What’s One Car You Could Own for the Rest of Your Life?

My 2007 Porsche Cayman. The 2.7 liter engine is just the right amount of get-up-and-go . It’s perfectly weighted, has a 5-speed transmission and has 2 seats for my wife and I. I’ve owned it for 2 years and I do not plan on getting rid of it ever.

2003 Audi RS 6 Avant with remapped ECU – miltek exhaust and VMR 810 Rims on sport pilots

I think I own mine already. Porsche 968 coupé, non-ClubSport version. Had it for almost 20 years now, so I should probably just hang on to it I guess?!

Turbo Buick Regal

I already own it: A 1970 BMW 2002 in original/concours condition. I had one in 1970 and sold it five years later. The new one is exactly like the original car, same color, same everything, being three months off the build of the original. It was like hitting a bullet with a bullet.

I am blessed to be the lifetime steward of mine. A bond originally formed on the track 17 years ago that still hasn’t waivered. She’s a 👍
http://www.directupload.net/file/d/4932/6bns2hq4_jpg.htm

My 84 Citroen 2CV is the only car I have ever needed. Its unique suspension, front wheel drive, and high ground clearance allow me to go practically anywhere. I am on my third one and I am considering getting buried in it. (If I am ever in a crash it may be easier to bury me and it since it would be very difficult to remove my body a little bit at a time.) I recently ran it on a road racing track with Ferrari, Jags and Austin Healy’s, none of them lapped me more than once! (Check our LGGPR.org… Read more »

Guys, there is one thing for sure: One of the best things ever left Stuttgart is the 300 SEL 6,3. It has so much style, accelerates like a Porsche, sounds excellently and is just beautiful – inside and out. Once you fixed it professionally it’s solid like a rock. The roadholding is kindai lousy of course but this somehow makes the driving experience even more enjoyable. I’m driving mine since about 15 years now and it saw a couple other cars coming and leaving. I really can say that this is the car of my life.

I’m not sure if I’ll keep my Alfa 156 V6 forever, but it’s cheap to register and parts are still plentiful. I regret selling my 944. There are so many different cars in my head that I’d like to own that choosing a keeper is nigh on impossible, but a 928 S4 has a lot of appeal.

In reading through the comments it’s interesting to see the eclectic range of cars that people are into.

While I love Alfa Romeos (I own a big one with Busso and a small one with Boxer), my one-car-for-life would be a Citroen SM.

Aircooled Porsche 911 and a 1995 Toyota Landcruiser.
Porsche’s are the Landcruisers of cars and Landcruiser are the Porsche of trucks. 🙂

My 1993 BMW E34 M5 of course! Bought it in 1995 and am going on 20 years together. It is modified more than a bit, hehe, but appears stock except for the rumble of the exhaust – sets off car alarms in parking garages. A true SLEEPER if I were to de-badge it!

I too am a part if the “own your dream car” club. Unlike most I’ve never dreamt of having a Ferrari or Lamborghini, Instead I wanted a Nissan. 🙂 I have a 1989 Nissan Silvia that I put every dime that college doesn’t take from me. I was very lucky to find this car and I paid perhaps a little more than I could afford but you can’t put a price on a dream right? I am already planning to buy another after I get this one where I want her to be. I’ll have this car for the rest… Read more »

Mulling over all sorts of Porsche 911 options, then there is the BMW E30 M3, but one do all end all car for everything forever?
The W124 1994 Mercedes E500 might do it.

Just like Leo, i would propably choose a Peugeot 205 GTi because it is a great daily driver, very reliable, and spicy.
My other choice would be a BMW e30 convertible for it stuning design, a real classic design for sure.

