Happy Friday! We’re going to cap off our week of all imports with a nice, simple runoff vote. No weird scenarios, no qualifications, just a straightforward declaration of your favorite. Why complicate things?
Our convertible battle yesterday ended in a familiar result: the Saab won. The defunct Swedish marque remains undefeated here on the Showdown, which begs the question: Why did they go out of business? Oh right; we aren’t a true representative sample of the car-buying public. The lunatic fringe often loves something that the normies don’t understand.
That Viggen is pretty cool, but the Mini would fit better into my life (and garage). Besides, Saab is one of those car brands that isn’t just an automotive choice; it’s a lifestyle choice, and having escaped from one such all-consuming automotive subculture, I think I’d rather have something that’s a more casual ownership experience.
So that brings our field today to two Mazdas, one Saab, and one Volkswagen. Three of them have manual transmissions, all of them are front-wheel-drive, and they have an average of 4.75 cylinders and 5.25 seats. The largest one has the lowest published horsepower (by 1 hp), and the highest horsepower one has the most headroom (when the top is down). None of these facts and figures are likely to be of any help in making your choice, so let’s recap, and I’ll tell you what I like and don’t like about each one.
1989 Mazda MX-6, probably an LX – $3,450
What I like: I’m a big fan of Mazda in general, and this platform specifically. It’s not a serious canyon-carver, but it can hold its own in most situations, and it’s comfy enough for commuting. This one is in very good shape, it looks like. I suspect it’s just an LX with optional wheels and a spoiler, but there’s a chance it’s a GT model, in which case, bonus.
What I don’t like: It has been sitting for an undisclosed length of time, which probably means it needs a bunch of hoses and gaskets and belts (oh my!) replaced. And the faded plastic parts of the interior are ugly.
1993 Volkswagen EuroVan MV – $2,500
What I like: I’ve always liked the styling of these. And it seems like a lot more useable vehicle than the old Vanagon. It’s a good size, too: a little bit bigger than a typical minivan, but not as big and ungainly as an Econoline or something.
What I don’t like: The automatic. European cars aren’t meant to have automatics, and they don’t typically do them well. This van would be better to drive, more reliable, and truer to its nature with a manual transmission.
2006 Mazda 6s Liftback – $4,500
What I like: The Mazda 6 is a nice car to drive. Comfy, too. I’ve driven a V6, and a manual, but never a V6 manual. I can imagine, though. It’s also the liftback model, which makes its trunk a lot more practical than the basic sedan.
What I don’t like: Someone felt the need to lower it and install a loud exhaust, effectively ruining its niceness. All that can be undone, but it shouldn’t have to be.
2001 Saab 9-3 Viggen Convertible – $4,495
What I like: Saabs are great cars to drive. There is some weirdness you have to get used to, but it’s minor stuff like the ignition switch location. All the Saabs I’ve driven have been rock-steady on the road, and the ergonomics inside are first-class.
What I don’t like: I don’t need a rare, special-edition car with extra power. It’s lost on me. If I wanted a Saab convertible, I’d rather look for an ordinary 9-3 for less money, and leave this Viggen for someone who would appreciate it more. Besides, I don’t like red. I prefer that nice sage green that Saab sold.
So I’ve made my choice. But what’s yours? You’ve got all weekend to figure it out. I’ll see you back here on Monday with – well, I don’t know what yet, but something cool.
Saab! This was actually pretty difficult between Saab and the Mazda 6. I’m just going w/ my preferences. That beautiful Saab is just such an amazing sleek design. It looks like so much fun especially being convertible. Would prefer it in blue or that green as mentioned.
Next would be the 6, what a great fun car. Then the cool MX-6, then EuroVan (for “livin in a van DOWN BY THE RIVER!)
I actaully adore this week’s finalists. I’d be happy with any of them and all are vehicles I’ve had or considered in real life (Well, I had the SAAB but it was a hardtop).
Saab is the only one I would actually seek out in real life. Easy vote today.
Went with what turned out to be the least popular choice, and I surprised myself at how attracted I was to that Vee-dub. But:
a) it’d have some functionality in my life, theoretically, since I’ve nothing that can haul anything like it can; and
b) Given its age, it gets grandfathered out of my boycott-for-life of anything from VAG.
I feel like I’d eventually find a good home for it, and have a bit of fun tooling around with it in the meantime.
I have a similar boycott on anything VAG. (For some reason, I always want to type VWAG.) And actually, nothing German appeals to me these days besides Bavarian Blue cheese. That stuff is amazing.
You had me at “V6 manual liftback”. The van is tempting but the Mazda 6 wins.
That 6 is gonna be the most fun to drive. I voted SAAB because I think it’s gonna be the most fun to have.
Picking the Viggen, obviously. Yesterday was like a mirror for me, kinda sorta. I have an 88 900 turbo and a R53 Cooper S. (Non-convertible.). In other words, I have my own Shitbox Showdown going on as my wife says I can only keep one.
But with my AutopianBucks, here in the land of Jasonia, I’m picking the Viggen.
If all of these vehicles were still available new, there is one on the list I would buy in a second: the Eurovan.
