I'm talking mostly about European cars...luxury, high performance.

what did you own, and what was your experience with reliability, repairs, overall satisfaction, etc?

My father and brother have driven SAAB cars for the last
20 years. The main reason they buy them is they are both
6.6 tall and these cars have the headroom. My Honda Accord
costs around $1200 per year to maintain while they spend around $2500. I spoke to my mechanic about buying one and he told me
I would "SOB" everytime I brought it in for repairs. They are
beautiful cars to drive.

I'm sure that when you speak of luxury "European" cars, you probably mean Maseratis or Lamborghinis or maybe an Aston Martin, a Bentley, Maybach or an Alfa Romeo.

But I can't have any of those . . . . my excuse is that there's no one to service such a vehicle around here. Even with my Volvo S-60, the closest actual genuine authorized dealer who can service it is still over 100 miles away and they often wind up charging me for a lot of "scratching their heads" time.

But I've had good luck with this Volvo S-60 now at 205,000 on the odometer. It was designed by a Swedish Firm which was owned by Ford (which is American ?) assembled in Belgium using a Japanese Transmission, Turkish and French Workers, with Polish and Lituanian Parts . . . . but, since Ford sold Volvo, now it's a Chinese Vehicle . It's Globalization . . . . and where's the responsibility ?

I got 340,000 miles out of a Saab 9000 before this Volvo S-60, and have little doubt that I'll be able to get that usage out of the Volvo. I'll keep them as long as they look new and I can find someone I can trust to service them. It takes me over 100,000 miles just to get familiar with the idiosyncrasies of a vehicle.

Knowing mySelf, if I had a real luxury car, I'd probably have to keep it in the garage so's it wouldn't get broken or worn out.

When a "maintenance free" vehicle is developed, I'll get me one; meanwhile I'm just chugging along with this Chinese Car that I've become so familiar with. It's still the zippiest thing on the road around here.

Here are cars I've owned/own, let me know what you think is "exotic".
1951 Mercury 2 dr
1952 Olds 4 dr
1957 Plymouth Convertible 2 dr
1962 Pontiac 2 dr
1962 VW Bug
1962 VW Bug
1964 VW Bug
1964 Mercedes 190 SL
1968 Dodge Super Bee
1969 VW Square Back
1969 BMW 1600 2 dr
1972 Renault R4 4 dr
1973 BMW 2002 TII 2 dr
1974 Mercedes 240 D 4 dr
1979 Plymouth Colt 4 dr
1979 Cadillac Seville 4 dr
1979 Olds 88 Diesel 4 dr
1979 Ford LTD 4 dr
1987 VW GTI 2 dr
1988 Toyota Cressida 4dr
1992 Olds Bravada AWD
1992 Olds 98 Touring Sedan 4 dr
1994 Olds 88 4 dr
1997 Chevy Venture short
1999 Saab 9-5, 2.3 4 dr
2005 Buick La Crosse LX 4 dr
2006 Scion xB 4 dr
2011 Hyundai, Tucson AWD 4 dr

most any European brand. I'm looking at reliability/repair history straight from the owners. for example, I've heard that despite their high price, BMW's rate about average for reliability. And Mercedes reliability has taken a big hit since the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Although my last Mercedes was a lemon (a 2005 E-Class, W211), I've had/driven enough of them to believe it was a complete anomaly. In my experience, they've been incredibly reliable and the quality is far better than anything else I've ever owned. I feel that I get the best value for my money from Mercs and resales have reflected that. My point of comparison of other vehicles owned is to Honda, Chevrolet, Infiniti, Audi, and BMW.

I <3 my Honda but I don't think it's an "exotic" car...it's coming upon 180,000 miles and purring like a kitten. Due to hitting a really bad PA Crater (PA is famous for potholes because our DOT is really lame about road pavement) I have to replace my front wheel at some point, due to a dent. I only notice it if I'm going over 70 mph, but it makes my front tire wear oddly. The wheel is pretty expensive which is why I haven't gotten one yet. The dealer said to look in a junkyard for one and I said "They put Hondas in junk yards?" LOL. He laughed and said "You have a point..."

My brothers current concern with his high end Euro Auto is the "Self Leveling" front head lights. If a stone hits this he is out $2400 just for one head light mechanism (his wife has crashed all his Saabs). Each headlight
has a super computer which is constantly adjusting it for the
eneven surface of the road.

Your tire cost will be high due to odd size's and special
speed ratings. Welcome to the world of Pirelli and other
exotic tire brands. I travel to Germany often and these types
of tires only make sense on the Auto Bahn were families travel
at a steady 200km per hour when driving up to the Baltic Sea
for the weekend. They drive at 200km per hour in the same way
that North Americans travel at 60mph. Plus these cars are heavy
and would eat through lesser tires very quickly.

Two thirds of my friends drive expensive Euro Auto's but they all earn over $100,000 per year. Many German Cab drivers drive
Mercedes Diesels and they last for ever, might want to check out
which one they drive.

I'd suggest that you take the exact Honda Part Number and the wheel size: diameter, width, bolt pattern and off-set and go on eBay to see how many are there for you to choose from right now.

I have found that when I want an individual wheel, I have to wait a bit because most people don't want to break up a set of 4.

But if you have patience and can afford to wait a bit, it will pay off.

What is it, an Odyssey with 16" wheels ?

