1 car - 20 years

California Dreamer

If you had to buy a car from new and use it as a daily drive for 20 years what would you pick?

I have a soft spot for the BMW E39. Still a lovely looking car.

Irishphotodesk

Am I choosing a car I would like to drive for 20yrs or one that I think will survive for 20yrs ?

My current car I have had for the last 10, and my parents had it for 5yrs before me.... It's 15yrs old... And a corolla.

I would love a new car but think cars are going to go the way of mobile phones.... Expensive for the top of the range and won't last longer than a few years, loads of mid range less features.... But won't last more than a few years and cheap, you get what you pay for... It drives (but won't last long journeys or more than a few years).

Car99

Had a mk4 golf tdi for 20 years it retired last year but was still perfectly road worthy, insurance and road tax put an end to its use by me.

California Dreamer

Irishphotodesk wrote: »

Am I choosing a car I would like to drive for 20yrs or one that I think will survive for 20yrs.

No need to over complicate it. Simple discussion is all 😉

Wibbs

Probably a Golf, though like Irishphotodesk says I'm not so sure a brand new one would be easy to keep going for 20 years.

Andrewf20

Have an e36 beemer 15 years now with no plan to get rid off. It's such a bare bones car are vs modern machinery but it has everything I need / want. It was a daily until last year when I put it on classic.

E39 are lovely cars alright. Bit of a novelty to see them on the road these days as they are getting pretty rare.

I'd never buy a new car (2020 model) but if I had to and had to keep it for 20 years I'd say a gt86 would be a contender. Great car, except the wheels look a bit bland. Mx5 2.0 coupe maybe as well. Can't warm to modern beemers. They are too oversized and heavy generally.

Heres Johnny

I drove 2 x BMW e39s for 10 years between 06 and 16.
First was a 530i msport 2001 (then bought a house so the 1400 euro tax car with a 3.0 petrol engine had to go) moved to a 1.6 econobox for about 3 months before going out and buying a 525i msport e39 2004 which was 1100 to tax because life was too short to be driving rubbish.
I'd happily drive an e39 now too, so I would have been happy in it from the time it came out to many years after it finished. Saw a nice one yesterday and reignited my desires to buy one as a 2nd car.... Still haven't managed to do it though!

So it's e39 for me

Stallingrad

Another vote for the E39, though 20 years of brake shimmy might drive me demented. Or maybe an 2001 M-Sport E38.

mickdw

I've my current car since new in 2008. Audi A5. Still very respectable and wouldn't be too upset if I had to keep driving it.

bladespin

E class or S class might as well be comfortable.

Tazzimus

Car I'd like to drive for 20 years, probably some form of German super saloon.
Car that would survive 20 years (and probably a lot more) Carina E

Wibbs

Maybe a Lexus might be the sweet spot between those two?

TrailerBob

I have the landcruiser 12 years now.. and I plan on still having it when it reaches classic tax in 12 more years.. could I have something more comfortable... yes... Faster.. yes... Shinier... yes...


... Better... not a hope.

ants09

I have a E39 525i msport, it is 20 yrs old - no, but it drives and handles better then most current cars.

I also have a E30 320i mtech, but she is only a summer car

ELM327

e38 750il

Anyone not selecting this is clearly picking the wrong car.

Tazio

I bought an Alfa Romeo 159 2.2JTS in 2007 - still have it as my main car; one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned; almost 45% of it is original.

In the same time my wife has gone tru 4 cars. She has a 530e now - thankfully, as the money we save on that allows me to keep my Alfa 159 on the road for many more years. Thank you BMW for cheap reliable motoring! (going to duck there now).

All jokes aside; I'm looking at mid 90's Japanese cars again with some nostalgia these days. I'm going to get one on the classic tax for the summer and remember what it was like to drive.. Not sure if I answered OPs question; but with old age the mind does wander... and that's great because you forget what you've spent on cars over the years... Cheap motoring = I've forgotten the bills.

mikeecho

A 1980s Toyota, with windy windows, no a/c , no electrics, a manual choke, an AM FM radio would be my best best at a trouble free car.