My current car, A semi-sporty saloon, which is in fact a proper ‘sleeper’; A ’01 Passat 3BG 4.0 W8 4Motion Sedan. It’s 275Bhp and four wheel drive hasn’t bored me yet. A few personal tweaks involves, adjustable KW suspension with H&R heavy duty anti-roll bars, Mannesmann drilled and grooved discs, Full stainless cat-back exhaust system (butterfly valves for engine-note regulation) on 18″ BBS Le Mans rims. I love it to bits, but still not as much as my 8 y.o. son. He already put in his claim to inherit the “8” when i am gone. 😀

If it was my only car it would be an audi rs6 avant with the twin turbo v10. But if it was for fun only it would be a Ferrari f40

Well, been driving a lot of cars, I’ve now settled with my 156 2.5 V6.
She’s a keeper and my 5’th Alfa.
Might want a true classic one day. But then, I don’t really feel that need for a classic any more.
Maybe an old Lada 210x, that I can thrash around and customize to what ever I might feel like, without having to answer to the “Original Polizei”…
Or something else, that others regard as trash…
But my 156, she’s just so complete in every sence.
Classic and modern, good quality, reliable engine, Great sound, great driving and then so absolutely beautiful.

A Fiat 500 57-75

Another member of the “I own my dream car” club here. My father had a Datsun Sunny and later a 74 260Z so my adoration of the Nissan and the Z car was instilled early on. Then in 2003, when the Z33 arrived it was love at first sight. 2 years later, in 2005, I found my car with less than 10k and near showroom paint. With just a few modifications the car takes pretty much anything I’m able to throw at her. Track days are just a blast and as my confidence/ability builds the car is able to respond… Read more »

Here in Brazil we only haver “regular cars”. The Sports cars like (Porsche, Ferrari and Lambos) and the imported (Skyline and other) doesn’t exist. The luxury cars here are Toyota Corolla and New Civic. Cars in Brazil are so much expensive. My personal dream is a Volkswagen Gol GTI 1989 dark blue. I love cars and racing but i never drove a sport car. I drive a regular fiat grand punto with “super powerfull engine” with 92 hp.

While I’m decently sure that I will keep my BMW635CSi for a good, good while – there is one car that really [i]does it[/i] for me…
[b]Ferrari 288GTO[/b].

Oh yes. I’m born in the eighties! 😉

I’ll never sell my 205GTi

I’m in the “I own my dream car” club 🙂
It’s a Honda Civic Type-R (EP3) it’s reliable, sporty and practical too
I can carry my mountain bike inside with one passenger.

I already have it and don’t ever plan on not having it!

This is a question I’ve been considering lately myself. Having driven a collection of cars over the years – including of various Porsches (including a 2.4 911S and a 993 RS), V12 Ferrari’s, DB Aston Martin, Mercedes 280SL, etc, as well as a current model Maserati GT – the only car I could see myself enjoying until the end would be a ‘personalised’ 911; much like a singer 911, taking the minimalist design elements I love from the early 70’s, yet with the modern drivability and performance of say the 993 RS. The best of all Porsche worlds! But if… Read more »

Audi Ur-Quattro.

1997 Acura NSX. The engine was enlarged to 3.2L, the power rose from 270 to 290, it had the 6-speed manual rather than the 5-speed, and it still had the pop-up headlights as it was originally designed. This was the best version of what I consider to be the best Japanese sports/exotic of all time. So far.

Easy answer. A Porsche 993 911. Make it 4S so I can drive it any time I want. Early in the morning. On the wet or on the snow. Even slightly tired at night. Yet safe. A confidence based relationship. Why this car? I was about 10 years old when it was launched. Two things had a strong lasting impression on me. The legendary commercial with narration by Patrick Stewart and music by Deep Forest. And walking in the streets maybe 15 years ago, looking at a blonde 30-ish woman sitting in the passenger seat of a black 993 with… Read more »

I’ve been a fan and loyal owner of Datsun’s my whole life. One Datsun that I currently own is a 1972 Fairlady Z and it’s been a joy to build and own. I’ve extended my passion and sickness for another car recently and this will be a long time keeper ~ Black 1997 Porsche 993 (T). I drive both cars as often as I can along Orange County California’s Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The RB25 (T) Straight 6 Nissan and 993 (T) Flat 6 Porsche engine’s sing so eloquently with the Pacific Ocean. It’s been a great joy to drive… Read more »

Since we’re talking hypotheticals here, I’ll with my dream: a Ferrari 250 SWB. I

After reading this so many beautiful rare classics came to mind, but thinking about it more I would keep my 1977 Reliant Scimitar. It’s a very understated car and I have so much history with it after only 5 years of ownership that I couldn’t let it go. I love the fact that it’s so usable, it’s small, sporty and I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for crazy trips as the shooting brake design means there is plenty of space for whatever I will need. It’s a car I feel I could use for anything that I desire from owning… Read more »

I currently own a car that could be considered for this… a Z3/M Coupe. Very interesting (and to me…pretty) shape that is both aggressive, sporty and practical (with the hatch). A very special car with not many of them made. Hits all the right buttons for me, aside from the lack of a back seat.

