Arkinesia wrote:NeoOasis wrote:Go for the good brands. Toyota and Honda both have a legendary status of being dead reliable in nearly all aspects and are fairly easy to repair. I would recommend a Civic or Corolla in this case as excellent choices for a first car.
I would say avoid the Corolla, the 5S-FE motor is absolute crap on a cracker. You have to go full synthetic on oil after 100,000 miles or it WILL sludge up by 200k and the motor will seize. It's inevitable. It's a poorly designed motor.
Just get a mid-90s Civic hatch, with a manual. Honda automatics are bad news, they'll crap out at 150k.
Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind. I've found factory recommended oil changes the best prevention of sludge. Other than generic transportation appliance, I would not recommend the Corolla at any point. Even with a manual transmission, it was the dullest, limpest car I've ever driven. Zero personality, period. (Seriously, less fun to drive than a diesel Chevy LUV.)
As for Honda automatic transmissions... they're excellent as long as you avoid their larger cars post 1998. The automatics in the Accords were bad enough to have led to lawsuits and extended warranties. (Was doing fine when I left my car to my family with 150k on the odo) At this point I'd say the bad autos are dead at this point, buuuuut I've heard of other serious issues in the 5 speeds in both the Odyssey AND Acura products. Your best bet is to go manual regardless thanks to better fuel economy in ye olde days, better performance, and more reliable/durable. A manual Civic would be a good way to go. The 2001-2006 was a super fun generation. Almost felt like a go-kart.
Patridam wrote:However, the Town Car? I call
BULLSHIT. Panther platform cars are THE most robust, THE most longlasting, one of the most reliable cars ever and one easiest cars in the universe to work on. Don't go trying to imbue japanese bias against it just because you're afraid of leather seats. The electric doodads in it can fail, yes, but even if all of them fail you're left with a better looking Crown Vic, which is already a great car - especially for the microscopic budget they can be had for.
Call what you want, accuse of me what you desire. I've seen plenty of Town Cars with collapsed rear air suspension. Suspension is rarely simple, easy, or cheap to fix.
I have to say... if you are going to accuse me of bias, try using a better attack than leather seats, and try to be less aggressively biased for the Panther Platform. You claim it's the most robust, the most long-lasting, and one of the most reliable cars ever. Prove it. Cause I call bullshit on everything you just said.
If they are long lasting, why do I see no record breaking mileages that surpass the legendary Volve P1800? If it's the most longlasting, pray tell... why is it Volvo 240s I keep hearing about being tank-like? (And why do I see so few Panthers on the road today?) Hell... I almost never hear of Crown Vics... when it comes to insane durablity... a lot of car people will think of the old school Mercedes 240D with it's slower than continental drift acceleration, yet Methuselah-esque lifespan.
As for reliable? The car doesn't break as often as their equivalents, but it had none at the end... let me remind you the Caprice was the more popular choice in the 1990s for cops, and I don't recall anyone stockpiling crown vics like they did the Caprices. In fact I recall quite clearly that police forces moved on very quickly to Tahoes, Explorers, and to a lesser extent Chargers.
You may have a point on ease of fixing, but I never had an issue with my Accord, then again I had no issues with any American car till I got to the Ford Contour, and that was a pain on grounds of big engine, tiny car. There are plenty of cars on the used market with spacious engine bays, and simple tech. Panther does not stand alone here.
If I buy a luxury car... I don't want the electrics to break, and I sure as hell don't want to be left with an inferior car. If I buy a Lexus, I don't care for the idea of shit breaking and leaving me with "a better looking" Camry. The idea you are trying to push a broken Town Car as an acceptable Crown Vic is ridiculous. In the end a car with broken air suspension and broken electric windows is a pain no matter what badge is on the trunk.
The Panther isn't a bad car per se, but it's wildly outdated by today's standards. They are massive, which I do not recommend for a first car for anyone. Something smaller and easier to handle is a good idea for a first car. I'd go on to say something with good fuel economy would be nice... gas may be cheaper now, but I wouldn't take chances anytime soon.
If you want something luxurious, upscale, and reliable...
-Toyota Avalon
-pre-98 Accord V6
-post 2000s Mercury Sable or Taurus
-Nissan Maxima
-and if you insist on a Panther platform... forgo the Town Car, and aim for a Mercury Marauder. Up on power, easy on breakable luxuries, and has that cool vibe doing on.
All those cars apart from maybe the Accord even came with leather seats, wow!