There only thing that would go wrong would be the tape deck.

bigtimecharlie

E32 735i.

SmartinMartin

mikeecho wrote: »

A 1980s Toyota, with windy windows, no a/c , no electrics, a manual choke, an AM FM radio would be my best best at a trouble free car.

There only thing that would go wrong would be the tape deck.

You've just described my current car, minus the manual choke unfortunately.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Auto Lexus 3.0 petrol or auto bmw along the same lines.

Auto an absolute must!!

johnml

Hunky Monster wrote: »

Auto an absolute must!!

Agreed!

BMW E65 for me. My current car. Couldn't afford it new and it mightn't last 20 years so possibly doesn't meet the criteria!!

Wibbs

ants09 wrote: »

I have a E39 525i msport, it is 20 yrs old - no, but it drives and handles better then most current cars.

I also have a E30 320i mtech, but she is only a summer car

And with both A you also have the advantage that they're not depreciating any more, in fact are increasing in value. An odd feeling with a car.

I suppose I'm living it myself. My Honda is 22 years old, 15 years under my arse(second owner). Though TBH I ended up here by mistake. I had only intended to hang onto it for a couple of years to scratch an itch(never really got into the JDM scene TBH. Was kinda after my time really) and then get something "better"(probably a Beemer actually, or a Lexus of some sort), but a set of circumstances came up in my life where it just didn't happen and the daft old thing is still sitting in my driveway. By mistake.

Now to be fair it's not high mileage for the years, 160,000 odd, and I drive it handy, which has likely held the oily bits together. That and being anal about changing the oil. It'll need a clutch soon enough(luckily I got one of the last OEM ones left from Honda), but other than that it's needed an alternator rebuild(under a 100 quid) a replacement dizzy cap and coil(60 odd quid for both IIRC) and a secondhand catalytic converter(40 at the time). I elected to replace bushings on a rolling basis, which would come to around 400 quid all in, new disks all around(same) and that's about it, other than service items like oil/filters/pads/cam belts and water pumps. So outside of insurance :mad: it's been mad cheap to run. A Cavan man with a Scottish ma must have helped build it. The clearcoat isn't great in spots, but 20 years outdoors will do that(and the crap original paint job).

My one area of paranoia has always been rust. At this stage it's more anti rust wax and other chemicals than steel. If I'd not done that I reckon it would have made an 80's Lancia look zinc plated. I'd say cars from that era, particularly Japanese cars, are long dead because of rust. Much less an issue these days.

If you were to set out to keep a car for 20 years other considerations might come into it. Panels and parts for one. The mechanicals are usually OK to source, but having a couple of classic car petrolhead rellies they've told me it's things like lights, panels and trim that get to be rare. If you've a Merc or a Porsche then grand, they have all the parts, or will make them up, but with other often "lesser" cheaper cars then those things will tend to dry up around the ten year mark. So picking up and storing that kinda thing would be in play*.




*down the years and cos I was dropped on my head as a child I've picked up every panel but the front wings, inc a cut out rear quarter, both full doors and all glass, but don't have headlights which are mad money and rocking horse poo to source.

Wibbs

johnml wrote: »

BMW E65 for me. My current car. Couldn't afford it new and it mightn't last 20 years so possibly doesn't meet the criteria!!

I dunno J, it could well last. If you keep on top of it and head off any issues particular to the model that you hear on the grapevine. They're a well built car. Nice yoke too.

