QOTD: What Brands Have Lasted The Longest For You?

by Tim Healey

Published: October 3rd, 2025

qotd what brands have lasted the longest for you

In light of today's podcast, I am asking of you -- what car brands have lasted the longest when it comes to your buying history?

For example, let's say your in your 50s and have owned a bunch of cars that you bought new. Which brands have had the best success with?

I suppose, for bonus points, you can add in the ones that have done poorly for you.

It's a simple one today. We've have a busy Friday, so take 'er easy going into the weekend and sound off below.

[Image: Toyota]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#QOTD #QuestionOfTheDay #Reliability #Branding

Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 74 comments

Pipedown on Oct 07, 2025

My favorite long-term ownership experience has been my 2008 Lexus GX, but not because it's been flawless. I've owned it since 2015, purchased with 90k on the clock. Currently sitting at 220k. Replaced the radiator at 150k. Made an "adjustment" for a common emissions issue around 170k. Developed the common passenger side exhaust leak around 170k, driver's side around 180k (so it sounds like an old jalopy until I switch out the headers). Rear air suspension went out around 210k. At 220k and no frame maintenance done, and being in the upper midwest, the rear frame section is badly rusted.... I think this will be situation that retires the vehicle, unless I have the frame work done. Despite all of that, it's been the most comfortable, rattle and squeak free, durable interior vehicle I've ever owned.

Like Reply
Joe168791608 on Oct 24, 2025

Tesla model 3 with 130,000 from new have not done ANYTHING other than tires. Don't even know where dealer is. My f350 ford diesel 7.3 power stroke has been very low maintenance with 280,000 miles and still goes strong.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Peeryog Everytime I see one I am reminded of the current Santa Fe. And vice versa.
Original Guy I watched that Moscow parade thing. (With the Cyrillic captions because my Russian is a little rough.) I won't give the whole thing away, but it started off with a couple of dudes riding around in stupid useless convertibles, standing up like Hitler, who I'm pretty sure was an actual Nazi. They drove around in circles and kept stopping to ask if anyone had seen all the missing military equipment, and all the guys kept moaning back, that no, they hadn't, ask the next section of guys.They looked around for someone shorter and sicker-looking than Putin but they were unsuccessful so they let him speak.The North Korean military was there, I guess the invasion has begun. The North Korean guys were skinny but their rifles were nicely polished, I guess they have plenty of time on their hands between meals.Some of the Russian military guys carried little white flags, I assume they keep those handy in case they run across any U.S. Marines.
Marc J Rauch EBFlexing on ur mom - Ethanol is compatible with more types of rubber, plastic, and metal than gasoline and aromatics. This means that ethanol is less corrosive. The bottom line is that long before ethanol could have any damaging effect on any engine component, gasoline and aromatics would have already damaged the components. And the addition of ethanol doesn't exacerbate the problems caused by gasoline and aromatics; it actually helps mitigate them.
Original Guy Today I learned that a reverse brake bleeder (and a long borescope) can be helpful if you are autistic and don't have any friends and no one wants to work with you to bleed your brakes. Also it is quick, once you figure out the process.When Canada assembled my truck back in circa 1995, they apparently used a different clip to attach the brake pedal (and switch) to the brake booster than what is technically called for. It is tough to realize this when the spring steel clip flies off to who knows where. Of course I ordered the wrong clip trying to match the style that I saw buried up in the dash before it flew away. My truck now has the 'correct' clip, everyone can relax.I ordered some more brake fluid (DOT 3, nothing fancy) but it turns out I still have two fresh bottles (my shelves aren't empty, I just have too many shelves).Went to install my fancy new Optima YellowTop battery and it turns out I need a new side post terminal bolt. (Yet another order placed, bring on THE TARIFFS.) It would be a shame to strip out the threads on a nice new battery, no?Good news: The longer it takes me to get my truck started again, the more I save on fuel. 😁
Normie Weekends here would be a great time for everyone to join in praise of dog dish hubcaps on body-color matched steelies!