The daily driver

Discussion in 'General Station Wagon Discussions' started by TonyU, Dec 3, 2019.

  1. TonyU

    TonyU Member

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    I’m new to this forum and really enjoying it. I thank everyone for the welcome and the knowledge base.
    I was wondering if anyone uses their older wagon for a daily driver. I do a lot of driving and was honestly thinking about buying another wagon for when my current lease is up.
    If any of you do, what are the pros and what are the cons.
    Thanks, in advance for your thoughts.
    Tony
     
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  2. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    Welcome. If I remember right, Fat Tedy uses his 77 - 90 Buick Estate (I forget the year, it's probably not a 90 though which has stupid "Law Loophole" seat belts) as a daily but he did convert it to run on LPG so it's kind of a local only driver. I also don't know which engine he has in it.

    I'm not sure if Texas Mike uses his Roadmaster as a daily or not. He does seem to drive it a lot more often than I drive my 90 Grand Marquis.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2019
  3. TonyU

    TonyU Member

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    Thanks for the reply 101. I’m trying to weigh it out whereas I would like to start looking toward retirement and want to get rid of my car payments
     
  4. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    You're welcome. I will also say that while the old Chevy 305 (1977 - 1993, it wasn't in later 80s Chevy wagons though) is not a powerful engine, it's pretty hard to kill that engine if you maintain it. Chevy Transmissions from the 80s aren't quite so good though, my Dad bought an 89 Caprice Estate maybe in 1990 or 1991 and it didn't take long for him to need a new transmission. My 84 Caprice Sedan with an Overdrive Trans went well enough from 108k - 128k. I'd still have the car if it wasn't wrecked at 128k. Back on engines, Ford 302s seem to be reliable too but are less powerful due to smaller displacement. The 302 in my 90 Grand Marquis also has a slightly stretched timing chain, apparently.

    Also, Texas Mike's screen name here is 81X11.

    I should probably mention that if you want a 1977 - 1990 G.M. B Body Wagon, prior to 1989 models you won't have 3 point seat belts for 2 out of 3 passengers in the middle seat; there are only lap belts on 77 - 88 models. 90 models, again, have bad seat belts and they're anchored to the doors so I'd recommend avoiding 90 models unless you retrofit one to be like the 89s are.
     
  5. TonyU

    TonyU Member

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    You are a wealth of knowledge. Thank you. I was thinking of going the GM B body route. I really like the mid 80s Custom Cruiser or Le Sabre. I was also thinking of a Mid 70s Colony Park. But yikes that is a 460 CI engine if memory serves. Good thing I get a gas allowance. I am not real interested in power or being fast. I won’t tow and is all I do is sit in traffic

    By the way 101 great looking wagon you have
     
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  6. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    You're welcome again and thanks, my 90 Grand Marquis (which has an air bag for the driver, a 90 - 91 feature) was purchased from an elderly man who bought it in his 50s so it didn't see much use with kids.

    If you get a Pontiac, they didn't make them for 83 or 90.

    All 77 - 90 G.M. Wagons are Carbureted except for the Diesels (78 - 85) which came with the nasty 5.7. With that said, some people did replace the 5.7 with G.M.'s better 6.2 Diesel that was found in some Pickups and Suburbans starting in the early 80s. The 6.2 has a bit more power (not as much as a Chevy 305) and is much more reliable than the awful 5.7. If you did get a 6.2 equipped 84 or 85 Custom Cruiser, you should be able to get 30 MPG HWY.

    As for the large Ford and Mercury Wagons (which for 77 - 91 look mostly the same as the G.M. B Bodies,) 79 - 82 are Carbureted; 83 - 85 have TBI and 86 - 91 have Multi-Port Fuel Injection.

    I don't have experience with Mercury Wagons from the mid 70s but if you do go that route (with 1975 - 1978 models and the 460,) keep in mind it will be an early smog era car that's tuned for meeting early air pollution laws. I did speak with someone who had a 71 - 78 Mercury Colony Park, I forgot which year. If I remember right, he said he got 7 MPG in City Driving with it which would cost you about 14 and 1/3 gallons every 100 miles. He got significantly higher mileage on the highway, I think he said 19? I can believe 14 or 15 but 19, I have no idea if it'll do that. Then again, the 6.5 Diesel in my late 90s 3 ton Suburban still somehow gets at least 25 MPG HWY.
     
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  7. Doghead

    Doghead Well-Known Member

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    Diesels burn their fuel more completely. That's why they don't warm up so well. There's simply not enough heat waste available; for that. I was getting real good milage on my heavy Audi A6 Diesel
    Do they adjust the price of LPG over there, to coincide with gasoline prices? What's the cost difference of running the exact same vehicle on both gasoline and LPG?
     
  8. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    I was aware they burn their fuel more completely but wasn't aware that's why they don't warm up as well, thanks.

    As for Tedy's Wagon, I can't speak for LPG prices where he lives (On an Island in Canada, just north of Washington) but LPG prices here in Pennsylvania are maybe $2 per gallon. It supposedly gives slightly less mileage in the city but more on the highway. (80 or 85 City, 100 - 120 HWY.)
     
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  9. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    Tony, when you say "when my current lease is up" what vehicle are you referring too?
    I assume it's one of the "newer" vehicles in you signature.
    If I'm reading this right you are wanting to replace that vehicle with an older classic wagon, is that correct?
     
  10. TonyU

    TonyU Member

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    Hi Orthmann:
    My Cadillac comes due in summer. It was a 24 month lease. I am kind of over the leasing game and the car payment game as well. I would love to have something that I like that will appreciate when I put some money into it.
    101 it is a shame about the older GM diesels. I really was thinking that might be the way to go.
     
  11. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    Hold on a moment, I was advising against the 5.7 Diesel which has lots of problems. The G.M. 6.2 Diesel is said to be a decent choice for an 80s B Body Wagon if you feel like doing an engine swap just for fuel efficiency and it even bolts right in with the same engine mounts, so I read and that's why it's a good choice for swapping into cars with a 5.7.

    And if you're wondering what problems the 5.7 had, I'll sum the big problems up: low power, weak head studs and no water separator. Diesels can't compress water. After that, mechanics at dealerships weren't trained to work with Diesels properly.
     
  12. TonyU

    TonyU Member

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    Now I just need to find the right wagon. You got my wheels spinning hard 101!
     
  13. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    That's kind of what I figered. I have never leased a vehicle, nor have I ever had car payments, but I am sure that the "game" certainly gets old after a while.
    If you are looking for something that is going to go up in value as opposed to down, I would say anything from the late 80's or older would be a safe bet to invest in.
     
  14. Darcane

    Darcane Well-Known Member

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    I try to use mine as a daily driver...

    I'd recommend having a backup car unless it's in very good shape.
     
  15. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    Would this be a nice weather DD? Or a year round, weather doesn't matter DD?
     
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