Blue850

I know of a one owner from new 1981 W123 Mercedes 300D still in daily use.

swarlb

I bought a Disco 2 in 1999, I still have it, and it's used daily. I also have a Lancia which I bought in 1999 (it was well over 30 years old at the time), used reasonably often.
I have a small car/van, bought new in 2006, used more or less daily. And finally there is the 'family runabout', a Fiat Marea Estate, bought new in 1997.
I decided about 10 years ago, there is no need to change any of them, and simply use them as they were intended.
Oddly enough, my house is pushing 140..... no plans to change that either...

taytobreath

Fiat 127

Cee-Jay-Cee

Probably a non turbo (petrol) Subaru if I had to pick something years ago. If it were now then I really have no idea but it would be petrol and non turbo, that’s for sure.

_Kaiser_

California Dreamer wrote: »

If you had to buy a car from new and use it as a daily drive for 20 years what would you pick?

I have a soft spot for the BMW E39. Still a lovely looking car.

I had an e39 for a week as a loaner. The exterior might still look OK but the rest of it hasn't aged well at all to be honest. It's also tiny by modern standards.

I'd probably keep my current A6 (2010 - last of the c6 model). It's very comfortable, lots of power (3.0 TDI Quattro), lots of toys and conveniences and it's been very reliable for me with 398000km on the clock now and still going strong.

If it wasn't for our insurance industry pricing such older cars off the road, coupled with the annual NCT requirements after 10 years, I'd happily keep it for a good few years yet as I am finding that equivalents are very hard to come by within the same price I paid for this one.

Tacitus Kilgore

80 series "Amazon"

Lexus is300h.

Over 20 years it's not mad money in terms of initial outlay. Can do decent mpg, hybrid so potentially friendly in terms of future policy towards private cars.

Proven hybrid tech, once the warranty is out DIY servicing is very much an option, I think the Lexus hybrid healthchecks are a load of unnecessary toss.

Not bad to drive, fast ish, comfortable and decent space.

I'm presuming I'm not on €200k etc to fund the purchase.

selectamatic

110bhp tdi Bora sport.

Nice supportive seats, simplicity all round, great mpg, decent interior space and adequate power from factory.

Pretty good chassis that can be kept as is or easily modified for a more sporty feel.

Similarly the engine could be left as is or modified to upwards of 240bhp with just bolt on/off parts.

Not too prone to rust either.

It's one of the few cars I can think of that'd be able to have a stab at absolutely anything.

TheBoyConor

Nissan Almera N15,
Toyota Corolla E100
Toyota Carina E

You'd be very unlucky if you didn't get 20 years good going out of any of those three. Great cars.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

it wont be a skoda , thats for sure .
barely last 3 years ,

20 if you wrap it in plastic and never use it

Gorgeousgeorge

passat b5.5 estate, currently have a 03 one with over 350000 miles on her. have had it 5 years and will prob have to retire it this year as my insurance just keeps going up the older it gets

Jude13

I have a 2003 landcruiser and apart from consumables I had never had an issue. Though in the last heavy rain drips were coming through one of the pillars, I think its a blocked drain in the roof rack channel. It is my daily and I can't fault it.

Peatys

California Dreamer wrote: »

If you had to buy a car from new and use it as a daily drive for 20 years what would you pick?

I have a soft spot for the BMW E39. Still a lovely looking car.

My wife has an 08 e92 320i. She loves it and has no interest in swapping it for anything. Car loan long since paid off, so free motoring bar the usual maintenance.

rn

Anything Japanese, Korean or European should last 20 if your determined enough to keep it on the road. Most cars go off road for "economic repair" reasons as opposed to being end of life. You can be unlucky too, a friend had a 12 year old micra where a small spot in rear quarter ended up in the chassis being rusted through and car wrote off. It was a pity, as he'd have driven the car for another 10 years if it hadn't happened.

I think simpler has a better chance, something petrol and manual.

Patrick2010

Bought a 99 Avensis 2 years ago and it went through 2 NCTs with no issues.

Tabnabs

I'd go for a Honda. We've had a couple in the family and we gave up on them long before they were ready to give up on us.

If they sold a big saloon or estate car for the Irish market still, that's what I would go for. Solid, dependable and very well engineered.

