Traditionally, on Fridays, I show you a roundup of the week’s winners and let you make your final choice for the week. But sometimes, I don’t feel like writing about the same cars all over again, so I show you two new cars, often something special. Today, I’m doing sort of a hybrid of those two formats, and showing you the three winners from this short week, along with one new car.
I had a feeling that the RAV4 was going to win yesterday. It’s the logical choice, despite its high mileage. Stangely, though, more than one of the comments in favor of the Fiat 500L were from people who have rented one in Europe and enjoyed it.
That’s enough of an endorsement for me. Every car I’ve rented in Europe has been a lot of fun, and I’ve often wished I could bring them home. It’s been a long time since I had a European car, and I kind of miss them. The RAV4 is certainly a fine car, but it’s just a Toyota.
So, let’s take a look back at our week’s three winners, along with a newcomer to make up our usual quartet.
1988 Nissan Desert Runner – $6,800
This rare Nissan pickup absolutely mopped the floor with an interesting but overpriced Honda Civic on Monday. It’s hard to beat a small pickup anyway, and this one is extra cool. Sure, it’s faded, and it’s missing some of the details specific to the Desert Runner model, but where else are you going to find one of these for this price?
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano – $8,500
This car is quite a bit more expensive than our normal fare, but I just couldn’t resist showing it to you. The Milano was the undesirable Alfa for a long time; I remember seeing a Craigslist post about ten years ago where someone was selling three of them for $1,500 – and one of them even ran. But those days are gone, and the Milano has come into its own. This car, especially with all the recent work done to it, feels like a good deal. Of course, whether an Alfa is a good deal or not is kind of beside the point; it you want one, you want it. Logic doesn’t really enter into it.
2003 Toyota RAV4 – $3,250
It’s a RAV4 with a stick and a shit-ton of miles on it. It will probably serve someone very well for years to come. But it personally does nothing for me. If you like it, well, here it is.
1991 Geo Storm – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Phelan, CA
Odometer reading: 357,000 miles (yes, really)
Operational status: “Runs perfect”
If none of those choices really do it for you, may I interest you in one of my favorite sporty coupes from the early 1990s? The Storm, like the rest of Geo’s lineup, was a captive import, based on the Isuzu Piazza, which was sold in the US as the Isuzu Impulse. I came close to buying one of these once upon a time, and I really wish I had. It’s a fun car to drive, and clearly durable, if this example is anything to go by.
This is the base model Storm, with a single overhead cam engine making just 95 horsepower. But it’s such a lightweight car that you don’t need a lot of power. That lightness also makes it a ton of fun to toss around. It handles and brakes way better than you’d expect. And someone has really enjoyed this one a lot; it has nearly 360,000 miles on its odometer. The seller doesn’t have a lot to say; all we get is “runs perfect” and “clean title.” I really want to drive it, just to see what one of these is like with that many miles on it. How much of that sharpness and nimble feeling is still there?
The Storm was not an expensive car new, and you can tell from the interior. It’s just gray plastic and fabric. It does the job, but it never lets you forget it’s an economy car. This one has held up pretty well, considering the mileage. The most troublesome thing I see is what looks like cigarette burns in the driver’s seat. I worry that it smells like smoke inside.
Storms came in a lot of cool colors, but whenever I picture one in my head it’s either yellow or teal. The one I almost bought was teal, but I have always liked the yellow. This one is in fair shape outside; I see a couple of dents and scuffs, but nothing major, just old car stuff. The wheels aren’t original, and I can’t place what they’re from, but they look decent on there.
So there you have it: three familiar faces, and one new kid on the block for your Friday morning consideration. We’ve got a little something for everyone: a cool compact truck, a European sports sedan, a practical small SUV, and a sporty coupe. But I hope you know how to drive a stick, because there are no automatics in this crowd. Which one are you going for?
I’m taking the Geo today. First of all, I’m weird about the Geo brand as my first car was an early Prism hatch. Second, this is a pretty clean example in yellow, and I doubt I could ever find such an example 1000 miles from here. Third, I’d be willing to take on the detailing effort of getting the inevitable stink out. It’s not easy (headliner/ducts being the main issue usually, the rest is easy enough) but yeah.
These are ok choices, but the one I would actually WANT to own and drive is the Milano.
I guarantee that Storm smells like an ashtray. No thanks. The Desert Runner and the Milano would make a fun garage.
I am a sucker for older RAV4’s.
Very light trail capability (gearing, clearance allowing), lots of headroom, fits anywhere, full-size spare tire on the rear door means gobs of vertical cargo space and the rear seats both folded, tumbled and came out easily for 68 cubic feet of space.
