Intermittent Daily Podcast: The Weirdo's Paradox
I’m almost due for my next car. Well, in six months. Which might as well be tomorrow. My GTI will go back to Volkswagen so that some poor clod can own it out of warranty. And this leaves me shopping for a replacement. This is where I’m in trouble. Not only do I have car-lover’s ADD, but I am picky about cars I actually will drive and don’t want anything too common. Even though I’m a jerk, I won’t drive the official car of jerks everywhere. So that means no 3-Series. Did I mention I prefer a hatchback or wagon? All this hemming and hawing has left me thinking about a Volvo or Saab. The trouble is, despite stories of the better experiences (“My Volvo V70 has gone 400,000 miles with only routine maintenance), whatever I buy will be weird, and therefore will break down. It’s not the breaking down I mind so much, but the cost of parts and repairs. The trouble is, I’m not unhinged enough to actually think an Alfa or a Citroen makes sense to buy. So what I really want is an Alfa Romeo or Citroen with Honda build quality. And if you take away the breaking down, you take away quintessential European-car character. What this means is that I’m crazy, but not crazy enough.
Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.
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Evolution - the model with the wierd carbon fiber roof fins. Good car and chance Mitsubushi won't even be around the US in a year or two should give additonal points. Rare, Overpriced, depreciate like a rock and more reliable than anyone would guess.
92 Lancia Integrale Evo1! http://bringatrailer.com/2009/01/19/rare-in-california-1992-lancia-delta-integrale/
This is an old podcast right? Or did I go back in time again? Anyway, a 328 Wagon isn't a mainstream sports sedan...It's a wagon, and after the recent facelift it's pretty neat looking too. Yes you see them around a lot, but that's for good reason. On the jerks issue, I'm with TopGear on that one. Jerks have moved on to Audi, leaving BMW for the really car-loving ADD afflicted. Saab hasn't had anything going for it since that Saabaru 9-2X from back in the day, but that would be a step back from the GTI. The 9-3 is an old Opel Vectra, the 9-5 is a design from 1997. Volvo is quirky, but in a 'look how bland-yet strangely appealing' way, the problem is they usually have bland handling. I like the V70 as a concept, but that's not really the best car for an enthousiast to drive.
"This is an old podcast right? Or did I go back in time again?" It is. I sent a message to Robert about it. The real podcast is on Autofiends if you want to hear it.