These Are The Cars You Could Drive Forever

Hello mortals. A few days ago I asked what car you would pick to drive forever as a vampire forced behind the wheel of an immortal automotive companion. I framed it around vampires, because vampires are cool. Anyway, there were some surprising answers, from Subarus to Saabs, but one answer has gripped my imagination since I saw it: the Toyota Century. Of course! It’s the ultimate vampire vehicle. With timeless styling that already sort of looks like a bad guy’s car (or at least a morally ambivalent guy’s car), it moves through the world with a silent grace only a predator could appreciate. The Japanese dedication to creating a soundless cabin and jet black windows means no one will be able to see or hear what’s going on inside or out, and the the plush wool interior is easily spot cleaned after messy night’s out (or dining in). And then there’s the sizable trunk perfect for… leftovers. 

While the Toyota Century wins in my book, there are plenty of other good suggestions in here. Scroll on, if you dare.

A car to drive forever has to be a car with a good chance to last forever. My first choice would be an early-1990s Mercedes E-Class, preferably the 1993-95 model (dual airbags), preferably a wagon, straight six, no AWD, after the head gasket and wiring harness has been replaced. Not the most exciting choice, but possibly the most durable.

From Joe Stricker

I need a comfortable car, soundproofed, with a great sound system and a look that will never age (or will always be dated). So it will be a Toyota Century.

From Fremiii

Bentley Continental GT. Normally this would be a car I would be too scared to own due to reliability issues and high maintenance costs. But if this car is going to be granted immortality…then sign me up.

From Giantsgiants

If repairs don’t count: Peugeot 504 (or 505 wagon). Most comfortable seats ever. And I think the smell of diesel actually provides nutrition, I love it so much.

Mom had one in the 80’s. It never quit running, just ran out of power to get up the steep grade home. After the tow home and engine tear down, we found every single ring was broken.

If repairs count: Volvo 240 Wagon (maybe put those Peugeot seats in it, but the Volvo seats were pretty awesome too).

From DieselOx

98-00 Lexus SC400

Timeless styling, superb engine, comfortable seats, reliable, easy to DIY stuff, and from the peak Toyota era. Only problem is parts are drying up and aftermarket support is slim to none.

From Tex

Aston Martin’s DB9 GT. It is a timeless design that will always be beautiful. And with 540 horsepower, it will certainly keep up with traffic 50 years from now.

From Packardbaker

I’m already driving it. My 2014 X5 diesel at 155K miles is still in excellent shape with neither mechanical nor electrical issues (the automatic-closing doors still work). The body has seen better days with typical scrapes and scratches but no rust and it still rides and handles like new with no squeaks and rattles.

On the functional size, I can easily squeeze 700 miles of range on a tank of diesel and it just managed a crazy 35.5 mpg on a recent 450 mile road trip (the tires were a bit over-inflated due to the high ambient temperature). It has decent-enough ground clearance for an SUV designed predominantly for on-road use, and can fit a ton of people and stuff. When something breaks, I fix it myself or take it to my indie Bimmer mechanic who fixes it at a reasonable cost. It also has 19″ wheels and fairly thick tires (compared to newer SUVs with low profile tires) to handle rough roads.

I can’t imagine getting rid of it because it is worth way more to me than the $13K I would get on the resale market. It is the perfect car for dirty/damaging jobs (either taking it into the city or loading it with gear from Home Depot) and, aside from consumables, costs me only a few hundred per year to keep on the road. And where else can I find a 2.5 ton SUV that yields over 35 mpg? The penalty box GMC Terrain (1.6 T) I had in the past year could barely hit 24 mpg on the highway, which is very, very bad for an economy car.

From ODDseth

Gonna go straight to my heart, my first car. A teal green 1998 Pontiac Grand Am SE. It’s not pretty, it’s not evocative, it’s not reliable, it’s not fast, but it’s me. It was a car that to this day my friends will bring up in story, like it was a legend. There are days where I get a little wistful about that car and if I could drive it forever, I would do it in a heartbeat.

From Alf Enthusiast

1993-1995 SAAB 9000 Aero – Good Power, good gas mileage, extremely comfortable, practical, and I think it looks nice.

From BikeyBikeSwoosh56

If I look back at how I’ve used cars over the course of my life, I hate to say it but my forever car would probably be a Subaru Outback.

8 hours on the freeway (which I unfortunately do a LOT)? effortless and relatively comfortable and quiet.

Carry 2 bikes and gear and a canoe into the nort’woods? No Problem.

Carry kids and us halfway across the country? Actually comfortable. Except for the farting. Subaru, please install odor absorbing rear seats.

Picking up lumber? Carrying 4×8 sheets of plywood? Yay roof rack.

Decent gas mileage? Relatively inexpensive maintenance? Boringly reliable? yup.

As much as I’d love to list something cool, this is really how I drive. My car will never be the excitement, it will always be the means to get to the excitement. And as such, the Outback really is perfect.

From Buckfiddious

My ’55 Bel-Air. LS3, Tremec TKX, never fails to put me in a good mood and a smile on my face. If we’re both immortal, then I would look forward to the feeling that car gives me after every drive for-ev-er.

From Sector7GWagen

Porsche 964 C2 Coupe is a drive forever car paired with a 2006 vintage Subaru Forester turbo lovingly cared for, and massaged on. And yes, I would drive both cars year around!

From John