“ it still runs...” Seemingly invincible cars.

gearheadE30 said:

Around here, it's all the '80s and '90s smaller GM FWD cars. A couple of those Cutlass Cierras and their platform mates, plenty of Grand Prixes, Luminas, a ton of 3800-powered Buicks, that kind of thing. I suspect most of them are barely hanging on, but are good enough for around town. There was a period of Buick Rendezvous being the hooptie of choice, but that seems to have passed.

Where I live, I see a pretty large contingent of Buick Rendevous SUVs in nearly pristine condition. At least from the outward appearance, and not sounding like any parts were about to fall off. More cases of the iron block pushrod V6s and four speed automatics benefiting from 2 to 4 decades of finding all their weak points, no doubt.

In my neighborhood there is a near infinite variety of early '90s cars being daily driven. Also easily a dozen Volvo 240s. Plenty of Volvo 850s too. The only EG series Hondas seem to be enthusiast owned, there is one I see about every morning that looks showroom new. We get road salt, so there are lots of transparancies. They get taped over once a year at inspection time.

The town PD where I work still has a Crown Vic or two rolling around on duty.

A co-worker has one but Dodge Intrepids are auto cockroaches still trucking along here.

Buick Century

Jeep Xj's especially the 93-01 ones here.

The eariler ones with Actual AMC or non 4.0 lineage don't fare as well here.

People love 'em and keep rebuilding and de rusting them.

Greg

There are a couple around here that immediately come to mind:

Mid-90's Corollas/Prisms: They just keep going forever. Neighbor has a 1997ish beige Prism that he picked up years ago for dirt cheap as a backup car. Thing has close to 400k on it. Original engine and transmission! Still looks fine, too. He uses that when his 1998 Ram 1500 decides to do 1998 Ram 1500 things, like not running. He's been driving it a lot this week. 

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

Has anyone successfully killed a 6.2L detroit/chevy diesel?  The fleet I maintained had a bunch of those in step vans with over 500k miles, and god knows how many hours idling.  I don't recall a single one of the TH400s needing a rebuild.

5.9L P-pump Cummins.  Whatever it was in would rust to dirt before those things died.

3800 Buicks

Lots of the small Hyundai/Kias around my area from the 90s/00s that are beat to death and still run.

Camry/Accord/Corolla/Civic.  Obvi.

Tony Sestito said:

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

I agree, and it makes me wonder something.... of all the A/C/H/J/L/N/W front-wheel GMs of the period that are so cockroachy... where did all the Corsica/Beretta cars go?

Around here I've noticed the 3800 gm/Buick stuff isn't nearly as prevalent as they were 5-6 years ago. The ones I know of have a tendency to develop odd leaks, maybe from the heat? I've also noticed a surprising number of bobs tiburons lately. Accord/Camry, sure. The ever popular 12v Cummins powered trucks. And an awe inspiring number of sn95 Mudstains. 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Tony Sestito said:

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

I agree, and it makes me wonder something.... of all the A/C/H/J/L/N/W front-wheel GMs of the period that are so cockroachy... where did all the Corsica/Beretta cars go?

That is a good point. Growing up, my parents had a couple of Corsicas, and they seemed to be everywhere. I think those things had the worst rear shocks ever built, because any time I saw one, the back would be still hopping up and down 2 miles after it hit a bump. While I still see a lot of GM products from that era, I can't recall the last time I saw a Beretta, and there is only one Corsica that I see locally.

NickD said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Tony Sestito said:

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

I agree, and it makes me wonder something.... of all the A/C/H/J/L/N/W front-wheel GMs of the period that are so cockroachy... where did all the Corsica/Beretta cars go?

That is a good point. Growing up, my parents had a couple of Corsicas, and they seemed to be everywhere. I think those things had the worst rear shocks ever built, because any time I saw one, the back would be still hopping up and down 2 miles after it hit a bump. While I still see a lot of GM products from that era, I can't recall the last time I saw a Beretta, and there is only one Corsica that I see locally.

That's a great question. About 20 years ago, there were boatloads of Corsicas and Berettas around here, especially Corsicas. In fact, the seaside town next to mine growing up probably had more Corsicas per capita than any other town/city in North America. We even used to joke that all Corsicas at rest naturally pointed toward that town, like some sort of innate behavior. I haven't seen one around here in at least 10 years now. Where did they go? 

Tony Sestito said:

NickD said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Tony Sestito said:

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

I agree, and it makes me wonder something.... of all the A/C/H/J/L/N/W front-wheel GMs of the period that are so cockroachy... where did all the Corsica/Beretta cars go?

That is a good point. Growing up, my parents had a couple of Corsicas, and they seemed to be everywhere. I think those things had the worst rear shocks ever built, because any time I saw one, the back would be still hopping up and down 2 miles after it hit a bump. While I still see a lot of GM products from that era, I can't recall the last time I saw a Beretta, and there is only one Corsica that I see locally.

That's a great question. About 20 years ago, there were boatloads of Corsicas and Berettas around here, especially Corsicas. In fact, the seaside town next to mine growing up probably had more Corsicas per capita than any other town/city in North America. We even used to joke that all Corsicas at rest naturally pointed toward that town, like some sort of innate behavior. I haven't seen one around here in at least 10 years now. Where did they go? 

It's not as much a "Where did they go?" as it is "Why are they gone but not their chassis mates?" I live in Central NY and I still see a fairly large amounts of Cutlasses and Centuries and Luminas kicking around. 

I remember as a kid always being perplexed by the unusual rotary pods that controlled the headlamps and wipers in my parents' and grandparents' mid-'90s Corsica. They were such a strange setup, especially on such a mundane car. 

