Has anyone had a vehicle from new till it was dead?

Our Landcruiser trayback was purchased new in 1996. Upgrading every couple of years was going to prove too costly. The option did look attractive back when we had a high sales tax on vehicles pre GST, from which we were exempt as farmers, but the figures didn't stack up. It has done near 400,000 kilometres (it did have a reconditioned exchange motor when son's employees cooked it some years ago), and recently had a new (second hand new) tray fitted as the old one was parting company with it. Mainly only used on farm or short trips into town now, it will stay with us until its ultimate demise.

You know you own vehicle, so if you don't upgrade often, it pays to keep it forever.

Three cars. Unfortunately not 4WD. A kingswood HK from 68 to 84 and then a Falcon XD until 2000 when we bought a Nissan Maxima and still going strong with only two tiny scratches on it and not even contemplating a change. Barring an big accident, we wil have it to the end. Pity they dropped analogue TV in Canberra. The TV, which was a standard option, is analogue. Each one was fully paid for withing two years.

Yes; I know they only made the XD until 82, but they were still flogging them new for a few years after that.

I believe we are so far ahead financially, that it's a joke. Ahhh - the cost of buying a new car all the time and never owning it, Just to be trendy! Is that why or is it to have the latest options like to making a coffee for the driver!!!!!

Tha favourite! The Kingswood of course. By a mile.

Our 4WD is a 2007 Toyota 100 series 4.2TD.

Phil

I bought my current Landcruiser HZJ75 trayback new in 1996 which puts it into its 20th year.
I intend keeping her until she dies, but being 60 yrs. older I will most likely cark it before she does!
mike

Got my HX Kingswood in 1981 with 50 k on the clock and retired it in 1996 with 450k on the clock. Had to do up the engine once. When it was time to retire it, I stripped it down, sold all the body parts, kept all the engine, and suspension bits and sold the body as scrap metal for the pirce of a Farmers Union Iced coffee. I kept those bits as I had just purchased my "new" car, a 1979 H Premier. The Prem is still going strong but now only comes out on some weekends when it is not raining. My family joke with me that they will bury me with the Prem.

Ahh, The good old days "They don,t make em like they used to".
Had a favourite '56 Customline in pristine condition in the mid sixties. Having a something age crisies a couple of years ago at a local motor show saw a '57 in almost concourse condition for sale. After agreeing on a price subject to test drive.
Thank god we have moved on from the "good old days". I'll leave it to motor shows etc. & stick to power steering, 4 wheel disc brakes front & rear aircon. Etc. etc.
Mike.

The 'good old days' - mum and dad saved and bought their one and only new car - an Austin Tasman in the mid 70's. Within 3 years it had rusted so badly it ended up as part of the Hervey Bay artificial reef. They never again bought a new car such was their experience with that one.
Dad is still driving the 1993 '80 series I bought originally. Over 400 kms on the 1fzfe and still within factory compression tolerance. How many original TD 80 series motors have made it this far without a rebuild? Plenty of 1hz's no doubt, but the TD's ended up being expensive to own and run. I've made him swear that if he wants to get rid of it to let me know and I'll probably put it in the garage as a tourer.

I've never baught a vehicle new .... but I had several till they died.

My older brother baught an MQ brand new ( only new car he ever baught ) has done hundreds of thousands of KM still ran last time I heard...... he has replaced it But I don't know if he can bring himself to get rid of it.

cheers

GQ Patrol with the RB30 Petrol engine - 16 years now - well set up, reliable and field servicable...goes better than ever with appropiate TLC and sensible mods.

Who knows it may never die!

Too many people have said to me they wish they never got rid of their old GQs.

I can actually do whatever I want in it - if it gets scratched or wet or stone chips Im not worried about it.

Sadly, my wife asked me what I'd buy if we won lotto... I told her (to her dismay) I'd simply keep the Patrol in good nick.

1974 Escort bought new for something like $2,400. Gave it away to a young fella in 2005. No air con, no power steering. 8 family members learnt to drive in that one.

