Favorite old cars

[Billy Hoyle]

Billy, I think that the Barracuda was what a friend of mine had. A guy riding with him asked for a demo of how fast the car could go and, of course, how quickly. He hit 100 and still had power to go faster when he noticed flashing blue lights well behind him. When the cop finally caught up with him, he said "Pop the hood! I want to see that engine." No ticket, just a chat about the car.

Dgies, I had horses when Click and Clack, the NPR car guys, described the rear end of the Pontiac Aztec as looking like the South end of a horse as it is taking a dump. Perfect way of putting it.

that's awesome! I was smiling while reading it trying to envision my dad at the wheel!

My dad drove two Chevy pick-ups, each with an AM radio, vinyl seats, and power nothing when I was a kid, so when I learned he'd had a car like the Barracuda when he was younger I was stunned. A friend's kid is a car repair savant and I asked him to find one he could fix up for me so I could take it home to my dad but he had no luck.

[18thandWells]

2) Pontiac Fiero -- I rented one in the mid-1980s. It looked good. It drove like an absolute POS that only GM could have built. You put this together with the Pontiac Azteck and it's a wonder GM made it out of the 1980s. No wonder the Japanese came to dominate the US car market!

(We used to be a Pontiac dealership). I actually sold a '88 Fiero maybe two summers ago. 8k miles. GT with the WS6 and crosslace wheels.

The Aztek came much later. It didn't "kill Pontiac" by itself, but it was a very bad model from the early 00's.

[tower912]

The Aztek was a concept 15 years too early executed poorly

[dgies9156]

The marriage or the car?

The car!

The marriage is closing in on 45 years. That's what happens when you marry a Marquette woman!

[Daniel]

I would take back my 1966 Mustang 2 + 2 fastback in Classic Burgundy.   Ty

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I loved the car Speed Racer drove.

Could have had one for $110k.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/scottsdale-2025/docket/vehicle/1989-chevrolet-corvette-speed-racer-re-creation-282725

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Always liked the styling of these mid-80s Turbo Coupes.



Had a rusty 1973 Ford Gran Torino while at MU. One overserved evening we decided to try to take out the back porch of the Delta Chi house. Gave the supporting pillar a good shot going in reverse. The pillar won.

[tower912]

Subaru SVX

[dgies9156]

Always liked the styling of these mid-80s Turbo Coupes.



Had a rusty 1973 Ford Gran Torino while at MU. One overserved evening we decided to try to take out the back porch of the Delta Chi house. Gave the supporting pillar a good shot going in reverse. The pillar won.

One of my brothers had a turbo coupe. Very nice car. Great performance. T-BIRD was gone as a license plate in Wisconsin so his plate was T-BIRO.

Another of my brothers had a 1973 Torino. Car was a tank. He clipped a telephone pole on his way from St. Paul to Dubuque for my wedding and there wasn't a scratch on the car. Pole was taken out by the front bumper and went right over the top. Wisconsin Power sent my Dad a bill and my brother objected to the payment until the power company sent him HIS telephone pole!

[Scoop Snoop]

When I traveled to Boston on business, I always rented the biggest car available at the airport. Usually, it was a Crown Vic. Those Boston drivers would probably run their own grandmothers off the road and tailgated and cut in front of each other constantly. I refused to drive anything there that did not have plenty of steel.

[MU82]

Always liked the styling of these mid-80s Turbo Coupes.

I had a 1985 T-Bird that was the 30th Anniversary Edition.



It was a really great looking car, had comfortable seats and an awesome sound system, and was quick off the line.

It was a total sled in Minnesota winters, but I was willing to just slog along until we had our first kid. It was very difficult to put a car seat in the back, and access to the kid was awful, so I sadly gave up the car.

I joke with my daughter about how difficult the choice was!

[reinko]

Bought my dream car when I was 22 and drove it until the wheels fell off.