That’s just a few cubes short of my previous Sorento with both rows folded in a package that’s ~20″ shorter and half a foot narrower.
I had a touch of fun driving a 2001 around, I just floored it everywhere and it yielded mid-20’s MPG give or take a couple. Buzzing down the interstate at 3,000 RPM wasn’t the picture of comfort but it was acceptable.
It’s simple to work on and if you’re looking at an AWD example, it’s optional rear LSD can be had albeit it’s hard to find. (someone even makes an aftermarket rear locker if you don’t mind risking the axles and fitting a center locker from a manual first-gen isn’t the worst if you run into the viscous center coupler’s limits.)
Those headrests terrified kid me though, they looked like some maw.
For a long time the AMT promotional models of the Storm (oddly never offered as snap-together model kits) were easier to find than the real thing. For that reason alone I’ll take a chance it hasn’t been smoked in since the ’90s and put seat covers on it.
Storm is out, Ex had one, it was nothing special, but did dent easily when trying to remove a tire when the aluminum mixed with iron rotors and would not come off. Also I don’t need a reminder of her. The Desert runner should have won the first time around, it will this time.
I can think of about 75 reasons to get the Alfa….
Guess I’m feeling fancy today, so I picked the Alfa. But the lines, and overall simplicity, of the Storm are appealing. Too many miles, though. If I had to pick one to daily it would be the Toyota.
I won’t disagree with anyone’s choice on this one, but that Geo is not for me. Alfa gets my vote.
I’ve got Milanos in the cabinet, right next to the Oreos. What I don’t have is a compact pickup that looks like a Matchbox version of itself.
The Alfa is the only choice for me. Probably the worst choice for the wallet but it’s the most interesting car here by a country mile, and being unusual scores big with me.
I came in with my finger ready to smash that vote button for the Storm based on the headline image. But its $3500 and 357k miles? $3500 is what a mint storm should run for, not a well-used one.
I’ll stick with the desert runner, it’s neat and pretty practical too. I like the Alfa too, but the 75 is probably the worst looking Alfa of its period. 164 or GTV and it’d be a no brainer.
That was me, except the 75 is one of the best looking cars ever made.
I ended up voting for the Storm anyhow (because feelings); we can treat that vote as half yours if you’d like.
The $3500 teal Saturn from last week is still holding its own!
Today would be a perfect day to have a ‘pick two’ option. The regular-cab, stick shift pickup would be perfect in the garage (or carport) next to that 2-door, stick-shift Geo Storm.
So I’ll vote twice today. Once for the Nissan, and once for the Geo.
Never liked the Storm. For me the Nissan. The Alfa is an exercise in frustration and wallet draining, don’t need that right now.
I was all set to hit Alfa without reading, but the Storm is a contender. If it were a bit cheaper that might be the next rallycross car.
But I’m still going with the Alfa. I have 4 other running cars.
The storm is cool, but it’s the worn-out economy car version of the Alfa. I can spare the extra internet bux to buy and keep up with the fine Italian automobile.
The Desert Runner makes the most sense for my situation, but I still voted for the Alfa. The heart wants what it wants.
Maaaaaan, you put that yellow Storm in there as catnip, just for me, right?
But the call of the Hardbody Nissan is just too strong.
The Hardbody is too nice and rare to be used for truck stuff, (and it’s also not the one driven by someone with the last name ‘Mears,’) I resent trying to be sold on the RAV-4 yesterday, and…well…look, the Storm is fine. But it’s not Busso. I’d rather take the Alfa and cherish it than buy a cheap thing to turn to rust in the winter.
(which would end up being the RAV’s fate. 100,000 miles? It’d be lucky to make it 25,000 the moment it meets Mr Calcium Chloride.)
So, yes, Alfa for special occasions. Those being when I’ve fixed something.
Still the Milano.
Fine, Milano. Most interesting thing here.
Wringing the neck of the V6 is sure to satisfy
Those old hard body’s are getting harder and harder to find in clean shape especially in the rust belt. Though I would prefer it in 2dr pathfinder form.
Alfa today. Nissan was a close second. No thanks on the Toyota and driving that Geo would be like sitting in someone’s ashtray – no thanks.
The Storm is a contender, but I’ve still never owned an Alfa – so it’s the top dog today.
It is a joyous experience – most of the time.
How did to gear put it? “Alfa build a car to be as good as a car can be… briefly”
Nissan for me. Easy call, a nice old back up pick up for the win.