I like older cars for many reasons. Their simple, so repairs are practical. They're less common on the roads today, so you feel more individual and different (in a good way). And they tend to be more modifiable/customization than newer cars. Newer cars are generally safer, but I like the feeling of having a car that's been worked on and customized in a way that nobody else has. I love being different.
My 1991 Chevy S10 has been through damn near everything. It has over 233000 miles on it and it still starts every morning and I still watch that oil pressure gauge hit 80 psi with no problems. One day when I was at my girlfriends house I parked the truck on the hill with the parking brake and put it in 1st gear. Well little known to me my parking break had worn out and all the weight was resting on my first gear, so while I was inside the truck popped out of gear and ran into an old lady's house. It put a hole in her wall and knocked her porch out of the ground a little. After we finished talking about insurance and what not I was able to just hop in the truck and drive it away, with a few more significant dents no less, but she just started up and drove away. No broken windows, no axles out of alignment, just some dents in the fender and bumpers. I paid $500 for this truck and I'll never regret it. I could drive this truck to hell and back and not get a single complaint from it. They truly don't build them like they used to. It may be a old POS, but when I park it at the grocery store, I still look back and admire the war scars and the beauty of that old unstoppable beast.
+DieselFume1 Yes - this is so true! I used to do this delivering pizza in a 2000 Ford Taurus POS. I'd leave my car running in the street and so many of my customers asked me if I worried about getting my car stolen. Never crossed my mind since the damn thing was only worth $500 and they'd be doing me a favor by stealing it since it needed $3000 bucks worth of repairs at any given moment haha. Finally gave that car up when it kept trying to kill me (like my brake calipers seizing up on the freeway). After I bought a "new" car, I left the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked for several nights hoping someone would take it. (no one ever took it despite the high rate of car thefts in my area haha).
I'm Dutch, we have a big bicycle culture. We use them to go from A to B. There are more bicycle garages and shops than their car equivalents. There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands. I'm not saying we're the best in regards to bicycles in any way, we just have a lot of them Anyway, I have a POS bicycle. Mechanically, its fine. It goes and it doesn't break. I purposefully did an OK paintjob on it, with normal stuff, and then I did another way cheaper and really bright blue paintjob on it. The thing stands out basically. The purpose of two paintjobs was to have this ultra-rust prevention system. - I didn't maintain it well so it didn't work but who cares. I didn't even put a lock on it anywhere. I go with it anywhere as long as its not too far. Park it anywhere, festivals, you name it. I come back, I grab it, I cycle away. My friends often ask why I don't have a lock, I ask them if they would want to steal it.
I have a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country with the 3.3L, it has 220,000 miles. Has rusty sliding door bottoms, rear hatch rusty, passenger side front door rusty bottom. However, put in new front and rear struts, completely new ignition, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, transmission pans, tires, rims, both front window motors, front blower, thermostat, alternator, battery, water pump, and a lot more service work done. I did it all, and payed out $3,500 in parts, plus my own labor. It's just one of the reliable POS in the lot!! Proud to keep it running, and plan on doing work to the motor to keep it running longer such as: timing chain, oil pump, rod bearings, main bearings, plus other things to help. I'm glad that you are on UA-cam, and love watching your videos!!
I've got a great reliable POS, my 98 Ford Windstar LX. Bought it in 2003 for 5K with 99K mile, now almost 12 years later, still running with 222K. I am what you call novice mechanic, intimately learned this vehicle and my novice mechanic abilities exclusively with this vehicle. Every sensor, wheel, brakes, suspension, power steering pumps & hoses, and recently corroded brake line replacement. watching vids like ETCG puts out helps me tremendously, Thanks Eric!
Reliable POS, best car in the world. Nobody will steal it. But the mechanics of the vehicle are absolutely reliable because you repaired everything in it and you KNOW it works and will work. Don't have to worry about someone damaging your car because it already has dings in it. Nobody will key your car because it won't even be noticed. After my mom and sister borrowed it, the fog lights were completely knocked off. Wires are hanging off the mounts. Who is going to bother with it? No one. If 100 car thieves came to a parking lot and stole the cars, my car will be the only one left even though it will be the most reliable.
Not gonna lie, your humor never ceases to make me laugh at least once per video. Thanks Eric for being informational and entertaining at the same time. Love your videos man!
This is ALL so true. I LOVE owning my 77 Pontiac Lemans, it's only failed me once in over 2 years, and it was a starter. Which I called a friend, bought the part, and changed it in the parking lot. I've drove it out of state multiple times. And the AC worked on it until last summer the compressor went out. I can care less about parking lot dings. It don't even ding, the steel is too thick. I run over curbs, haul stuff on the roof, tow people home, etc with it. I leave the keys in it with the windows down. No one seems to want it, lol. I barely have $1200 in the car. Bought it for $700, done a tune-up. Replaced starter and alternator, and put on a new set of tires. That's it. I'll take it's 14mpg over paying for a new car. You live WAY more carefree when your not worried about your precious new car possibly getting dinged.
Unfortunately I got rid of it now. Was still running great, trans was starting to slip some. But I wanted something different. So I got a Japanese Kei truck (92 Suzuki Carry) 4x4, 660cc, 5spd, with AC. Hauls my motorcycle better than the lemans.
I've got a 5-speed '99 Cmary and it's the best car for my needs for sure. All terrain tires, trailer hitch, big trunk and back seat, shitty paint, it's great.
Have you noticed if you park in an area of a car park away from other cars, to try and avoid it getting dinged, someone always comes and parks right next to you?
I can relate to that. I park away in the back and sure enough someone will park very close to me. Also, for some strange reason when i park my sn197 mustang, other SN197 mustangs will park next to mine on either side. I am good with that due to the fact i figure they will be careful as i will.
My reliable "POS" is a 1991 Lexus LS400 with 325,000 miles. I know it from top to bottom, front to back. The last car I will ever buy until it dies (wrecked beyond repair) , or I die.
My 1996 Toyota Starlet is the definition of a reliable POS. Dented,keyed, flaking paint, lifting lacquer, saggy seats, but the chassis is 100% solid and the mechanics 100% reliable. Still drives nicely.
I bought a 1968 Corolla for $300 in 1988. My first car. It's still my only car and I have less than 5K in it and the entire car has been rebuilt, and upgraded over the years. That works out to about $170 per year. I'm about to do the engine one more time while the parts are still available. Brand new engine with ALL new parts and me doing the work about $500 and two days time. Hell, I've spent more on just liability insurance all this time than I have on the car and have never had an "at fault" accident. It's been hit a few times...always when it was parked (cuz you can't touch me if I'm driving) and I just take the money and fix it myself. I've actually about broke even with what I've put into it and what I've gotten from insurance...so I've had a free car all my life and it's value continues to go up. I've been offered $22k and won't part with it. When it turned 25 it got lifetime antique tags so I don't have to buy tags every year and the property tax is only $7 a year.
I always drive l0 year old Corollas with manual transmissions. I worked many years in inner city DC and Baltimore and the car was never touched. why? for the same reason that a few years ago, a manual transmission Mercedes was carjacked in DC and didn't go l5 feet before the thief gave up and walked away lol!
I learned this early on while offroading. The guys with the brand new trucks were so scared to scratch the paint, and my rusty old '74 K10 didn't care.
I daily a 2006 Accord with cloth interior and a dent in the passenger door. The hubcaps fell off a long time ago and it rocks the black steelies. But it has 137K miles and runs/drives like a top! Best car I’ve ever owned, I’ve had it for 8 years.
Never buy a new car. If you must go for certified pre-owned. Old, used up, dinged up car it's so free and liberating to own. It gives you such peace of mind. I would hate driving a new or really nice car. Used cars keep me so calm and relax.
2001 Pontiac Aztek. Transmission at 150k, Head Gasket at 165k, Water Pump at 165k, Radiator at 165k , Harmonic Balancer at 175k, Rack and Pinion (twice), and rust removal. I probably should have junked it when the head gasket blew but I fixed it and after putting all the other work into it. My Aztek is a great daily driver again.
+Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland It seems that you've invested enough money into this thing to the point of where it's basically a zombie that doesn't look, act or feel like a zombie, if you know what I mean. It's skin and shit are all torn up, but he'll shoot hoops with you casually like nothing happened. Hahahaha
i have being driving a pos for the last 6 years, like you , i keep it in good repair , never let me down in the last 6 years of driving to work. about 120 miles a day, 5 times a week, and a big plus, no car payments Thanks Eric, keep up the good work
Just got my first car 2 weeks ago, a 1998 Dodge Neon. It had an awfully torn up steering wheel, the A/C doesn't work, the seats and carpet are absolutely disgusting with stains, the windshield is cracked on the lower drivers side, the speedometer doesn't work. Only the back speakers are connected. It went under a trailer home when the previous owner was checking his mail and it got dented up and scraped. It was $1,000 (my parents got it from a family friend, should've been $700 in my opinion). I've cleaned the outside, replaced the battery terminals, replaced the steering wheel, and plan on replacing the windshield. I plan to give it that factory look and maintain it really well so I can sell it for a bit more. Hopefully replace the windshield, buff the car, take out the carpet and seats to give them a really deep cleaning, connect all the speakers, etc. I totally get what you mean with the freedom of liberty in a POS car. It's reliable, and you feel awesome after fixing something.
+Fernando Mendoza It does feel good to fix the stuff on your car. My 03 Foz won't die, it's a great daily driver, don't feel guilty doing personal mods, not scared to attempt bigger jobs since it's a beater, has all the gadgets i've installed out of preference, and runs like a champ due to maintenance. As long as any repair is cheaper than 6 months of car payments, i'm sticking with it. May even have the head gasket done this year (had slight external leak for 60k). If i bought a new car it would be nice at first, but i'd soon want to personalize it which i wouldn't do to a new car, then the payments hit....yeah been there done that, these days a decade old japanese car has plenty of life left - nearing 200K in mine.
