QOTD: What's Your '20-Year Game' Vehicle of Choice?

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

Spending pre-internet years living in a place where everything worth seeing, doing, or buying was an hour away, necessity dictated the invention of games to stave off boredom during yet another mind-numbing trip to civilization. Games of “Count the Potholes” were always popular, but the most creative was the “20-Year Game.” Here’s how to play:

Recall the year you turned 20 years of age. Not 20 yet? Go read Jalopnik. Got your year? Good. Now, choose a vehicle from that model year. Any vehicle you like — but here’s the catch: it has to last you for the another 20 years, serving you through all the minutiae of life. Keep in mind, you’ll have to maintain the thing, keep it in fuel, pay for insurance, not to mention signing the note for it in the first place.

For me, the choice is easy. In 2000, the Jeep Cherokee was still an agricultural thing, with a dead nuts reliable 4.0-liter inline-six under the hood and off-road prowess challenged only by the Wrangler and certain mountain goats. Chiseled good looks and an interior designed with a t-square made it macho and about as complicated as an anvil. If the Gunslinger character from Stephen King’s Dark Tower books had a vehicular equivalent, this’d be it. With a few essential comforts such as air conditioning and a trailer hitch, a Y2K Cherokee would show a price of about $25,000 (non-inflation adjusted) American dollars on its Monroney.

Even fresh off the showroom floor in 2000, this thing was easy to work on and future parts availability was virtually guaranteed by dint of it being in production essentially unchanged for 16 years by the turn of the millennium. Add in space for a family plus enough macho swagger to warrant not cashing in my Man Card and the 2000 Jeep Cherokee makes my selection easy.

What’s yours? Choose wisely.

Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

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  • DownUnder2014 DownUnder2014 on Dec 17, 2016

    I don't think anyone is still reading this, but seeing as 20 for me is next year, probably a 2017 Toyota LC70 (either DC or Wagon) Workmate. Runners-Up are (in order): 2017 Toyota 4Runner SR5 (only at the top because of the proven technology inside, if only the 6-Speed from the Tacoma was fitted) 2017 Nissan Patrol Safari (4.8 TB48DE I-6/5-Speed Manual) 2017 Ram 2500/3500 Tradesman (SRW, HID headlamps, 6.7 TurboDiesel I-6/6-Speed Manual) 2017 Chevrolet Suburban LS (Must have Front Bench Seat/would add 6.2 V8 as well from the Russian spec Tahoe). As an aside, I wish the 2500 could have a front bench (GM Fleet says front buckets standard) I also wish the Ford Excursion was still sold, otherwise I'd have put that in as well... But honestly, affordable, probably an econobox of some type. Or maybe an old Falcon. If not either, maybe a late 1990's Triton/Ranger etc. I already drive a 1996 Corolla, so that would my choice of small car. Which also means I actively play the 20 year old car game right now.

    • See 1 previous
    • OldManPants OldManPants on Dec 19, 2016

      @Tomsriv "you would have to turn in your man card" Ideally a man card would be chipped to brick any ignition module.

  • Ttac4poc Ttac4poc on Feb 16, 2022

    '02 Toyota 4Runner Limited.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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