There are a lot of unappealing cars that most of us would never buy, and wish that automakers had never built. If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking of the Pontiac G5 right now. Or the G3. Or really any Pontiac made since about 1976. Except, of course, for the G8, which is automotive perfection according to their owners, who show them off in large numbers at cars and coffee events and do burnouts as they leave.
But how about a variation on the theme? What about cars that you’d never buy, but you’re glad were built? This question was inspired by a post on my blog where someone described the Buick Reatta this way. I don’t agree. To me, the Reatta belongs in the former category, somewhere between the Pontiac G6 and that awful Daewoo-based LeMans hatchback.
Instead, here are a few of my picks.
Buick Regal GS
I find the latest Regal GS absolutely gorgeous, reasonably priced, and surprisingly well-equipped. But what the hell do I know: I liked the old Regal GS. Yes, the one they sold from 1997 to 2004. Perhaps this invalidates all of my opinions for those of you who weren’t already skeptical after my post about Lincoln. The problem with the Regal GS – aside from the fact that it’s currently front-wheel drive – is obvious: it’s a freaking Buick. I wouldn’t buy it. But I’m pleased that GM had the balls to produce it.
Dodge Ram SRT-10
Unless I lived in one of those small towns where it’s a perfectly legitimate weekend night activity to cruise up and down Main Street, I would never buy a pickup. But there’s something hilariously cool about a full-size truck with an 8.3-liter V10 under the hood and an available six-speed manual transmission. I’m so glad Chrysler made this truck. I give a thumbs-up to the driver whenever I see one. (Which is usually returned with an offer to race, even if I’m standing on the sidewalk.) But I would never be caught dead in the driver’s seat.
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
I absolutely love the SVT Raptor. I think it’s one of the coolest ideas in modern automotive history. In fact, I think car ideas should be measured on a scale of “Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet to Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.” Sto ‘n’ Go seating would be in Raptor territory, while the Murano CrossCab camp would include the Cadillac DTS and Maserati’s CambioCorsa transmission. But for as much as I love the Raptor, I think it projects a rather negative image, namely: if you vote Democrat, this truck will eat you.
Honda Insight (2000-2006)
The original Honda Insight is a tiny little car that can’t get out of its own way – and it certainly can’t get out of the way of people in SVT Raptors. But aren’t you glad these things exist? I love the original Insight, if only because it’s a stick shift hybrid that can do 80 miles per gallon. On a downhill. With a tailwind. Assuming the battery is still functioning. Yes, speed and size are the two things that would keep me from buying one. But I’m glad there are still a few people out there committed to keeping their original Insight on the road, no matter how many SVT Raptors get in their rearview mirrors.
Nissan Juke
The Juke is heinously ugly from virtually every angle. But it’s one of the few cars that manages to be so unattractive that it’s charming. I don’t think I’d buy a Juke for several reasons, the biggest of which is that it’s not particularly spry. But in the world of compact crossovers each styled to resemble slight variations on each other, the Juke is tremendously refreshing.
Porsche Cayenne manual
The fact that you can still get a Cayenne with a stick shift is Porsche’s greatest strength. That’s because it shows that somewhere beyond those thick German walls, someone still has a sense of humor. Someone still exists from the days of checkerboard seats and the murderous 930. Obviously, though, you could never actually buy a manual Cayenne, since the market is limited to about eleven rich Boston doctors with farms in New Hampshire, plus the occasional CarMax rep who grabs one at auction without realizing it’s a stick. (“Why’s this so cheap? I got a great deal! … Oh.”)
These are my choices, but now it’s your turn to announce some “cars I’d never buy, but I’m glad got built.” Or, you can just post angry comments about that Pontiac G8 remark. You know; whichever.
Doug DeMuro operates PlaysWithCars.com. He’s owned an E63 AMG wagon, road-tripped across the US in a Lotus without air conditioning, and posted a six-minute lap time on the Circuit de Monaco in a rented Ford Fiesta. One year after becoming Porsche Cars North America’s youngest manager, he quit to become a writer. His parents are very disappointed.
Although I do own a Raptor and I voted for Obama… twice… I do really like the writing you’ve been putting out, Doug. Keep it up.
Hah! You’re the exception.
I appreciate the compliment, and, in all seriousness, I absolutely love the Raptor. How has it been?
Bro, he was addressing me. God, what an ego.
Matt, I do the best I can. You might have noticed that I’ve been commenting less lately, the paper route and piano lessons really cut into my free time. Sorry.
Matt, you’re officially a “TV” guy now.. you have to say you voted for Obama. C’mon.. tell us the truth ;)
I know one guy who is quite happy with his. However, he never takes it to the races, because he already has a project FJ that he uses for that purpose and beats the heck out of. So yeah, a stereotypical Raptor SVT DD, completely unexpectedly actually in this case.
It’s brilliant, with the obvious exception of fuel economy. It’s super comfortable for a road trip, great for hauling around our 400-or-so pounds of camera equipment, it can get anywhere I need to go to get a shot, which is sometimes up the side of a mountain or something, and with the wider track and unbelievable .85g it can do in a corner, makes a great camera vehicle. We mount at 12′ crane off the back of it to film with, and the shots come out great. It has all the toys I need (USB, bluetooth, excellent navigation, voice controls, backup camera, sunroof, power everything, a real luxury car).
Plus, when driving from LA to Vegas, on two separate occasions we hit dead stop traffic on the 15. I literally just turned off the highway into the dirt, sans exit ramp, and tore ass at like 80 up the open desert like 50 feet from the highway while mile after mile of stopped vehicle ate my dust. I drove from Baker to Jean in what was probably record time for a stock vehicle.
It’s cool enough for a car show or a swanky restaurant valet, practical enough to go pick up firewood or use as a work truck, fun as hell to take out to the dunes or trails, comfortable enough for a road trip, and on top of that, it has the highest residual value of any car in Ford’s history, except for the GT.
So yeah, I love it. The only problem with it is that Ford improves the Raptor like, every single year. So even though mine (a 2010) is stil awesome, the stuff you get with the 2013 model, for free mind you, just means that a brand new one is that much better than mine. Nevertheless, I’m going to drive mine until either:
a) the wheels fall off
or
b) Ford sells me one with an Ecoboost.
“I literally just turned off the highway into the dirt, sans exit ramp, and tore ass at like 80 up the open desert like 50 feet from the highway while mile after mile of stopped vehicle ate my dust.” — Color me green…
I see a bunch of Raptors here in middle-America, and I would love one (out of my economic reach, unfortunately). But the puzzling thing is how many of them I see in parking garages! How they get in there and around the sometimes ridiculous corners and low ceilings is almost magic.
“Plus, when driving from LA to Vegas, on two separate occasions we hit dead stop traffic on the 15. I literally just turned off the highway into the dirt, sans exit ramp, and tore ass at like 80 up the open desert like 50 feet from the highway while mile after mile of stopped vehicle ate my dust. I drove from Baker to Jean in what was probably record time for a stock vehicle.”
This is absolutely hilarious and only furthers the stereotype I’ve described above, while simultaneously making me want one even more.
I do agree with your point about annual improvements, though. I would’ve been a bit miffed if I had a 5.4 when the 6.2 became standard the next year. Then again, from a gas mileage standpoint, maybe not. Not that it matters: all are awesome.
If you’re going to buy one anyway, you REALLY want the 6.2. It’s not just the extra power, it’s that a) the transmission programming is so much better with the 6.2, it was a massive improvement and b) the extra torque. The 6.2 in my truck has to work so much less than the 5.4’s I tested early on. There are weeks sometimes where my truck doesn’t exceed 3,000 RPM and it really doesn’t need to. The 6.2 sounds beastier too, especially after I installed the AFE intake, which was promised to improve my fuel economy but, obviously, did no such thing.
“The 6.2 sounds beastier too, especially after I installed the AFE intake, which was promised to improve my fuel economy but, obviously, did no such thing.”
It has been my experience that having a car with an engine that makes entertaining noises is not good for reducing fuel consumption.
@CJ – The Raptor gets decent MPG for a 4X4 with a big V8 and big BFG tires at over 6,000 dry lbs. I’m not sure what you were expecting, but you’re missing the point of factory tuned, off road Hot Rod.
I’m not sure what I said that was specific to the Raptor, but you’re missing the point of what I wrote..
“brilliant, with the obvious exception of fuel economy”. Same could be said about Obama! Just scratch the word “fuel”. And, oh, “brilliant”.
None of us who comment here are normal or fit squarely into a stereotype.
+`1
Couldn’t have said it better
Yes, we are all individuals.
I’m not.
My ex-wife has described me as “depressingly average”. There must be a stereotype for that.
Unless she was a supermodel or an astronaut, I’d say that sounds a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.
You’re like the mirror image of my Prius-C owning friend who voted against Obama (and any other democrat on the ballot) twice.
Interesting… a Raptor instead of a limousine. But however you justify that low mpg, it’s okay with me. ;)
Regal GS is in my garage.
The Porsche pic, however, looks very 80’s interior style.
Admittedly, that’s the last-gen model (which came out for MY 2003). I actually got a chance to take a current manual Cayenne home last year and I have a great photo of the interior, but you get the idea. I’m more interested to hear about the Regal…
the transmission like others said could be better. the 1-2 shift is slooowww. And in the cold I’ve missed it while it warmed up.
