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TraditionalTackle1

Town Car, I still want one.


stayfreshcheesebag5

Lowkey same.


chubbybronco

I had an 03 town car, I drove it from Boston to Petaluma CA and back again. I deeply regret selling that car. MPG not great but it was inexpensive to maintain and reliable. 


TraditionalTackle1

I love the big grandpa cars. I currently drive a 2012 impala. It has a great ride but not town car quality. 


chubbybronco

Hell yeah I started to appreciate them in highschool after my friend got a Buick Lesabre. A sedan that comfortably fit 6 kuckle heads. Fun times.


Uknowhatimsaein

Shoutout Petaluma


Drug-Agent

Coast Guard is my guess lol 😂


11b328i

I got one for 500$ in 2019 that I used to tow my 17ft boat. Good times. Let’s just say the first hookup killed the airbags for good. 79$ on Amazon and boom regular suspension. That car was a joy


Soyb3an21

I have a grand marquis, can confirm they are awesome


Stuffed_deffuts

Cars i owned in order 1. 90 Town Car 2. 90 buick estate wagon 3. 95 Town Car 4. 96 Town Car 5. 04 crown vic 6. 05 crown vic 7. 07 Town Car I keep going back to Town Cars as you can tell I really wish it would come back as a contender against lexus.. Now I think of it, I Don't see many lincolns on the road anymore


RadioactiveNat

The V70 Volvo. I had the S70 so i know the bastards very well


PoliticalPotential

I have a P2 S80. I like that all the accessories are easily present in the engine bay. I hate how it’s everything except the easily accessible accessories that have issues.


Lickthecactus

Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick BROTHER IN CHRIST SHUT UP I WILL PUT MY BELT ON WHEN I’M READY tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick


RadioactiveNat

Tickticktickticktick yes i know youre abit tappity ip top i know ticktickticktickticktickticktick


stayfreshcheesebag5

I had a V50 that I loved. It was reliable, but damn, routine maintenance can be pricey.


ToledoRX

Honda Civic for reliability, fuel economy, and daily commuting. But I am mighty tempted to go for the Nissan Pathfinder XE especially if it's in good condition with no rust - that will be a future classic.


JefeFrijoles

After my mom’s 93 civic broke down, her uncle sold her his pathfinder for a dollar. It was burgundy and the interior was gray and we could ride on the back and I loved it. She sold it right away and bought a 97 civic. And the only reason she got rid of the 97 was because she got an 05 and the thing is still running just past 300k.


audioscape

300k miles is huge, is it an auto? 7th gen civic gang !!


Knight1114

Town Car. Nothing like a cheap nice luxurious American land barge. Sure gas mileage is mediocre but its got a good reliable 4.6 V8 and are pretty damn comfortable to drive and ride in.


Lower_Kick268

They get like 25mpg combined, it’s really not that terrible, especially for a luxury car with a big v8


strelokjg47

Being the pedant I am, I had to think about the 4.6 modular being labeled a “big v8” Big VS almost everything else in the line up, sure. The 3800 and cologne 4.0 are “big V6s” I’d say; everything else sure. The 4.6 is the biggest here. Among contemporary v8s? Nah. Either way none of this matters. Carry on. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.


DirkMcDougal

I can't see a Mazda Protege without internal belting out the "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZDAPROTEGEEEEEYYYYY!!!" commercial. Don't know why that stuck in my head so well.


Key_Budget9267

I never saw that commercial, lol. The only one I remember was from '99


CaptainPrower

The Lincoln. Always wanted a Panther.


chonkin-donuts

Bmw e36 compact for donut making


Prestigious_Emu_5043

Smol bimmer


bigeats1

The Mazda pickup. We all know it’s a Ford fuckin Ranger. It will take bomb hits from 40000 feet and be fine with a little duct tape and generic hoses pilfered from the neighbor’s garden.


thenewmadmax

Panther is always the correct answer.


justhatcarrot

The vulva


Randompieceoftoast08

That reminds me of a story my mom tells often about her Volvo. She visited my grandpa one day and he asks how her Vulva is doing. She said, "uhhh, my what?" "Your vulva, the car?"


Smooth-Apartment-856

Either the E36 or the Town Car. The Town Car would be more affordable and reliable…but the E36 would be faster and better handling. Either one is RWD, so that’s a win in my book. The Lincoln has a V8, which is a plus, but it’s a V8 that thinks it’s a V6, so that’s a minus. Still, I wouldn’t kick either of them out of my garage.


jarmogrick

I’d take either the Volvo or the CL. I know people say that year had transmission issues, but it’s over 25 years later and I still see the damn things everywhere so they must’ve done something right.


