those too have problems, but nowhere near what a 2.7 involves in repair. I'll buttress my argument by stating that I have done/did 4 complete 2.7 swaps to 0 transmissions.
Maybe a Buick LaSabre for your needs. I have a 2001 with the 3800 and it hasbeen a great car. A few minor repairs-maintence with 130K on it. I get 32+ MPG on the on the highway and is pretty quick when needed.
LS400.
I love my 93 audi urs4. Plenty of room and feels great at 80
Actually there is one Cadillac I'd still rock: 1993-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood with an LT1...
The transmission is a 4-speed with a manumatic function. Very robust, but not exactly state-of-the-art.
I commuted with a '98 3800 Bonneville for a long time. Great runner, solid mpg's (30ish highway), but I thought the seats sucked. They seemed squishy and comfy at first, but that lapsed into a lack of lumbar support and back pain after 45+ minutes. The car itself was bulletproof though, drove it till ~200K with only the well known intake gasket repair and basic maintenance. I would opt for a loaded Buick over the Pontiac I think, and stay away from the supercharged motor for a straight commuter. Cheaper fuel and better mpg's. 3800's have plenty of torque as-is.
I haven't personally owned, but I've been very tempted by the Town Cars. Panther chassis have a cult following, have been refined for decades, and there's just something about a V8 RWD chariot that seems right. The later model plush trimmed cars just beg for highway time.
Otherwise I love the Fleetwoods with the LT1, but those are 15 years old now, and start to fall off the turn key and go reliability scale, where a Town Car can still be bought in near new condition.
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