H3llR4iser

Tazio wrote: »

I bought an Alfa Romeo 159 2.2JTS in 2007 - still have it as my main car; one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned; almost 45% of it is original.

Mine is 2006, and it's the 1.9JTS (I do suffer dual exhaust envy!). Paid peanuts for it about 8 years ago (whereabouts of 2500 Euro, IIRC!) as the previous owner had badly mistreated it. Gave it some good TLC and still is smooth as silk - been in way newer cars that positively feel "bag of spanners" in comparison.

If I had to knowingly choose, right now, something that I'll keep for 20 years while driving nothing else, it'll have to be something with power - over 250Hp. A Giulia Veloce or a Quadrifoglio, or a BMW 430i. But I think I'd grow tired of the Beemer quickly due to it being relatively common (as in, the 4-Series).

rn wrote: »

Anything Japanese, Korean or European should last 20 if your determined enough to keep it on the road. Most cars go off road for "economic repair" reasons as opposed to being end of life. You can be unlucky too, a friend had a 12 year old micra where a small spot in

Precisely that - ANY car will last well over 20 years, as long as the approach is not "turn the key and drive until it breaks down".

Leonard Hofstadter

We have a 2005 Avensis, and we've had it since new. We also have a 2010 one, again we've had it since new. Both past 220,000 miles now, the 10 reg one is coming up to 250,000 miles come to think of it. I've had my E46 for a mere 3 years by comparison but I'll be having it for many more yet. Eventually it's going to be downgraded to a classic/summer car, but since I've no idea what to buy as a daily driver instead of it, it will remain my daily driver for a while yet :pac:.

NewbridgeIR

My Dad bought a new Corolla in 1999. I drove it on and off before taking it over fully in 2008. Still going strong.

RandomViewer

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Nissan Almera N15,
Toyota Corolla E100
Toyota Carina E

You'd be very unlucky if you didn't get 20 years good going out of any of those three. Great cars.

Carina ii would eat the E, old 2.0 diesel good for half a million miles

rn

I probably buy a 201 Honda jazz or Toyota yaris manual petrol.

antodeco

One of mine I've owned for 13 years and it's over 44 years old!

Another, owned for 11 years and over 40 years old.

Another, I've owned for 2.5 years and is over 22 years old.

Redsoxfan

If I had to buy now and price wasn't an issue (ex Supercars obviously) it would be a Giulia QV.

If I could go back in time probably an Alfa 164 3.0 QV.

If it was a car I have owned, it would have to be my 2001 166 3.0 from new.

tanko

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

passat b5.5 estate, currently have a 03 one with over 350000 miles on her. have had it 5 years and will prob have to retire it this year as my insurance just keeps going up the older it gets

Have a 2001 Passat 130bhp with 200,000 miles. It's going like a clock. Fully comp with Alliance has been €650 for the last few years. Hoping to get another few years out of it.

Tazzimus

tanko wrote: »

Have a 2001 Passat 130bhp with 200,000 miles. It's going like a clock. Fully comp with Alliance has been €650 for the last few years. Hoping to get another few years out of it.

GF's brother has one as a run around, probably the comfiest thing I have sat in.

FGR

Tazzimus wrote: »

GF's brother has one as a run around, probably the comfiest thing I have sat in.

The B5 and 5.5 are fantastic models. I'll always remember the solid 'clunk' when closing the doors. Also the first car that I definitely thought needed Air Con as they were so air tight compared to other cars of the era.

If they brought that car back I'd buy one.

As for the question. A car for 20 years would probably be the last of the Toyota Corollas pre hybrid.

As much as I love my VW Group cars, including my current one; I don't think it will last that long!

drunkmonkey

Doesn't Eamon Ryan drive a diesel he's had for over 20yrs, think he got it covered to bio diesel or something like that, he still uses it.

njburke

Rover 75 Auto Diesel Estate, had two and miss them.