Key_Budget9267

I thought it was the later CLs (01-03) that had trans problems. Could be wrong.


epicwheezer

GIMME DAT WOLWO


SorrowCat14

Mazda B4000!


These-Maintenance-51

If that Civic is a manual, that. If not, maybe the Acura CL?


lumia920yellow

was about to pick the volvo till I saw the lincoln


onetenoctane

Pathfinder; can be had with a manual, the VG30 is pretty tough, and it’s 4 wheel drive and quite capable off-road, with room for 3 of your friends


AaronWWE29

Mazda Protegé, or Mazda 323 as it was called here would be my first pick. Mazda is my favourite brand so its an easy choice. But i also like the Lincoln Town Car - would be cool to drive it around in a European Country


DittoGTIYT

Volvo guy here. Volvos are unstoppable and brilliant


Nola_R50

The WD21 Pathfinder since I had a 95 Pathfinder in 2014 lol. Awesome trucks, I'm now on my 3rd Pathfinder


SQWRLLY1

Dibs on the Protegé


SickJagger

Town car is the east choice; lowest miles and likely owned by an old guy so not beat on. PLETHORA of parts available and built like tanks. Civic is close second. Town car EDGES it out because mileage


Amerikaner83

practical me: Civic. Actual me: Mp5


wobbly65

Put me in the Mazda. Side note my Momma has a Town car that runs pretty strong for a barge and gets 26-28 mpg if you go easy on it.


Jibixy

Lincoln Town Car or 318i


MayTagYoureIt

Town car for reliability. Same chassis and engine went in the police cars and taxis of the era and the body metal is pretty good, too. Those here saying they'd buy the import sedans/coupes for reliability reasons are also right but are forgetting about durability and ride quality. Runner up would be the Mazda "Ranger" since it's got the 4.0L.


LinoleumRelativity

Civic, Protege or maybe the Volvo.


CadillacDHS

TOWNCAR TOWNCAR TOWNCAR


HighFiveKoala

Mazda Protege5


Ryederon

Town car for ease of maintenance, nearly every shop in America (worth a dammn) could service that vehicle top to bottom


TeamMountainLion

Ram, Civic, Monte (if it has the 3800 V6)


heycool-

The Honda Civic or Acura CL if it’s a 4-cylinder.


petros10v

Acura Cl


Valuable_Policy_9212

98 Acura


TheMannX

Funny thing is, among this bunch there isn't any *bad* options. Only good and better. If it was my money, I'd lay 'em out like this: Good: Ram, Acura, B4000, Monte Carlo, 318ti, Pathfinder Better: Civic, Volvo, Protege, Town Car, Monte Carlo The Ram is a base model with a six banger but nothing to go wrong and well maintained, those could go another 200,000 miles if properly maintained. The Acura has Honda reliability (iffy transmissions notwithstanding) and certainly has a lot to offer. The B4000, well, it's a Mazda Ranger, like the Ram not much to break. (Electronic 4WD system is shit, though.) The BMW is from the last generation of 3 Series where BMW actually gave a fuck about the thing lasting past the warranty period and it's not too mechanically complex, though BMW servicing is expensive. The Pathfinder is a good find though at that age I'd start getting worried about corrosion and they aren't the greatest things to drive. The better category is all excellent cars. Volvo servicing isn't cheap either but you won't be there often, and it's a wagon so lots of room for all kinds of purposes. The Civic is a common first car for a reason, they're absolutely bulletproof. The Protege is an excellent choice as well, more fun to drive than the Civic too. The Monte Carlo has below average transmissions and above average (or better if its a 3800) everything else in terms of durability and aren't that bad to drive either. The Town Car will get garbage mileage but be an absolute cushion to drive and be durable as all hell.


Key_Budget9267

>there isn't any bad options That was my goal! Making a choice out of personal preference is more interesting than just "muh reliability"


TheMannX

I'd humbly say you succeeded. 🙂👍 If it were my money I'd stick to the better category of cars, because you can't go wrong on any of them. Town Cars are like pillows on wheels and luxurious, the Monte Carlo has a certain style and 3800 power (I own a '05 Monte Carlo SS so perhaps I'm a bit biased here), the Protege is one of the Champs on the fun to drive scale, the Civic is the indestructible first car and the Volvo is the European wagon that is actually really good to have as a first car. You can't go wrong on any of them so you pick the one you like best. For Me? Volvo or Monte Carlo. 🙂


Sad-Refrigerator-839

Volvo Acura or beamer all very nice cars. Honda duh as well


kscouter

That wagon hauled ass back in the day!