Mitchell Greatrix Oh man, I know. It's a girly ass car! Hahahaha. I might start a new job soon at the high school (where I'm literally a year older than the students lol), and I hope with that I can afford to buy a better, less girly car.
My 91 Honda Accord is like a revived life. Old, but new heart. Has new H23A JDM engine and will survive another 20 years! Thanks to this video, I value my ride even more! Thanks, Eric!
I've driven my 1986 f150 for almost 10 years. $500 truck put a new engine and lots of other matence, 280,000 miles on it. This has been my philosophy as long as I've been driving
I have a 1995 F150, owned it for quite a few years now. It was 900 bucks, put a little money into it, its a great truck. 221,500+ miles and still going strong. I don't drive it as much as my 1994 F250, but I know it will always be there when I need it.
I've been watching your videos, which have helped me a lot so I thank you, but this one struck a chord with me because I live off of cheap cars for exactly the reasons you listed. Your Honda main relay video totally fixed my CRX's weird starting problem that had been giving me a headache. Even went to a mechanic who told me to replace the battery, I did but no help. Found your video and it was an easy job. Keep up the quality work man!
I got a 1991 Honda Accord with 130k miles on it. Reconstruct title. While working on it after getting it from a tow yard auction, I came to find Eric and his automotive channels. Since then, it went from barely running with no brakes POS to a champ of a ride. Thanks, Eric!!
Hey eric , i drive a pos but i am very pleased with it since it gets me from point a to point b . I am very inspired by your work and it encourages me to do better and fixes my problems on my own. Mechanics in the past have screwed me thousands of dollars in repairs in the past. But thanks to you and other persons such as scanner danner and scotty kilmer i have found a motivation to reduce my maintenance bill significantly, reliably and most of all i know what i have at the end of the day.
Liberating is really the right word. The shedding of worry and guilt for the sins you will inevitably commit to your shiny luxobarge. I totally found this video shopping for a POS. I of course did not use thay search text.
Got an Escort wagon for $250. Put $1400 in it. Now it's basically all new. Literally every wear item is new. It's still ugly, but it's way more reliable and refreshed than anything I'd have gotten for $1650.
OMG? LABOR? of course you wouldn't want to put any REAL labor into a POS. When this dudes driving by you on a cold day and you BE WALKIN.... better RE- THINK that "happiness" shit, ... gonna be a long walk....
happiness A lot. But at the time I was cash poor and time rich (sortof). It's not like counting the minutes would have made a difference. I didn't have the money for something reliable, so I made something reliable. Now I have more money than time so I'm driving a 2017 car and 2015 truck.
I used to own a honda accord 92, with more rust on the body than you could imagine, some of the paint was peeling off, 250 + thousand miles. But, here's what was good: A/C was working, Electric windows working, radio was working, very comfortable ride, very comfortable seats, Frame and exhaust had no rust, Barely cost anything to maintain, decent gas/mileage. Life was good and it was my first car. Ended up selling it 500$ to a 17 yrs old single mother. I parted ways with that vehicule 4 yrs ago now and I still see it every once in a while on the road and I know it's was mine because I had a bright green sticker on the back window. It puts a big smile on my face everytime! It's a 22 yrs old freaking reliable POS. Loved that car!
Sorry but you not the first one to fart in it Eric. I work at a VW Plant and we love leaving a good fart in the car for the next guy down the assembly line.
Eric, Thanks, I have had my 1998 Accord EX for 3 1/2 years now. Your videos gave me the confidence to do some of my own repairs and maintenance. So far, I have logged 55,000 miles on my 3500$ car. Pretty good as I bought it at 122,000 miles.
I love POS cars for those same reasons you stated in this video. I've had new vehicles before - first owner - and bad massive stone hits the hood first week I had it, same with the windshield like 2 months later. also had people hit the car door with theirs, or those damn shopping carts. my best POS ever was a RENAULT ALLIANCE!!!! most comfortable car ever and that thing would take a beating and still going. had many tickets for broken parts but she ran very well.
my dads brand new 82 camaro, one of the first in vancouver b.c. he told some fat lady to please not swing her door into it, she did. he kicked her rear quarter panel so hard it completely caved in.
My current POS is a 1987 Toyota Starlet. My previous (and first) car was a 1998 Suzuki Swift - never maintained anything except tires, just drove it into the ground - learned my lesson now :-)
I did that to a cabbie in Toronto once, when I used to live there. Didn't cave in the rear quarter panel though. Mine was a moving target. So I couldn't get enough force behind it, just a passing kick. He was some crazy Russian cabbie (those people have some serious driving issues. Everyone over in Russia has a dashcam, cause accidents from stupidity or possible drunkenness are so common. UA-cam is full of videos of bad Russian drivers). He turned a corner just as my buddy and I were stepping off the curb. We had the right of way and dude almost kneecapped us both. So we both kicked the rear quarter panel and bumper as he went by. He got out a third of the way down the block, got out and started yelling at us. So, we returned the favor and told him off and what he'd done. Then, of course, he wanted to possibly fight, so we both made like we were both gonna fight him (cause that's fair, lol, he almost kneecapped both of us.) and he was a big Russian. Hehehe. He got back in his cab and left. He knew it was his fault. A couple of kicks to his car should be the least he receives.
Still own my first car, which is a major POS (rusty '88 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.3), but it still gets me to work everyday. Within the past 6 years of ownership, the water pump, upper radiator hose, struts and brakes, were all that had to be replaced. It's easy to drive, reliable and very comfortable. Even made it through epic snow storms this past winter here in NYC with no problems. And being RWD, she loved getting thrown around in the snow. I absolutely love the thing.
Listening to your description had to laugh. I live near an ethnic market with an ethnic clientele, although many others shop there because of cheap prices, but they don't accept food stamps. Whatever,anyway a shopping did roll into my car making a healthy sized ding, The cart was laden with over a hundred $ of food. A dozen women appeared suddenly, and I asked who owned the cart's contents.A couple times asking this question. No answer. Waited 5 minutes. Still no answer. The assembly of women grew. Then I stated, "well I guess this is unwanted, so it must be mine". I then proceeded to put the stuff into my car and 2 of the women started to cry. I drove off. A week later the store manager accuses me of theft( I am not a member of this particular community, ethnically). I explained to him what happened, and he accepted my explanation. Still drive same POS though (94 Nissan Sentra).
I bought a 99 gmc yukon 2 years ago so I could park my e55 for winter. I still have the yukon and it's got 251k miles. It runs and drives great, 4x4 works awesome, ac is ice cold etc. I paid a grand for it, it had brand new snow tires on it, and a bad transfer case. I replaced the transfer case for 175 dollars and a few hours time, then rebuilt the entire suspension a few months ago. Some days I think of buying a new car for the warranty, better gas mileage etc. Then I think... I don't owe anyone anything for this old boat, it keeps on going through the snow when everyone else is struggling, my 3 kids fit in, and it doesn't really matter if they dump that bottle of bug juice everywhere lol
The first time someone told me that new cars depreciate 25% as soon as you drive it off the lot, the only thing I could think was "why would you want to sell it the day you bought it?" You know, it really doesn't matter that a new car depreciates the day you buy it.
+acoow Exactly. If you plan to keep the car until it's, in essence, mechanically a total loss, then why would depreciation matter at all? It's going to be yours until the very end, so that makes zero difference in the decision.
If you keep that car until you can no longer get parts for it (like in 20-30 years) the cost of when you bought it new would be worth it :) which i plan to do when getting a brand new truck.
I love driving my reliable pos 1999 E150 conversion van. It has seen it all in the past 330k miles. I sold it, bought it back after 4 years and 80k miles of neglect and getting trashed. I work out of it, if it gets dirty, no problem. I get sideways in the middle of a highway and go for a little involuntary off roading, no sweat (just glad I dodged that light pole). pull it out, rinse it off, life goes on. I love high mile vehicles that have been taken care of, especially anything rwd. Modern vehicles are built to last, if you know what you're doing you can get 300K 400k 500k out of a vehicle no problem. I don't understand why people buy new vehicles. The pressures of having a car note, high insurance, worrying about every new scratch that shows up is enough to give me an ulcer. In addition to the van-that-wouldn't-die I've had several other high mileage vehicles and they have all have been very low maintenance. A 99 and an 01 Ford F150 V6 automatic. The 99 I bought with 199k and sold with 219 to a friend and all I ever did was buy a used tire every once in a while. The 01 had 229K and 262K when I sold it to another friend who needed a reliable beater to spare his pristine 02 F150, I put an alternator and 3 tires on it, and replaced the upper intake gasket while I was fixing a corroded heater hose port. My friend now prefers the beater over his nice truck. I also currently have a 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 with a 6.0 with 242K. And i shit you not it gets 26 mpg highway and I have not had a single problem with it since I bought it in April. The van was just as low maintenance before I sold it 6 years ago and it had 242 on it then. The mechanic who changed the timing chains commented that besides having worn timing chain tensioners the engine had almost no wear, and was clean enough to eat off of inside. All of these vehicles have one thing in common: they were well maintained. If you stay on top of them and do the little repairs they occasionally need you'll avoid catastrophic problems down the road and get many hundreds of thousands of miles out of a vehicle, for a fraction of what you'll spend on a new vehicle.
I had bought an '01 audi a4, because well being young and it being an audi i fell in love, than less then a week later it blew a timing belt. Its been over six monthes now and i actually found EricTheCarGuy by searching for 'what to look for when buying a used car' and after the second video i hit subscribe. I really appreciate everything he talks about, some of his videos are inspirational as to attitudes in life. I really had a shitty one, to be honest. But hes said a few things that i feel really apply to me, but without an authoritative tone, just from his personal experiences which really made me listen. And well, thank you!! Now about that audi, its gettin scrapped tomorrow and i plan on buyin an early 90's honda. And armed with the knowledge Eric has given me i feel really confident about what to look for, not just how fast does it go. Thanks a TON!!
