The Forever Car. You may not have done the exercise of narrowing it down to just one, but I’m sure there’s at least a handful of cars that you would never part with. But would you drive it all the time? Would you even be able to? The latest multi-screened, lithium-battery’d, over-the-air-updated wonder of engineering you’d happily own until you shuffle off your mortal coil (not to mention the rest of your mortal ignition system) may simply not be supported in fifteen or twenty years. Will the aftermarket pick up the slack when the battery gives up its last amp and the screens’ LED start dropping off like fireflies that have lit their weird little butts for the last time? Maybe. Maybe not.
For today’s Autopian Asks, we want to know what one car you would keep forever — one that you would actually use to get you places, and one that could—fingers crossed—be maintained so you could actually enjoy it for the rest of your days. It doesn’t have to be your daily driver, so if you need a truck, that doesn’t mean your forever car has to be a truck (you can have a second or third or 10th car in addition). Unless you just really love trucks, that is.
An example? Sure. Here’s Matt Hardigree’s Forever Car:
I’d say I already have my Forever Car: an E39 BMW 530i, which is perfectly sized, modern enough to work with my phone and just work. Every part is LEGO-able and replaceable. It’s as fast as I need a car to be and it has a five-speed manual, which is the greatest transmission ever invented by man.
[Editor’s Note: For me, that’s an impossible question, but if I had to choose just one car, it’d be a Holy Grail Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ. It’s not my very favorite Jeep — that post goes to the Jeep Cherokee XJ. But XJs are just too primitive to drive everyday, and they’re small. ZJs are bigger; they’ve got a better rear suspension; they’ve got a more stout cooling system; and they’re never going to be as valuable as XJs, so parts are cheap. I love my new Wrangler YJ, but it’s too impractical. And I love my BMW i3, and I’d be willing to spend the $15 grand on a new battery in 20 years I suppose. I think the carbon fiber body and aluminum suspension will hold up until the end of time, and the electric powertrain is future-proof in many ways. But I need something that can go off-road; I enjoy that hobby far too much. Really, my ideal two-car garage would be my Holy Grail ZJ and my BMW i3. -DT].
What’s your forever car? Or a few contenders, no need to knock yourself out choosing just one. We’ll see you in the comments!
Top composite image, galaxy: NASA, ESA and J. Olmsted (STScI); thinking man, stock.adobe.com/khosrork; vehicle images via Ford, Volkswagen, Delorean marketing materials
A minty is200 with the TTE supercharger kit.
I wish I still had my 1998 S10. I wish Wisconsin roads weren’t salty rust forcing bringers of doom. It had over 200,000 miles when I had to let it go. Still was running perfect but the body, woof…
That pickup NEVER got below 25mpg. Even when I was towing two atv’s down the highway on an open snowmobile trailer. Even when moving furniture, or lawn mowers. 2.2L 5-speed. 2wd with the little jumper seats behind the driver and passenger.
The bed wasn’t far off the ground which made loading anything so much easier than my current 4×4 1/2-ton. Yet it still had enough ground clearance that I could drive almost anywhere on the farm as long as I was smart about it.
Amazing truck.
Subaru Baja Turbo, manageable gas mileage, 4 comfortable seats, a bed to store/carry things, fun but also good on bad roads
I have my forever car already for 22 years. a 1969 Citroen DS. She = family and will never go. When in the (hopefully far) future it is decided that petrol engines are not allowed anymore I will make it electric, it has already been done. Every winter she enjoys her wintersleep, and the most glorious moment of spring is when I wake her up for the first time. When you sit in her and start her up, it is like putting on your old coat; alittle bit worn but o so comfortable.
<swoons> I adore DSes! Theyr’e the car I’ve wanted most after the 911 I already have, and I’m working my way up to (or through, with other cars) owning one. Post a pic link! Oh nvm I see it’s in your avatar.
My ’03 Subaru Legacy L SE 5MT wagon is already my forever car. It’s rust-free, has surprisingly little to no degradation of anything in the interior, is mechanically 100% (with similar Legacys/same engine known to go over a million km), and is easy to work on, and has the perfect amount of electronics (OBDII but no CANBUS, no driver assistance except mechanical cruise control). Though some parts specific to the car are being discontinued now, the engine parts should be available long term, and lots of Subaru parts from other models lego together. It’s versatile, pleasant on both cross-country road trips as well as really fun to drive on back roads (and I drive with the intention of never getting into trouble, so the 165hp is fine).