1998 Jeep wrangler, black, black soft top, 5 speed.

Shame Jeep has really fallen off in styling but also reliability, consistently ranked near the bottom.  Jeep owned the SUV market in the 90s with Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and the wrangler. (Chevy Blazers and Ford explorers had their moment too.)

[wadesworld]

Bought my dream car when I was 22 and drove it until the wheels fell off.

1998 Jeep wrangler, black, black soft top, 5 speed.

Shame Jeep has really fallen off in styling but also reliability, consistently ranked near the bottom.  Jeep owned the SUV market in the 90s with Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and the wrangler. (Chevy Blazers and Ford explorers had their moment too.)

Have had a Grand Cherokee for 6 years and have had zero major issues with it and absolutely love it. Will continue with it until it dies out on me, and then probably get a new Grand Cherokee.

[reinko]

Have had a Grand Cherokee for 6 years and have had zero major issues with it and absolutely love it. Will continue with it until it dies out on me, and then probably get a new Grand Cherokee.

👏 👏

[NCMUFan]

First car was 1972 Pontiac Ventura.  Bought it for $1,000.  Parked on Wisconsin streets during the winter, so when I bought it drivers side was rusted from drivers door to rear quarter panel.  Went to junk yard to get new door.  Placed 20 lbs worth of bondo in rear quarter panel.  Perfect car to have at Marquette.  Only incident was someone stealing my battery once.

[Shaka Shart]

First car was 1972 Pontiac Ventura.  Bought it for $1,000.  Parked on Wisconsin streets during the winter, so when I bought it drivers side was rusted from drivers door to rear quarter panel.  Went to junk yard to get new door.  Placed 20 lbs worth of bondo in rear quarter panel.  Perfect car to have at Marquette.  Only incident was someone stealing my battery once.

That's what you get for parking behind the dental school

[Shaka Shart]

Have had a Grand Cherokee for 6 years and have had zero major issues with it and absolutely love it. Will continue with it until it dies out on me, and then probably get a new Grand Cherokee.

Despite all the Stellantis quality horror stories, I had an Alfa Guilia for 4.5 years until just recently and besides the clover rims scuffing if you breathed on them wrong, I had zero major issues with it. Fun as hell to drive too.

Only reason to trade it in was it being so uncommon the only dealership within 200 miles that was chronically understaffed made it risky to keep. If something were to go wrong, because despite being mostly a Chrysler for parts, a lot of 3rd party places won't work on it due to its former brand infamy.

I'd consider returning to the brand once they complete their pivot to EV.

Unfortunately, the Genesis I replaced it with is blowing my doors off (in a good way). Absolute gem of a car.

[The Sultan]

Despite all the Stellantis quality horror stories, I had an Alfa Guilia for 4.5 years until just recently and besides the clover rims scuffing if you breathed on them wrong, I had zero major issues with it. Fun as hell to drive too.

Only reason to trade it in was it being so uncommon the only dealership within 200 miles that was chronically understaffed made it risky to keep. If something were to go wrong, because despite being mostly a Chrysler for parts, a lot of 3rd party places won't work on it due to its former brand infamy.

I'd consider returning to the brand once they complete their pivot to EV.

Unfortunately, the Genesis I replaced it with is blowing my doors off (in a good way). Absolute gem of a car.

Pretty sure the Genesis will be my next vehicle. Everyone I know who has one loves it. And I love my Elantra now.

[NCMUFan]

That's what you get for parking behind the dental school

No, it was about 18th & Kilbourn.  Apartment was adjacent to an alley, which afforded me a parking space.  Something precious near Marquette.

[JWags85]

Have had a Grand Cherokee for 6 years and have had zero major issues with it and absolutely love it. Will continue with it until it dies out on me, and then probably get a new Grand Cherokee.

The core Grand Cherokees are solid, especially the 4th generation like I imagine you have.  The rest of the Jeep line up, by and large, is absurdly overpriced for limited quality.

We looked at the Grand Cherokee L and while it drove alright, I was pretty shocked by how bare bones and simplistic the interior was compared to anything in its similar range...despite being priced at a premium to them.  I actively avoid the Compass whenever renting cars.