I’m still a noob when it comes to driving a stick, but something about the clutch take up when starting is just funky to me.
The seat cushion could be a bit longer for my legs, but there’s enough adjustable to title it forward that I don’t mind.
now to to strong points. The engine which could use more more pulls very well. This is my first car with this much power and accidental over speeding on the free way is just to easy. I normally cruise ~10 over, so ~74 in a 65 zone. And if I dont pay attention creeping to 80+ is a blink or two off the eye, and the car is dead stable. I wish i either had more balls, or less fear of the cops to see how fast I could take it before feeling like the car is going to fast.
The steering is fairly to vary light, but if you hold it with a light touch there is feedback.
I haven’t experience torque steer, (did with another similar power car in the maxium). But depending on the outside temp + tires, wheel hop is way to easy to get to. IMHO the engine needs some better mounts. It should help with both wheel hop, and maybe transmission engagement.
I’m also fairly surprised by the suspension. IMHO buick/gm/opel did a great job with it. Its fairly tight, but even with my 20″ wheels, on normal roads I dont get jarred. If theres a big bump, or the roads really broken up (like after our wisconsin winter) you feel the bumps, but you rarely get tossed around. Turn on GS mode and you feel alot more, but in standard it rides just fine for something with so little body movement.
As for my final thoughts on it. IMHO the car could use more power at the wheels, and a better transmission. When my 3 year lease is up, i’m probably going to get something else (because i’m finky). That said, if I had a rough day, even after sitting in the office, going for a drive, short or hour long. The cars seat and wheel* are nearly perfect, and its a great place to be in for a drive.
*actually I LOVE the steering wheel. If there is one part I would take off this car and put it an anything I drive next is this wheel.
Very interesting. Glad to hear you appreciate the handling and that the suspension isn’t so bad. I think virtually all car guys agree that EVERY car could use more power at the wheels. I assume this is your first Buick?
I have a short car history:
1996 t-bird with a 6 that I owned for ~month when the oil pump failed on the freeway and the engine died.
then I had a 2001 sunfire with the 2.2l non-eotec engine that I owened for 113k miles until all the rattles drove me nuts. mechincally that car was perfect for all those miles.
a 2008 rabbit I had for 3 years and got bored.
and the last year I leased the regal after test driving the following:
maxima
cooper S
camaro ss
mustang gt
audi a4
It went down to between the mustang and the regal gs.
mustang lost because the steering wheel did not telescope. and I could not find a good seating position to fit in it. (before anyone goes nuts, I drove a rental for a week)
2 years from now, my current short list of cars to test drive before I pick are:
audi s3
focus st (recently drove 2 ford rentals for a week, a flex, and a escape awd ecoboost, liked both very much)
mkvII gti
possibly a wrx (if theres a new one with a decent interior).
I bet Buick was happy to have you! Based on what you were considering it sounds like you made the right choice, too. Not many choose Regal GS over A4, but considering the Regal’s vastly better styling, powertrain, and transmission, more people should.
if people think the regal GS has light steering, the a4 was just dead.
and the regal seats are way better then stock a4 seats.
It didn’t hurt I got like 6 grand in cash on the hood for leasing :-)
Absolutely. The Buick Experience leases have tempted virtually everyone I know. What a deal.
I agree on the A4’s steering. WHY is it so numb? It’s sad because I had an ’01 A4 and it was heavy and perfectly assisted and I never wanted anything else…
The styling part is obviously subjective, but what is vastly superior about the Regal GS’s powertrain and transmission? I know the Regal is rated as having 60 more peak hp than the A4, yet in any instrumented tests I’ve seen, it has either a marginal or no advantage in acceleration.
I can’t think of a modern luxury car that offers a duller driving experience than an A4. Even the C250 is vastly superior.
I practically live in the North Pole (Vermont) and I test drove some of the A4’s AWD competitors, including the 328 with AWD, and I found the A4 to have better handling when equipped with the optional sport suspension and to be no more “dull” than its close competitors. In stripped-down service loaner or $399 lease special form, I agree it is fairly dour, but it is a competent car when well-equipped, which does push the price into the mid $40s.
It also helps that you’re driving a Quattro car. That eliminates my biggest problem which is the CVT. I actually love CVTs (don’t tell the rest of the B&B) but not in a “sport” sedan.
If you were comparing the FWD/CVT A4 to the Regal, I completely agree that the Regal looks good in comparison. BTW, enjoy your writing, Doug. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Yes, the CVT/FWD is most of the A4s down here, but obviously it’s different up north. A three-pedal Quattro car would be a whole different animal…
I’m about 2 years away from replacing my A3 and the Buick Regal is on my list. I’m 61 years old so a Buick will be acceptable. I don’t understand the need for hot rod trucks and SUVs even as just fun cars wouldn’t you really have a sport car?
If you do end up buying the Regal, tell the guys at the dealership you’re a well educated, 35-year-old professional. You’ll make some Buick marketing person’s entire week! (It’s not fibbing. 61 is the new 35.)
Besides, they won’t know any better. They’ve seen as many well-educated, 35-year-old professionals as they’ve seen Mikimoto pearl divers.
Yea but I look like an old hippie and I like being outside the accepted demographic.
You’re a funny guy, CJ
I’m sort of close – 38 years old non-professional, but I bill like I’m a professional. Got one of the German built Regals in 2011. So far, I love it.
So they’re all great cars, but you wouldn’t buy them because of what (you think) driving them tells others about you. Live a little. Peer pressure and judgement is for teenagers. Drive what you like.
Having said that, I’d probably skip the Buick because buying one would mean I indirectly supported that ridiculous commercial where Shaq folds himself in half to get into the front seat and declares it comfortable…
Hah!
By the way: just last week, I posted a long rationalization of why I have a Nissan Cube. Believe me, judgement went out the window the day I got that thing.
My wife and I have two Cubes. We love ’em!
I’m on my second cube and I have never had reason. I think I like it more because others like it less (actually not at all).
The Cube gets my vote, if I were in the market for a crossover-something.
The front seat of the Regal is quite comfortable (I’m 6’2, 220 lbs, so not quite Shaq). The back seat though, especially with the front adjusted for me, is a bit tight
drove to Easter dinner in the back of my grandfather’s Regal. I am 6 feet, 198 lbs…I’ve never had backache until sitting for an hour and a half slouched in the seat to prevent my head from hitting the headliner. He had the tan and brown interior so while praying for the ride to be over since he was going 10 under the speed limit I kept gawking at the horrendous panel gap around the center HVAC maybe if it was a different color to the dash it would look better but it instantly turned me off of the whole car
CTS-V coupe. Kudos to Cadillac for offering really unique cars like this. But how someone could pick this over the sedan or wagon is beyond me.
Focus ST. I know if I buy one, the next day Kreindler will post “Focus RS greenlighted for US”.
Taurus SHO. I like that the name wasn’t retired, but the car doesn’t inspire passion like the original V6 manual version.
Better yet, the CTS-V wagon. I’d never own one, but I’m glad they made them for the 4 people who bought them.
+1
I would probably never spend that much money on a car but damn am I glad it exists! Plus you can even get it with a 6 speed manual.
I would happily own one, which is what stopped me from putting it on the list. Then again I bought an AMG wagon. I think the V wagons are absolutely, tremendously, incredibly cool. Just wish they were a bit more practical.
Agreed, it is a joke as a wagon. Barely more practical than the sedan. If it had been a smidge bigger, I’d probably have gotten one.
BTW, I’m glad your writing has moved from the ridiculously sarcastic to much better.
Really? While I just couldn’t justify the cost and fuel mileage of the V wagon, I *love* my CTS wagon. Having come from an STS and CTS sedan, I’m afraid I have to disagree. It’s much more practical. I just got back from Home depot with a load of lumber that would not have fit in the STS. Given the mail-slot quality of most sedan trunk openings, the wagon lets me carry things that even a fold-down seat sedan won’t. While I don’t own one, I have no doubt that I could easily carry an Ampeg SVT bass cabinet (the one with the 8 10″ speakers) in my wagon. There’s no way that would fit in an modern sedan.
@bunkie – My comment was intended to be more of a comparison to my AMG wagon, not the CTS sedan. Totally agree it’s more practical than the CTS sedan, but my AMG wagon had rear seats back there. It was HUGE in back. I fit a queen size bed, broken down, a large dog, an electronic keyboard, etc. etc.
Picked my ST up last saturday. So far no mentions of the RS.
Just had one as a press car. I was in love! Everyone who rode with me complained about the seats. So I ditched my passengers and spent hours alone with it on back roads at night. I didn’t mind the seats, and I loved everything else. How do you like it so far?
Absolutely love it. In fact I’m staring at it outside my office window right now when I should be working.
Love nearly everything about it. Torque at nearly any RPM, a nice chunky gearbox, way better mileage than my beloved B5.5 Passat V6, and a ride that while definitely on the sporty side isn’t unbearable on the pock-marked roads of New England.
I first drove this thing at the Focus ST Academy last June. From the moment I first sat in the seat I knew it was my next car. Waited until the repairs on the Passat got to be obscene to take the plunge.
I love the seats… then again I’m a size 34 so my ass fits. I can certainly see how some of the larger members of the population would find fault with them.