Two of my cars are forever cars for me, SAAB 9-5 aero saloon 5 spd, I have had two differnt ones for atleast 15 years now and they fulfill almost everything I need out of a car. Once every two years I wish it had 4×4 in the snow.
Second one is my 2CV, I inheritated it from my dad almost 15 years ago. 2CV’s have been a part of my life since day one, I think that I came home from the hospital when I was born in a 2CV. Or maybe a Renault 4L, my memory is a bit vague.
Honda Element. I’ve owned 4, my current one has 260k and is still running strong. 5 speed manual and 4wd, the unicorn.
It’d have to be German.
560SL
BMW 850
BMW 635 CSI
450 SEL 6.9
280 cabriolet
I’d have to custom-build my forever car.
No one makes anything that I want, let alone something that would make a decent forever car. And my forever car would have to be an apocalypse-ready chariot.
Perhaps the closest fit from an existing manufacturer might be an Aptera with added solar panels, but that’s only like a 50% fit. Or a Mercedes 300D, but that’s like a 10% fit.
I really want something with 4 wheels with a hub motor in each wheel, something akin to the Aptera’s slippery aerodynamics, and a mix of electric and diesel operation with the ability to operate either in isolation from the other or to use both in tandem, with at least a 1 kW solar array on the body. It would be a mid-engined, AWD streamliner with a large fuel tank of no less than 30 gallons, at least 7″ ground clearance, no smaller than a 30 kWh battery, a CdA value no more than 0.25 m^2, with an electric powertrain of no less than 500 kW, where the diesel engine is mechanical injection straight-6 turbodiesel and roughly 660cc making no less than 100 horsepower peak, at least a 4-speed manual transmission mated to it, and the total curb weight of the vehicle itself no more than 2,000 lbs.
This would be capable of traversing bad roads, get excellent fuel economy, be able to run on electricity, solar power, diesel, kerosene, propane, natural gas, brake fluid, transmission fluid, vegetable oil, and all kinds of other random crap, and would be versatile enough to remain running incase various drive system components failed or if it was impossible to find fuel anywhere. Plus on a full tank, there would be no range anxiety in any scenario where there was nowhere to get fuel, and in a chase, you’d potentially be able to out-distance an MQ-9 Reaper drone. While it will be more sports car than SUV, it would be somewhat offroad worthy even if that wouldn’t be its focus.
The body would be a carbon-fiber kevlar composite monocoque and bulletproof windows would be added.
As far as aesthetics go, it would end up looking a lot like a VW XL1 in overall shape but with a front end reminiscent of a Ferrari 250GTO or Jaguar D-Type, with a slightly lifted ground clearance, and round Alfa 4C-esque tail-lights in the back. The rear track would be more narrow than the front track, to better aid the aerodynamics, and both sets of wheels would be faired.
With the tiny diesel engine not taking up much space and the EV components in areas that are traditionally unusable for storage in a car, the trunk space under the rear hatch would be surprisingly roomy, in order to better carry food, water, guns, tools, and other supplies, even if the car itself would be smaller than a Miata NA.
I love this comment section. The crazy diversity and oddball choices in these answers is surprising. People love what they love.
As long as I’m allowed to keep wrenching and steal suspension bits & bobs from M-cars, I’ll keep my E82 128i. The N52 motor is a thing of beauty, and as the last lightweight(ish) BMW with a naturally aspirated inline-six, a manual transmission, and hydraulic steering, it’s my pleasure – nay, duty – to keep it running.
I would like a 1965 Buick Riviera GS. Would want a modern sniper fi conversion, AC and a gear vendors overdrive unit for freeway cruising.
Well, I guess I own mine already, as I tell people to bury me with it eventually (conceptually), 1994 Toyota Pickup.
BUT, I really want a Blackwing. I really look at that car as a forever car. My forever dream car.
