Cars That Will Make It Past 200,000 Miles

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These vehicles will withstand the test of time -- and then some.

By Hannah Elliott

Want a car that will last a long, long time? Buy a Porsche.

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According to Consumer Reports' latest reliability survey, all cars and SUVs made by the Stuttgart, Germany-based automaker are rated average or better when it comes to longevity. One car in particular -- Porsche's $47,600 Boxster -- stands above the rest. It has the best predicted reliability of any vehicle tested by Consumer Reports this year.

In fact, predicted reliability for 2011 models of the two-seat convertible is expected to be 85% better than average. That's why, along with the Lexus LXand the Toyota Tundra, it makes our list of vehicles you can trust well beyond the 150,000-mile mark.

Behind the Numbers

To compile our list of the cars most worthy of trust over a long life on the road, we scouredConsumer Reports data from its October 2010 reliability survey for all new models in the United States. We selected the top-rated model in each of 10 automotive segments, from pickup trucks and SUVs to tiny coupes and family sedans.

The big result this year? While Japanese brands still dominate our list (Toyota and Honda had five and two entries, respectively), Ford has finally earned a spot among the best. More than 90% of the Ford products tested (including those with the Lincoln badge) have at least average reliability.

At the top of its list the $28,240 Ford Fusion Hybrid and $28,850 Ford Flex each received scores of "excellent" on predicted reliability, the highest possible distinction. They are expected to perform 53% and 60% better than their peers, respectively, according to CR data -- numbers that say a lot about the progress Ford has made in the last few years when it comes to competing with the Japanese.

"The Fusion is now rated with better quality than the Accord or the Camry," says John McElroy, the host of Detroit's Autoline Daily show. "And they have a hybrid version of it, which, even though it doesn't sell well, gives it a lot of credibility for the whole Fusion brand."

For Reliability, Think East

One vehicle on our list that is selling well is the $21,695 Honda CR-V. It was among the top 10 highest-selling vehicles in the nation last month, with 18,263 units sold (up 5% over 2009 for the year to date), and the highest-selling crossover or SUV in the nation.

Acura's $46,830 RL sedan, made by Honda, also saw major placement on our list. So did Toyota's $24,460 Sienna, $24,180 FJ Cruiser and the $12,855 Yaris, which received significant praise in theConsumer Reports study for its "extremely reliable" results.

"Toyotas are very reliable, they still perform very well" despite the massive recalls some models suffered earlier this year, says David Champion, the senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. "They're quiet; they're comfortable. The people who have them generally really like the vehicle."

The same can be said for Porsche's Boxster roadster -- but that staunch European reliability doesn't apply across the board. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are listed among the least-reliable manufacturers this year (the BMW M3 continues to stand out as an exceptionally strong model among these brands). The cars with the worst predicted reliability, according to Consumer Reportsdata? The Audi A6 3.0T and Jaguar XF. Maybe they should take their next cues from Ford.

Top Five Most Reliable Cars

Acura RL

Segment: Luxury Sedan
Reliability Rating: Excellent. Predicted reliability for new models expected to be 53% above average.
MSRP: $46,830

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Segment: Family Sedan
Reliability Rating: Excellent. Predicted reliability for new models expected to be 53% above average.
MSRP: $28,240

Porsche Boxster

Segment: Sports Car
Reliability Rating: Excellent. Predicted reliability for new models expected to be 85% above average.
MSRP: $47,600

Toyota Sienna

Segment: Minivan
Reliability Rating: Excellent. Predicted reliability for new models expected to be 45% above average.
MSRP: $24,460

Toyota Yaris

Segment: Compact Car
Reliability Rating: Excellent. Predicted reliability for new models expected to be 65% above average.
MSRP: $12,855

Click here to see the full list of Cars That Will Make It Past 200,000 Miles

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1638/cars-that-will-make-it-past-200000-miles/

Generation Y Giving Cars a Pass

The generation gap is a growing, long-term headache for automakers.