Fantastic! The reliable POS is a wonderful choice of automobile. I just changed the front and rear brake pads and rotors on my girlfriend's 2003 Protege 5. That new small scuff on the rear bumper from someone else backing into it? It blends in nicely with the other ten or more scuffs on the bumper. It's an awesome reliable POS.
You see, POS is a relative term. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder lol. Personally, if it runs and drives who gives a fuck if someone else doesnt like it, hence the POS. The POSs give you the best memories. Wheres the fun when you have a brand new car lol, My heavy chevy has blown a rear end, fuel pumps, leaks, been hit twice, and been roof deep in mud, but at the end, shes still there and awesome.
I'm under the same philosophy. I'd rather have an older car and have it well taken care of to make it reliable. Cost of ownership is usually a heck of a lot less. The pride of ownership is big for me. Knowing that I don't have monthly payments to worry about is a great stress relief. Insurance seems to be cheaper as well. Be careful when you buy a new POS. do your homework and have a thorough check of the car, van or truck before dropping your hard earned money. Love the show Eric.
i find my self hitting the "like" button as your videos start now, keep up the good work i hope you get in a few older B-series cars in the future even though you naturally have gravitated towards family cars nowadays.. my Reliable POS is a 92 eg Civic VTI, B16a2 engine you got in the states in 99 in the civic si.. it has been 100% reliable ever since i changed the radiator last year
My pos DD is a 3.5- 6 speed Maxima, 150,000 miles and still gets 27mpg. Has been in two accidents, pulled the frame once but still has good alignment and doesn't wear tires. On the weekends I tow a 17ft aluminum boat sometimes on long distance fishing trips. I can't be happier. Looks good, its luxurious and does everything I ask.
HI. Mr. Eric. I am from Melbourne Australia, i am watching your car repair job for a month or so it is very very good and informative above all you are very humane i mean you even show us your mistakes as for me i learn more from mistakes. by the way i am not a full time car mechanic i did go to mechanic school for two years that is 40 years ago since than i am dental technician now i am trying to be DIY car mechanic for my cars thank you i appreciate your you tube thank you.
So true. You just don't care as much about it. Like Eric said, you care BUT......you kinda don't too. I take pride in ALL my vehicles, even if they are ugly and I treat them as new and kinda baby them. Y'know, cause they are old and can't handle that kind of abuse anymore, lol. So, they last me a long time and I just keep repairing them, until it's not feasible anymore, money wise. Currently driving an $800, 2000 Hyundai Accent with 160,000km on it (about 75,000 miles?) so not terribly high. Put about $2000 into over the course of 3 years, so not too bad. Just did some brake maintenance (thank's to Eric's awesome brake videos and the one man bleed procedure) and it's almost done with repairs. It's a reliable POS, so far.
Recently hired a couple of brand-new cars for a few road trips; it was probably the most stressful driving experience of my life. Every bush leaning into the road, every oncoming car, every roadworks where there could be lose gravel - all of it was just terrifying. And then I bought a car for
1995 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4... owned it since 1997, bought it used, 2 clutches (yep 5-speed transmission) This SUV has 168,000 miles... I have done 97% of the work, 100% of the maintenance, I drive it a lot, and it just keeps on going. Take care of your junk and it will take care of you!!! This old 4.0l V6 is awesome, bulletproof, no leaks at all! This is a very capable off road vehicle to, and excellent in the snow. POS's rule!
I drive a 1999 Honda Accord POS and I love it! 5 speed manual tranny not even a V-Tech. Really beefy aftermarket stereo, cold AC - warm heater- good tires - 230,000 miles and still going! Paint de-laminating off the top surfaces (don't you love that new term for peeling paint?) I don't care what I throw in it or who rides in it OR what they smell like. Eat in it - drink in it - have napped in it. Just don't care.
Amen Brother! I got a 98 Corolla in trade for some work on a co-worker's Rav-4. I originally started fixing up this free Toyota for my Son but he turned it down, ended up becoming my daily driver. It's ugly, dependable, everything on it works, parts are plentiful & gets amazing gas mileage. I parked my 16 Jeep & only drive it out of town. There's definitely a freedom that comes from driving a POS. Thanks for the video, great channel!
1984 Honda CRX DX. Carburated wonder. Never left me stranded, EVER. 8L/100km city, 6.5L/100km highway. 15.5 quarter mile, 0-60 in 8 seconds, goes where you point it. 1800km trip one way, one sitting, 1600km trip back, one sitting, no probelm. Alternator died, drove it 50km home, headlights on, intermittent wipers. Put on a spare. Good luck doing that with fuel injection. Ran over junk on the highway, blew up the rim, jacked the strut. Drove it home (on a space saver), put on spares. Parked for now, still runs and drives great. Don't have the heart to let it go. I love that car. Plus there's just something about old cars. They have a personality.
My dad calls my banged up 93 integra a POS but it's MY reliable POS and I love it. Everything I know about car maintenance and mechanics I learned with it, and keeping it alive and running well is now my favorite pastime (bordering on obsession).
I've got a 98 Honda Civic that's I've been putting some money into. Timing belt in the last few months, new clutch and my input shaft bearing is going out so now I need to have the transmission rebuilt. It's easier to repair than buying a new car. I love that car. No rust at all, body in great shape, paint in great shape. No reason to get rid of it!
I have a 98 honda accord. It's the most reliable thing ever. It's got over 136,000 miles on it and it still runs like a champ. Even when it's below 0 degrees outside it starts up no problem. Everything still feels nice and tight. I wouldn't say it runs like it's brand new but it runs very well for how old and how many miles it has on it. When I get a new car I might keep the honda as a kit car or something because it's still a good car.
1995 Astro van. This thing starts up everytime. It may be a beast when it comes to gas but it has never ever ever let me down. Surface Rust on the roof, chipping paint, interior is cracking apart. has 367k on the same engine and transmission.
There was one point in my life where I bought (and financed) a 2 year old car. It was the only point in my life I'd had a car that was that new. Everything worked and worked well. After awhile, I started to miss having things on the to do list, using my tools, figuring out fixes or modifications, going to the junk yard and just the experience of having a beater that I could keep running. So I had to buy one.
POS!! Eric that van's a treasure. My 2001 SL2 is a true beater. Every year it gets 1 new thing. Last year tires, this year struts. When it needs 2 new things it goes to POS heaven.
With where I live, out in the country, I completely agree with you, Eric. I just put 1000 into a 95 chevy c1500 but I know what I've got and I know how to work on it a little bit.
Eric, I've recently bought a mega cheap car that is 19 years old, I'm in the UK btw, and it is a Skoda Favorit, a compact car with a 1.3 engine, and it had 10 months roadworthy certificate (MOT) for a hundred pounds, about $150 bucks. It's got hardly any rust, and has done less than 70,000 miles. It has a dented front fender, and when i got it, the rear wiper didn't work, and a broken parcel shelf, and missing spare tyre. It had a service with new plugs, leads and cap, rotor , fuel filter,just before I bought it, and I fitted a new rear wiper motor for £15, and a 2nd hand spare wheel was £16 from ebay, that has 8mm of tread on. The car drives superbly, and since i got it in January, I've done 800 miles in it
Eric, I purchased a 1976 Porsche 912e in 1999. For the most part it was my daily driver. As time went on the paint pealed and I used sandpaper, paintbrush, and primer to remedy that. Also I replaced the seats. The car had 290,000 miles on it when I sold it November 2015 for 4 times what I paid for it. I guess this was a rare situation where a car used as a daily driver appreciates in value. I kept it clean and serviced but, the value kept rising and figured it might be a good time to let it go.
This video is a true as it gets! I've got two reliable POSs, a 93 and a 94 Astro with 272K and 363K miles on them. I've always kept them in tip top mechanical condition and if one were blindfolded and rode in either would think they're riding in a 50k car. Like Eric said, I don't stress about the daily wear and tear and dings, and I have NO car payments! I had a brand new car a few years back alongside these cars, and mostly drove the old cars instead for these very reasons! Reliable POS for me!
I have to whole heartedly agree with this video. My reliable POS finally died a couple weeks ago. It was a 2000 Cavalier Z24 with 180k+ on it. I got it for free from my family and drove it for 2 years. I quickly sourced a replacement for the EXACT reasons you spoke of. This replacement is a 2001 Grand Marquis LS. I've had it for a week and the more I drive it, the more I love it. It's a bit of a gas hog but it's old school luxury and I LOVE it. It's just a big, comfy, floating, boat of a car. I still have my '08 VW GTI when I want to have fun, but going from a street/track car to the Marquis is a nice break when I just want to relax and not give a crap.
97 civic with 211K...have had it 5 years and driven it all over the state of california and arizona. fully paid for from day 1 and invested a bunch of K's since (but I DIY everything so I take that as an educational expense!) love it and would keep it till my death (hopefully!)
Yep, 2002 Sienna that I have done similar overhauls like you Eric. 197,000 miles and I have replaced all kinds of stuff but it is paid for and runs great. it runs better than all my friends and family's cars that are 2008 or newer. I use Motorkote in all areas of the unit, replaced entire brake assembly including abs pump and computer. almost the entire emissions system including the charcoal canister. The entire suspension is 1.5 years new except the control arms. 3 sets of iridium plugs, third timing belt and all replaceable pulleys and water pumps. OEM (Japanese) of course. 5th set of tires. third set of all 3 denso O2/AF sensors. I like my old beast!! my father in law has been begging me to get a new vehicle and to change the carpet in this one. all the work on this has been done by me. The obvious not said, oil changes and air filters and MAF cleanings, and pcv changes I am all over at their correct intervals. original wires! original valve cover gaskets and original exhaust, original starter, second alternator, second compressor. getting ready to change flange gasket and spring bolts before cat on downstream. I have had this green machine for almost 11 years. bought with 58K. only car better I have owned was a Lexus LS400. Totally agree Eric! Why not buy the tools and learn how to fix it yourself and avoid the stealership. This also lets me stay DIRTY.
