When Godzilla Breaks...

[Dan_S]

'99 Subaru Forester. 197k on the clock. $2500. (Too bad "Cash For Clunkers" shot the horse out from under the really cheap used car market; I did a fair amount of shopping around, but I couldn't find much of anything under $2k I'd trust for a 700 mile round-trip roadtrip...)

If I can get another three years out of it, I figure I'm money ahead.

Subarus are hard to beat. Aside from a couple issues (T-belts every 60k) and head gaskets at 100k or so (certain year-spans) and their affinity for sending off check engine light if you forget to tighten the gas cap....

[TommyG]

I have vowed that my next vehicle is going to be the cleanest FJ 60 Land Cruiser I can find, hand (re)built by me with a GM small block 350 and a turbo 350 or 400 tranny. Simple electronic ignition, carb for fuel delivery and easily user serviced for almost anything.

I too have had to do heater core repair/replace on a couple of late model trucks. I'd almost rather go without heat and let them spit coolant than do it again.

[G60]

I had a VW Corrado that blew its heater core.

Figuring I live in the CA desert with no real need for heat (forecast is for high 70s all this week) I just decided to bypass it.