Cool 80-90s Daily Driver?

Posted by bdsasquatch@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 36 comments

I’m searching for an affordable car (sub $10k) to drive daily which would amount to 2,000miles per year so not a whole lot. My wife and I have a brand new SUV for traveling and I have a Mustang I’d like to relegate to weekend duties so it won’t be a primary vehicle.

I’m looking at BMW e30s, Volvo 240s and Mercedes 190s is there any particular reason I shouldn’t? Maybe even similar cars I should add to my list? My daily commute is 4 miles round trip at about 45mph tops, I’m just looking for something simple to tinker with little by little. I have always wanted an e30 but finding a decent one in Texas that’s not a convertible seems pretty tough so far

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interesting_oddball@reddit

Based on what you said I think you’d really like a 90s 740i specifically black🤷🏽‍♂️

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TheBobInSonoma@reddit

The list includes nothing that's "simple to tinker with." Come with something Japanese or American that's cool.

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crusty_mcnipples@reddit

Audi. I drive a Q5 that's 11 years old with over 100k miles. Driven it cross country twice. I do my own oil changes, brake jobs and spark plugs. Still drives like a dream. AWD, panoramic sunroof, banging stereo with a subwoofer.

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Which_Initiative_882@reddit

Miata

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bdsasquatch@reddit (OP)

I need a backseat or else I would be looking at an NA or NB, I had an s2000 once upon a time

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Which_Initiative_882@reddit

Can it be 2 door? I had good fun with a 4th gen Honda Prelude. The Si with an H23 or swap in an H22 Vtec and they move pretty good.

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NJ_Seeking@reddit

WV GTI

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NyanKandi@reddit

In the USA, Mercedes 190 parts are more difficult to find. The fuel injection system is also quite strange. I have both the 190 and e30, the e30 is definitely easier to work on and parts are way easier to find. Both are equally reliable IMO.

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VW-MB-AMC@reddit

Mercedes or Volvo.

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BunnyBads@reddit

Those classic 80s and 90s cars you’re eyeing are all fun daily driver options and picking one really comes down to which style and upkeep you’d enjoy most

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3Green1974@reddit

My 89 911 is daily drivable. It’s not in your price range, I just wanted to brag.

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bdsasquatch@reddit (OP)

Well you do have me beat there I’d DD my Mustang but it’s a boss 302 with 27,000 miles

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EuroCanadian2@reddit

What kind of cars are you familiar with working on? How much "old car hassle" are you willing to put up with? Of you get something with that's entertaining g but hard to find parts and you can fix mistbstuff yourself, can you your Mustang for a week or 2?

You could wait around for something wierd like an Alfa 164 or Milano to pop up for sale. Or less wierd, maybe a low mileage "survivor" big Inifinti Q sedan or Lexus SC400. Or a Lincoln Mark VIII which I always thought look pretty cool (and at least some the mechanicals may seem familiar, depending on what year your Mustang is).

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bdsasquatch@reddit (OP)

Not real familiar with working on a car at this point, have friends that are and access to a shop for anything I may get into

My Mustangs definitely daily driveable if whatever I get is down for a few weeks it’s just really loud which isn’t good at 4am when going to work

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R2-Scotia@reddit

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1995LexusLS400@reddit

Username.

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TheJumpingPenis@reddit

Agreed, but if possible, try and find a 98-00. I daily an 00 and still prefer it over my 430.

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LokiBonk@reddit

Came here to say this!

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GezelligheidBoyz@reddit

E36 6cyl (323/325/328i/M3) if you want a lil power.

4cyl (318) if you want better MPG

E30s are good but too expensive for what they are.

Volvo 240s are like comically slow. Not that e36s are fast but 240s are molasses like.

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bdsasquatch@reddit (OP)

I wouldn’t be concerned with performance at all like I said it will barely even be driven on the high way mostly just a cool cruiser is all I’m looking for

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GezelligheidBoyz@reddit

I know you aren’t concerned with performance. E36s are already slow and im suggesting it.

What im saying is if that E36s are slow….

volvo 240s are molasses which is slow to the point where it is actually a hinderance

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Southern-Usual4211@reddit

But the 240 is comically easy to work on and cheap on parts, the BMWs however are neither. I would go 240

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overindulgent@reddit

E36’s are super easy to work on. Anything and everything you’ll need to maintain/fix is documented on YouTube. FCPEuro.com will have any part you might need and they offer a lifetime warranty on everything. Even spark plugs and oil has a lifetime warranty.

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Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit

You said daily driver.

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overindulgent@reddit

Buy the convertible. I’m in Texas as well and we have so many rain free days. Basically anytime the sun is down you can have the top down. In the winter you just have to run the heater a bit and in the summer the ac.

I’m a Chef so my commute home is nightly. Basically every drive home I can put the top down.

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Hukthak@reddit

Volvo 850 Turbo sedan was the sleeper version of the R wagon. Loved my ‘96 speed brick.

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Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit

The vehicles you name are expensive to repair if you can even find parts. 40ish years old. Go newer so you’re not taking in a new hobby. And the only car I would look at for those duties is a Toyota.

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tk8398@reddit

Mercedes diesels are mostly good, just avoid the 6 cylinder 3.5 ones unless you understand all the potential issues. A 1995 w124 diesel would be a good one, especially if you ever go on long trips. Another fun one if you like e30 BMWs is an Alfa Romeo Milano, I had one and it was reliable enough to daily drive for a few years, although I ended up selling it because I only had the money and space for one car and it wasn't quite good enough for that to work. For 90s cars, later 90s Subarus with the 2.2 are good although not very powerful, or get an SVX if you are feeling lucky.

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NegotiationNo8351@reddit

Mercedes diesels are awful unless you want to asphyxiate everyone around you. I can’t tell you how nasty they smell and you can smell the diesel inside the cabin too. They all should go to the junkyard for the sake of the planet and everyone’s lungs.

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tk8398@reddit

Lol I have had 3 of them and I have no idea what you are talking about 😂

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unpolire@reddit

I would consider a W124 over a 190, and I have a 300E and an E420. I also have an e30 Cabrio that is a great and economical daily driver. Volvo 240s are bulletproof, but boring and lack character, being the "Chevrolet" of Sweden. They have German components and drivelines.

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Recent_Permit2653@reddit

Aside from my dislike of basically the entirety of 80s aesthetics, the cars I have been interested in from this era were stricken from my list because diagnostics (and therefore a lot of actually working on the car) are basically the worst of all worlds from the 70s through to 1996. Lots of emissions junk, proprietary and often very weak computer diagnostics where it does exist. Weird computer-controlled carburetors, vacuum lines up the wazoo, strange solenoids, all manner of ignition control systems…I absolutely would not want to maintain ANY of that unless it’s legal to strip the junk and run it as basically a 60s style carbureted vehicle. OBDII became the law of the land in 1996, so if you want an older vehicle, I STRONGLY recommend something ‘96-up. I’m not very good with tech, and even I can promise you that having OBDII capabilities is an absolutely MASSIVE leg up on diagnostics.

Plus craptacular plastics and quality and the aftermarket industries which supported pre-emissions classics just aren’t nearly as well-developed for 80s and early 90s stuff as it is for something like, say, a ‘66 Mustang.

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