Love you videos man. I have a Ford Focus wagon that I got brand new in 2003, and while I've replaced a few relatively minor things here and there over the years, overall it's been a fantastic car that I have no intentions of getting rid of in the foreseeable future. It's been a great and very reliable car...and I won't call it a POS! haha
I love my daily driver, an 06 Grand Prix. It's paid off and highly reliable, with minor issues that are easily dealt with. The aftermarket makes it fun to modify.
I agree! I drive a 1982 Toyota Corolla and I found out that as long as I do the work on it myself, it stays reliable. I found that when other mechanics work on it, it breaks down a lot. But also something to consider is whether or not investing a lot of money to restore the car is worth it. I feel like getting a newer POS will help as parts and service will be easier. Besides, carbureator parts are hard to find.
I love the reliable POS - My reliable POSs of choice are 90's F150s with manual transmissions and the big six. Once you fix the spring hangers in the back, because yes they will be rusted through, most of the essentials are usually still pretty good. - the one I have now I bought for $1000 with 200k on it three years ago - now its well past 260k and still going strong!
Hey Eric! First off, you're the man. Simple as that. Secondly, I got a 2013 Subaru WRX last January; my dream car, if you will. So after about 4 months of commuting every day behind salt trucks in it I purchased a reliable beater (94 Accord Coupe EX-L) with 154k on it. The accord runs like a dream with the help of your videos as guidance. Here is my dilemma.. with all the work I've been doing here and there to the accord, I've almost grown more attached to it than my new WRX. Am I alone here?
1986 cutlass supreme, had it 17 years. floors are gone, brake line put together with compression fittings, I still drive it now! I put a 350 rocket 10 bolt valve cover and 350 turbo in it 12 years ago.
1992 Chevy S10, reliable POS and homeowner project hauler. I keep it parked out behind my house and when my daily driver needs work I drive it until I have it finished, no hurry to get it done right away. Which cuts down on stress and prevents haphazard mistakes from happening.
So true about the "new" car getting hit. I've moved from the frustrations of a $45k truck to a $4.5k truck and it's been hit twice in a few years. A mechanic also just put a nasty dent in the fender during the 3 repairs out of 30 I've completed in the last 2 months. There is definitely a freedom that comes with the POS vehicle.
Got a 2000 Buick Lesabre, 160k miles. I'm younger than 20, so for me, this is a throwback to my grandfathers old car.. still drives like a champ, decent mileage, reliable POS... As much as I'd love something else, I don't have the $$ and do have a reliable POS. Gotta love it
I subscribed to you a while ago because I saw you did a lot of honda work. Lots of good info on your channel but not what I was looking for. however I loved this video as I relate all to well I have an 88 civic that looks like hell but has a bunch of various swaps and what not to make it the most reliable car in my stable. Its nice to know that even if she breaks down on you somewhere randomly you know exactly what is wrong and can typically fix it roadside if you planned ahead.
I love a reliable beater. It's so nice not having to worry about a new car getting scratched, not having a car payment, not having to pay out big bucks for full coverage insurance, exc. An old beater is more fun when you don't care so much about little imperfections... If it snows you do donuts in the parking lot and you don't think twice you just have fun with it. I just sold one reliable pos and got another one. My '92 Cougar was starting to get bad with rust so I sold it and got a 99% rust free '92 Ford Ranger extended cab. It's in great shape but it has it's dings, scratches, and it's little flaws but has had a topper on it most it's life so the bed is solid as day one. As I get money together I'll fix it up but leave it pretty much stock like it came out of the factory. Maybe slowly restore it to factory fresh while the parts are cheap from LMC Truck. When you boil it down I see a new car as a burden. There are 10 times more things to go wrong with it, parts are an arm and a leg, and they serve the same exact purpose as an older beater, getting you from Point A to Point B.
Winter beater is a '89 S10 Blazer. Been through the whole thing front to back, everything new. Grabbed an engine out of my BIG POS '00 Jimmy, stripped all the unreliable electronic crap off it, slapped a carb, intake, and HEI ignition on it, and now it's SUPER reliable, starts right up, and goes pretty damn good I must say for a 4.3 V6. Oh, and I can fix it with just a screwdriver half the time, if needed. 14k miles since the build - so far so good, aside from an external fuel pump failure.
I own a 96 geo metro lsi. it is definitely a reliable POS, I have replaced a lot of things on the car and I know it inside and out. Also from the work I have done on it, it made deciding my career a lot easier. Come January 9th I will be attending classes to become an auto technician.
My POS is a 2000 VW Jetta with 217,000 miles on it. I've had it for 1 and a half years, and I've been working on it ever since. Just replaced the heater core a few weeks ago and now going to put in new struts and tires and replace the calipers. I've enjoyed working on it so far, even though it makes me angry when it breaks. :D
Bought my 98 Crown Vic used and has been my only transportation for over 8 years now. Don't know that I would call it a POS but it sure is reliable and sure looks like one. A nice paint job would cure all that but no way I'm putting 4 figures into that car now even though I do still love it. The bright side is I never have to lock it when somewhere like the grocery store or worry about dings. In fact I knocked a buggy out of a parking spot one day with the car. lol
I've got a 2008 Chevy Uplander ramp van as my reliable POS - it's a former paratransit vehicle and it has 275,000 miles on it. Picked it up at auction for 3,000 bucks. The A/C, engine, transmission are all good - I just did an oil change, serviced the trans, flushed the cooling system, replaced hoses, didnew shocks / struts and brakes. It's a good thrasher vehicle since I do not care about it.
First off. please, im sorry for my bad grammars, im not out to butcher the language of yours. Long time lurker here. first, thanks for the channels of yours ( both the How to do stuff but as well the more philosophical ones) For the last four years i have driven nothing but POS. That´s what one should expect when the price class is around 300-550€ During that time i had: Audis,golfs,jetta,saab´s, Volvo,Mb230.ford. they always started, taken me from point A-B. Sure, not the prettiest of them cars.However, learned much from them ( and from your channel as well) like rear+front wheel bearings, suspensions,starters, CV-join etc, im glad those cars exist for people that don´t have much money and like to learn one thing or two. and i believe saving a car instead of scrapping it would be more Eco-friendly, ( that one can be debatable. but that´s not the point)
2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT with 189,000 on it so far. no major mechanical issues or leaks including the sun roof. Drives great, it's fun to drive and it gets almost 30mpg. Only cost 3 grand as well.
I miss my old '91 integra POS. rusted as hell, but she would always start and get you there (and honestly was more fun to drive then alot of things). I sold it and upgraded to something newer and nicer and I completely agree, all the little things you used to ignore are now a big deal. I feel like my stress/enjoyment ratio on my car isn't as good as it once was.
I find this very relatable. I just bought a 2015 Impreza a little over a month ago and everything he's mentioning has come to mind. My old car was a reliable POS, but it wasn't a comfortable one and it was hardly a safe one either. I don't care if I'm driving something that's dented, scratched, and ugly. I don't really care if its noisy, if the sound system is bad, or if it doesn't have much trunk space. What I do care about is if the defroster doesn't work, if the cabin fan doesn't work, and if my fuel economy is dropping. These are just some of the problems with my old car, so even though it had plenty of life left in it, I just didn't want to deal with it anymore. I'd like to have kept my old car for trips where I'm prone to getting dinged (such as snowy weather or dense-city driving) but honestly, the Subaru is still better at dealing with those situations due to AWD, better steering ratio, better blind spot view, and a rear-view camera.
one of my favorite videos! see in my eyes a reliable POS is JUST as you described, but also cosmetically screwed. yeah the space odyssey's seen some battles but i still think as a whole its in fantastic cosmetic and mechanical shape. sure its a little dirty, but eh nothing 3 bucks at a gas station cant fix IF you feel like it. this too is my favorite kind of vehicle. a great running older car that still looks decent and has some kind of residual value
I've got a 98 Sentra. Had 140,000 miles on it when I got it two years ago and now has 207,000. I've done a tuneup, tires, struts, an axle and she's not given me any issues since I've owned her. Ugliest thing ever, but the most reliable car I've ever driven. I love it.
I wasn't supposed to keep this car, but it surprised me. Now that it's fixed, it is just perfect. Dings and dents, but mechanically it's rock solid. Always starts and takes me where I want to go. And it goes like a train in the snow, very impressive. And it's warm. That's all I need, no more worrying about depreciation and scratches. I've had some brand new cars, and while it's nice, it's just not worth it. This old but reliable POS is better for me.
I like older cars for many reasons. Their simple, so repairs are practical. They're less common on the roads today, so you feel more individual and different (in a good way). And they tend to be more modifiable/customization than newer cars. Newer cars are generally safer, but I like the feeling of having a car that's been worked on and customized in a way that nobody else has. I love being different.
My 1991 Chevy S10 has been through damn near everything. It has over 233000 miles on it and it still starts every morning and I still watch that oil pressure gauge hit 80 psi with no problems. One day when I was at my girlfriends house I parked the truck on the hill with the parking brake and put it in 1st gear. Well little known to me my parking break had worn out and all the weight was resting on my first gear, so while I was inside the truck popped out of gear and ran into an old lady's house. It put a hole in her wall and knocked her porch out of the ground a little. After we finished talking about insurance and what not I was able to just hop in the truck and drive it away, with a few more significant dents no less, but she just started up and drove away. No broken windows, no axles out of alignment, just some dents in the fender and bumpers. I paid $500 for this truck and I'll never regret it. I could drive this truck to hell and back and not get a single complaint from it. They truly don't build them like they used to. It may be a old POS, but when I park it at the grocery store, I still look back and admire the war scars and the beauty of that old unstoppable beast.
the mark of the true POS is leaving the keys in the ignition, if someone wants to steal a true POS, they needed it more than you did.
+DieselFume1 Yes - this is so true! I used to do this delivering pizza in a 2000 Ford Taurus POS. I'd leave my car running in the street and so many of my customers asked me if I worried about getting my car stolen. Never crossed my mind since the damn thing was only worth $500 and they'd be doing me a favor by stealing it since it needed $3000 bucks worth of repairs at any given moment haha. Finally gave that car up when it kept trying to kill me (like my brake calipers seizing up on the freeway). After I bought a "new" car, I left the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked for several nights hoping someone would take it. (no one ever took it despite the high rate of car thefts in my area haha).
