I currently have a 2003 crown vic P71 the car is solid and has been very well maintained. I have the opportunity to sell this an acquire a second owner 74 Dodge Dart Swinger W 318. I love these cars my first car I purchased on my own was a 72 swinger slant 6.

Question is how many of you would recommend these as a daily driver today? I commute about 28 miles round trip a day and a lot of daily driving ( 3 teens at home). I cannot afford a car I will be having to dump money in constantly other than regular maintenance. The Dart appears to have been very well maintained being a 2 owner and knowing the history, it has been driven over the last 2-3 years only on weekends ect.. and I am concerned that returning to daily use & stressed may trigger a lot of issues.

Thoughts, comments?
Are parts readily available for these still?

 

I like the idea 318's last long, are easy to fix and get great gas mileage. I would do a proper compression test and buy it. I think your teens would rather drive with Dad in this car. And not a damn control computer in it.

 

i know i would lol
go for it as long as it looks good from what you can see to your best abilities....i would also ask for recipts of anything done to the car.
good luck

 

I have a 1974 dart swinger with a 318ci, I drive this car about 25-30 miles to and from work about 4 days a week. Great car, handles well, gas has not bankrupted me yet! If it looks straight and you can get it cheap enough do it. And besides it will be a great bonding project with the kids!

 

It will do just fine. Make sure your insurance Co understands what the car is worth.. Not the $500 you get if it gets hit and totaled. The Dart will be more fun to drive, the Crown Vic probably gets better gas mileage- has overdrive

 

My '68 Polara is a 318 2bbl. I don't drive it in the winter (in storage), and I drive it mainly on weekends, but since the entire car is in great shape, I know it would perform fine as a daily driver.

 

If it appears to be well maintained, go for it.

 

Used 2 have one, and it would burn a little rubber! They run forever if they are maintained well, and dont run it hard all the time. After all, Al Bundy got a million miles out of his! lol