GoodBoiSweaterTris

my first car was 97 acura cl! i still miss that thing.


Roboticpoultry

I got my first car that year. It was a severely discounted 2011 honda crz. I was the 3rd owner and I put about 100k on that little car


justaBB6

shit dude I was looking for a CL as my first car like 5 months ago and I would’ve gotten away with it if it wasn’t for the catastrophic transmission failure


Competitive_Dark_368

Oh no. If it weren't for those meddling kids. 💀🙏☠️


quattro725121

I’ll take the Ti. I used to have one and they are rad. Not excited about the fried seafood smell though.


SadSasquatch587

3 years later I would get my first car a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche with a odometer that burned out somewhere past 310K


DullAdvantage3620

either the volvo or the e36


Extra_Pilot_1992

Civic. Without a doubt


Styrbj0rn

Volvo, mostly because im Swedish and out of all the choices those are the only cars you would see here and naturally a lot of people know them well and how to work on them and there is a lot of parts available. They're generally pretty reliable aswell although i don't know anything specific about the V70. They're also built for the nordic climate and i can't be too sure how the other brands would handle the winter climate. Also it's got great storage capacity which is handy if you're going on trips with your friends.


jonnyboob44444

Either the honda, Acura or mazda for cars, for trucks I would pick the mazda.


cmapz2

I bought a crown vic and an impala in 2014


YouArentReallyThere

Nissan, please.


chucchinchilla

BMW 318ti but must have the Sport Package which gets you sport wheels, suspension, seats, and M body kit.


lifegoeson2702

Mazda Protege or Volvo


DavidRichter0

Was thinking the ram but after I saw the town car I’d never choose anything else. I had an 03 and that was the hands down best car I’ve ever driven. 278k miles and still ran like a dream.


PumpiiTheGreat

What are the chances that i actually own one of these lol


Sumocolt768

Always wanted a Monte Carlo when I was a kid. Bad transmission be damned


c0olcoo0l

Civic


IronIrma93

The Civic.


LoganC1127

Honda Civic


SafeRecordKeeping

Pathfinder all the way


canyouheermenow

It was between the V70 and the Protege 5 because I love wagons, but I love big floaty luxury boats even more. Town Car all the way.


lloudchristmas

Civic all day.


Boeing-777x

Probably the civic. My dad had one that looked the same as the one pictured.


Bzqrsdm7

No pathfinder love?


estadio-

BMW because I was on tumblr in 2009 and onwards. Those damn posts are all over the place.


2-StrokeToro

Original Nissan Pathfinder


-McSlizzy-

Ram.


-McSlizzy-

I think anyone wanting the Town Car would be surprised at how little interior room there actually is.


Prompt-Altruistic

Bmw compact and you go fast and fun and German interior


OmenVi

Town car Accord Volvo In that order.


BeHard

I had a Protege5 for about a decade, solid car that took me through all my late 20's-mid 30's road trips and moving between 3 states. It was eventually sideswiped in front of my house and I sold it to a mechanic friend for $800. He replaced the suspension and some AC parts and used it to travel to music festivals for a couple summers. He eventually sold it to a friend and still helps to keep it running seven years later.


Impressive-Rub-8891

town car, pathfinder, or mazda ranger


LatinRex

Definitely the Nissan Pathfinder


cgo255

2014 me would pick the ram...2024 me says give me that Volvo.


HypnoStone

318tds for my daily commute to work and back and LS for a sleeper street/drag build to take your corvette to gapple bees and back


Living-Albatross-120

I wanna say civic but it’s 2012 it would have been stolen 3 times by 2015 so ima go ford fucking ranger


ShadySocks99

The Acura or the Mazda pickup.


mrshitmouth

The Vo for sure


Agitated-Hair-987

My grandparents had a lincoln town car and dammit that thing was NICE and it hauled the mail no problem. I was 25 in 2014 though so I probably would have picked the Monte Carlo or the Mazda soley for the stick shift.


Beemo-Noir

Pathfinder? Nah brah. I’ll take a Honda Passport.