+spuddapotato2494 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Funny story!!!
I'm Dutch, we have a big bicycle culture. We use them to go from A to B. There are more bicycle garages and shops than their car equivalents. There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands. I'm not saying we're the best in regards to bicycles in any way, we just have a lot of them
Anyway, I have a POS bicycle. Mechanically, its fine. It goes and it doesn't break. I purposefully did an OK paintjob on it, with normal stuff, and then I did another way cheaper and really bright blue paintjob on it. The thing stands out basically. The purpose of two paintjobs was to have this ultra-rust prevention system. - I didn't maintain it well so it didn't work but who cares.
I didn't even put a lock on it anywhere. I go with it anywhere as long as its not too far. Park it anywhere, festivals, you name it. I come back, I grab it, I cycle away. My friends often ask why I don't have a lock, I ask them if they would want to steal it.
The trouble is, my POS is where I store all my tools
I have a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country with the 3.3L, it has 220,000 miles. Has rusty sliding door bottoms, rear hatch rusty, passenger side front door rusty bottom. However, put in new front and rear struts, completely new ignition, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, transmission pans, tires, rims, both front window motors, front blower, thermostat, alternator, battery, water pump, and a lot more service work done. I did it all, and payed out $3,500 in parts, plus my own labor. It's just one of the reliable POS in the lot!! Proud to keep it running, and plan on doing work to the motor to keep it running longer such as: timing chain, oil pump, rod bearings, main bearings, plus other things to help. I'm glad that you are on UA-cam, and love watching your videos!!
A reliable POS is the best kind of car to have.
I've got a great reliable POS, my 98 Ford Windstar LX. Bought it in 2003 for 5K with 99K mile, now almost 12 years later, still running with 222K. I am what you call novice mechanic, intimately learned this vehicle and my novice mechanic abilities exclusively with this vehicle. Every sensor, wheel, brakes, suspension, power steering pumps & hoses, and recently corroded brake line replacement. watching vids like ETCG puts out helps me tremendously, Thanks Eric!
Reliable POS, best car in the world. Nobody will steal it. But the mechanics of the vehicle are absolutely reliable because you repaired everything in it and you KNOW it works and will work. Don't have to worry about someone damaging your car because it already has dings in it. Nobody will key your car because it won't even be noticed. After my mom and sister borrowed it, the fog lights were completely knocked off. Wires are hanging off the mounts. Who is going to bother with it? No one. If 100 car thieves came to a parking lot and stole the cars, my car will be the only one left even though it will be the most reliable.
I joke with my brother that our car will be the last one stolen off the parking lot, if anyone would bother at all.
Totally agree with this, Eric. If the car will start and get me there and back again, it's my favorite car!
Not gonna lie, your humor never ceases to make me laugh at least once per video. Thanks Eric for being informational and entertaining at the same time. Love your videos man!
This is ALL so true. I LOVE owning my 77 Pontiac Lemans, it's only failed me once in over 2 years, and it was a starter. Which I called a friend, bought the part, and changed it in the parking lot. I've drove it out of state multiple times. And the AC worked on it until last summer the compressor went out. I can care less about parking lot dings. It don't even ding, the steel is too thick. I run over curbs, haul stuff on the roof, tow people home, etc with it. I leave the keys in it with the windows down. No one seems to want it, lol. I barely have $1200 in the car. Bought it for $700, done a tune-up. Replaced starter and alternator, and put on a new set of tires. That's it. I'll take it's 14mpg over paying for a new car. You live WAY more carefree when your not worried about your precious new car possibly getting dinged.
locomojo0485 Love those!
Unfortunately I got rid of it now. Was still running great, trans was starting to slip some. But I wanted something different. So I got a Japanese Kei truck (92 Suzuki Carry) 4x4, 660cc, 5spd, with AC. Hauls my motorcycle better than the lemans.
I've got a 5-speed '99 Cmary and it's the best car for my needs for sure. All terrain tires, trailer hitch, big trunk and back seat, shitty paint, it's great.
Have you noticed if you park in an area of a car park away from other cars, to try and avoid it getting dinged, someone always comes and parks right next to you?
Or the time when someone in a Land Rover hit my car in a car park, when my car was the only other sodding car there....
I can relate to that. I park away in the back and sure enough someone will park very close to me. Also, for some strange reason when i park my sn197 mustang, other SN197 mustangs will park next to mine on either side. I am good with that due to the fact i figure they will be careful as i will.
so true !😁
No. I park and others avoid parking near me. The sign of a POS, others are scared to park by yours, ding, ding ding.
*ahem* It's 'soLdding".
j/k
My reliable "POS" is a 1991 Lexus LS400 with 325,000 miles. I know it from top to bottom, front to back. The last car I will ever buy until it dies (wrecked beyond repair) , or I die.
My 1996 Toyota Starlet is the definition of a reliable POS. Dented,keyed, flaking paint, lifting lacquer, saggy seats, but the chassis is 100% solid and the mechanics 100% reliable. Still drives nicely.
Buy a vehicle for $500, spend next to nothing on it, maybe $150 per year and that is a reliable POS!
I bought a 1968 Corolla for $300 in 1988. My first car. It's still my only car and I have less than 5K in it and the entire car has been rebuilt, and upgraded over the years. That works out to about $170 per year. I'm about to do the engine one more time while the parts are still available. Brand new engine with ALL new parts and me doing the work about $500 and two days time.
Hell, I've spent more on just liability insurance all this time than I have on the car and have never had an "at fault" accident.
It's been hit a few times...always when it was parked (cuz you can't touch me if I'm driving) and I just take the money and fix it myself. I've actually about broke even with what I've put into it and what I've gotten from insurance...so I've had a free car all my life and it's value continues to go up. I've been offered $22k and won't part with it.
When it turned 25 it got lifetime antique tags so I don't have to buy tags every year and the property tax is only $7 a year.
I always drive l0 year old Corollas with manual transmissions. I worked many years in inner city DC and Baltimore and the car was never touched. why? for the same reason that a few years ago, a manual transmission Mercedes was carjacked in DC and didn't go l5 feet before the thief gave up and walked away lol!
I learned this early on while offroading. The guys with the brand new trucks were so scared to scratch the paint, and my rusty old '74 K10 didn't care.
POS = POM , piece of mind.
I daily a 2006 Accord with cloth interior and a dent in the passenger door. The hubcaps fell off a long time ago and it rocks the black steelies. But it has 137K miles and runs/drives like a top! Best car I’ve ever owned, I’ve had it for 8 years.
Never buy a new car. If you must go for certified pre-owned.
Old, used up, dinged up car it's so free and liberating to own. It gives you such peace of mind. I would hate driving a new or really nice car. Used cars keep me so calm and relax.
I drive a very dependable but beat up looking 1978 Ford F150 everyday. It is a great thing, no worries of getting dents, scratches, or anything.
2001 Pontiac Aztek. Transmission at 150k, Head Gasket at 165k, Water Pump at 165k, Radiator at 165k , Harmonic Balancer at 175k, Rack and Pinion (twice), and rust removal. I probably should have junked it when the head gasket blew but I fixed it and after putting all the other work into it. My Aztek is a great daily driver again.
+Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland It seems that you've invested enough money into this thing to the point of where it's basically a zombie that doesn't look, act or feel like a zombie, if you know what I mean. It's skin and shit are all torn up, but he'll shoot hoops with you casually like nothing happened. Hahahaha
+prizedcoffeecup Exactly.
+Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland How's the meth biz these days?
+pearlmax It has its ups and downs.
Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland
Good luck with the car wash gig
i have being driving a pos for the last 6 years,
like you , i keep it in good repair , never let me down in the last 6 years of driving to work.
about 120 miles a day, 5 times a week, and a big plus, no car payments
Thanks Eric, keep up the good work
Just got my first car 2 weeks ago, a 1998 Dodge Neon. It had an awfully torn up steering wheel, the A/C doesn't work, the seats and carpet are absolutely disgusting with stains, the windshield is cracked on the lower drivers side, the speedometer doesn't work. Only the back speakers are connected. It went under a trailer home when the previous owner was checking his mail and it got dented up and scraped. It was $1,000 (my parents got it from a family friend, should've been $700 in my opinion). I've cleaned the outside, replaced the battery terminals, replaced the steering wheel, and plan on replacing the windshield. I plan to give it that factory look and maintain it really well so I can sell it for a bit more. Hopefully replace the windshield, buff the car, take out the carpet and seats to give them a really deep cleaning, connect all the speakers, etc.
I totally get what you mean with the freedom of liberty in a POS car. It's reliable, and you feel awesome after fixing something.
+Fernando Mendoza At least the tranny isn't a piece of shit it's the famous Torqueflite automatic!
I actually have a car that uses the Tourqueflite...*Can't fix the R gear?* just pop it into N then let it roll back down the hill...* :D
+Fernando Mendoza It does feel good to fix the stuff on your car. My 03 Foz won't die, it's a great daily driver, don't feel guilty doing personal mods, not scared to attempt bigger jobs since it's a beater, has all the gadgets i've installed out of preference, and runs like a champ due to maintenance. As long as any repair is cheaper than 6 months of car payments, i'm sticking with it. May even have the head gasket done this year (had slight external leak for 60k). If i bought a new car it would be nice at first, but i'd soon want to personalize it which i wouldn't do to a new car, then the payments hit....yeah been there done that, these days a decade old japanese car has plenty of life left - nearing 200K in mine.
+Fernando Mendoza To all you owners of sunfires, cavaliers and neons. You go girl.
har har har jk bud
Mitchell Greatrix Oh man, I know. It's a girly ass car! Hahahaha.
I might start a new job soon at the high school (where I'm literally a year older than the students lol), and I hope with that I can afford to buy a better, less girly car.