A couple of niggling points:
1) The cup-holders SUCK. My metal Contigo never-spill coffee tumbler is constantly making little “tinking” sounds. Imagine dropping a thousand really tiny ball-bearings onto a metal table top 4 or 5 at a time… tink tink tink tink. It got so annoying I now put a sock on it. Curiously this same issue is discussed at length on Edmunds.com long term test.
2) Still getting used to Sync. I love all the features but really it should be mandated that the thing come with a click-wheel as with BMW’s i-Drive. Would make searching for songs etc a hell of a lot easier.
3) It’s a pain in the ass to parallel park. Can’t see the front. Can’t see the back. Slowly getting used to it. Also terrified of scraping the wheels.
4) Speaking of parking, on these narrow Boston roads the Mack Truck turning radius really challenges my parallel parking abilities.
Other than those things… which really have little to do with how it actually drive… I am an extremely happy ST owner.
I’ve owned an ST since Oct, and I can agree with your comments. I wouldn’t worry about scraping the wheels — the Goodyear’s have a nice thick “bulge” where they meet the rim to mitigate any rim rubbing issues.
Personally, I love SYNC. I don’t find it as counterintuitive as a lot of people do. Totally agree on parking though – never had so much trouble in a car that size. But totally worth it considering everything else it offers. I’ve had a handful Porsches but I NEVER had as much fun poking around and pushing the gas as I did in the ST. The engine note is a major attraction too…
My friend went from an F250 to a Focus (not sure what model, but it wasn’t a cheap/low end one), bragging about his great fuel economy, etc. Two weeks later, he was complaining about the seat killing him and less than a month later, it was gone. He took a $1000 hit, but he was thrilled to see it go. He bought an F150 Ecoboost and loves it. I should have bet him he wouldn’t keep the Focus, I knew from sitting in it 5 minutes that it wasn’t going to be around long. And he made fun of me for dumping my ’99 Grand Cherokee for the exact same reason after a year and a half.
Doug, I don’t think people find SYNC counterintuitive. I think that goes to MyFord touch. And I don’t think that is the right word. Rather, I think people become subconsciously aggravated that it takes more touches (and more time) to do simple tasks than it should.
The end result is that they feel upset, but but don’t know exactly why, so they throw out terms like “counterintuitive.”
I’ve had mine for just a tad over 3 months myself. I’m very excited because I just put the Eagle F1s back on last week after having snow tires on since I bought it. An absolutely fantastic car.
What do you think of yours so far? I love mine, but that’s probably obvious from the line above;)
Dave,
Was glad I was able to hold off until the spring. What snow tires are you running? Will be looking for deals during the summer for this thing. Boston winters are no joke.
Timothy
Hi Timothy,
Mostly for cost reasons I decided to go down a size from the Eagle F1s to 235/45R 17s, and I found a great deal on CL for a set of 4 that had only see limited use in 1 winter. They are General Altimax Artics, and while they were a little softer than I would have liked (My friend who uses snow tires regularly tells me this is par for the course on snow tires), they performed well.
I live here in Michigan near Ann Arbor, and let me tell you firsthand that you absolutely cannot use the stock tires in snow or even cold. I drove it only once in the snow less than 2 miles on a quiet day with the F1s on to Discount Tire to swap them (I bought some aluminum wheels from them as well) and they provide no braking traction at all. *At All* It was the most harrowing drive of my life, and I’ve driven over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge during a massive thunderstorm in my parents old E-Series van.
On your cupholder point above, I take coffee with me every morning in an aluminum thermos, but mine must be closer to the radius of the forward cupholder (which is slightly smaller than the back one). My ST has a rubber tray insert to keep NVH down, does yours not have the tray?
Dave
Dave,
ST owner near Ann Arbor here as well. Where are you driving?
I’ve been seeing a Blue ST northeast of AA lately. Is this you?
Anyway, I’ve had mine since production started in Sept, ’12. Still get a goofy grin just sitting in the seat.
This was the best car purchase I’ve ever made. I get that many (most?) TTAC readers/contributors are of the opinion that a good used car is the more financially sane option. I get it.
But there is something to be said for the joy I get from just taking my ST out on the road. How do you put a dollar figure on joy?
I also live near Ann Arbor and drove 3 ST’s at 3 different dealers before I came to the conclusion that I just couldn’t live with the stiff suspension day-to-day on these Michigan cow paths. I really loved driving it but couldn’t live with it. Now if I lived where they have roads, it would be a whole different story.
Hey man! I really do love my G8!
Add the 2003-2010? Lex SC430 to this list.
Thought about putting it but removed it because I thought you guys would skewer me. I’ve always liked that car for reasons I could never articulate. Would never dream of buying one.
I think it fits the mold well of a car we’re glad was built but we wouldn’t get ourselves involved in.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about the B&B’s potential disdain, always speak your mind.
*distain
“disdain” = contempt, scorn, unworthy
“distain” = discolor, stain, sully
I think you were right the first time.
I believe you are correct. I looked at it the first time and it didn’t look right, hence the [in]correction. Always better to go with your gut.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned about the B&B’s potential disdain, always speak your mind.”
I agree. Many of them are trolls trying to impress the rest of us and tell us everything they know in 20 words or less.
As long as you stick to the truth the way you know it to be, always speak your mind.
One person’s disdain may very well be another person’s way of life or experience.
The SC430 would be near the top of my “I thought they stopped building that in 2004” list. I will admit that I thought it was “cool” when it was released, but I was in high school at the time and couldn’t afford a car.
I had a similar discussion with a buddy of mine just a few weeks ago. My choice for Glad They Built It/I’d Never Buy It was and still is the PT Cruiser. He argued what an ugly piece of crap it was, and I can’t say I entirely disagree, but I still admire Chrysler for building it. For better or worse, it was unlike anything else on the road at the time. They took a huge chance with the styling, and as it happened it paid off for them in terms of sales, but in a world of faceless Camrys and Accords it could have very easily gone the other way.
I think the PT Cruiser is beautiful, but I would never buy it. My wife would though, and since I am in charge of buying cars for my wife, I did buy one. This was a 2003 Turbo GT that had sat in the showroom for almost two years.
It has been a great car; it’s fun to drive and it holds an amazing amount of stuff, especially if you are strong enough to get the back seats out. In the eight years she has owned it I’ve driven it a lot, if only to make sure it gets some highway miles. Only 55,000 miles but no real problems yet.
I think if they had released the PT cruiser before the prowler it would have made a case for keeping Plymouth I liked the idea they were going with of making Plymouth the Value/Retro brand. of course I live in a dream world where I wished Pontiac was still around
imagine if you will though
Plymouth: Value/Retro
Dodge: Sport/mid market
Chrysler: actual Luxury (although they are starting to get aspirations under Fiat rule)
Really, Chrysler should have been luxury & Imperial should have come back for ultra-luxury (Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, etc)
Agree w/ you on PT… Unique at the time… special for it.
The only good thing that happened to the Juke, was the “Juke R” sporting a transplanted GTR driveline. Reminds me of the old-school Shogun Ford Fiesta with a SHO motor shoved in the hatch.
Audi A3 — for leading the push (in the US) towards small luxury cars, breaking the trend that anything over $30k has to be a midsize+. But I’d never buy it because there are so many better Golfs and Jettas for that money :D
Raptor, totally agree.
Aztek, for leading the way for the Juke to burn our retinas.
Subaru Baja — at least on paper, it’s a pretty amazing idea. America needs more utes (preferably Holden-based).
Jetta/Golf tdi — for being one of the first modern, mainstream, affordable diesels to help change the mass mindset. I’d probably never buy one because I don’t drive enough, and diesel is too pricy in my area to break even easily.
Toyota Prius — obvious. The more people on board with these, the cheaper and better they become.
Tesla/Fisker cars — ditto.
“Subaru Baja — at least on paper, it’s a pretty amazing idea. America needs more utes (preferably Holden-based).”
You know I had forgotten those even existed and you are so right.
I had already written half the Baja’s summary when I realized the list had too many trucks on it. Plus, the lesbian jokes would’ve pissed everyone off.
Totally agree. Agree on the A3 in the “glad they made it” sense, but can’t say I’d never buy one. Even though I owned an ’07 GTI, I’d love an A3.
+1 for the Fisker. I would never buy one (chiefly because I don’t make that kind of money), but I love the idea of a series hybrid.
There are 27 Fisker Karmas on ebay right now, their owners hoping to cut their losses at the same sort of $10 to $20 a mile depreciation seen by Tesla Roadster owners when the novelty wore off.
The Volkswagen Golf R Mk VI.
I saw one of these rumble by in a parking lot earlier today (the 4-door variation) and I had to give the driver a “thumbs-up” (he was not too cool to acknowledge my acknowledgment, which was refreshing).
Everyone loves the refinement, the performance, the drivetrain, and the limited nature of the car…and with the Mark VI, ALMOST everyone loves the “manual only” gearbox option…but no one short of the most rabid of V-DUB fanboiz would admit that paying in excess of $35k for a Golf that will be routinely smoked by an Evo or a Subaru WRX/STI (or even a Mazdaspeed3 or Ford Focus ST) is a good idea.
A GTI from the same company can be had for a lot less and will deliver most of the same performance. It is a mantra that car mags/websites have been repeating for generations, but it doesn’t make the R32/Golf R any less of a great car.