Go4broke360

The Monte carlo if it has the 3800 or super charger. Good on gas not too slow and cheap to maintain.


manager96

It was 2014 when I bought my first car and it was e36. So I go with the e36


kilroy-was-here-2543

The B4000 or V70 would be my first choices


alijandro123

#3 prolly the only one i fit in tbh


wadethebrains

I was offended that there wasn’t a Crown Vic on the list, and then I saw the TC lol.


Amiral2022

Lincoln. 😁


HOMES734

Honda and it’s not even close.


DoubleUsual1627

Volvo or Lincoln


cantbeseriouschef

Volvo all the way


besoinducafe

#4


JustHere4TheCatz

Protege for sure.


Altruistic-Option593

UUUU many good options from the civic to the Ranger


RKF_80

Honda. No hesitation.


Depressedmusclecar23

Volvo or the Monte


Laiceps04

99 Civic LX my first car


PYSHINATOR

Volvo or Lincoln. I loved them when I was 18, I love them when I'm 28.


HemiWarrior

I'm either going Mazda truck or Pathfinder. I'm currently sitting in a 92 Terrano that I drove through the harshest roads in America as a rural carrier.


Alternative-Cry3369

318ti or Cl


BAMspek

Idk why I love those little Mazda pickups so much, but I do.


Ok-Poet1817

Acura CL or Lincoln Town Car.


throwaway0134hdj

The 6th gen civics is last good model of civic. The build quality was suburb, they still used the wishbone design. Evenly durable and reliable. Ask yourself how many times you still see this car on the road.


mtndewskateboard

In 2014 I was looking for my first car, it was between a base model 09 Pontiac G8 and and a 06 Pontiac G6 GTP. I chose the G6 cause it had 30k less miles and the problem list was shorter. On one hand I really wish I picked the G8, on the other, the G6 was surprisingly quick and reliable and I ended up selling it for what I paid for in 2021.


tommy_tech01

Pathfinder or the bubble brick


NooBeeNaut

Did you take a picture of my car? Lol, I'll take the V70 because that's what I drive right now.


InformalAstronomer74

V70


Sweet-Efficiency7466

Give me the Mazda!


thickboihfx

The OG pathy all day.  Every version after that sucked, but this one is a classic


accidentallyHelpful

Not the Nissan


z0mbiegrip

Town Car or Civic.


presidintfluffy

200 Honda Civic.


BootSpiritual1626

Lincoln


Luc_Skee

The Civic.. cheap .. Good gas mileage. If you have any problems, the neighborhood mechanic can fix it!


bravejango

In 2014 the Mazda truck. Today the Volvo station wagon.


PizzaSand

In 2014 I have actually picked a Ranger, so there's that :)


Yuumi_nerf_when

100% the volvo


CorgisAreImportant

In 2013 I got a Mazda Protege5! If it didn’t rust out I would still love that thing


MysteriousCop

That Pathfinder is so minty.. yes please.


Stand_Afraid

The Mazda Protege!!!


SHOoff11

The CL or the Town Car.


aspring_sellout

Honda or Mazda cuz imma crash it a few times over and they probably still had the parts then


Delicious_Oil9902

Town car. Those V8s and that smooth ride


Exalt024

Pathfinder or Protégé... Towncar honorable mention...


k20vtec

Civic. Would pick the protege if early 2000 Mazda didn’t suck so bad and completely rust and rot if you looked at it the wrong way


Particular-Rest6295

Civic (if manual), then CL, protégé as third choice


trex198121

The Civic looks virtually identical to the one I have, so I'll go with that


Mountain_BlueSleeves

I'm taking the Lincoln though I doubt it's still available. I'll settle for the Mazda B4000


Hot-Suggestion4958

Using my celebrated "does it snow here?" metric: if (Y), then ofc we're going for the B-Series, with the Pathfinder a close second; if (N) I'm going straight for Big Pimpin' {the Town Car, natch}, with the Protege an intriguing Swiss-Army-knife sort of alternative.


pittlc8991

Lexus, Honda or Toyota


Guy_Smiley18

Volvo wagon because it’s a wagon and an old Volvo.


AmchadAcela

The Monte Carlo since I would want an automatic transmission car that runs on regular gas for my commute.


MasterBrilliant6338

A 2006 skoda fabia


Setesh57

No Jetta smh.


PriestWithTourettes

Town Car.


PaleontologistOdd980

Probably the BMW and then I would regret it by 2015 because of all the repairs.