This is such a unique vehicle. It is a factory-built mini camper. It has enough accoutrements to use as a hotel alternative for road trips, but it has the outward visibility and footprint of a normal vehicle. This is a camper you can legit use as a daily driver.
I can’t think of a comparable vehicle built in decades. If you want something similar today, you have to build it yourself (which is tough if you, like me, are inept). You literally cannot get a product like this from any factory anymore. And you could get this for the equivalent of $45k in 2026. That is one hell of a deal.
I wish this particular Eurovan were in better condition, but as it is a relic of a bygone era, I will have to be content with it as-is. This van may not be in good condition and probably isn’t (never was?) reliable, but it is a four-wheeled rolling monument to freedom.
I want this van. I need this van. I am setting out on a lengthy road trip tomorrow morning – I can only dream of how wonderful this journey would be if it could be made in a Eurovan.
The van gets my very enthusiastic vote.
(I also want the Saab, though.)
Didn’t even remind myself of the choices by reading the descriptions. Friggen in the Viggen x2!
I like Mazdas a lot, owned a 3, and was >< close to buying a Speed Protege, but the Viggen is the way. I’ve already got reliable covered with my Hondas, so time to get weird with it!
Saab all the way, just because it has headlight wipers. All cars should have those.
My ’01 9-5 had the headlight wipers. I never was able to figure out if they actually worked. My ’04 had popup sprayers. I knew those worked because I would occasionally see a cloud of spray coming from the front end. The wipers were cooler even if they never did anything.
My Volvo 850 had them, and you could kind of see the tops of the wipers at the end of the hood when they were going. When I was test-driving it before buying it, the guy who ran the dealership had to call me because I was taking too long on the test drive—because I had stopped in a parking lot, gotten out, and had my friend run the washers so I could watch the headlight wipers in action!
Headlight wipers are sooooo cool! European cars with wipers just have this incredible visage. Saabs, Volvos, Mercedes et al. Bring on the slop. I can handle it.
You had me at low-mileage manual coupe with a red interior – then I looked at the 1989 brochure and learned that only the GT came with a sliding glass sunroof (LX had a sliding steel roof)
So the MX6 GT.
I sort of want each of these except the VW. If the MX-6 were any other color combination and a little less iffy, it’d be my pick. The Saab, though… now that would be a really enjoyable car.
Overpriced beater commuter?
Mangled Mazda that isn’t property registered (and likely cant be)?
Convertible from dead brand that is hard to source parts?
I guess it is the $2500 stock van for me even if it is a VW. Might get a year or two of service before it goes to the scrap yard
VW Van-again.
It’s slow but will haul stuff and is not too big to wrangle or park.
It’s also the least expensive of the lot, which is nice.
I went with the 6 today. 2-doors, hatchback, 3-pedals. And it manages to look nicer in the ad photo than the Mustang in the background.
I kind of liked the older Mazda, but the faded interior would be difficult to remedy, plus the fact that it’s been sitting for a while makes me wonder what issues would start popping up once it started being driven regularly.
Old Mazda. It’s just the right combination of things I like that I do want.
I immediately regretted my mazda 6 vote and went for the Saab. These are all indeed shitboxes, but the saab will probably be the most enjoyable at the end of the day even if its on its last legs.
The van with a manual would have been a contender, but as it stands I picked the Viggen. I don’t really like convertibles, but I like that one better than the pair of Mazdas for the price. It would be a fun one summer car, sell it next spring and pick a new toy.
I picked the van, because it looks like a nice perch to just cruise in. The 6 has appeal, but not with the ruined suspension and exhaust.
This is actually a pretty difficult panel. The one that is an automatic “no” is the VW Van and even that has merit. If I wanted to build a pocket RV, it’s an inexpensive platform to start from.
Nope. The droptop Swede has my number and she is dialing. I’d take her home.
VW. Just such a good versatile vehicle!
Final evolvement of the VW Transporter, and they have looked more or less like that (of course now with blinding sharp lights and giant wheels) since 1990, no matter what T number VW themselves think they have gotten to now, I have lost track of that.
I smile just as much in mine as I did in the T1, T2 and T3. Perfect blend of the classic and the modern.
Only downside is that you have to get out of it to get a sunburn, other than on your arm 😀
From the day that generation of Mazda6 debuted, I thought it was a looker.
With a 3.0L V6, manual, and no rust, it’s totally worth fixing the suspension and exhaust.
For less than $5k, heck yes.
I went with the 6, lowered and loud, I don’t care. If the Saab were a hard top that would change my vote, the MX6 was a contender but likely needs more than I want to give.
The van does nothing for me.
I went with the van. It fits my needs better and can be made to do what I want at the time.
It’s between the two mazdas for me. I still think the 6 is overpriced and I don’t like its history and current ownership, but I want an airbag between my face and the steering wheel and 220 vs 120 horsepower is a strong argument.
Once again, you had me at Viggen. I’m not a convertible person, but the Viggen gets a rare pass from me. The Mazda 6 is a close second, and from a practicality standpoint should be my #1 choice.