Need some ideas on what to buy...lots of miles

Good idea .Thanks

 

Double thanks. Didn't know they made cameras that small for back up. My pick up has a topper and the truck cab back window has turned green. Can't get to it with anything to clean it so I just use the side mirrors. Since I drove semis and class A motorhomes it's no problem.
Just don't play behind my truck when I get ready to back up.

 

I know the 1978-1985 Large-Size G.M. Diesels could get 27-29 MPG HWY according to accounts I've read. But, I don't think they came stock with water separators!

 

How about a 90's Honda Accord Wagon???
(My aunt had one for many, many years and it kept going and going and gave great gas mileage AND it's a wagon)

 

My short list for a neat little fairly modern wagon is as follows:

1) E46 BMW 3-Series Touring. You can either get rear drive and a manual, rear drive and automatic, or all wheel drive and automatic. I don't think the E46 offered a stick with all wheel drive but if they did it would have been in low numbers and people who have them aren't selling, because I can't find one anywhere.

2) Mk4 VW Jetta wagon. This gives you some more engine options, there are four cylinder gas engines in turbo and non turbo, a four cylinder diesel, and the V6. I think all are available stick or automatic, but the automatics are garbage and if it hasn't been rebuilt at least once yet it will be failing soon.

3) Subaru Forester, preferably the second generation 2003-2008. These are roomy, comfortable, decent on fuel, and not hideous. 2003 was the only year you couldn't get a turbo engine. There is an XT Limited Turbo model that has a sweet panoramic sunroof and lots of leather and power goodies. I like the newer ones, but they lost all the charm and characters of the first two generations. The original 1997-2002 model isn't bad but they are kinda plain.

4) Dodge Journey, 2011 and newer with 3.6L engine and all wheel drive, 7-passenger seating, probably a Crew or SXT model. This is on the list because I think they are the closest thing you can get to a Colt Vista these days. I only wish you could get AWD with the 4-cylinder.

That's my list, I don't expect anyone to agree with it. My vintage/classic pick is a 68-69 Fairlane wagon, repowered by a 3.0L V6 and 5-speed auto from a ten year old Ford Ranger pickup.

 

I cannot believeyou suggested one of these! The Olds 5.7 was just a weak POS, even when GM brought out the redesigned BadWretch engines. They're noisy, no amount of care prevents a blown head gasket or scored crank bearing surfaces, and I saw two mid-size Olds wagons drag race...they both were sub-22 second 'winners' and caused the 'boo birds' to come out.

 

Well that is not completely true. The Olds DX blocks make one hell of a gas engine. Darn near indestructible stroker engines. Throw a 425 Olds crank in one and get a 411 cube engine with no boring. I think there are guys running them at like 460 cubes or something like that.

 

I knew someone who had a 78 Olds Ninety Eight Regency with that diesel engine. Well, it had 3 of them. The last was the latest generation of lousy engines, and the on I drove. Slow does not describe the blasted thing. It was a slug. A 3 toed sloth is faster. Worse, it used at of fuel. At the best, it managed about 20 miles to the Imperial gallon. If he and I went anywhere long distance together, we took my 78 Electra with the Buick 350 as it could get out of its own way and would do a solid 30 mpg on the highway. I would never recommend that diesel thing to anyone for anything except maybe as a boat anchor.

 

It doesn't mean one must keep the stock motor. Diesels do get higher fuel efficiency per MPG (though they cost more) than gas cars. I'm aware my Dad had a Oldsmobile Diesel in the 1980s which he said was prone to problems, but again - someone could put a different engine in. Maybe a turbo diesel from a truck? I don't know which one.

 

A vehicle with a diesel engine costs way more. Diesel mechanics charge more. Diesel parts cost more. Diesel fuel costs a lot more than gas.

Buy a diesel ?????????????????

 

Diesels aren't made for all people so it could be "No" in this case.

 

As I said, they require maintenance. The big problem is the PCV system. Instead of using a PCV valve like, well everybody else on earth, they use a complicated system of hoses, an oil separator, and a little plastic in-line screen called a flame trap, which will clog about every 8 months. On the old RWD red block engines, it causes the rear main to blow, which is a fairly easy fix, provided you enjoy dropping the transmission once a year. On the FWD white block engines, it causes that liquid head gasket to fail. If you find one that has been meticulously maintained, or you're willing to invest a year or so tracking down all the problems, then keep up all the routine maintenance, they will run practically forever. The first engine in my 740 went 368,000 miles. It died because the rear main was leaking and the wire broke going to the oil light and I didn't know it. Spun 4 of 5 crank bearings and 3 of 4 rod bearings and still ran fine. I put in a junkyard engine with nearly 200,000 miles on it and it hasn't given me any trouble at all. It turned over 412,000 miles yesterday.

 

European cars??!! Really??!! What did this guy do to you? Never buy one out of warranty is the general consensus and never buy one from a period when they were owned by an American car company, too many of the wrong corners were cut.

 

'91 to '96 GM B body wagon, low to mid 20's MPG, they ride and drive great, easily maintained.

 

Yea, I agree with justme. BMW's are even more expensive to repair than the Volvos, which seriously went downhill when Ford owned them. New VW's aren't particularly reliable and are nightmares to repair yourself, and, thus, very expensive to have repaired, due to all the labor involved.