Best Car You've Owned, Worst Car You've Owned (AWD, Cadillac, Civic)

[jmking]

Originally Posted by exnj1970

Funny how many people dislike Tempos.I had an 84,bought in '94,for 2 years as a second car.All I ever did to it was a new battery and replace the valve cover gasket.I did learn quickly not to cut anyone off in this car!The Tempo was not my best car,but it certainly wasn't my worst.I did read somewhere that Consumer Reports warned not to buy ANY '88-'94 Tempos or Mercury Topaz (2nd gen.)Firestarters, if I remember correctly.

I bought the first year Tempo, 1984 and had it for 14 years. The last several years I hardly drove it and gave it away. The major issues I had with that car were a couple of modules that had to be replaced a couple of times.

[no kudzu]

Best- my current 10 year old Honda Odyssey. Our family now has 3 Hondas and I doubt I would buy any other automobile

next best...Nissan King Cab Pick up was purchased when our son was 5 and he drove it till it died when he was 26. He took terrible care of it and I think it died from embarrassment. He got $50 for it when some guy saw it abandoned in the driveway and wanted it for parts.


Worst- Vega- what can I say. I was young and the salesman was soooo cute and the car was a POS

[jeremy2788]

I honestly can't complain, I have driven what I consider decent cars from the time I started driving. But if I had to choose the worst.. I guess it would be the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, as for best.. 2007 Mazda 6 GT, 2007 Acura TSX & 2009 Ford F-150.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by jmking

The 5 speed had about 50 more HP than the automatic. Also, using the clutch you can boost that turbo from a stop and take off pretty damn quick.

You are correct. I wonder what they did to get another 50 HP. It is the same engine. You can get some from tuning. Still pretty meh on acceleration, but much better. Not going to touch any 300 HP car under 4000 pounds.

Poking around HP rating I discovered the biggest engine (ever?) (500 cu) at one point produced a mere 190 HP. They really made some porkers. It is amazing how much faster nearly all modern cars are. Now days, formerly incredible sub 6 second 0-60 is getting to be bland performance. I wonder if that will keep going until nearly everyone is running around in 3 second cars.

[BentBow]

Best: A Tie between My 66 Barracuda, and my 69 Coronet R/T

Worst: 96 Dodge 1500 P/U with the automatic overdrive(that had to be rebuilt 4 times in less than 100,000 miles)

[BentBow]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

You are correct. I wonder what they did to get another 50 HP. It is the same engine. You can get some from tuning. Still pretty meh on acceleration, but much better. Not going to touch any 300 HP car under 4000 pounds.

Poking around HP rating I discovered the biggest engine (ever?) (500 cu) at one point produced a mere 190 HP. They really made some porkers. It is amazing how much faster nearly all modern cars are. Now days, formerly incredible sub 6 second 0-60 is getting to be bland performance. I wonder if that will keep going until nearly everyone is running around in 3 second cars.

The torque numbers, coupled with the torque multiplication of the torque converter(automatic), is what got those lead sleds moving.

[GregW]

That 500 ci Caddy engine was a tire burner and actually delivered decent, for a 6000 pound car, fuel mileage.

Worst: Triumph TR-4 It was a maintenance nightmare (leaking SU carbs) and handled like a hog on ice.

Best so far: 1992 Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon. This monster did everything well from interstate cruises to dirt forest roads to twisty two lanes while still being able to carry four adults and more baggage then believable while getting 24+ mpg. I want another.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by BentBow

The torque numbers, coupled with the torque multiplication of the torque converter(automatic), is what got those lead sleds moving.

Yes, the torque rating of the '75-'76 Cadillac 500 was 360 lbs-ft. The "190 hp" figure was almost for sure underrated because those cars could attain 115-120 mph even with their heavy weight.

[highlanderfil]

I'm going to expand the answer to my family as a whole as I haven't really owned a car that I could call "worst" I suppose that "honor" would go to my very first car, a 1991 BMW 325i which was a fantastic car, but gets this distinction for the only reason that it was an auto and cost me a bit of money with random repair issues, such as a faulty A/C hose and power steering...just goes to show you how lucky I was with my subsequent cars that this is my worst. However, there is quite the fight between two cars my family has owned and I have driven:

- 1983 Toyota Camry. First car we bought when we came to the States in 1996. Back then I wasn't quite the automotive authority in my family that I am today, so nobody listened when I suggested anything other than this sh*tbox. Paid under $1K, ended up investing another $4K into it because of all the problems it had. Blissfully it was once stolen from us, came back with a busted transmission and we were forced to look for something else. Not to worry, because that something...
- ...was a 1994 Mazda 626. Speedy little devil with its V6, were it not for a cracked head gasket which caused it to overheat, turn itself off at 75 mph on the freeway and generally turn itself into a horribly unreliable nuisance. That string of bad luck continued, as my mom ended up totaling the 1995 Civic we got to replace it. Thankfully that was all for horror stories.

As far as best - take your pick:

- 1991 BMW 325i 5-speed
- 2008 Subaru Impreza hatch
- 2013 Ford Focus ST

Each a gem in its own right. But I do have a soft spot for the little E30. Would love to find another one as my 2nd car.

[Johnhw2]

I've had three flawless vehicles all Infiniti. 2011QX56, 2006 M45 and 1994Q45s. Worst were a Cadillac sedan deVille 1985 and my Chevy vega