On the whole, most cars can survive a lot. They’re fine being left out in the rain, can manage altitudes, and handle extreme temperatures reasonably well. But these are the cars that you think go above and beyond. The cars you think are indestructible.
This morning, we asked what you think the most indestructible cars on offer are. Here’s some of your best answers.
“I had an 84 Cavalier that was a first car for myself and two other people. It was driven through creeks, it did doughnuts in parking lots every snowy winter, it went airborne, it rear ended and was rear ended. It missed oil changes and even made a trip to the body shop early in its life. It drove like shit, handled like shit and looked like shit, but it did all those things like shit forever.”
Produced from 1982 until 2005, several commenters thought the Cavalier could outlive most of its drivers.
Suggested by: mountain_runner
“I have zero love for GM N-Body anything. Somehow, long after the last Grand Am, I still see the Alero. These can’t be killed. Not abuse, not rust, not the GM build quality of the 90s and early 00s that accelerated the coming bankruptcy. They all still look reasonably nice, and they just keep going.”
Another GM sedan that many people thought could stand the test of time is the Oldsmobile Alero. This 3,000lb family car could be ordered with a 3.4-liter engine and a five-speed manual gearbox.
Suggested by: David Obelcz (Facebook)
“There not much in a 2CV that you can’t fix with a hammer, a piece of string and a stick of chewing gum. It was literally built for shitty roads and you have to try really hard to get it stuck somewhere you can’t just lift it out of.”
The Citroen 2CV gained props for its simple build and relatively ease of repairability. Manufactured from 1948, this is one classic car that doesn’t need to be pampered.
Suggested by: Pitchblende
“Mid 80's Ford Ranger – 2L 4-cylinder with a stick and manual steering. My brother and my abusive driving (and learning to drive) couldn’t kill it, nor could the previous owner. I assume it’s still out there somewhere hauling too much.”
This Ford pickup truck can take a lot before it crumbles. The Ranger was the best-selling compact truck in the United States from 1987 to 2004.
Suggested by: @ArlTechGuy (Twitter)
“I swear the folks I know who either owned or own a Jeep XJ seem to get an insane amount of miles out of them. And one of them belonged to a friend of mine who never changed the transmission fluid and only changed the oil when he randomly thought about it. He put close to 600,000 miles on it.”
Built between 1984 and 2001, the Jeep XJ could be purchased in 3- or 5-door variants.
Suggested by: the-easter-bunny
“The AU falcon, if you kill it before 1 million km, you were trying to.”
According to this poster, you should expect to get more than 600,000 miles out of your Ford Falcon before considering sending it to the scrap heap.
Suggested by: Angus James Anderson (Facebook)
“We had a 1988 Volvo 740. Lots of small things broke on it: The crank for the sun roof, the door latches, the door cards, the window cranks...
“But the car would not die! We finally got rid of it in 2013. It was 25 years old and just kept going.”
Another 1980s car that just won’t die is the Volvo 740. Sweden’s finest have built a reputation for long-lasting cars, and several other Volvos also gained nominations today.
Suggested by: @N701Gv (Twitter)
“I feel like my Cruiser sure takes a hell of a beating on the weekends and keeps driving to work the rest of the time for something with 330,000 miles.
“It’s the most rugged model, with the longest plan life, from the company with the reputation for the longest lasting cars.”
While the Hilux is the poster child for indestructible Toyotas, this commenter makes a compelling argument for flagship SUV the Land Cruiser.
Suggested by: hammerheadfistpunch
“The Russian Lada and the German Mercedes W123 are both 1 million mile cars and will take neglect and rough treatment.”
Two solid suggestions from Edward Lloyd on Facebook. Another commenter admired how the Mercedes is viewed as a luxury car in the US, while overseas it’s a utility vehicle that is built to outlast its drivers.
Suggested by: Edward Lloyd (Facebook)
“I submit the lovechild of the Hilux and the Panda – the Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD. Great for snow, blasting through the desert or just moving your kid out of the house. Dead simple to work on too.”
This Japanese compact car offered four wheel drive, five seats and space for everything you’d want to take on your next off-road adventure.
Suggested by: cheap-bastard