My Dad owned a Porsche when I was a little guy (1968 912 evergreen). Not much more to say about that one.
The First stick I ever drove was an MGB. Terrible electronics, but plenty of fun otherwise. I think it was a money pit though.
I have owned a few different older 70's era Volvos. For the most part they are solid and reliable, but maint. is expensive...better if you have an independent mechanic. Performance wise they out perform expectations. I drove a standard 4 cylander and got it up over 100 mph onetime. It was not very quick off the line but it did okay. I could squeal wheel with it and do donuts in the parking lot. I was in highschool then.
I have never owned anything from Japan. Most everyone I speak to who has is very pleased. Now everything I have is domestic branded, not really by design, just by happenstance. Ford is my personal choice going forward. I have had 3 of their trucks and still impressed beyond expectation on all three.

Yes that's it Vermont. I never thought of Ebay!!!!!

Maybe not exotic, but certainly rare. My father bought a 1953 Austin America around 1958. Four passenger sedan with a 5 speed on the column. It was his commuter car. Then had got a 1958 Morris Minor, about the size of a VW bug but with a front engine. Then after flirting with a pair of Studebaker Larks (first a used station wagon, then a brand new 1963 sedan) we got a used 1963 MGB which was my commute to college car.

Meanwhile my mother had been driving Big Buicks all those years.

I had a 1960 Triumph Roadster with Side Curtains that you'd stow in the trunk (winders is for sissies) and you could reach out and strike a match on the pavement.

No seat belts or air bags in those days. When you hit a little bump, there was usually time to crawl back into the seat. When alone, I often drove around with just the Tonneau Cover un-zipped ½ way . . . . just a head sticking out, like a guy piloting a tank or APC.

I always carried a drinking straw with me to tune, or even off, the dual carburetors . . . . which seemed to perpetually need adjustment. But gas was 18.9¢ per gallon, and you got a piece of dinnerware with a fill-up.

It was a different time.

I'd like to see a picture of that VT.


This is the opposite of high end. The pinnacle opposite of luxury Shana, but I drove this vehicle for about 6 months.


The exciting thing about it - the only exiting thing - is that it was an Austin Marina. In conversation it is confused with it's verbal cousin the Austin Martin.

This was no such thing. I paid $400 for it and sold it for $25 after some unfortunate mechaical developments.
Once I ran out of gas and the car was totalled.

Consider this a negative example.

Sorry; but I think that was from a time before they had invented photography.

Maybe I have something caught on 8 Millimeter (Super 8) Film !

the British made cars and motorcycles have never been known for their mechanical reliability. LOL

I just don't want to hassle with a car that constantly needs repairs, or feel like I bought an expensive mechanics's dream. If you pay $80k for a vehicle, it should be reasonably reliable.

I recently saw a Porsche for sale that was formerly owned by Charlie Sheen. It had quite a few expensive parts replaced before it hit 50k miles. Charlie probably didn't care, but I'm sure that cut into his drug and hooker budget.

Some would just throw it away when it needs repair.

It's like "if" you have to ask what kind of mileage a vehicle gets . . . . then you can't afford it.

I think the key word is "hassle"; but that's life. The only time life is hassle free is when it's over . . . . then it's someone else's problem.

I imagine he worked the engine over and did not baby the clutch. I am thinking those were some rough miles, alot like his own experiences as reported. See if his Gramma has one for sale.

As an outsider I have always heard the way to go is Lexus and Acura. Not saying I would go there, but if you want to stay out of the shop and experience luxury, that might be a way to ride.

An d british rides are trouble mechanically.

An off topic and inflammatory post has been removed. Save your sarcastic, caustic remarks for the Misery Index thread, please. Thank you.

No worries...your verbal description provided enough for a great mental image. I will make do with that.

So were those also related to the Austin Healey 3000 ?


These vehicles had real windows that rolled up and down. For a few decades, I attempted to obtain several vintage Austin Healey 3000 Roadsters before my enthusiasm waned. I'm probably far richer for having allowed the feeling to pass.

My 1960 Triumph TR-3A Roadster looked something like this; but I had a black leather interior.
Please note the little hole in the Grille which allowed for a hand crank to, in an emergency, be used to start that baby up when the battery went dead. Only once did I have to avail myself of this handy feature (in the Student Parking Lot at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois Winter, 1967-68) I drew an audience ! (Good thing I was successful)

Looking at these two cars together, I can see now that chicks couldn't see the difference. That's leather along the tops of the underslung doors . . . . no room for glass to roll up and down. These are warm-weather cars, and have no place in Vermont . . . . but I can think about them for free.

And I'll say this . . . . neither car pictured here has an appropriate boot for stowing away the convertible top. That's a disgrace. I can say from experience, the top on the Triumph would be whipping around behind the car if left loose as pictured above.

I wish, but I know someone with a few beautiful exotic cars they are going to post some pictures up soon! I will add a link

My old neighbor had an Austin Marina! A '74, I think. He loved it, but man was that a funky looking car. I'd never even heard of it before then, and I don't think I've ever seen one since.

A friend of mine just bought a '97 Caterham Seven. It's so tight that he has to drive it barefoot. I can't even fit my (6-foot-1, runner's build) body inside the cabin. I guess there's a reason some cars STAY in the "exotic" realm.

I've always had American classics, mainly for ease of repair more than dislike of the European models. It's a helluva lot easier to find parts for a '71 Mustang than a '71 Pantera.

Given an unlimited budget, though, I'd love to have a new Morgan Aero Eight...