For fun: What's the simplest car that could be a DD?

Nissan Altima...

Just look at FB marketplace or CL. They will last hundreds of thousands of miles, need next to zero maintenance (who needs oil changes), and any body damage helps blend in with the rest of the Altima'a on the road. 
 

Now seriously, I would say something after 1998 for OBDII and front airbags. I'd stick with Toyota or Honda 4 cylinder with a manual transmission and just change fluids regularly. Not simple in design, but simple to maintain, diagnose and repair when something wears out. 

It would seem that maybe a vehicle that is commonly the best selling vehicle in the US would be the answer.  It would see that then there would be commonality and plethora of parts and knowledge.  

But, isn't the often best selling vehicle in the US the Ford F150? 

Saturn. Can't believe this didn't make the first page.

In reply to maschinenbau :

I used to love Saturns and now I could not stand to drive something that noisy.

John Welsh said:

But, isn't the often best selling vehicle in the US the Ford F150? 

I have read that that is only the case because the Silverado and Sierra are considered two different vehicles.

I have a Model A. Hard to find a simpler machine. 
 

Maintaining and driving  it however would not be so simple. Do you know how to gap points at the roadside?

Ranger50 said:

F a car and family... cheapest pre 04 Harley sportster 1200. Convert to chain and buy a 5spd model.

I wish I got along with HDs, I just haven't ever found a cruiser I'd describe as comfortable. Id look for a shaft drive bike. Much less drivetrain maintenance on those.

With regards to the original question: I think it's a bit of a fool's errand. The simplest car is the one you already have. Simpler than having a whole extra transaction, anyway

'66 Mustang with the 200 cid six and a manual transmission.  Aftermarket all day long and anvil simple. 

Cactus said:

Ranger50 said:

F a car and family... cheapest pre 04 Harley sportster 1200. Convert to chain and buy a 5spd model.

I wish I got along with HDs, I just haven't ever found a cruiser I'd describe as comfortable. Id look for a shaft drive bike. Much less drivetrain maintenance on those.

I'm just looking at the aftermarket parts available for comfort. You can't break that 60hp anvil unless you run it out of oil.

John Welsh said:

It would seem that maybe a vehicle that is commonly the best selling vehicle in the US would be the answer.  It would see that then there would be commonality and plethora of parts and knowledge.  

But, isn't the often best selling vehicle in the US the Ford F150? 

Yep, this is a case where I'm not looking for ideas about a practical, common sense daily driver. It's more of a "Common sense got me a two week wait to diagnose a complicated transmission. Berkley common sense, let's see what insanity has to offer! What's the car equivalent of an off grid house made of a former missile silo?"

While this thread isn't entirely serious, I do plan on using the Dodge Dart on a semi-regular basis, and it might have made sense as a DD, sort of, if I hadn't let mods get out of hand. Which may have happened when I tried to put a carbed blow through turbo on it, or it may have been earlier, when I put disc brakes off a late 1970s St. Regis on there...

Oddly, I tried the '90s Civic route earlier, and that somehow managed to be the worst daily driver I've ever owned (which is truly astonishing when the competition includes a 200,000 mile Corvette, the above-mentioned Dart before I went off the deep end with mods, and a Honda CX500 built the year after I was born). Likewise, the 1970s Chevy pickup approach ended going off the rails about the same time the starter mounting pad broke off the block and I started thinking "It wouldn't be that much more work to put an LS in it..."

And oddly enough, I learned to drive stick shift on a Datsun 210. That was one car that wouldn't die, no matter how much teenage me wanted it to...

In some cases, the barrier to simplicity is me.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

How about a Stanley Steamer. A car that runs on water! 

