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

ok, So here is the deal. I am looking for a creative daily driver. Might be putting 150+ miles a day. What something roomy...and different. Also need to be able to carry a dog or two when we travel to see family.

I COULD just get a Civic and get 35mpg...but not roomy and not creative.

Things I have thought of...
Early 80s Mercedes diesel. Seems like 30mpg and last forever. Downside...parts will be pricey I am guessing.

Volvo Wagon...seems like v70 (I think it was) can get 25+mpg, good history of reliability and has all the creature comforts for long drives. Again...how pricy are parts...how hard to maintain?

I have even thought about something older and American and swapping in a diesel either older Cummins, or 7.3 powerstroke or something crazy.

I am NOT a GM fan...but would not rule out if the perfect car is a GM product. I am a decent shade tree mechanic. Willing to "make" the car I need. Would rather fix/refurbish something to be what I need someday than spend a ton on it upfront. Have a few grand to work with upfront.

Would love some ideas and input. Thank you.

 

05-08 dodge magnum

 

really? will research....

 

Here's the real deal........... The Welcome Wagon

 

70's GM full sized wagon
Handle decent, all the creature comforts, lots of room, ride great, good power, and 20MPG on the highway (with small v/8) if you keep your foot out of it.

Jim

 

I think you may find that the parts prices of those older M-B's are not all that bad. Plus, older car should be simpler to work on. I'd maybe spend a little more up front to get one that's in better that average condition.

Go price out what some of the most common parts might be - brake kits, injectors, suspension bits, bushings, etc.

Another good thing - M-B dealers stock parts for older stuff a lot more than your domestics. And if they don't have it in stock, virtually everything is still available.

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/4909979021.html


Also, BMW?
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/ctd/4900678811.html


Easy project?
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/4919033249.html


later C-Class:
http://texoma.craigslist.org/ctd/4888797631.html


And for something that WE would really like, a '89 Mercury Colony Park:
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/4866878778.html

 

And another item for MB diesel wagons: Bosch makes retrofit kits for older MB diesels, with new-design injectors, glow plugs, and control electronics to give them better cold start and all-around drivability. I don't know how much the kits are (could be anywhere up to a grand) but with control and injector improvements, I'm sure you'd make that money up in better MPG and lower repair costs.

 

All depends on what you want. Big and simple or smaller and maybe more complex. You mention a V70 and I will say they are nice and protected my room mate in a nasty accident. But the engines get to a certain point and throw codes. But how about a 740 or 940? Get the turbo and never be disappointed. Easy to work on and darn near bullet proof and easy to upgrade. Subaru's are great and have AWD and again darn near bullet proof. But in the AWD area they can be topped. And Audi or VW 4Motion will eat it's lunch. Parts are more but if you know where to shop it's not bad. Just plan on sinking some cash when buying used and after you're done it will be like new. Me I like the GM B-bodies. Well hell I like them all.

 

Meets all the criteria and 350 cid SFI overdrive 20+mpg

 

For durability, ease of parts and fuel economy, I would go for a mod-80s Country Squire of Colony Park, but with the 351, and preferably the trailer towing package that adds a lot of heavy duty equipment to the car. Even with the 302,they do about 20 mpg US,and with the 351 can do a lot better. As for durability, my brother put well over 500,000 miles on an 86 with the original engine, transmission and limited slip differential all working as new.

 

Dan that is a beauty. But how in the heck to you see out of that very high rear window?

 

Volvos are definitely roomy and comfortable. Parts are a bit on the pricy side since they use a lot of Bosch stuff like the M-B. The 5 cylinder engine in all the FWD cars (850 and later) is a very good engine... PROVIDED it's been taken care of. They tend to blow head gaskets if not, and the head is a 2 piece affair with a liquid gasket and, literally, 40-some bolts holding it together, with no access to take it all apart. If you go AWD, DO NOT get a car made from '98-2000. The transmissions are weak and the $1400 viscous coupler is even weaker. Mismatched or unevenly worn tires can take out either. The 850's and '98-2000 V70's also have an ABS controller that fails consistently. I would go 2001 or newer. Either that or get an '88 or after RWD 740, 940 or 240. The earlier '80's cars had biodegradable insulation on the wiring that did just that. The late 70's 240's had Bosch K-Jet fuel injection that they had prisoners at Guantanamo try to fix as a form of torture. It would also be wise to join a few owners groups. The cars are all rather moody and usually all have consistent problems by model. Volvo also liked doing running changes based on which supplier they could get parts from, so you really have to know what you've got. For instance, my 740 wagon has one of 3 types of front brake calipers, one of 2 types of front brake disks, and one of 2 types of rear calipers, all for the same year and model, and even then sometimes they throw you a curveball. I also have a mid-year 240 with a factory paintjob in a color that supposedly wasn't used that year. You either have to be committed to learning the car, or be ready to spend a lot on having someone try to figure out what's wrong. I know of at least two people that bought cars for $100-$200 because the owners couldn't make them run and they replaced the fuel pump relay with a $3 junkyard relay and drove the cars home.

 

Sheeeze..... I've always liked and wanted a Volvo wagon, but now you got me scared and with big time second thoughts!:confused:

 

96

Not good for anything but letting some light in. Has pretty good mirrors and I,am going to add a back up camera.

 

I can give you a good idea if you want a hidden one. Buy the cheap micro cameras and glue it behind an open hole in your license plate. In my Olds the bumper license mount didn't use the upper holes just the bottom ones. A little epoxy glued it straight to the plate. worked great.