Except that for around $1,600 in mods they will put over 350 hp to the wheels, and easily run with an STI/Evo, for just a bit more money, total. Just think of it as the price you pay for not having an interior that looks like it was made by a screen-door manufacturer.
My choice for this post? The upcoming VW GTD. I don’t want a GTI that will be quite a bit slower than my GTI but get 10 more mpg, but I’m glad they’re building it.
“Except that for around $1,600 in mods they will put over 350 hp to the wheels, and easily run with an STI/Evo, for just a bit more money, total.”
Yeah but how many people are going to buy a 40 Thousand Dollar can and then immediately void the warranty? Or can you make those changes without losing your warranty?
There are various interpretations of this answer, as to the warranty. They don’t have much trouble handling that power level, and in any event the only warranty issue would be with the powertrain, not the whole car. How many owners? Lots of them.
Oh please. You can add 100hp for a mere $1600? I’ll believe it when I see it. Either way, same $1600 worth of stuff on a WRX/STi would go much further and it’ll still be cheaper overall. Also, in long term I trust Subaru way more than I’d ever trust VW. Buying a German turbo awd car is just asking for trouble.
350 hp on the front wheels? An undriveable car.
Or, a repeat of what I saw with my own eyes in the 1960s when a guy put a monster engine in a clapped out old Chevy. He torqued the rear axle right out of the straps that held it to the leaf springs. (suspensions were somewhat crude in those days).
On a more serious note, VAG rates that engine for 20-30 hp higher output when they put it in an Audi and, given the GTI’s 0-60 performance, it seems like that rating is more honest than the 200 hp rating applied to the engine in the GTI.
350 to all four wheels I think you mean…the R32 is AWD.
The Golf R is all-wheel-drive. the GTI/GTD is front drive. That’s part of the price premium: the other part is the “built” motor. Same 2.0L but with stronger internals, a larger turbo, better intercooling etc.
350bhp at the crank with “bolt ons” is pretty believable. The K04 turbo flows a lot better, so the basic stage 2 tune/high flow downpipe/diverter valve that doesn’t pop/exhaust/intake/charge piping setup would probably get you there.
It’s not like the old days where you threw a cam in your LT1 and got 20 extra horsepower on race gas… these modern DI/Turbo cars see SERIOUS gains with little changes since they’re setup so conservatively
“350 hp on the front wheels? An undriveable car.”
A W-34 Olds Toronado had a 455cu V-8 with 400hp and 500ft lbs and was FWD.
Again, I’m not saying the R32/Golf-R are bad cars…I love them, and I’m certainly not opposed to the idea of modding them…but in doing so you’re blurring the line in the argument of whether it is best to buy a releatively inexpensive car to mod and spend a lot of money to make faster (which is acceptable if you buy a beater or a reasonably low-priced new car), or just pay the extra money for a car that already goes fast.
The Golf-R is a fabulously well-appointed car that does a lot of things ALMOST as well as some other cars that cost A LITTLE less…but I’m not sure it does those things exponentially better than some other cars that cost a good deal less. It is the buyer’s decision to make.
I’d have one in a second…just not at the price V-Dub charges on the lot as a new car.
Some interesting picks. I’d feel the same about the manual Cayenne, except its almost hypothetical existence is a byproduct of the Cayenne existing at all, which I’m not the least bit glad about. I agree with you about the Dodge Ram SRT-10. It has just the right level of outrageousness. I used to work with a probable ELF member, and he said he wanted to set one on display at a local dealer show on fire. He works for the government now, with a high security clearance level. I’m not glad about that.
My own list used to include the Wrangler, but it’s gotten so big that I’m not sure anymore. I’m glad the Prius exists. It’s a useful foil for the sorts of folks that think CAFE can magically make cars more efficient. That’s what a 50 mpg car is. Anyone that actually wants one can buy it. The C6 ZO6 was another car on this list. Every time I came too close, I realized the details meant it wasn’t a car I’d be happy with. Still, I’m glad I lived to see another 427 Corvette. I’m glad the Miata exists, at least until they become forced-induction-only.
You can add the following to the list:
Plymouth Prowler–Had a chance if they installed a high HP engine to support the looks
BMW X6M–Great drive train, but horrible to look at
BMW 5 Series GT–Maybe id there was an “M” version, but I am not sure any part of this car qualifies for your list.
Mercedes AMG CLA-45– Sounds like it would be fun to drive, but the styling leaves a lot to be desired IMO.
I nominate the Lamborghini Veneno…..I am probably 1 of 4 people in the world who like what they did with that car (the other 3 being the billionaire owners of the only 3 pieces they will produce) but I always thought that the design was right up Lambo’s design alley…they have always been one notch below bat-shit crazy with their designs…and I am glad they are making it.
Definitely prefer it over that stupid LaFerrari or whatever…
Others include:
– CTS-V Wagon
– Lexus IS-F (as long as the S4/S5 exist or the M3 exist, I would never buy the IS-F)
man, I’d buy an IS-F over an S4 or M3 any day. And I’m a BMW guy – the IS-F is so ****ing cool. Have you heard one?
I have. It sounds awesome and thats about it…plus I suppose as much as I am a car guy, I do like me a smidgen of luxury in my rides…while none of the above cars offer a luxury ride, the germans offer better seats – something that I consider a luxury in cars like these.
I’m glad they built the Prius since it started a hybrid revolution, especially the 2nd Gen model. However, I wouldn’t be caught in one.
Spartan, exactly MY sentiments, dude!
I would never buy one but I’m sure glad that there are Hybrids and EVs available for those people who want to buy and drive one for philosophical reasons.
What I object to is the blatant propaganda from the tree huggers that tout EVs as the wave of the future. They’re not the wave of the future. They are expensive, overhyped and only an infinitesimally small niche for fans and true believers.
What adds insult to injury is that the US taxpayers are subsidizing this folly.
Just about any Range Rover/Disco with a gas V8 – all generations, but for different reasons.
And a RR Sport Supercharged in particular. Wonderful style and concept, but the 22″ wheels and a tiny fuel tank giving a driving range on a tankful that barely beats Nissan Leaf…
“Disco with a gas V8”
I love, love, love the Disco. I love the way it looks on the outside and its interior. But I will probably never buy one because I am terrified of it turning into a beautiful money pit.
The Humber Super Snipe. Mainly, because I love saying “Humber Super Snipe”. The other reason is because I used to say it as a joke on Jalopnik and I ran into a guy who was totally into Humber Super Snipes – indeed, ALL things Humber. He addressed me kindly and patiently while providing info and links that made me realize that there is something to love and/or appreciate in nearly every car. This gentleman led me to look at not only Super Snipes, but many cars, with a different perspective. Having said that, I will still admire the Super Snipe from afar.
I’m glad they built the new MINI Cooper. It was the first car to bring prestige to the tiny-car market. It was the beginning of the end of the “small car as penalty box” era.
But I won’t own one, because I think they’re over-engineered and not a good price/value balance for my needs.
Agreed. I love the way these things drive, but left to my own devices, would choose something else to buy.. But alas, since I’m married to a MINI fanatic, we have one in our Garage… Ice blue, no less, with little damson red hubcap centers. Now, I’m sure of my own manhood, but driving that car is… well, a test.
I share your perspective–my wife is on her second MINI. A cool car, but not what I’d spend my own money on. Thankfully she does well for herself, so it’s her call as to what she drives.
I disagree. The original car was very cool in a tiny sort of way. The new car is a BMW abomination made by German “engineers”. Which means complex and very overpriced. Not a fan of the new Mini.
The truth hurts, but here goes:
1) Toyota Matrix. Has an AWD option, but only with base 1.8. Living in the hills of Western Mass, its either Subies or crossovers. The fact that awd, decent mpg, and reliability can be had fairly inexpensively is something to consider. For my wife. Who thinks I’m touched.
2) Chrysler 200 Convertible. 3.6 liter pentastar and retractable hardtop. Its nice to know there is a roomy, decent, 4 season convertible on the market. I rack up over 30,000 miles a year, and wish my daily driver had an open roof.
GMC Syclone. My college roommate had one and it would snap your neck off the line. A great, fun, little truck. We must have moved all our worldly possessions at least 10 times in that thing, so it could be practical too.
All-wheel drive madness in a truck!
Sometime in the next year I’m going to be buying a new car. The Juke is on my short list. I must be part of that tiny minority that thinks an anime bullfrog looks good.
But then, I became interested in cars during an era when mag wheeled, airbrushed vans, AMC Gremlins, and VW 181(Things) were common. So my mind may have been irreparably warped early on.
I slightly regret not test driving the juke. because I thought it would be to tiny for me. Then I drove one with my sister and was like wow. I fit pretty well.
transporting lots of stuff might be hard, but it was a nice ride.
I think you’re onto something. The first car show my father took me to was a Van show. Acres of dragons, wizards, viking-babes, charging bands of horses…and that was just the murals. There is still something I find so appealing about fat-tired short-wheelbase vans.
The Nismo-Juke was just released btw. Hoo-ray for weird! (But I drive a 12-year-old CUV that carries it’s own picnic-table, so my perspective is odd at best.)
Juke owner here. Best value under 20k by far. Its got plenty of power for commuting and it actually handles really well despite the ground clearance. Test drive one and you’ll be shocked. So far no issues with in 50k miles and it still feels like a new car.