As has been noted, if you want simple its hard to beat an ACVW.  Parts are still readily available, you can fix dang near anything with a toolkit that you can fit in the glovebox.  However as also noted simple does not equal reliable, they need a lot of constant care and feeding.  My dad did daily a 69 Bug in DC traffic for a few years and it was mostly trouble free but about every other month I was at his house tweaking and tuning.  It should be noted this was a car we bought for $500 so we're not talking about a restored car that was reliable because it was rebuilt, it was just a plain old bug that did what bugs do

Many of the other suggestions get into the "modern" era with some level of computer controls.  If that's a complexity level worth considering then Panther Platform Ford, end conversation.  When we used to banger rally we learned after a few years of driving interesting cars that the best thing you can do is find something that you can buy parts for anywhere.   You can walk into any auto parts store in the country and get parts for a Crown Vic.   They are mostly easy to work on (god forbid you have to change a starter) and will take a lot of abuse.

I think  a base version of something like a Camry/Corolla/Accord/Civic/Elantra/Sonata would be a pretty decent place to commute in.  I had a base model '98 Camry with the 4cyl/5spd manual and it was a very quiet, smooth car as a DD.  I'd probably go with an auto right now for a DD because I'm getting old, but modern cars have better soundproofing than something a bit older.  For me, I appreciate quiet more and more as I get older.

Just have to add: Datsun 1200 or B210. Dead simple, reliable, cheap, light, great mileage. Since this is only a hypothetical, I'll pretend parts are still around, at least for the drivetrain.

kb58 said:

Just have to add: Datsun 1200 or B210. Dead simple, reliable, cheap, light, great mileage. Since this is only a hypothetical, I'll pretend parts are still around, at least for the drivetrain.

Agreed, As I noted in my earlier post the A-series motor was produced worldwide until 2007.

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

I upvoted you for the awesome imagination, but horses are so complex nobody can make even one. We have to let them make themselves. I'd imagine that replacing parts on the side of the road would not only be quite difficult, but might land you in jail.

Early 2000s GM truck with a 6.0 vortec motor. 

In reply to dculberson :

Or, horses are so easy to make that even a horse can do it.  As a person, if you have two horses (one of each) you could rather easily then have a third with little or no effort on your part.  Sure, I say no effort but if you have to help with the delivery part you might end up wearing a glove that goes up to your shoulder...so, not exactly easy.  Also, then once out, there's another entire year of maintenance before you can really "use" the horse.  

MadScientistMatt said:

 What if I traded one set of problems for a different set and tried to press the simplest car possible into service as a daily driver? Something that might break a lot more, but as long as you can find parts, you could diagnose and fix anything quickly. 

i interpret "fix quickly" as "get parts locally today" so my nominations are:

anything SBC with HEI and manual transmission

Ford Focus with manual transmission

1990's Civic with manual transmission

"Simple" is very relative.  Most people seem to think carbs + distributor is simpler than EFI/direct fire coil.  But they do the same thing- one mechanically, one electrically.  Other than accuracy, the movement to coil packs and then coil on plug was reliability driven.  

And I'm also one that would argue that tons of maintenance isn't simple- it's more stuff to do.  Simple to me is just the minimum maintenance as possible- which would just be oil changes as needed.

If a ACVW would not need constant lash adjustment, EFI/ignition on that would be a great option.  

Since that isn't really an option, something 4 cyl, simple EFI coil ignition, and manual trans.  And I would also prefer chain driven cams- the only real knock on my BP with +200k miles would be the timing belt changes.

That would be the get in, turn the key to start, and drive away without a care.  Simple.

For the most part, being a Ford guy, that would be a Focus with a duratec 4cyl, the earlier the better.

Mechanically injected diesel still seems simpler than EFI/ignition.

buzzboy said:

Mechanically injected diesel still seems simpler than EFI/ignition.

Given that's a mechanical computer, simple is very relative.

John Welsh said:

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

How about a Stanley Steamer. A car that runs on water! 

In the bike world, I'd pick my Honda CX500 as the simple, reliable option. That bike has been bulletproof and I barely even do basic maintenance on it, and it is typically my commuter.

In the car world, I dated a girl with a 1991 Corolla DX wagon with a manual. I think that car would have to be near the top of the list, but I also don't mind a bit of noise. I really just want a radio, heat, maybe AC, and if it is more than a 2 door, power windows and locks.