Rust gets everything up here.

I had a 91 Beretta, and Berettas and Corsicas were more common than Buick Centurys where I was, and that's saying something.

I recall a few years ago searching for a Beretta just for kicks and there was ONE on craigslist, it was a hoopty, and the guy was asking a crack smoking price because he thought the trunk spoiler was a super-rare factory option.  I think he was asking $3800 for a 4cyl auto with 180k miles.  Not a classic, dude, just an old car.

Tony Sestito said:

There are a couple around here that immediately come to mind:

Mid-90's Corollas/Prisms: They just keep going forever. Neighbor has a 1997ish beige Prism that he picked up years ago for dirt cheap as a backup car. Thing has close to 400k on it. Original engine and transmission! Still looks fine, too. He uses that when his 1998 Ram 1500 decides to do 1998 Ram 1500 things, like not running. He's been driving it a lot this week. 

Early 90's GM FWD A-Bodies (Buick Century, Olds Cutlass Ciera, etc): These are the cockroachiest of cockroaches around here. They will run terribly for all eternity. My friend had one a while back, and he HATED it. Got it for free, and he used it as a bomber to go in and out of the city. Had a weird charging issue that would make all the lights glow brighter and dimmer that couldn't be fixed. He once left the keys in it in the city, someone stole it, and they brought the thing back unscathed. He was disappointed. 

In high school, a friend's mom had a string of Celebritys.  One day, the wagon was stolen while she was using it to haul trash to the curb.  The next day, the police found it, and all of the garbage bags were removed.  So they stole it and cleaned it for her 

I had an 83 Celebrity.  By today's standards, it was truly awful.  The suspension was ridiculous.  Softer than a 1960 cadillac and the geometry let the car roll inexcusably.  It had a 2.8v6 that sounded neat, but made pathetic power.  

But it was my first car and I'd give good money to have it back just for nostalgia.  That was in about 1989, and I still remember the feeling of how it drove, the sound the doors made when they closed, and how it smelled.  Ahh, high school.

My sister got a car for College that I think was pretty rare.  It was an 87 2dr Celebrity with the F41 sport suspension.  I think the F41 option amounted to an RPO on the sticker, because it was still just as limp and noodly as my 83.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

My sister got a car for College that I think was pretty rare.  It was an 87 2dr Celebrity with the F41 sport suspension.  I think the F41 option amounted to an RPO on the sticker, because it was still just as limp and noodly as my 83.

Just for laughs, I looked up suspension parts in Alldata. The only differences in suspension for '87 Celebrities were a rear air shock option and four choices of front sway bar diameter; shocks and spring rates were the same. Presumably the F41 was one of the larger bars. My '98 Regal had a similar case where the "Grand Touring Suspension" package was only slightly more - larger front and rear sway bars.

Okay so was there a difference between the suspension in an 89 Olds Delta 88 and the 90 Bonneville (non SSEi)? I could have sworn that the Pontiac handled better but the interchanges in the early 2000s all said they were identical. 
 

And yes the 3800 was a fantastic engine. It's the trans in those cars that couldn't hold up

In reply to P3PPY :

Just because the interchanges say they were the same, doesn't mean they WERE.   They used to have different springs for A/C, no A/C, this engine, that engine, and so on, but the service parts were just one generic part.

Around here it is  round taillight Altimas,  Any and all Corollas, Maximas, and Hyundai Santa Fe's.  All the Hondas got destroyed by the ricers after the last F&F movies, the few that are left are pristine.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Has anyone successfully killed a 6.2L detroit/chevy diesel?  The fleet I maintained had a bunch of those in step vans with over 500k miles, and god knows how many hours idling.  I don't recall a single one of the TH400s needing a rebuild.

5.9L P-pump Cummins.  Whatever it was in would rust to dirt before those things died.

3800 Buicks

Lots of the small Hyundai/Kias around my area from the 90s/00s that are beat to death and still run.

Camry/Accord/Corolla/Civic.  Obvi.

My co-driver and I were hauling the rallycar behind my first rv, well first one that wasn't a vee dub bus, a Chevy p30 chassis with the 6.2 diseasel. It had 90k on this fateful day. Right lane, 55mph, engine note changed just slightly and I had barely enough time to lift and say  "did you hear-" and she up and quit right now right there. Oil all down the passenger side of the coachwork, never did diagnose what broke but the crank Would Not Turn even with a 4 foot cheater bar. Gymkhana ensued, a buddy of mine  who I elevated to sainthood drove down with his truck and towed the rallykar home while the tow truck only charged me 400 bucks to tow that thing an hour away to its final resting place where I parted it out and had it hauled off. So no, turns out, a 1982 Georgie  Boy Excalibor 6.2 diesel does not belong in this thread. 

In reply to Jay_W :

Ok.  Good to know.  One dead 6.2L out of millions 

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

Takes talent!

Oh geez I just remembered... there was another. We had a 6.2 diesel van for a short while, it blew a head gasket and it found a new home shortly thereafter... 

Around here every second gen Intrepid seems to smoke a deep blue, rattles and clangs away and leaves a trail to find its way home I guess, but they still keep going.  Not sure I should be happy or sad about that when I am next hunting for a replacement engine....

I have seen a lot of SBCs killed after the owner (abuser) let the intake gaskets go for so long that the water jackets were nothing but mud and silt, eventually plugging the head gasket passages. I did a postmortem on one in a van (hard to replace vans, especially conversions, high-tops, and/or wheelchair vans, so people fix no matter the expense) and found silt all the way up to the outside edge of the decks.  That was fun to clean out.  

Have seen not one but two Series II 3800s walk a cam bearing out, causing a loss of oil pressure.  Real weird.