It is a fun little machine. I wish I was 2 or 3 inches less tall. It’s a hair too snug for me, but perfect for my lady. I still love driving it to death. Such a fun little beast. Did Baruth ever review it on here? We have the 6MT SL trim, and what a blast it is. This is my first Nissan, but it may well not be my last.
So much bitching on here about carbon-copy Vanillamobiles, but as soon as something that breaks the mold comes along, out come the torches and pitchforks. I am GLAD that the Juke sells well.
Mazda Miata
Lovely little cars that I would never own for the simple reason that I don’t fit in them.
Does the Spitfire have more room? I sat in a Miata at a car show when they first came out and concluded that I didn’t fit based on the windshield header being directly in my view. Then one of the first people I knew of that bought one was about 6’5″. I always found a way of fitting in X1/9s and the like. Somehow, I was happy to have a reason to write off the Miata after my local dealer had a Car and Driver cover photo taped to their showroom floor “because we advertised that we had one on the floor.”
Yes, the Spitfire has a TON more room in it than a Miata, despite being MUCH smaller. All that modern safety and HVAC crap takes up a ton of space! The Spitfire has more cargo space behind the seats than the Miata has trunk space, plus it has a trunk at least 2X the size. The windshield header in the Spitfire has to be worked around by me as well, but I am all torso with short legs. And the header in the Spitfire is a fraction of the size. You get used to it. I don’t even have the seat as far back as it will go in the Spitfire.
A buddy of mine has had an early Miata for about 15-16 years now, and it is a great car, but the seat just does not go back far enough for me to drive it comfortably, and there is just NO space in the car at all. And of course, back then they were fairly new and cost 3-4x what I paid for my Spitfire. Definitely WAAAY more suitable as an only car, which his was for the first few years.
Of course now the roles are reversed all these years later – a decent early Miata is 1/2-1/3 the price of a decent Spitfire.
I’m 6’2″ and 270 and the x1/9 and Miata (bought one for my oldest son) are both roomy enough for me. IMO a sportscar is supposed to be small, light, and highly tossable… In other words FUN!!!
+1 add the Honda S2000 to that list. I know; I tried both.
Almost any car that I’m glad was built I would buy, except for maybe another air-cooled VW or one of Chryslers million K-Car variants.
Frankly I don’t think the Juke should’ve been built to begin with though, it contributes nothing to automotive technology and it hurts my eyes to look at.
Speaking of K-car variants, my nomination is the Chrysler-Maserati convertible. Loved them in that pale yellow color from the day they first came out; good thing I never owned one.
Gotta be the 7-series. Very unlikely to ever buy but damn I wanna cruise in that thing for about 3000 miles barefoot.
i’m glad they built the FRSGT86BRZ868686, but I won’t buy one.
it is a perfect car in so many ways, but I just do not like that it has a boxer engine. i love Subarus, I even owned one. and in a proper Subaru, the turbo boxer is really neat. it felt tough and torquey and in a 4wd sedan it fit very very well.
but in a small, light, rwd car, I can’t help longing for a simpler inline 4. the character of an inline is of course different from that of a boxer, and I personally just love the way an inline 4 moves through the revs. and the way it sounds.
so I’m happy that they built it and that it has been received positively, but for me it just doesn’t check all the boxes.
agreed.
I may not like the fact that IMHO its down on power. But its better its here then not.
I was wondering if this car would make the list.
I don’t mind the boxer engine…I’d add the TRD exhaust system to bring it out a little more, truth be told.
But it always comes back to the power…and God help you if you question it, because then the hachi-roku fanboiz -sorry, “enthusuasts”- fall all over themselves telling you that you don’t “get” the car and maybe you’d be better off in a Mustang V6 or Genesis Coupe, blah, blah, blah…
No. $25k-PLUS is a lot to pay for 200hp that you really need to be on a track to get the most benefit from; there’s nothing wrong with expecting some “real world” power, maybe in the 225-250 range. Either that or bring the asking price down so the lower power range combined with the low grade interior gives the buyer the satisfaction of knowing that at least they get what they pay for.
And I’m not bashing the car, I love it, and one day hope to teach my son to drive on one. But it’s not a $25k car.
Between the yen/dollar exchange rate when it was developed and first put on the market, and the cost of developing a brand new platform for a niche model how would it not be $25k?
You might think it’s poor value for $25k, but how was it going to be less?
I don’t know the answer to that. I suspect the designers/engineers/beancounters at Hyundai might, though. They pulled off the Genesis Coupe 2.0t under the same circumstances and in 2010 you could get one similarly powered and better equipped for less.
Can’t say much for the Subaru boxer 4; but the old aircooled Porsche 4 cylinder boxers in the pre-911 cars were sweet in every respect. They did not sound like a Subaru.
Its the cars lack of any mid-range power that I don’t care for, 200hp could work if the engine had some life to it.
Otherwise I don’t really care for the FRSBRZ, I just hope that none of them drift into me.
For me it’s the Toyota Prius. Don’t get me wrong, they are decent cars, have a good amount of cargo space, comfortable, etc.
I admire them because the more people that drive them vs less efficient cars, the cheaper gasoline becomes for me.
Hah! Gasoline ever becoming cheaper!? That’s something we both wish for. Ain’t gonna happen.
Don’t misunderstand. I’m a gasoline addict and a gasoline junkie. Can’t live without the stuff. Need it every day. It’s like a fix!
Even though we, in America, have an overabundance of oil, enough to be self-sufficient and then some, our national policy is to discourage the development of our own carbon resources.
Expect the cost of gasoline to gradually climb higher. Oh, there will be peaks and valleys in the price of gasoline, but I hail from a time when gas cost 25-cents a gallon when I started to drive.
Like most Americans, I’m resigned to paying whatever gasoline costs, just to get around each day.
The Corvette. Glad they make ’em, and real glad they are making them better and better, but they just come with WAY too much baggage (and no place to put it).
Great answer. Stunned no one else said it, and I agree completely.
Meanwhile, interesting username.
Ford Crown Victoria
Ford EcoBoost engine range: Using turbo 4s and 6s to replace NA 6s and 8s is a great idea, but I’ve heard bad things about reliability and fuel economy.
Dodge Dart: I’m glad Dodge realized the Caliber was crap, but I’d rather get an old DOHC 2 door Neon and put some work into the engine and suspension.
Chevrolet Impala (2014): Beautiful car, but GM needs a rear drive Impala again. Hopefully the SS has a similar look with rear wheel drive and V8 power.
Kia Forte Koup: Good looking car, but seems like a lesser Civic Si and I don’t want a modern Si either. Especially since there’s no hatch.
Chevrolet SSR: Completely useless, but distinctive and an interesting concept.
Great topic Doug… here is my list in no particular order:
1. Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe, 6 speed manual
2. Ponitac G8 GXP, 6 speed manual
3. Acura ZDX
4. BMW Gran Coupe and M Variant
5. Ford Mustang Boss 302
6. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
7. 2013 MB GL63
8. Ford Excursion V10
9. VW Toureag V10 TDi
10. VW Phaeton
11. 2010 Audi S8 V10
12. BMW M5 V10
***geez, seems like I really like V10’s for some reason!!!
Of all the above cars, the only one that would actually make the “buy” list is the G8 GXP… I think underneath it all, its the car we all want when the realities of life are taken into account…
The only reason most of the above cars are on the “like, wouldnt buy” list is that I have come to believe NO CAR is worth much more than $15k…. lifes too short and there are so many better ways to enjoy oneself in life…. took me 15 years of wasted resources to arrive at this conclusion but Im glad I did….
Glad the Carrera GT was spared from the V10 chopping block. :)
Totally agree on the V10 Touareg, by the way. Great choice. Would never TOUCH one but I feel like a seven-year-old on Christmas morning when I see one on the street. Which, by the way, is maaaaaaybe once a year. (Although there were two in just one parking lot at this year’s Monterey Historics at Pebble.)
You’re glad they made the ZDX/Crosstour?
Explain, please.
The part about never wanting to own one, I certainly get.
Um Chevy HHR (its interesting to see on the road), Saturn Sky (pretty car), Toyota Corolla (the uninformed masses that just need to get to work need cars too)
My list:
FX56S
Every AMG Mercedes of the last 10 years (with the exception of the R63, which I might actually buy).
New Dodge Challenger
Trailblazer SS
Saab 9-7 Aero
Cayman S (because FU 911, but also FU maintenance bills)
2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
X6M
A similar discussion came up here at TTAC about one year ago focused on one car in particular; rear wheel drive, manual shift, V8 power available with well north of 400 HP, two door styling, etc. and many posters complain about it, specifically the Camaro.
I’d never own it, I think it looks like a grand piano fell out of a third story window and tagged it hard and the interior seems mediocre but I’m glad GM decided to produce it again. Some seriously powerful variants have been derived and I think that is good overall for the development of more pedestrian models.
Several weeks back my wife and me were sitting at a traffic light when a totally all jacked-up and blacked-out Raptor pulled up next to us. Without pausing she opined, ooohhh the perfect car for the totally penis-less man. I couldn’t agree more. Here in the south, the jokes about dickless, half-witted rednecks and their pickups have grown to the point of being sad cliches.
@Ion888
Agreed. More impressed if it can actually do what it is supposed to do. As an Off Road “World Beater” the Raptor leaves much to be desired.