By Jim Ostroff

Selling cars to young adults under 30 is proving to be a real challenge for automakers. Unlike their elders, Generation Yers own fewer cars and don’t drive much. They’re likely to see autos as a source of pollution, not as a sex or status symbol.

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Motorists aged 21 to 30 now account for 14% of miles driven, down from 21% in 1995.

They’re more apt to ride mass transit to work and use car sharing services -- pioneered by Zipcar -- for longer trips. And car sharing choices are expanding, with car rental firms moving into the market, making it convenient for young folks to rent with hourly rates and easy insurance. Connect by Hertz, for example, is rolling out its car sharing services in the New York metropolitan area, with plans to eventually expand them to around 40 college campuses nationwide.

The trend won’t cause car sales to tank, of course, but the generational shift doesn’t bode well for manufacturers and auto dealers, which for decades have counted on wooing young new drivers to their brands in hopes of cementing lifetime customer relationships.

Gen Yers are a big potential market: At 80 million strong, they represent the biggest generation in U.S. history. Baby boomers are a close second, but millions of them begin turning 65 next year -- an age at which car purchases drop off sharply.

“It’s a matter of mind-set far more than affordability,” says William Draves, president of Learning Resources Network, an association that studies consumer trends and provides education and training services.

“This generation focuses its buying on computers, BlackBerrys, music and software and views commuting a few hours by car a huge productivity waste when they can work using PDAs while taking the bus and train,” says Draves.

Moreover, in survey after survey, Gen Yers say that they believe cars are damaging to the environment. Even hybrid electric vehicles don’t seem to be changing young consumers’ attitudes much.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1523/generation-y-giving-cars-a-pass/

What Model Year is That? You Might be Surprised

Cars with timeless design—they look good for a longer time and save you money!

By Nick Kurczewski

2007 Porsche Boxster

Blame the economy, or better engineering. The fact is, more and more people are looking to save money by holding onto their vehicles for a longer period of time. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you have to drive around in the automotive equivalent of a beehive hairdo or bell-bottom jeans just to save a buck.

Some cars are simply graced with timeless good looks. Put one in your garage, and you might start getting calls from Hollywood celebs seeking the latest anti-aging advice. Sound engineering and clever styling are not mutually exclusive, no matter your budget.

There are plenty of choices out there for car buyers not afraid of long-term commitment. Here are our top picks for cars guaranteed to grow old gracefully.

Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is one of the best handling cars on the road today, period. A Boxster is so fun to drive we’d probably forgive Porsche had the company decided to clothe the car in a refrigerator box. Luckily, the stylists and engineers in Stuttgart, Germany, added plenty of exterior excitement to match the driving thrills. On sale since late 1996, the Boxster, like all Porsches, has received a steady stream of styling and mechanical updates.

From behind the wheel, the performance difference between a 1997 model year Boxster (with 201-hp 2.5-liter flat-6 engine) and the latest 2010 Boxster S (with 310-hp 3.4-liter engine) is pretty obvious. Each year something new is added and refined, though this mid-engine roadster’s smooth and sophisticated shape remains virtually unchanged.

Ford Mustang

2007 Ford Mustang

In 1964 the Ford Mustang inspired the term “pony car,” an entire breed of high-performance sports coupes with a budget price and good performance. With the exception of a few fallow years in the 1970s, the Mustang has remained at the cutting edge of the pony car market in both looks and performance.

Completely revamped for the 2005 model year, and freshened for 2010, the latest Mustang is arguably the best-looking pony car ever. For approximately $30,000, the 2010 Mustang GT offers a growling V-8 engine and enough attitude to make Russell Crowe think twice before picking a fight. For 2011, the Mustang is available with a 305-horsepower V-6 engine capable of 31 mpg on the highway (when equipped with the 6-speed automatic transmission).

