I need a recession-proof car

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by HarryD

You guys got it all wrong. Go buy a $1,000 car from the Penny Ads. If it lasts at least 3 months, you got your money out of it and if it goes a year, you are golden. When it dies, shoot it and get another.

Harry, I'm sort of with you but on the other end. An old V-12 Ferrari, 57 Chevy, C2 Corvette or a Shelby Corbra. Values hold up well.

[Robert Adams]

Speaking from around 40 years of car buying experience and at least 35 different cars, the Audi is a great car from a design perspective, not so much performance anymore, and is fairly cheap to buy. But, you'll pay 3 or 4 times what you paid for the car to keep it on the road.
My absolute best experience in cars holding their value with the least amount of work and the best resale vale is an 84 thru 89 911. I have bought maybe 6 911s over the years and I have driven them for 2 to 6 years and EVERY ONE of them was sold for what I paid for it or above what I paid for it including some odd ball services, but not including NORMAL service work which I would have spent anyway. My last 87 Targa even had fantastic AC. I could never figure out why, but I was cool as a cucumber in the middle of August here in H,H & H NJ. Maybe the linen interior?
Anyway buy a 84 to 89 911, you CAN'T go wrong! PERIOD!

[tcar]

If you can find a late '87 Audi Coupe GT with the 2.3L motor, it's a much better car, with a better engine, more power.

Never had a bit of trouble. Had cloth interior that wore like steel for some reason.

Same for the 4000CS sedan, late '87.