Just optioned a Blackwing… $111,260. le sigh
Yikes
1973-1979 GM square-body pickup. Easy to work on, still easy to get parts for, handsome, utilitarian, infinitely customizable, and decent ride and stopping power for their era, with upgrades available in that department as well.
A 2002 Toyota Tacoma. As I have one, I will continue to facilitate its immortality to the best of my technical and financial ability. I anticipate a long and illustrious voyage.
For me its the humble Tercel 4wd Wagon. A car much greater than its parts. Huge inside. A stout mountain goat that can go places a lot of SUVs dream of. Incredibly reliable but easy to fix if needed. Quirky and ulitarian with a heap of character. Amazing facebook page and forum (nearly 120,000 posts and 4,000 members).
I had one of those Tercels so can confirm its utility. My choice however was a Lava Niva. Its reputation is that of a Tercel 4×4 dialed to 11.
Solid choice. Both have combonation of 4wd and Small car but do it so differently and competed against each other back in the market. How good was a time where you could have a choice of offroad prowess or comfort.
One of my friends dads has a Tercel, not sure what year it is but he bought it new and it’s still his daily driver today. Great little cars.
As much as I hate to dis my M240, I have to go with my wife’s old ’97 Nissan Maxima. Great engine/tranny combo (she had the 5 spd). The car was fast, comfortable, and dead reliable. Finally sold it off with well over 300K on it. Had we wanted to put a little money into it, I can’t believe it wouldn’t have gone to 500K.
My FIAT 500D…it so easy to fix, no complex tools needed, and parts are plenty.
Well, I’m a keeper, so I know this a little. If I were picking it from scratch it might not have been what I’ve picked, but I drove my ‘93 Sentra SE-R home from the dealer 30 years ago this Thursday, so that’s a good bit of the way towards forever. If I had to ‘daily’ one, it would be this one, since I did in fact daily it for ages.
My 911 is the car that I’d wanted since forever (age three) and I’ve had that for almost eight years now and am not planning on getting rid of it, unless it were, for some reason, to get a different air-cooled 911.
And my Fiat Spider (‘81 Turbo) is a car that has a whole lot of memories of my late father embedded in it, and I’ve had that one for 33 years now. So maybe that’s my forever car.
If all goes according to plan, I’ll be driving my 1966 Ford Thunderbird forever. I see no reason why I can’t. It’s fun, it’s pretty, I’ve already rebuilt the engine once so I could probably do it again whenever needed. That said, plans have a habit of not always working out in the crazy world of today, so if for whatever reason I have to leave the country or something I’ll probably leave it behind, but otherwise I don’t see myself getting tired of it. It’s a good reliable, indefinitely rebuildable and repairable car, and it puts a smile on my face when I see it in the driveway and take it cruising.
My forever car also happens to be the forever project car, an 87 VW Jetta coupe pirelli in silver over black that has been in my garage collecting dust. Bought it 8 years ago and started pulling stuff off, had a kid 6 years ago so maybe in another 6 I can actually throw parts at it.
Plan is quattro 1 awd, wide body Rallye ala tony grimmel, and vrt if I can find a way to shoehorn it in. Doubt I’ll ever be able to afford all that but maybe one day.
Easy, my VW Vanagon 1.7 diesel, can even run on vegetable oil if need be. I already have it in my possession for the past 16 years. For the rest, a nice VW Caddy like I have now for practicality and a Passat B5 Variant 1.9tdi 130hp in 4motion trim for that well balanced car feeling. Those would be forever cars for me. Easy to work on, low on electronics. Wasn’t going to make it all VW but those are the cars I know best, especially the mechanical site.
1966 Oldmobile Toronado. It’s only mission was to be comfortable and good looking. Hello Sunset, here I come.
Kinda torn between a 1986 Dodge Ram 250 Snow Commander in mint condition or a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon.
Both would be regular cab long bed variants. The 86 would be easier to work on but the 05 has better standard equipment.
M1009, or really any diesel square-body Blazer. Preferably upgraded to one-ton axles and on about a narrow 34″ tire with 3:73 gearing and a 700R4 with functioning cruise control. It does almost all the things I want a vehicle to do good enough and if I ever want to do a specific thing better I can pick up a toy.