My 91 Honda Accord is like a revived life. Old, but new heart. Has new H23A JDM engine and will survive another 20 years! Thanks to this video, I value my ride even more! Thanks, Eric!
I've driven my 1986 f150 for almost 10 years. $500 truck put a new engine and lots of other matence, 280,000 miles on it. This has been my philosophy as long as I've been driving
I have a 1995 F150, owned it for quite a few years now. It was 900 bucks, put a little money into it, its a great truck. 221,500+ miles and still going strong. I don't drive it as much as my 1994 F250, but I know it will always be there when I need it.
I've been watching your videos, which have helped me a lot so I thank you, but this one struck a chord with me because I live off of cheap cars for exactly the reasons you listed. Your Honda main relay video totally fixed my CRX's weird starting problem that had been giving me a headache. Even went to a mechanic who told me to replace the battery, I did but no help. Found your video and it was an easy job. Keep up the quality work man!
Hey +ETCG1, is there anyway we can get a "Reliable POS" window sticker made? I'd buy one.
😂🤣 I like that.
I got a 1991 Honda Accord with 130k miles on it. Reconstruct title.
While working on it after getting it from a tow yard auction, I came to find Eric and his automotive channels. Since then, it went from barely running with no brakes POS to a champ of a ride.
Thanks, Eric!!
the more i know about cars (fixing them etc.) the more i just want a fun driving old car that i can fix for cheap and keep it running by myself
Hey eric , i drive a pos but i am very pleased with it since it gets me from point a to point b . I am very inspired by your work and it encourages me to do better and fixes my problems on my own. Mechanics in the past have screwed me thousands of dollars in repairs in the past. But thanks to you and other persons such as scanner danner and scotty kilmer i have found a motivation to reduce my maintenance bill significantly, reliably and most of all i know what i have at the end of the day.
Liberating is really the right word. The shedding of worry and guilt for the sins you will inevitably commit to your shiny luxobarge.
I totally found this video shopping for a POS. I of course did not use thay search text.
Got an Escort wagon for $250. Put $1400 in it. Now it's basically all new. Literally every wear item is new. It's still ugly, but it's way more reliable and refreshed than anything I'd have gotten for $1650.
Plus how many hours of your labor, though?
OMG? LABOR? of course you wouldn't want to put any REAL labor into a POS. When this dudes driving by you on a cold day and you BE WALKIN.... better RE- THINK that "happiness" shit, ... gonna be a long walk....
happiness A lot. But at the time I was cash poor and time rich (sortof). It's not like counting the minutes would have made a difference. I didn't have the money for something reliable, so I made something reliable.
Now I have more money than time so I'm driving a 2017 car and 2015 truck.
I bought a pos for 500$. Invested 1200-1500$ to fix suspension and maintenance. Bodywork is still a pos. But the car - start'n'go. That's it.
I used to own a honda accord 92, with more rust on the body than you could imagine, some of the paint was peeling off, 250 + thousand miles. But, here's what was good: A/C was working, Electric windows working, radio was working, very comfortable ride, very comfortable seats, Frame and exhaust had no rust, Barely cost anything to maintain, decent gas/mileage. Life was good and it was my first car. Ended up selling it 500$ to a 17 yrs old single mother. I parted ways with that vehicule 4 yrs ago now and I still see it every once in a while on the road and I know it's was mine because I had a bright green sticker on the back window. It puts a big smile on my face everytime! It's a 22 yrs old freaking reliable POS. Loved that car!
Sorry but you not the first one to fart in it Eric. I work at a VW Plant and we love leaving a good fart in the car for the next guy down the assembly line.
+crashcx OK first one outside of the assembly plant then?
Just as long as you don't leave a POS in there! ;¬)
All the sales people also farted in your car.
Priceless :D
I was in the testing bay remember the feces they found in cars and the cut break lines? What a bunch off assholes
Eric, Thanks, I have had my 1998 Accord EX for 3 1/2 years now. Your videos gave me the confidence to do some of my own repairs and maintenance. So far, I have logged 55,000 miles on my 3500$ car. Pretty good as I bought it at 122,000 miles.
I don't think I've ever owned anything BUT a Reliable POS.
;-)
Me neither. Always owned reliable POS.
i've owned some unreliable PsOS
I love POS cars for those same reasons you stated in this video. I've had new vehicles before - first owner - and bad massive stone hits the hood first week I had it, same with the windshield like 2 months later. also had people hit the car door with theirs, or those damn shopping carts. my best POS ever was a RENAULT ALLIANCE!!!! most comfortable car ever and that thing would take a beating and still going. had many tickets for broken parts but she ran very well.
my dads brand new 82 camaro, one of the first in vancouver b.c. he told some fat lady to please not swing her door into it, she did. he kicked her rear quarter panel so hard it completely caved in.
My current POS is a 1987 Toyota Starlet. My previous (and first) car was a 1998 Suzuki Swift - never maintained anything except tires, just drove it into the ground - learned my lesson now :-)
I did that to a cabbie in Toronto once, when I used to live there. Didn't cave in the rear quarter panel though. Mine was a moving target. So I couldn't get enough force behind it, just a passing kick. He was some crazy Russian cabbie (those people have some serious driving issues. Everyone over in Russia has a dashcam, cause accidents from stupidity or possible drunkenness are so common. UA-cam is full of videos of bad Russian drivers). He turned a corner just as my buddy and I were stepping off the curb. We had the right of way and dude almost kneecapped us both. So we both kicked the rear quarter panel and bumper as he went by.
He got out a third of the way down the block, got out and started yelling at us. So, we returned the favor and told him off and what he'd done. Then, of course, he wanted to possibly fight, so we both made like we were both gonna fight him (cause that's fair, lol, he almost kneecapped both of us.) and he was a big Russian. Hehehe. He got back in his cab and left. He knew it was his fault. A couple of kicks to his car should be the least he receives.
Still own my first car, which is a major POS (rusty '88 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.3), but it still gets me to work everyday. Within the past 6 years of ownership, the water pump, upper radiator hose, struts and brakes, were all that had to be replaced. It's easy to drive, reliable and very comfortable. Even made it through epic snow storms this past winter here in NYC with no problems. And being RWD, she loved getting thrown around in the snow. I absolutely love the thing.
Listening to your description had to laugh. I live near an ethnic market with an ethnic clientele, although many others shop there because of cheap prices, but they don't accept food stamps. Whatever,anyway a shopping did roll into my car making a healthy sized ding, The cart was laden with over a hundred $ of food. A dozen women appeared suddenly, and I asked who owned the cart's contents.A couple times asking this question. No answer. Waited 5 minutes. Still no answer. The assembly of women grew. Then I stated, "well I guess this is unwanted, so it must be mine". I then proceeded to put the stuff into my car and 2 of the women started to cry. I drove off. A week later the store manager accuses me of theft( I am not a member of this particular community, ethnically). I explained to him what happened, and he accepted my explanation. Still drive same POS though (94 Nissan Sentra).
I bought a 99 gmc yukon 2 years ago so I could park my e55 for winter. I still have the yukon and it's got 251k miles. It runs and drives great, 4x4 works awesome, ac is ice cold etc. I paid a grand for it, it had brand new snow tires on it, and a bad transfer case. I replaced the transfer case for 175 dollars and a few hours time, then rebuilt the entire suspension a few months ago. Some days I think of buying a new car for the warranty, better gas mileage etc. Then I think... I don't owe anyone anything for this old boat, it keeps on going through the snow when everyone else is struggling, my 3 kids fit in, and it doesn't really matter if they dump that bottle of bug juice everywhere lol
The first time someone told me that new cars depreciate 25% as soon as you drive it off the lot, the only thing I could think was "why would you want to sell it the day you bought it?"
You know, it really doesn't matter that a new car depreciates the day you buy it.
+acoow Exactly. If you plan to keep the car until it's, in essence, mechanically a total loss, then why would depreciation matter at all? It's going to be yours until the very end, so that makes zero difference in the decision.
Or, just buy one with 1000 miles.
If you keep that car until you can no longer get parts for it (like in 20-30 years) the cost of when you bought it new would be worth it :) which i plan to do when getting a brand new truck.
It does matter. You could have bought a car only a year or two older for at least 25% less.
acoow it matters, I have a friend that got laid off less than 3 weeks after buying a 2016 scion frs.
I love driving my reliable pos 1999 E150 conversion van. It has seen it all in the past 330k miles. I sold it, bought it back after 4 years and 80k miles of neglect and getting trashed. I work out of it, if it gets dirty, no problem. I get sideways in the middle of a highway and go for a little involuntary off roading, no sweat (just glad I dodged that light pole). pull it out, rinse it off, life goes on. I love high mile vehicles that have been taken care of, especially anything rwd. Modern vehicles are built to last, if you know what you're doing you can get 300K 400k 500k out of a vehicle no problem. I don't understand why people buy new vehicles. The pressures of having a car note, high insurance, worrying about every new scratch that shows up is enough to give me an ulcer. In addition to the van-that-wouldn't-die I've had several other high mileage vehicles and they have all have been very low maintenance. A 99 and an 01 Ford F150 V6 automatic. The 99 I bought with 199k and sold with 219 to a friend and all I ever did was buy a used tire every once in a while. The 01 had 229K and 262K when I sold it to another friend who needed a reliable beater to spare his pristine 02 F150, I put an alternator and 3 tires on it, and replaced the upper intake gasket while I was fixing a corroded heater hose port. My friend now prefers the beater over his nice truck. I also currently have a 2002 GMC Yukon XL 2500 with a 6.0 with 242K. And i shit you not it gets 26 mpg highway and I have not had a single problem with it since I bought it in April. The van was just as low maintenance before I sold it 6 years ago and it had 242 on it then. The mechanic who changed the timing chains commented that besides having worn timing chain tensioners the engine had almost no wear, and was clean enough to eat off of inside. All of these vehicles have one thing in common: they were well maintained. If you stay on top of them and do the little repairs they occasionally need you'll avoid catastrophic problems down the road and get many hundreds of thousands of miles out of a vehicle, for a fraction of what you'll spend on a new vehicle.