These “Faux” performance vehicles really annoy me.
What “performance” is “faux” about a Raptor? Comments about ‘penis’ boil down to envy. Penis Envy! I’ve only heard chicks make penis jokes.
I’m saddened to read that last sentence, DenverMike. Better luck w/the ladies in the future!
Agree with Denver, how is it not a performance vehicle? Because it doesn’t fit into a preconceived notion that you came up with?
One has to be pretty insecure about themselves to talk about how others must lack, themselves, since they do something you determined is wrong.
If your so concerned about what others do, then it only stands to reason you watch every step you make to ensure that you fit into a certain notion, which is the definition of insecurity.
“Agree with Denver, how is it not a performance vehicle? Because it doesn’t fit into a preconceived notion that you came up with?”
Hmmm, change “performance” to “off-road,” you got called out twice for the same thing in the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk thread, sir:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/03/2014-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk-revealed/#comment-2027476
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/03/2014-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk-revealed/#comment-2027097
Since it pretty much does what it’s supposed to do, how is it “Faux”? It can go offroad without destroying itself, unlike a lot of “offroad” trucks, it can do it at a pretty high speed without drama, and looks great, so where is the, “but” in it?
I would probably never buy one, as I really don’t like Fords, but my 10 minute drive in one was pretty impressive (Friend is a salesman and had a used one as his drive to/from work vehicle for a month). If there was a Ram version, maybe…
“Faux” in the sense it maybe a fun vehicle to leap sand dunes with, but was it every DESIGNED to a be a truly competitive Off Road Racer like the South African Hilux and the Great Wall Pickups!!!!. I know its best serious Off Road Rally result was 41st several years ago.
What did your wife say when you informed her that her dialogue consisted of sad clichés? Or did you keep that to yourself?!
@thelaine,
How many do you want?. At the Last Dakar Rally, there is a basically stock division(very very limited modification). The SUV’s and Pickups that finished in that general class were in the 25-to early 30’s range. The Raptor has had a best finish of 41st with Sue Mead several years ago. The one that finished at the start of the year in he 2013 race was in the mid 50’s at the end.
Wonder why Ford has never entered the Raptor in other Rally Raids?
http://www.marathonrally.com/news/22418.0.html
@thelaine
“the raptor is an unmatched recreational off road monster. It is not a rally racing machine.”
Would definitely quibble about “Unmatched” but a recreational off road vehicle yes.
@thelaine,
Seeing it is beaten by several stock SUV’s and Pickups Off Road for performance, as it was never designed as a pure Off Road vehicle . I would say look at the Pickups and SUV’s who BEAT it in the Dakar in the class the Raptor competed in.
Now FUN as an Off Road Vehicle different measure. I thinking throwing a F150 over sand dunes would be FUN.
-EQUUS
– Anything from toyota
– Anything from Honda
-Anything from Acura
– Anyhting from Lexus
– Anything from VW
– Anything from Audi
– Anything with any less than 300HP
The beauty of these cars is that the more people buy into em so they can show off their shiny new badge – will end up behind me in traffic with no way possible to keep up.
I hope everyone else ends up in Priuses so the price of Super Unleaded goes down – due to drop in demand.
I love this list, so none of those brands and nothing less than 300hp. We’ll that’s about 90% of the road gone.
Things I’d never buy. But I’m glad they made em.
I pretty much agree with your list, but would add Ford to it, but that’s mostly just due to memories of my dad’s nightmares with head gaskets and other problems with one after another in the early to late 60’s.
I’d add Ford too it because of the new Taurus and everything at Lincoln right now.
“- Anything with any less than 300HP”
Imagine a 300hp motorcycle.
Now imagine a 300hp Lotus 7.
If you need 300hp to get your ride motivated you’re dragging around too much weight.
Have you seen the guy?
Someone sure does think they are special. *eye-roll*
Meanwhile I WILL be passing you because you will be stopped on the side of the road by the highway patrol.
Mini Cooper.
Mazdaspeed Protege.
RX8.
GTi.
The trucks and vans that supply the grocery store I go to.
chevy ssr.
I always though an updated one would be awesome.
What would be awesome is if the HHR had been what the SSR should have been.
A retro 40s/50s style sedan delivery type vehicle with solid cargo/people capacity and a nice hot LS type motor driving the rear wheels.
The SSR was a failure because it was too trucklike to be a car (tiny cabin) and too carlike to be a truck (useless bed, pretty much no towing capacity).
It’s like the diesel wagon with a stick shift. I suspect most that claim they would buy one are dead serious, but they just weren’t talking about buying “new”. I’m glad someone is building GT500s, Boss 302s, Raptors, ZL1/Z28 Camaros, Corvettes and Lotus’. I’ll just wait till most of their depreciation is about leveled off before I buy mine.
92 comments before someone mentioned Lotus? About time.
I didn’t mention Lotus because I would love to buy one. But would have to sell my old Elan first and I just don’t see that happening any time soon.
“I’ll just wait till most of their depreciation is about leveled off before I buy mine.”
There it is, #1 reason why all the ‘cool cars’ get discontinued.
You’re right and the ‘coolest cars’ don’t live too long for the same reason. They’re priced out of reach for normal people. The Regal GNX was approx 2X the price of a well equipped ‘normal’ Regal. The Syclone was 2X the price of a well equipped S15. I’ve owned most of my dream cars after someone else took the initial hit, racked up excessive miles, blew the engine or simply crashed it.
My vote goes for the Nissan Leaf. I think it is truly the most liveable EV for those of us who aren’t millionaires. However, I could never bring myself to buy one of these because with the way I drive, my effective range would be about 20 miles on a charge.
I did the math once; I think my Leaf will go 20 miles at full speed (90+ mph). Heh. I am now a much more law-abiding driver since I got this car.
I was also going to mention the Leaf, along with many other of the first gen EVs. However, for the most part, I potentially would buy one, but I know I won’t. In many ways, it’s like the original Honda Insight. It never fit my needs, but I love that a couple car makers had the cojones to get the hybrid ball rolling.
I would love to own the eFocus, but I’m just not willing to pay for so many tech features I do not want/need. I realize Ford uses the high-margin packages to recoup the battery costs, but all that & the reduced cargo area mean I won’t get one. The Leaf is a better execution from the ground up, but the cost savings on battery thermal management & it’s ugly-to-my-eyes styling cross it off my list. I love the Model S (except for the touch screen), but I really don’t want a car that big.
But I don’t think that these meet the intent of the question, which is cars that I am they built, but have a philosophical disagreement with the concept or execution, not merely misalignment to the niche I occupy.
Doug, funny you mention the G8 and Cars and Coffee. Over here on the east coast, you’ll see a solid 10-15 G8’s at C&C every month, most of them quite modified (I’m looking at you, guy with a rare-as-shit G8 GXP Manual with a huge supercharger.) I see more there than I see on the road. They are great cars.
I have to disagree on the Juke – I love the way they look, almost as much as how they drive: it’s a seriously fun little car despite the pseudo-SUV looks. So much turbo, such quick steering.
I’ll add a few to the list.
GMC Syclone: a POS S10 pickup stuffed with a 4.3 Vortec, a huge turbo, an air/water IC, the AWD from an Astro, and an automatic. Towing capacity: none. Seating capacity: 2. Payload: none. Gas mileage: terrible. 0-60: 4.6 seconds. A seriously stupid truck, even moreso than the SRT-10. I knew a local contractor who had a single-cab six speed SRT10 which he used for actual truck work stuff – ladder rack, payload, they can tow 5k pounds. He said the gas mileage was hilarious but worth it. The Syclone can’t even do basic truck stuff, but damn it’s cool.
Chrysler PT Cruiser GT/Chevrolet HHR SS (manuals): oh god, these awful quasi-retro dorky shitboxes. With hearts of monsters. The PT Loser had a full on SRT-4 engine which can (and these days usually is) tweaked to high heaven, spinning up rubber in the first two to three of five available gears. The HHR was even better: the gem of a motor from the Cobalt SS/TC known as the LNF, with absurd bolt-on power potential, a rioutous exhaust, and no-lift-shift programmed in. It’s like the moped/fat girl analogy: fun to ride, but god help you if your friends see you do it.
The G8 guys invade our Cars & Coffee too, and take up a whole row of parking. I love the car, but I’d rather see the normal group of weird Cars & Coffee cars than 11 different G8s!
The Syclone is, undoubtedly, a candidate for this list, as is the Typhoon. And, frankly, virtually every really fast truck and SUV. The regular PT & HHR are definitely not, but yes the performance versions were a treat. I especially preferred the HHR SS. We had one at a dealer I worked at in college. Automatic, but still – what a car! And yet, as you say, the proverbial moped and fat girl.
My list is short (because I am lazy):
Mazdaspeed6
Any $50k+ Shelby Mustang
Dodge Viper
All are great cars, but they are/were all outclassed by everything else in the price range.
The guy who said every car under 300hp is hilarious.
Save for a miata or Wrangler I would add any convertible. I am glad they make them for the people who like them but I would never want to own one aside from the two I mentioned. If I would want the open air experience I would get a motorcycle again.
Also, anything with an automatic transmission.