And no offense to anyone here, but if I see someone driving a newer Grand Wagoneer, I just assume they are a doofus who got taken for a ride.  I did a spit take when I saw what they started at and how mediocre they are compared to similar large luxury SUVs

[wadesworld]

The core Grand Cherokees are solid, especially the 4th generation like I imagine you have.  The rest of the Jeep line up, by and large, is absurdly overpriced for limited quality.

We looked at the Grand Cherokee L and while it drove alright, I was pretty shocked by how bare bones and simplistic the interior was compared to anything in its similar range...despite being priced at a premium to them.  I actively avoid the Compass whenever renting cars.

And no offense to anyone here, but if I see someone driving a newer Grand Wagoneer, I just assume they are a doofus who got taken for a ride.  I did a spit take when I saw what they started at and how mediocre they are compared to similar large luxury SUVs

Yeah the one I have now is a 2016 Limited. Totally agreed on all of the Wagoneers. The only time I've been in a newer generation Grand Cherokee was when a real estate agent was showing us around and I liked it. Hoping not to have to think about buying a new car for at least 3-5 years, but will definitely consider them.

[Shaka Shart]

Pretty sure the Genesis will be my next vehicle. Everyone I know who has one loves it. And I love my Elantra now.

The lumbar support adjuster is a game changer

[dgies9156]

Have to admit, one of the more enjoyable cars I ever owned was a Lincoln Mark VIII. Medium blue exterior, 4.6 liter V8, that car could flat out haul. Great cruising car, biggest downside was 95 felt like 40 in that car. Lamented getting rid of it until I bought my 5-series BMW.

Like the T-Bird, which was essentially the same Ford platform, the Mark VIII was a joke in winter. Had all the traction control of a brick shot from a cannon. My mother bought one after I did and garaged it in Solon Springs, WI. I tried to tell my Mom, "bad move," but she didn't listen and spent the next seven years telling me what an awful car the Mark VIII was.

Amazingly, for U.S. cars of that era, the Mark VIII I owned lasted more than a decade and more than 120,000 miles.

[StillAWarrior]

Unfortunately, the Genesis I replaced it with is blowing my doors off (in a good way). Absolute gem of a car.

Has Genesis started offering AWD (or at the very least FWD) on its sedan yet? Years ago I was absolutely ready to get a Genesis, but I really wanted AWD. I test drove one in the middle of a horrible snow storm just to try out their RWD. Ultimately I passed. Still very interested in that car. When I was looking, it was an outstanding value.

Edited: Just checked and see that they do offer AWD. The guy I was working with in Cleveland said they had asked Genesis about it, but they weren't interesting in offering it. This was probably 8-10 years ago - they were pretty new at the time). I told him that I 100% would have gotten the car if it had AWD. Ended up in an Infiniti M sedan (loved that car, but the price on the Genesis was much better)

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Have to admit, one of the more enjoyable cars I ever owned was a Lincoln Mark VIII. Medium blue exterior, 4.6 liter V8, that car could flat out haul. Great cruising car, biggest downside was 95 felt like 40 in that car. Lamented getting rid of it until I bought my 5-series BMW.

Like the T-Bird, which was essentially the same Ford platform, the Mark VIII was a joke in winter. Had all the traction control of a brick shot from a cannon. My mother bought one after I did and garaged it in Solon Springs, WI. I tried to tell my Mom, "bad move," but she didn't listen and spent the next seven years telling me what an awful car the Mark VIII was.

Amazingly, for U.S. cars of that era, the Mark VIII I owned lasted more than a decade and more than 120,000 miles.

Had a 2000 Lincoln Continental in dark blue I drove for work for about 15 years. Lasted 285,000 miles. Was able to get 25 MPG out of it. A great comfortable highway car. Was only sucking down about a half quart of oil between changes at the end and the air suspension lasted as well (an expensive fix for those cars). One of my favorites.