NOW I know the secret formula to the new car smell. ETCG farts.
I had bought an '01 audi a4, because well being young and it being an audi i fell in love, than less then a week later it blew a timing belt. Its been over six monthes now and i actually found EricTheCarGuy by searching for 'what to look for when buying a used car' and after the second video i hit subscribe. I really appreciate everything he talks about, some of his videos are inspirational as to attitudes in life. I really had a shitty one, to be honest. But hes said a few things that i feel really apply to me, but without an authoritative tone, just from his personal experiences which really made me listen. And well, thank you!! Now about that audi, its gettin scrapped tomorrow and i plan on buyin an early 90's honda. And armed with the knowledge Eric has given me i feel really confident about what to look for, not just how fast does it go. Thanks a TON!!
first person to fart in it.....i liked that
j cc Haha I bet Eric has done FPF (first person farts) alot, LOL!
Fantastic! The reliable POS is a wonderful choice of automobile. I just changed the front and rear brake pads and rotors on my girlfriend's 2003 Protege 5. That new small scuff on the rear bumper from someone else backing into it? It blends in nicely with the other ten or more scuffs on the bumper. It's an awesome reliable POS.
You see, POS is a relative term. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder lol. Personally, if it runs and drives who gives a fuck if someone else doesnt like it, hence the POS. The POSs give you the best memories. Wheres the fun when you have a brand new car lol, My heavy chevy has blown a rear end, fuel pumps, leaks, been hit twice, and been roof deep in mud, but at the end, shes still there and awesome.
I'm under the same philosophy. I'd rather have an older car and have it well taken care of to make it reliable. Cost of ownership is usually a heck of a lot less. The pride of ownership is big for me. Knowing that I don't have monthly payments to worry about is a great stress relief. Insurance seems to be cheaper as well. Be careful when you buy a new POS. do your homework and have a thorough check of the car, van or truck before dropping your hard earned money. Love the show Eric.
Grand Marquis baby!
i find my self hitting the "like" button as your videos start now, keep up the good work
i hope you get in a few older B-series cars in the future even though you naturally have gravitated towards family cars nowadays..
my Reliable POS is a 92 eg Civic VTI, B16a2 engine you got in the states in 99 in the civic si.. it has been 100% reliable ever since i changed the radiator last year
Fix em, don't crush them
My pos DD is a 3.5- 6 speed Maxima, 150,000 miles and still gets 27mpg. Has been in two accidents, pulled the frame once but still has good alignment and doesn't wear tires. On the weekends I tow a 17ft aluminum boat sometimes on long distance fishing trips. I can't be happier. Looks good, its luxurious and does everything I ask.
I drive a 1988 Volvo 740 gle with 337,000 miles on it
HI. Mr. Eric. I am from Melbourne Australia, i am watching your car repair job for a month or so it is very very good and informative above all you are very humane i mean you even show us your mistakes as for me i learn more from mistakes. by the way i am not a full time car mechanic i did go to mechanic school for two years that is 40 years ago since than i am dental technician now i am trying to be DIY car mechanic for my cars thank you i appreciate your you tube thank you.
So YOU'RE the one who farted in my new car!
sorry i know this is old but lmfao
How d I you think new car smell is injected into it ??
So true. You just don't care as much about it. Like Eric said, you care BUT......you kinda don't too. I take pride in ALL my vehicles, even if they are ugly and I treat them as new and kinda baby them. Y'know, cause they are old and can't handle that kind of abuse anymore, lol. So, they last me a long time and I just keep repairing them, until it's not feasible anymore, money wise. Currently driving an $800, 2000 Hyundai Accent with 160,000km on it (about 75,000 miles?) so not terribly high. Put about $2000 into over the course of 3 years, so not too bad. Just did some brake maintenance (thank's to Eric's awesome brake videos and the one man bleed procedure) and it's almost done with repairs. It's a reliable POS, so far.
Recently hired a couple of brand-new cars for a few road trips; it was probably the most stressful driving experience of my life. Every bush leaning into the road, every oncoming car, every roadworks where there could be lose gravel - all of it was just terrifying.
And then I bought a car for
1995 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4... owned it since 1997, bought it used, 2 clutches (yep 5-speed transmission) This SUV has 168,000 miles... I have done 97% of the work, 100% of the maintenance, I drive it a lot, and it just keeps on going. Take care of your junk and it will take care of you!!! This old 4.0l V6 is awesome, bulletproof, no leaks at all! This is a very capable off road vehicle to, and excellent in the snow. POS's rule!
I drive a 1999 Honda Accord POS and I love it! 5 speed manual tranny not even a V-Tech. Really beefy aftermarket stereo, cold AC - warm heater- good tires - 230,000 miles and still going! Paint de-laminating off the top surfaces (don't you love that new term for peeling paint?) I don't care what I throw in it or who rides in it OR what they smell like. Eat in it - drink in it - have napped in it. Just don't care.
Amen Brother! I got a 98 Corolla in trade for some work on a co-worker's Rav-4. I originally started fixing up this free Toyota for my Son but he turned it down, ended up becoming my daily driver. It's ugly, dependable, everything on it works, parts are plentiful & gets amazing gas mileage. I parked my 16 Jeep & only drive it out of town. There's definitely a freedom that comes from driving a POS. Thanks for the video, great channel!
1984 Honda CRX DX. Carburated wonder. Never left me stranded, EVER.
8L/100km city, 6.5L/100km highway. 15.5 quarter mile, 0-60 in 8 seconds, goes where you point it.
1800km trip one way, one sitting, 1600km trip back, one sitting, no probelm.
Alternator died, drove it 50km home, headlights on, intermittent wipers. Put on a spare. Good luck doing that with fuel injection.
Ran over junk on the highway, blew up the rim, jacked the strut. Drove it home (on a space saver), put on spares.
Parked for now, still runs and drives great. Don't have the heart to let it go. I love that car.
Plus there's just something about old cars. They have a personality.
My dad calls my banged up 93 integra a POS but it's MY reliable POS and I love it. Everything I know about car maintenance and mechanics I learned with it, and keeping it alive and running well is now my favorite pastime (bordering on obsession).
I've got a 98 Honda Civic that's I've been putting some money into. Timing belt in the last few months, new clutch and my input shaft bearing is going out so now I need to have the transmission rebuilt. It's easier to repair than buying a new car. I love that car. No rust at all, body in great shape, paint in great shape. No reason to get rid of it!
I have a 98 honda accord. It's the most reliable thing ever. It's got over 136,000 miles on it and it still runs like a champ. Even when it's below 0 degrees outside it starts up no problem. Everything still feels nice and tight. I wouldn't say it runs like it's brand new but it runs very well for how old and how many miles it has on it. When I get a new car I might keep the honda as a kit car or something because it's still a good car.
1995 Astro van. This thing starts up everytime. It may be a beast when it comes to gas but it has never ever ever let me down. Surface Rust on the roof, chipping paint, interior is cracking apart. has 367k on the same engine and transmission.
There was one point in my life where I bought (and financed) a 2 year old car. It was the only point in my life I'd had a car that was that new. Everything worked and worked well. After awhile, I started to miss having things on the to do list, using my tools, figuring out fixes or modifications, going to the junk yard and just the experience of having a beater that I could keep running. So I had to buy one.
POS!! Eric that van's a treasure. My 2001 SL2 is a true beater. Every year it gets 1 new
thing. Last year tires, this year struts. When it needs 2 new things it goes to POS
heaven.
With where I live, out in the country, I completely agree with you, Eric. I just put 1000 into a 95 chevy c1500 but I know what I've got and I know how to work on it a little bit.
Eric, I've recently bought a mega cheap car that is 19 years old, I'm in the UK btw, and it is a Skoda Favorit, a compact car with a 1.3 engine, and it had 10 months roadworthy certificate (MOT) for a hundred pounds, about $150 bucks. It's got hardly any rust, and has done less than 70,000 miles. It has a dented front fender, and when i got it, the rear wiper didn't work, and a broken parcel shelf, and missing spare tyre. It had a service with new plugs, leads and cap, rotor , fuel filter,just before I bought it, and I fitted a new rear wiper motor for £15, and a 2nd hand spare wheel was £16 from ebay, that has 8mm of tread on. The car drives superbly, and since i got it in January, I've done 800 miles in it
Eric, I purchased a 1976 Porsche 912e in 1999. For the most part it was my daily driver. As time went on the paint pealed and I used sandpaper, paintbrush, and primer to remedy that. Also I replaced the seats. The car had 290,000 miles on it when I sold it November 2015 for 4 times what I paid for it.
I guess this was a rare situation where a car used as a daily driver appreciates in value. I kept it clean and serviced but, the value kept rising and figured it might be a good time to let it go.
This video is a true as it gets! I've got two reliable POSs, a 93 and a 94 Astro with 272K and 363K miles on them. I've always kept them in tip top mechanical condition and if one were blindfolded and rode in either would think they're riding in a 50k car. Like Eric said, I don't stress about the daily wear and tear and dings, and I have NO car payments! I had a brand new car a few years back alongside these cars, and mostly drove the old cars instead for these very reasons! Reliable POS for me!
I have to whole heartedly agree with this video. My reliable POS finally died a couple weeks ago. It was a 2000 Cavalier Z24 with 180k+ on it. I got it for free from my family and drove it for 2 years. I quickly sourced a replacement for the EXACT reasons you spoke of. This replacement is a 2001 Grand Marquis LS. I've had it for a week and the more I drive it, the more I love it. It's a bit of a gas hog but it's old school luxury and I LOVE it. It's just a big, comfy, floating, boat of a car. I still have my '08 VW GTI when I want to have fun, but going from a street/track car to the Marquis is a nice break when I just want to relax and not give a crap.
97 civic with 211K...have had it 5 years and driven it all over the state of california and arizona. fully paid for from day 1 and invested a bunch of K's since (but I DIY everything so I take that as an educational expense!) love it and would keep it till my death (hopefully!)
