Thinking back about all the vehicles I have ever owned, it is pretty easy to decide which one was the best. A 1987 Ford Bronco II, my very first car, had every quality to look for in a vehicle. It had everything that people like about a pickup truck, but it was compact enough to handle like a car. It had the towing capacity to be able to take my boat to the river, and plenty of room in the back to bring all the essentials. It certainly didn’t get the best gas mileage in the world, but back in the nineties, that was not even a thought in my mind. In over two years together, I never had to take it into the shop, not a single time.
Fuel Efficiency
How many miles per gallon your vehicle gets has become more important every year lately, and rightly so with gas prices as high as they are. So it should be noted that I purchased my Bronco II in 1998, which just happened to be one of the best years on record for gas prices. The national average for gas in 1998 was around $1.08 ($1.39 after being adjusted for inflation). So even though my Bronco only got 17 miles per gallon, the cheaper fuel back then more than made up for the difference.
Reliability
That little truck was by far the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned, getting me where I needed to be every day for over two years without the slightest problem. There wasn’t a single time that it wouldn’t start on a cold morning, the engine never overheated, not even a flat tire. It was as dependable as it possibly could have been. The only visits made to the shop were for the routine oil changes.
Versatility
It is very important to me for a vehicle to have the ability to get out in the outdoors and hold its own, but also know its way around town. The Bronco II truly was ideal for this. Four wheel drive enabled me to go hunting and fishing without ever having to worry about getting stuck in the mud. It was compact enough to parallel park in the city without a problem. The back seats folded down, so it had similar storage space to a pickup truck, but with a roof to keep your cargo dry in the rain.