Chevy SS…
Yeah I know its basically a warmed over G8 but instead of the Chevy SS being a specialty car it should be the new Impala and that FWD super stretched Epsilon II should have never been built. The platform then could have become the basis of a true Cadillac flagship not the XTS. Saw an XTS on the street a few days ago and it would almost be cool if it had a hatch like the Audi A7 (but it still wouldn’t be a Caddy flagship, not as damn narrow as it is.)
It is kind of hard to conceal bodies in a hatch, the main selling point of the Cadillac trunk.
Then the trunk is not damn big enough… Cadillac XTS 18 cubic foot trunk, W-body Impala 19 cubit foot trunk, old DTS 19 cubic foot tunk, 2009 Ford Taurus 21 cubic foot trunk, & 2013 Ford Taurus 20 cubic foot trunk. I know which vehicles I’d rather use for carrying around dead hookers.
I’m unclear on why we need another flagship-type Chevy anyway. Considering how expensive the car will be, it always made more sense as a Cadillac.
Exactly. Maybe they thought it would put the non-V models to shame. Cadillac with a standard V8? Perish the thought.
“I think it’s one of the coolest ideas in modern automotive history.”
Why is a truck that can go over some sand piles and has a weak floppy frame a cool idea?
I’ll take a Z71, sticker package Silverado over a Raptor any day!!!
I had a Z71, the Raptor blows it away, and I don’t even like Fords, it’s just the truth.
Of course it does. With stick on fenders that wide, imagine the tire you can cram under there.
Still not sold on the floppy frame though.
Good for you Denver. The Z71 had nothing to do with anything in this thread though. Not sure where any of that came from.
@86 – If you mistake my sarcasm for sincerity, you may be a fanboy beyond any I’ve seen. Just so you know, the only Raptors that had the famous frame damage were members of a Raptor club that took leaves out of the leaf pack and drove over the equivalent of a curb in excess of 80 MPH.
They were driving the JC Whitney Special just like Ford did in THEIR ads for it.
Is it any wonder that Ford really toned down the ads after they found out they had floppy frames?
The Raptor is nothing more than some stick on fenders and some shiny shocks.
Wrangler Rubicon…because I could never do to a new 30k+ rig what i’d want to do but im glad a proper 4×4 is still being built for me to buy down the road.
Acura ILX. Right brain says tarted up Civic. Left brain say “Acura; what’s the penalty over a Civic with leather and a stick? Cadillac XLR; I still see them. A triple black XLR and a Hartmarx suit. FTW.
It seems like Doug and I disagree about nearly everything (for example, the ’88 Bonneville and ’89 Trans Am pace car were both good post-’76 Pontiacs), but I still enjoy his stuff.
And Cummins RAM to answer your question.
There have been plenty of decent Pontiacs since the 70’s. The Bonnevilles were good in SSEi trim (and the 90’s ones have great styling, in my opinion) and the Firebird/Transam was as good as always. Also the Fiero had good potential in its later years, and the Solstice was a good attempt that could have been something great if given enough time, and I don’t know anyone that has owned a GTO that doesn’t love it- it simply got screwed over by indifferent/bland styling for its legendary name.
“….and the Firebird/Transam was as good as always.”
That’s like saying Milwaukee’s Best Light or Pabst Blue Ribbon was as good as always.
Pretty much.
The Trans Am’s only job is to look cool and run a comparatively good quarter mile. Just like PBR’s job is to be a cheap way to get blasted. That’s what some of us are looking for.
If you want a sports car, Porsche will sell you one. And if you want a fancy IPA, Stone will sell you one.
Firebird = PBR or Beast ok I’ll roll with it, but I think you have to respect the T/A. Its no 911, but it was never meant to be either, its just honest-to-goodness pony car. T/A is at least on par with Sam Adams in the beer world.
While were on beer, love Stone IPA. Lagunitas and Dogfish Head 60/90 are also worth a taste… 90 is a little much for me I prefer 60 but both are pleasant and excellent IPAs.
Sadly, we also disagree on Cummins Ram.
How about the 00-03 Bonneville SSEi? I could get behind that. Maybe even the 05-08 Grand Prix GXP. If not, there’s always next week…
How can you not like the diesel Ram?
And I don’t care for the post ’99 H-bodies.
This is kind of funny…
I knew a guy who dropped an SSEi motor into a gen-2 Fiero. Never saw it run, but he said it was a screamer.
I’ve seen Caddy 4.9s be dropped into those. I hear they can really move, esp with something like 270 lb-ft at 3500 rpm in a 2700lb roadster.
Volvo C-30, for channeling the spirit of the old 1800 so well without looking retro. If it were a little sportier and cheaper, I’d want it; as is, I just smile happily each time I see one.
Toyota FJ, for looking so much like a toy truck come to life. It would only make sense for me to own one if I were living a very different life.
Any Mustang cranking out 500hp or so, with the words Boss or Shelby on it, and/or having a track key. Again, probably not in this life.
Mazda Miata: I love everything this car represents, but would never ever buy one… because I can’t fit in the darn thing.
Dodge Challenger: The car is huge, in your face, and it knows it. Unlike the Camaro this is a car that carries its girth very well and is unabashedly butch. In the age of swooshy, nonsensical lines cut out of everything and lumpy, smeared-back styling, I’m glad there’s still cars out there that are clean lined, uncluttered, and not overly-done with corporate styling BS. The reason I don’t buy one is that I simply prefer smaller, nimbler cars.
Lexus LS: I appreciate the car’s adherence to the idea of comfort luxury over the sporting luxury you see nowadays. I’m glad that there’s automakers that understand not everyone wants V10 engines or racing pedigree in their sedans. In a similar vein I appreciate the Cadillac XTS for this reason. I would never buy the LS because I’m not in that market (but would consider it if I were) and the XTS is kinda dowdy in person.
I should have put the LS on my list. It’s what the Mercedes S-class used to be.
I love my Challenger R/T, and I will probably buy another one in a couple of years. I like the Mustang, enough that if there was no Challenger, I would probably be driving one, as the Camaro is so damn ugly from the doors back, and on the inside, I wouldn’t think about buying one. I hope the next generation Camaro isn’t a train wreck, looks wise, like the present one is. How about a 2nd gen update, GM? I would be highly interested, if you don’t screw it up. Ford appears to be trying to mess the Mustang up, first with the present car’s squinty headlights and front end, and if the future one looks anything like the drawings, forget it. If it ain’t retro, I’m not interested. No squashed eggs with fishmouths for me.
I don’t fit into a Miata, and would sooner drive a pink anything but drive one, but it’s not a horrible car, for someone else. Let’s face it, it’s a chickmobile, good handling, or not.
The original VW Beetle- 1930’s design, but not good 1930’s design, horribly space inefficient layout with rear mounted engine, not much interior room, hardly any trunk room, gutless and underpowered, location of engine means it’s hard to work on, gave rise to a whole cottage industry of horrible kit cars like the Rolls Royce Beetle and the Lazer 917. The only thing good about the Beetle was that it was used as Baja bugs, dune buggies, and sand rails.
Most street Porsches- Old 356s looked like sow bugs and had same lousy rear engine design as the Beetle, and they’re now worth insane money for what’s basically a piece of crap. 911 has the same crappy rear engine placement, hard to work on, used ones cost too much for what you get, new 911s look like bars of soap and aren’t sexy at all, new 911s also weigh too much. 914 was a slow piece of crap with even harder to work on mid-engine layout. 924 another slow piece of crap with lousy engine, only with a better overall layout. 944 slightly faster than a 924 but cost too much for a car with less than 150hp, and the faster high horsepower ones are stupid expensive to buy or own. 928 looked too much like a Pacer on acid especially with Op-Art interior package, overly complex and expensive. Boxster, not that fast, same hard to work on mid-engine layout as 914, not that sexy to look at. The only good thing about these cars is that they made some decent race cars out of them, except the 928 and Boxster.
Solstice/Sky- Nice looking but no room at all, less practical and with a worse convertible top than a Miata.
Neon SRT/Cobalt SS- Modern econocar sized version of the idea of dropping a big engine in a small car. Downside is that now they’re owned by white trash and ricer-wannabees. Owning one makes you look like you’re in your 20s and still live with your parents.
Any Panther based car- No one should deliberately buy one of these unless they’re a member of law enforcement, a taxi driver, or an AARP member. Only needs an AM radio with two radio presets, “Paul Harvey” and “Oldies Station”. The upside is their longevity, however cockroaches have longevity too.
You mean Paul Harvey came back from the dead?!
And that’s the rest of the story… good day!
The Beetle was space-inefficient? I got seven tuxedo and prom-dress-wearing friends into my dad’s ’70 Beetle one fine June night back in ’73, so I beg to differ. We might have had to put the wrist corsages in the trunk, however…
“It’s a freaking Buick”
Gawd, when will it end? Buick offered many good cars decades before the ‘elder’ car image. 455 Stage 1? GN? Now, Lexus/Toyota, even Scion, is an ‘Old Folks’ car. Nothing is ‘hip’ forever. i.e. 20-somethings I work with hate ‘Seinfeld’, how about them apples, aging Gen-Xers?
“No good Pontiac since 1976” ?
The 1977-78 Trans Am still had 400 ci motors and better handling than 1976 model. If car writers claim to “know about cars”, then get to know them.
Porsche Panamera. It’s above my pay grade and social status, but I love them.
Ford F350 King Ranch. Same reasons. Saw one at the auto show ($67k, not the dualie version), and was enthralled.