I think this was your best ETCG1 vid, Eric. Definitely had some valid points.
Yep, 2002 Sienna that I have done similar overhauls like you Eric. 197,000 miles and I have replaced all kinds of stuff but it is paid for and runs great. it runs better than all my friends and family's cars that are 2008 or newer. I use Motorkote in all areas of the unit, replaced entire brake assembly including abs pump and computer. almost the entire emissions system including the charcoal canister. The entire suspension is 1.5 years new except the control arms. 3 sets of iridium plugs, third timing belt and all replaceable pulleys and water pumps. OEM (Japanese) of course. 5th set of tires. third set of all 3 denso O2/AF sensors. I like my old beast!! my father in law has been begging me to get a new vehicle and to change the carpet in this one. all the work on this has been done by me. The obvious not said, oil changes and air filters and MAF cleanings, and pcv changes I am all over at their correct intervals. original wires! original valve cover gaskets and original exhaust, original starter, second alternator, second compressor. getting ready to change flange gasket and spring bolts before cat on downstream. I have had this green machine for almost 11 years. bought with 58K. only car better I have owned was a Lexus LS400. Totally agree Eric! Why not buy the tools and learn how to fix it yourself and avoid the stealership. This also lets me stay DIRTY.
Love you videos man. I have a Ford Focus wagon that I got brand new in 2003, and while I've replaced a few relatively minor things here and there over the years, overall it's been a fantastic car that I have no intentions of getting rid of in the foreseeable future. It's been a great and very reliable car...and I won't call it a POS! haha
Same, I completely agree, my 1999 town car is exactly what you are talking about
I love my daily driver, an 06 Grand Prix. It's paid off and highly reliable, with minor issues that are easily dealt with. The aftermarket makes it fun to modify.
I agree! I drive a 1982 Toyota Corolla and I found out that as long as I do the work on it myself, it stays reliable. I found that when other mechanics work on it, it breaks down a lot. But also something to consider is whether or not investing a lot of money to restore the car is worth it. I feel like getting a newer POS will help as parts and service will be easier. Besides, carbureator parts are hard to find.
I love the reliable POS - My reliable POSs of choice are 90's F150s with manual transmissions and the big six. Once you fix the spring hangers in the back, because yes they will be rusted through, most of the essentials are usually still pretty good. - the one I have now I bought for $1000 with 200k on it three years ago - now its well past 260k and still going strong!
Hey Eric! First off, you're the man. Simple as that. Secondly, I got a 2013 Subaru WRX last January; my dream car, if you will. So after about 4 months of commuting every day behind salt trucks in it I purchased a reliable beater (94 Accord Coupe EX-L) with 154k on it. The accord runs like a dream with the help of your videos as guidance. Here is my dilemma.. with all the work I've been doing here and there to the accord, I've almost grown more attached to it than my new WRX. Am I alone here?
1986 cutlass supreme, had it 17 years. floors are gone, brake line put together with compression fittings, I still drive it now! I put a 350 rocket 10 bolt valve cover and 350 turbo in it 12 years ago.
1992 Chevy S10, reliable POS and homeowner project hauler. I keep it parked out behind my house and when my daily driver needs work I drive it until I have it finished, no hurry to get it done right away. Which cuts down on stress and prevents haphazard mistakes from happening.
So true about the "new" car getting hit. I've moved from the frustrations of a $45k truck to a $4.5k truck and it's been hit twice in a few years. A mechanic also just put a nasty dent in the fender during the 3 repairs out of 30 I've completed in the last 2 months. There is definitely a freedom that comes with the POS vehicle.
I have one POS that I'm always working on, and one brand new car that I drive to work. Best of both worlds and loving it!
Got a 2000 Buick Lesabre, 160k miles. I'm younger than 20, so for me, this is a throwback to my grandfathers old car.. still drives like a champ, decent mileage, reliable POS... As much as I'd love something else, I don't have the $$ and do have a reliable POS. Gotta love it
I subscribed to you a while ago because I saw you did a lot of honda work. Lots of good info on your channel but not what I was looking for. however I loved this video as I relate all to well I have an 88 civic that looks like hell but has a bunch of various swaps and what not to make it the most reliable car in my stable. Its nice to know that even if she breaks down on you somewhere randomly you know exactly what is wrong and can typically fix it roadside if you planned ahead.
I love a reliable beater. It's so nice not having to worry about a new car getting scratched, not having a car payment, not having to pay out big bucks for full coverage insurance, exc. An old beater is more fun when you don't care so much about little imperfections... If it snows you do donuts in the parking lot and you don't think twice you just have fun with it. I just sold one reliable pos and got another one. My '92 Cougar was starting to get bad with rust so I sold it and got a 99% rust free '92 Ford Ranger extended cab. It's in great shape but it has it's dings, scratches, and it's little flaws but has had a topper on it most it's life so the bed is solid as day one. As I get money together I'll fix it up but leave it pretty much stock like it came out of the factory. Maybe slowly restore it to factory fresh while the parts are cheap from LMC Truck. When you boil it down I see a new car as a burden. There are 10 times more things to go wrong with it, parts are an arm and a leg, and they serve the same exact purpose as an older beater, getting you from Point A to Point B.
Winter beater is a '89 S10 Blazer. Been through the whole thing front to back, everything new. Grabbed an engine out of my BIG POS '00 Jimmy, stripped all the unreliable electronic crap off it, slapped a carb, intake, and HEI ignition on it, and now it's SUPER reliable, starts right up, and goes pretty damn good I must say for a 4.3 V6. Oh, and I can fix it with just a screwdriver half the time, if needed. 14k miles since the build - so far so good, aside from an external fuel pump failure.
I own a 96 geo metro lsi. it is definitely a reliable POS, I have replaced a lot of things on the car and I know it inside and out. Also from the work I have done on it, it made deciding my career a lot easier. Come January 9th I will be attending classes to become an auto technician.
My POS is a 2000 VW Jetta with 217,000 miles on it. I've had it for 1 and a half years, and I've been working on it ever since. Just replaced the heater core a few weeks ago and now going to put in new struts and tires and replace the calipers. I've enjoyed working on it so far, even though it makes me angry when it breaks. :D
Bought my 98 Crown Vic used and has been my only transportation for over 8 years now. Don't know that I would call it a POS but it sure is reliable and sure looks like one. A nice paint job would cure all that but no way I'm putting 4 figures into that car now even though I do still love it.
The bright side is I never have to lock it when somewhere like the grocery store or worry about dings. In fact I knocked a buggy out of a parking spot one day with the car. lol
I've got a 2008 Chevy Uplander ramp van as my reliable POS - it's a former paratransit vehicle and it has 275,000 miles on it. Picked it up at auction for 3,000 bucks. The A/C, engine, transmission are all good - I just did an oil change, serviced the trans, flushed the cooling system, replaced hoses, didnew shocks / struts and brakes. It's a good thrasher vehicle since I do not care about it.
First off. please, im sorry for my bad grammars, im not out to butcher the language of yours.
Long time lurker here. first, thanks for the channels of yours ( both the How to do stuff but as well the more philosophical ones)
For the last four years i have driven nothing but POS. That´s what one should expect when the price class is around 300-550€
During that time i had:
Audis,golfs,jetta,saab´s, Volvo,Mb230.ford.
they always started, taken me from point A-B.
Sure, not the prettiest of them cars.However, learned much from them ( and from your channel as well) like rear+front wheel bearings, suspensions,starters, CV-join etc,
im glad those cars exist for people that don´t have much money and like to learn one thing or two.
and i believe saving a car instead of scrapping it would be more Eco-friendly, ( that one can be debatable. but that´s not the point)
2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT with 189,000 on it so far. no major mechanical issues or leaks including the sun roof. Drives great, it's fun to drive and it gets almost 30mpg. Only cost 3 grand as well.
I miss my old '91 integra POS. rusted as hell, but she would always start and get you there (and honestly was more fun to drive then alot of things). I sold it and upgraded to something newer and nicer and I completely agree, all the little things you used to ignore are now a big deal. I feel like my stress/enjoyment ratio on my car isn't as good as it once was.
I find this very relatable. I just bought a 2015 Impreza a little over a month ago and everything he's mentioning has come to mind. My old car was a reliable POS, but it wasn't a comfortable one and it was hardly a safe one either. I don't care if I'm driving something that's dented, scratched, and ugly. I don't really care if its noisy, if the sound system is bad, or if it doesn't have much trunk space. What I do care about is if the defroster doesn't work, if the cabin fan doesn't work, and if my fuel economy is dropping. These are just some of the problems with my old car, so even though it had plenty of life left in it, I just didn't want to deal with it anymore. I'd like to have kept my old car for trips where I'm prone to getting dinged (such as snowy weather or dense-city driving) but honestly, the Subaru is still better at dealing with those situations due to AWD, better steering ratio, better blind spot view, and a rear-view camera.
one of my favorite videos! see in my eyes a reliable POS is JUST as you described, but also cosmetically screwed. yeah the space odyssey's seen some battles but i still think as a whole its in fantastic cosmetic and mechanical shape. sure its a little dirty, but eh nothing 3 bucks at a gas station cant fix IF you feel like it. this too is my favorite kind of vehicle. a great running older car that still looks decent and has some kind of residual value
I've got a 98 Sentra. Had 140,000 miles on it when I got it two years ago and now has 207,000. I've done a tuneup, tires, struts, an axle and she's not given me any issues since I've owned her. Ugliest thing ever, but the most reliable car I've ever driven. I love it.
I wasn't supposed to keep this car, but it surprised me. Now that it's fixed, it is just perfect. Dings and dents, but mechanically it's rock solid. Always starts and takes me where I want to go. And it goes like a train in the snow, very impressive. And it's warm. That's all I need, no more worrying about depreciation and scratches. I've had some brand new cars, and while it's nice, it's just not worth it. This old but reliable POS is better for me.