However, I think I’d be quite happy living with a Singer 911… :p

My current, and first car, a Peugeot 205 1.1 ’89 5door. Its a beauty in light blue, no rust, little scratches and has sofas as seats.
Some things i want to do:
1. Make it even lighter (now 870kgs)
2. Upgrade suspension + more grippy tyres
3. Engine swap/tweak
4.[u]Rwd conversion[/u]
5. A kid’s seat in the back 😀

If I’m being realistic, then ultimately a 911 (a 70’s one hopefully), but for a soon-to-be-graduated MBA student and lover of all things classic, I’d have to go with a more affordable option – that of a 944.

I think I finally found my “forever” car. My 76 911S is the stuff of dreams and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t sit and daydream about things we are going to do together.

The answer is Miata, of course!

Lasting appeal? No problem on someone else’s dime, but what happens to that Porsche or Ferrari when the kids need ortho or tuition? Or when they show up in the first place? Or it needs a new clutch? As long as you’ve got a place to park it, there’s really no reason to sell a Miata and it’ll always put a grin on your face, especially with a lightened flywheel.

I have thought about this as well since I was a teenager. I would have to go with an Audi Sport Quattro. Rare, fast, all-wheel-drive (I live in Canada), I would keep it forever, no matter how expensive it ever became to fuel it up.

Having never owned one, coupled with the terminal state of my automotive sickness I can’t say that I wouldn’t ever be curious about another car but if there was one that I would be willing to test my devotion with I think it would have to be a black 993 turbo. It’s beautiful, rare, and arguably one of the best cars to ever come out of Stuttgart. I don’t think you can really want much more than that.

I currently own a 2000 Alfa Romeo GTV 1.8 TS, my first car. As with many an Alfa of the era, I can, objectively speaking, make quite a list of things that could have been better or different. I even had to replace the engine due to inadequate maintenance by he previous owner. But when I see it standing by the road from my first floor window, I can’t but smile and think: that is my car. I can drive it whenever I want, listening to the little engine revving like only Italians can rev, going around corners with a… Read more »

Interesting mix of choices here. Not surprising, though, as we’re all attracted to something different. Me, I just bought a car that could very well be a rest-of-life keeper. It’s a ’59 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite, RHD (originally sold in Cornwall, UK). Why this is my Holy Grail is a long, complicated story but when it came up for sale recently I just could not pass it up. Two months in and no regrets, even with the ever-mounting list of things to do and money still to spend. All the pain and financial ruin still to come is far outweighed… Read more »

My Morgan 4/4 1600 competition of course. It was brilliant fun in the 70’s and I know it’ll be just as good in my 70’s.

You hit it on the head. I will forever keep my 1980 911 SC. It’s more raw than anything I’ve ever driven and never fails to put a smile on my face.

An E34 M5 is a wonderful car to live with long term. I’ve spent 11 years enjoying one while doing all sorts of chores, touring, back-road blazing, track days and taking kids to school. The 89 911 Targa is a lot more entertaining, but is less than ideal for the real work of day-to-day living. Your needs will determine the ideal.

The one I’m driving now, a 1999 Jaguar XK8 convertible, purchased new. I swore I was going to keep if forever after shelling out $80k. Like any British car, you pay the price, but it’s worth it.

Series 1 Jaguar E-Type. I’m a teenager, so it’s a dream car, but if I had to live with one car forever, it would be a Series 1 E-Type. I saw it on Top Gear a few years ago and I fell completely in love with it. It was just so breathtakingly beautiful. For me, it’s a toss-up between The Series 1 and the Eagle E-Type. Both are beautiful, and both are incredible, but I can’t decide. I don’t believe in selling cars though. It just seems morally wrong to me. A car is like a wife, except it just… Read more »