Hummer H1. Inherently cool by itself.
BMW M5 V8TT (the current one).
BMW X6 with the triple turbo I6 diesel.
Veyron. The word “excess” got a completely new meaning after this one.
Bentley Mulsanne. I may never have the coin to get one of these, but kudos to VW for keeping the twin turbo pushrod brute that propels it.
Corvette ZR1. I love Corvettes and is great that GM fitted the LS9 in it. But I would stop at Z06.
Anybody that follows TTAC comments is aware of my thoughts,and views on any non UAW/CAW built vehicle.
Confession time.
Aesthetics, play a big role,when it comes to what I like,and don’t like
I’ll never own one,but a BMW 3 series convertible? Wow! When I see a nicely detailed blue one,with the top down. I forget the words to “Solidarity Forever”
I don’t like the 3-series (except maybe the new GT), but I respect you even more for admitting you do. Funny comment on the song.
The lamborghini Countach- Nothing says middle aged Columbian drug kingpin with gold chains and cocaine better than driving one of these cars. The cheesy 80’s excess can be summed up by three cars, the C4 Corvette with the digital dashboard, the black gold 280ZX, and the Countach. I always think of Miami Vice whenever I see one, makes me want to wear pastel shirts, a white jacket, and roll up my sleeves. Expensive to own, complicated, and hard to work on. If I wanted an Italian mid-engined car I’d rather have an early model Pantera because you don’t have to sit on the doorsill to back one up, they’ve got cleaner styling, and the Ford V-8 lump is cheaper and easier to work on.
Pretty much most street BMWs- Nothing says early 30’s pretentious Yuppie prick better than owning a BMW. The slimeball character that Hart Bochner played in the original Die Hard movie named Harry Eliis that called the bad guy “Bubby” is the kind of guy I think of when I see a BMW on the road. You know when the Harry Ellis character got shot by Hans you were kinda glad to see the creep gone ?…that’s the way most people feel about BMW owners. Not only are they owned by pretentious douchebags, but they’re overly complicated too, and overrated. I once bought a clunker 320i to strip and resell the parts. I’m used to simple hotwire modern airflow meters, and I took one look at the goofy Bosch K-Jetronic airflow meter that used some kind of weird-assed balance scale and said “WTF is THIS ?!”. I guess you could use it to measure bags of jellybeans and candy as well as the airflow. The car had a plastic liner under the carpet that trapped condensation, and it rusted the floorpan from the inside out. I thought about using my 320i as a parts donor and buying another one in better shape to drive, but all the ones I looked at had their rear strut towers rusted out just like mine.
The great thing about the newer BMWs is that they’re still overly complicated, and have crazy stuff on them like the I-drive controller that looks like it was stolen off of a 1980’s Atari arcade videogame machine. The parts prices are so high it’s not worth fixing up an older BMW unless you have a hard-on for Teutonic masochism. The ownership experience of owning a 20 year old BMW can be simulated by repeatedly hitting yourself in the forehead with a 2″x4″, while simultaneously flushing your money down the toilet. “Long-term ownership” in BMW speak means that in 15 years your $40,000 car will eventually wind up for sale in the college town ads on Craigslist for $2,000.
Any Harley Davidson- They’re fat, loud, and slow, just like their owners. Nothing says “I got kicked out of highschool, but I’m doing good these days in the construction industry” like owning a Harley. They’re like old-school musclecars in the sense that they can be sometimes quick in a straight line, but they’re too big and heavy, and they don’t take turns worth a crap. Owning a Harley has it’s benefits if personal hygiene and having a girlfriend with teeth isn’t high on your priority list. Owning a Harley means you’ll meet lots of new people, mainly towtruck drivers, repair shop owners, bail bondsmen, and other guys who like to refer to their wives as “My old lady”. Being a Harley owner also means being the brunt of lots of Harley jokes (The difference between a Hoover vaccum and a Harley is that the Harley has room for TWO dirtbags on the back of it). For some reason the Harley owners like to advertise their bikes for sale on Craigslist in every other category BESIDES “Motorcycles” where they’re supposed to, must be from sniffing too much Liquid Nails and roofing cement. The only good thing about owning a Harley is the sound the engines makes, and if you like wearing black 365 days a year and dressing like a pirate.
Note to Derek, and Bertel. Sign this “AFX” dude up.
I’m still chuckling.
@AFX Your Harley comment was priceless. Just a heads up. Be really carefull,where you share your “H.D. rider” views.
+1 to both.
I suspect he was chased and “took a beatin’ ” a lot back in his school days, but the Harley comments were keepers.
” Just a heads up. Be really carefull,where you share your “H.D. rider” views.”
I didn’t post any pictures so they wouldn’t get any of what I said, and this is TTAC not “Jugs” or “Pitbull Owner” magazine so they wouldn’t be reading them here anyways.
Did you hear Playgirl magazine had a Harley owners centerfold spread ?…it was called “Fats With Tats”.
There was also a short lived beer brand test marketed to Harley owners that was made right in Milwaukee…it was called Miller Low Life.
What do Harley chicks and hockey players both have in common ?…..they don’t have to open their mouths to eat spaghetti.
Hey 95% of all Harleys sold are still on the road ! The other 5% actually made it home .
All performance and luxury cars.
They keep at least a small segment of buyers away from and the prices lower for anything I’d be interested in.
Now if only something could lure away the damn pickup buyers.
“Now if only something could lure away the damn pickup buyers.”
Maybe Ford could have a Greenpeace Edition Ecoboost F-150, or Chevy could have a Freddy Mercury Special Edition Silverado*, or maybe a PETA Edition Ram ?.
Oh, you said “lure” them away, I thought you said “drive”.
Just joking though, the chances of any of them actually happening are about as slim as a Subaru with an NRA bumper sticker.
* A bench seat or a crewcab would make it easier for everyone in the truck to do the chorus on Bohemian Rhapsody.
Lure, drive, whatever works.
I just want something to make all the buyers of 4-door, midget bed pickups to go away so only people who need an 8′ box and regular cab are buying trucks again.
How about just putting a trunk lid on those tiny beds and calling them things like Galaxie, Super Impala and Imperial?
Any Colin Chapman era Lotus- If ever the bumper sticker “The parts falling off of this car are of the finest British quality” was meant for a specific car, a Lotus would be it. It’s like buying a British kit car, only pre-assembled, and having to re-assemble it yourself over time. The mechanic’s adage of “Tighten it up until it breaks, then back it off half a turn” was used as the motto for the engineering department of Lotus. Colin Chapman was famous for designing Grand Prix cars that could win races. Unfortunately Lotus street car owners expect a car to last a bit longer than an average Grand Prix race.
There’s something telling about the way Lotus-Cortinas are more sought after and valuable than the vast majority of Lotus sports cars from that era. Imagine a world where any old Mustang with blue stripes on the roof traded for more than a 289 Cobra, where an actual GT350 had an extra zero behind its price compared to a 427 Cobra, and you’d pretty much have a situation similar to that faced by sellers of Elans, Europas, Esprits, Type 75 and 84 Elites, or Excels when they see LoCort projects being snapped up for three times what they’ve been asking for their cars for years.
I would have to go with the Cadillac Allante. They were built in Italy for no apparent reason and nobody bought them, they had a futuristic star wars dashboard, they had an unusual 4.5L V8, putting 270 lb-ft to the front wheels (!). Not even close to what Cadillac needed, but definitely nice try.
The Dodge Magnum. I like station wagons. I like fast. But muscle cars worth aggressive styling, gun-themed names, cross hairs on the grill, and unimpressive MPG figures have never and will never be my thing. Still, the Magnum is a badass wagon that improves the reputation of all wagons, and I’m glad someone built it.
Any NEW diesel pickup. I’m not gonna put a million miles on the thing. The entry fee makes as much sense as the Volt does (without the tax break) in terms of saving money on fuel. I couldn’t even justify it if I was ordering one for my company. The torque and durability is nice, but not THAT nice. I will definitely buy them when they have about 100k on the clock with a ripped seat though.
Ecoboost Flex. A twin-turbo AWD family wagon? Sure…wait, it’s HOW much? Dang, nevermind.
Lexus LF-A. So many neat ideas. But, I wouldn’t even buy one if I crapped money. This would be a car I would want to drive, and I see the ownership becoming a huge hassle if anything broke (remember the CLK GTR road cars?). I don’t see them becoming an investment either. I would get a Ferrari.
Scion xB2. I hate it, but glad they made it. This is Toyota’s version of “the Homer”. Hopefully they will learn not to listen to focus groups anymore and bring us something like the xB1 again. They probably already sell a replacement in Japan.
Nissan GTR. The owners of these cars find a shop that can service their transmissions, and just store their cars there. I’m glad we finally got these cars though.
Any Mopar. They can be handsome (300c, Challenger), or great values (Caravan), but they’re crap through and through.
In fairness, a truck that could actually fuel itself with the democrats it eats might have lower emissions.
Here are mine off the top of my head:
Infiniti FX50S: I love it and want one but realize that it is a useless vehicle.
Infiniti EX37: See above
Lexus CT200h: Small and overpriced.
Also would like to second whoever mentioned the Volvo C30. Love that car, would never buy one.
Honda Crosstour: Oh wait, I’m actually not glad they built it.
Sounds like you really love 1977-2010 Pontiacs