2002? Daewoo. Cost me tyres, service during warranty period, brake pads, and a couple of rubber hoses. Given away in 2014 to grandson. He drove it for another 2 years.

Good vehicles? Cheap and easy to maintain and low running costs. I use vehicles to get from A to B and if B is in the bush, I use a 4WD.

Iza

I bought a 1979 HJ45 Troopy in 1982 for $9500. In 2006 at 400000kms I sold it for $6000. When I went for the obligatory RWC the mechanic said 'Wow' this is a good one still. Apart from regular meticulous maintenance done by me I had the gearbox and transfer re-bearinged, New pistons and rings, and a rebuilt injector pump. I then bought a 2003 HZJ105 Standard wagon (live axle poverty pack - no electrical windows or mirrors, no central lock, rubber mats etc). The mechanicals are basically the same as the Troopy and I hope it lasts me until I hand in my licence.

We purchased a 1984 Peugeot 505 STI manual in 1991 with 170000k on it. Had been looked after and well maintained....and relatively cheap.
It has just gone 610000k and still going strong....no excessive oil usage...and everything still works...including the lcd clock in the dash....and is still a daily driver.
Apart from a clutch....a gearbox bearing rerace...nothing else has been done but the usual service requirement sand one small ding repair over the years.
Too bad the newer pugs have a not so good reputation otherwise would get a newer one.....but cant see myself ever parting with the 505

I've had my 93 plated Ford Maverick since we purchased it new in Jan 94. The TB42s motor now has 317K, still doesn't use any oil, never had any overheating problems although it now gets to half way towing the camper up Brown Mountain on gas. Converted to dual fuel in 2008, Pertronix distributor kit and a 50mm lift a couple of years ago, fitted 265/70/16s on 16x8" rims a couple of months ago to replace the 215/80/16s which were becoming hard to get. I have so far replaced the (mech) fuel pump 3 times, water pump, coupling and fan blades once, and of course the coils and shocks with the lift. Drive train still all original. Had to fit several new front wheel bearings in the first few years, I suspect some dodgy bearings were around as they've been no problem since? A carby rebuild wouldn't go astray at this point in time. It has also needed several replacement window regulators and a couple of winder motors. I retired from servicing and doing my own mechanical work when the gas was fitted. According to my mechanic, the engine and body mounts are still fine, as are the bushes, ball joints and universals. We will keep it until we finish with the need for towing, the only possible problem is going to be the end of widespread lpg availability, which I reckon won't be too far into the future, so might think about ripping out the lpg when it's up for inspection. All in all well worth the $42K we paid for it new.

Bought LX470 in 1999 for valid personal reasons. Car and driver still going strong against all odds.
Pictures were taken in July on the SBJT.
Now that its "run in" I see no reason to change vehicles.
Bob

I Haven't Personally, a old aunt of mine purchased a straight eight Buick sedan new , they had it for, 33yrs , still running strong ,,but where to old to drive .I don't know the mileage run up, it probably was low in todays standard,But things where different then...LOL.


Cheers Axle.

Not me, however I used to go into the local village for Piano lessons in the late 60's & early 70's. The piano teacher was an old lady (probably in her 70's at that stage) who owned a Model A Ford (probably a 1927-31 model). She'd bought the car new and it was still going strong. I asked recently what happenend to Miss Lee and the car - apparently she still had it when she died and it was still running. Looked something like this....

1999 TD42 GU Patrol trayback diesel nearly 300000ks original motor clutch and tray on farm and used for camping

Bought a patrol new in 2007 and drove it til it died in 2011.

not dead yet! I bought my Holden HJ 1 Tonner brand new in April 1976 - over 40 years ago!!. Paid $5,200 for it. On its' 2nd motor, though I've done each one up twice - the most recent a couple of years ago. I've replaced the tray as the original rusted. Lots of parts are readily available. I've always serviced it myself. I use it 2-3 times a week; I'll never sell it but it does need some rust cut out, and a coat of paint!