Volkswagen GTI

2007 Volkswagen GTI

The Volkswagen GTI first appeared in 1976, though it took until 1983 before it reached U.S. shores. Since then, this zippy Teutonic hatchback has earned a loyal cadre of fans. And like many other cleverly designed and intelligently engineered cars on this list, the VW GTI helped define an entirely new vehicle segment: the “hot hatch,” a boxy economy car with the razor-sharp handling and rapid acceleration of a sports car.

The 2010 VW GTI has grown in size and horsepower—although the familiar shoebox silhouette remains the same. A 200-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder scoots this Veedub from 0 to 60 mph in only 6.1 seconds. The combination of wild performance wrapped in a looking hatchback design makes the VW GTI the Clark Kent of the car world.

Mini Cooper

2004 Mini Cooper

The original Mini Cooper was primarily designed to be a low-cost car with as much interior room squeezed into as small a shape as possible. As British as a bowler hat, but with the international appeal of The Beatles, the original 1959 Mini Cooper was a pint-sized rock star of the minicar world. No wonder John Lennon and Ringo Starr both owned Minis.

Bought by BMW and totally revamped for 2001, the modern Mini Cooper is a stylistic tribute to the original. Larger, faster, and loaded with luxury features, a top-of-the-line Mini Cooper can cost more than $28,000. Go easy on the options, or stick with the 118-bhp base model and you’ll have an urban runabout that’s as much fun to drive as it is to look at.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata has been the best kept secret in the car world for more than 20 years. Mazda updated the traditional formula of an inexpensive rear-wheel-drive lightweight 2-seat roadster with the original Miata back in 1989. It was a bold move, and the dependability of the car, along with its ease of maintenance, ensured that the Miata would be popular with a large number of buyers.

Cynics sometimes deride the Miata as being too cutesy. Those in the know simply laugh, click the incredibly precise 6-speed manual down a gear, and punch the gas pedal. The Miata isn’t perfect. If you’re tall, you might not fit. And luggage room isn’t the best, the 2010 Miata MX-5 offering a scant 5.3 cubic feet of trunk space. But in terms of classic roadster manners and timeless looks, the MX-5 Miata is a steal.

Jeep Wrangler

2006 Jeep Wrangler

One word pretty much says it all: Jeep. To this day, the Jeep name is used to reference both the brand (now part of the Fiat-Chrysler alliance), along with just about any rugged 4-wheel-drive vehicle. The most iconic Jeep of all time is the Wrangler, a truck whose history can be traced back to World War II. Designed out of necessity, the original Jeep is the automotive icon of utilitarian design.

Refined over more than 60 years, the Wrangler remains the closest descendant of the mud-plugging original. Jeep now has a history of building luxury-based SUVs, like the Grand Cherokee. Yet it’s the boxy no-frills Wrangler (from its trademarked 7-slot front grill to its infamously complex soft top) that remains the heart and soul of the brand.

Toyota Prius

2007 Toyota Prius

Close your eyes and imagine what a hybrid looks like. We’re guessing the potato-shaped Toyota Prius springs to mind. Toyota’s fuel-sipping eco-champion isn’t traditionally sexy. In fact, the Prius sedan that arrived on U.S. soil back in 2001 was one of the homeliest cars in a generation. It took the stream-lined second-generation model, which went on sale in 2004, to set the stylistic mold for this green-thinking sedan.

The 2010 model year Prius continues the theme of using smart aerodynamics to improve fuel economy. Less wind resistance means better mileage, and the 2010 Prius boasts a fantastic 0.25 coefficient of drag. A gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain offers a realistic 50 mpg average during everyday driving. Innovative and eco-conscious, the Toyota Prius (and hybrids of all shapes and sizes) will be around for a very long time.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1500/what-model-year-is-that-you-might-be-surprised/

Cars: Flops then, collectible now

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Some cars that wouldn't sell in their own time have become highly sought after today.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com senior writer

Some cars, like Ferraris, are worth big bucks from the day they’re born. Others, like classic muscle cars, always have a following but attain collectible status only later in life. But some truly special cars are total busts when they’re new but go on, decades later, to find their place in the hearts of car collectors, especially those with a sense of humor.

McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in covering collectible cars, cites these examples as among his favorites in the flop-to-tops category.

Edsel (1958-60)

Value: Over $100,000 for convertible in good condition

The name Edsel has become synonymous with "flop." When Ford developed the Edsel car line in the 1950s, it was intended to offer customers something a bit nicer and more distinctive than Mercury cars but not quite as luxurious as a Lincoln.

Ford spent about $400 million to develop the cars, or about $3 billion in today's money, according to Hagerty Insurance, a company that insures collectible cars. During Edsel's short life, only 118,000 cars were sold, about half of what Ford needed to break even.

Edsels are valuable today in part simply because most cars from that chrome-and-fins era are increasing in value, said McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance. The more chrome and the bigger the fins, the better.

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Amphicar (1961-68)

Value: $26,000 - $58,000

The German-made Amphicar, the only amphibious vehicle ever produced for the mass market, was a strange compromise between a road-going and water-borne vehicle. It wasn't particularly good in either place.

Since fewer than 4,000 were sold -- much less than the 20,000 that had been anticipated -- their appeal as curiosities today far outstrips the number of working models available.

Other German-made cars from that time tended to rust easily, McKeel Hagerty said, but given that Amphicars appear regularly at collector car auctions, they seem to be holding up surprisingly well.

BMW Isetta (1955-62)

Value: $30,000 - $60,000

An early example of a microcar, or a city car, the Isetta fared even less well in the U.S. market than the Smart ForTwo, a modern example, has in recent years.

The ultra-tiny Isetta was actually a big hit in post-war Europe, where it fit the need for ultracheap transportation that could run on narrow roads using very little fuel. In the United States, however, it was bust.

That only makes it more desirable today. For many buyers, the Isetta is a sort of "comic relief" in their collection of otherwise fine cars, Hagerty said.

Continental Mark II (1956-57)

Value: $40,000 to $90,000

Edsel wasn't the only new car brand Ford introduced in the 1950s. Wanting to stretch into the upper realm of the luxury class, Ford announced the creation of the Continental car line.

This car sold for about $10,000 in its day. Sounds dirt cheap but that was about the price of a Rolls-Royce in 1956.

"The Continental divsion was meant to compete independently in that super-expensive range," McKeel Hagerty said.

The Continental was an impressive car -- and it still is -- but people weren't ready to spend that kind of cash for Detroit metal. About half of the 3,000 Continental Mark II's produced still survive.

Delorean DMC 12 (1981-82)

Value: $10,000 - $35,000

The Delorean factory was supposed to crank out 30,000 of these futuristic looking cars. Unfortunately, the cars turned out to be underpowered and overweight, Hagerty said.

Management troubles and drug trafficking allegations only added to the company's problems. As it turned out, only 9,000 were produced over two years.

The Back to the Future films cemented its place in the public consciousness.

Fiat Jolly (1958)

Value: $30,000 - $60,000

The Jolly, a modified Fiat 500 or 600, was intended for wealthy yacht owners who wanted a car they could carry from resort to resort on their boat. The seats were made of wicker and an optional fringe top protected occupants from sunburn. Not surprisingly, perhaps, it didn't sell well. That's why fewer than 100 exist today, a small supply that increases their value.

De Tomaso Pantera sold through Ford (1971-75)

Value: $42,000 - $65,000

The hot-looking rear-engined Pantera was sold at Lincoln-Mercury dealers, a rather incongruous retailing channel for a car like this. With its Ford engine, the Pantera was supposed to be easier to maintain than something with a finicky Italian engine. Alas, keeping a Pantera running wasn't so easy after all. Despite impressive performance numbers, dependability problems and a generally poor early `70s market for performance cars -- including gas price spikes and rising insurance costs -- kept sales low.

See the full list of cars that were once flops, but are now hot collectible classics at CNNMoney.com.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1469/cars-flops-then-collectible-now/