Well, we’ve reached the end of another week, and this week, I’m just going to keep things simple. We’re doing a runoff of the week’s winners – with the scenario that whatever car you pick, it has to be the only car you drive for an entire year. Sound like fun?
First we need our fourth contender, and it was no contest: the Mustang won in a landslide. From the sounds of it, it’s not because you all loved it, but because the Genesis redefined the term “sketchy.” I guess we’ll see how that Mustang does against the rest of the week’s winners.
For me, it would be the Mustang without a second thought. The only old Genesis I’m interested in involves Steve Hackett. And I actually like the New Edge Mustangs. They pay homage to earlier models without being heavy-handed on the retro look like their successor.
Now then: when considering today’s choice, imagine that whatever car you choose, it has to be your sole form of transportation (barring occasional rental cars when you’re away from home) for an entire year. Reliability is going to be a concern, as is fuel cost, but it also has to be something you’re willing to drive for a year. I’ll go through what I consider to be the pros and cons of each one to help you decide.
1977 Toyota Corona
The case for it: Toyota makes some of the most reliable and durable cars on the road, and that was as true during the Carter years as it is now. It’s also kind of a cool car, in a dowdy ’70s kind of way. Running costs should be cheap, too.
The case against it: No air conditioning and only a basic AM/FM radio might make for a dull, uncomfortable year. And you won’t get anywhere very quickly, either. Safety equipment has come a long way since 1977, as well.
2004 Mitsubishi Galant GTS
The case for it: It’s a nice, reliable, relatively modern car that anybody could jump into and drive without worry. It’s also rare enough that you won’t see ten more in every parking lot. And with as much power as it has, it could be kind of fun to drive.
The case against it: Nothing, really. It’s perfectly fine. It’s just a bit dull.
1994 Mazda B4000
The case for it: Old pickup trucks are incredibly useful things, especially 4WD ones. The ladder rack may be helpful, or it may just be in the way, but I’m not making any rule that says you can’t take it off. This should be a pretty reliable truck, too.
The case against it: It’s probably not a very smooth or comfortable ride. I think you’d get tired of driving this one about six months in. I think you’d get tired of fueling it, too; the 4.0 Cologne V6 is a reliable engine, but efficient it isn’t.
2001 Ford Mustang GT
The case for it: I mean, it’s a Mustang. It’s fun, more or less reliable, and practical enough for an everyday car. And this one seems to be in pretty good condition. It has a good stereo, and the air conditioning works. You could do a lot worse.
The case against it: Since it’s a V8, the fuel economy won’t be great. And it will be terrible in the snow, if you live somewhere where that’s a problem.
A year with a car really isn’t that long. I daily drove my green Chevy pickup for a year, commuting into downtown Portland in stop-and-go traffic. It wasn’t fun, but I did it. And many years before that, I made it almost a year in a ’78 Plymouth Volare that I bought for $175. My point is that you can drive almost anything for a year, so you could pick the one you think would be the most fun. Or the most practical. Or whatever. What do you think?
I don’t need to drive far or often anymore. The Corona looks fun.