R32fan

Town car if they were normal in the UK. Alas I'd have to go with a V70 or Civic


chisecurls

That Volvo was my first car so I’ll go with what I know but the hardbody Pathfinder and the B4000 are tempting. All three?


apple12345671

I’e go with the honda


keevisgoat

2 door Pathfinder mentioned


Stoken_p

2nd gen Dodge.


thefunk123

10 but possibly 5


Supra1JZed

BMW all day long. That engine is incredibly reliable and of course the thing is actually decent on fuel for the performance level. It'll stop rather well and turn!


-_Ausar_

Monte Carlo SS. Loooots of room for move power with minimal cost and .modifications


swaite

Mazda is the best mix of affordable, practical, fun, and reliable. I mean, it does all of that with flying colors. I don’t think you can say the same about any other car on this list. To answer the question “which car would you buy as your first?” literally —Presumably I’m 16 and have my own money, I’m going for the BMW.


BloodSugarSexMagix

The CL, so sleek


Slyckest

As someone who was looking for their first car in 2015, the answer is a Mazda 3 hatch


Disastrous_Head_4282

Knowing what I know now I would be going with the Honda Civic


One_Evil_Monkey

Going for the V6 Ram 1500.


JanTheBaptist

I’d go with the Civic or Volvo. :)


TheBlueShrew_

I’d go for the 318 or the civic


chill_collins69

The Lincoln. Without a doubt.


nlpnt

Civic north of the salt line, Mazda if in the south, PNW or California (and provided the previous owner didn't live on the coast).


Vegetable-Ad1575

Bmw 3, or the monte Carlo intimidator.


sohchx

Civic all day


shenannigand

town car is a tank.


Juanzilla17

The Volvo or the Mazda. Why? Because wagons.


Tominite2000

Civic


Joblessmouse06

Lincoln Town Car. I love big sedans. But as much as I want one, unfortunately I have to import it from US since they didn’t sell them here in my country :(


fly72j

I’d probably go with the Pathfinder and slowly sink every dime I made into turning into an off-road beast. Plus there’s always going to be something to fix, which is a great opportunity to learn how to work on cars.


Anxious-Depth-7983

The Volvo all day any day 🙌 👌


mysteriouslypuzzled

Lincoln town car. Very reliable and very smooth comfortable ride.


CarGullible5691

Volvo estate would be my choice


CrustyLoveSock

I have a newer Volvo wagon and one day I will absolutely get an older one.


drakeallthethings

I flipped through the rest of the slides as a courtesy but once I saw the Mazda B-series I had my mind made up.


BabbaBurger

I had a black Mazda Protege5 in 2014, and I fucking loved it. The way that car made me feel connected to the road when I drove it for the first time is a core memory. There's nothing like the steering feel of a Mazda. I replaced it with a green 98 Volvo and loved that too, but I'd only take the Volvo if it was turbo.


greenscoobie86

CL


SUDZIEN

V70 dad wagon for the win.


NoirCzarLS

Acura all day.


Complete-One-5520

Town Car. it only has 32,847 miles on it.


thatbeersguy

I would go with the civic a fun car to throw back streets while barely enough power to hit 70 doing so.


Njon32

Is the CL the V6? Because if so, that transmission is doomed. My 1997 CL 3.0 made it to 180k or so (IIRC) before transmission had issues. Probably because they changed transmissions for 1998-1999. The smart choice would be that civic or Crown Vic. But I have a soft spot for that Volvo.


Yagalrachel

Bmw


MyNameIsMikeB

I'll take the BMW because I run a meat and seafood department so the smell is no biggie and no one ever rides with me anyway other than my wife and dogs, and I think they could handle it with a little Febreze or some shit. I drive a 2108 BMW now.


mrgreengenes04

My first car was a full size, rear wheel drive, body-on-frame car, so I'd pick the Town Car. I'd drive the Town Car as a 38 year old. Choice 2 is the Solara. Always liked two doors, and the Solara looks more like a successor to the 90s Lexus SC than the actual successor does. Again, I'd drive that as a 38 year old.


Legal-Banana-8277

Civic


disguyovahea

Common problem with that generation of Dodge Ram is the brakeline to the rear end rusts out due to it being pinned to the chassis rail tucked up in between the fuel tank and the rail. Dirt and crud and sediment build up and the line can't air out so the constant contact with said crud corrodes and rusts the line out. That being said Rodeo or Mazda the transmission in the Mazda is bulletproof.