One of my favorite things about car enthusiasm the way The Autopian practices it is that you aren’t required to be enthusiastic about stereotypical “enthusiast” cars. Sure, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving a Mazda Miata or the latest Lamborghini, but there’s nothing that says that you can’t also love cars that were never built or marketed towards enthusiasts. Heck, they might even be practically anti-enthusiast. Pete lusts for a plain-jane Dodge Omni like the one in the topshot, no “GLH model of course” qualification. Which has me wondering: What’s the least “car-enthusiasty” car that you’re in love with?
To clarify this question a bit, we’re not just looking for only the everyday normal cars. We want to know about the cars that no stereotypical enthusiast would ever think of as something to fall in love with. We want to see the people who go gaga over Saturn Outlooks, Chevrolet Captivas, Ford Fusions, Nissan Altimas, Kia Rios, and Hyundai Accents.
I reached a point sometime last year when I realized that I love way more cars than I currently own. So, whenever I thought about a car, bus, truck, plane, or motorcycle that I would at least like to try out one day, I wrote it down in a list. Some of my choices are enthusiast vehicles, which isn’t that surprising. But then I realized that I have a soft spot for lots of non-enthusiast cars, too! Here’s the list as it stands today:
Now, this list is incomplete. As I said, I add to it only when I think of a vehicle that I would love to own or drive one day. I have this sort of idea that one day I’ll run into enough money and storage to just pick any vehicle from the list and buy it. Or, maybe someone will come forward with an offer to drive, ride, or fly one of these vehicles. The list also includes cars I’ve owned before and would buy again.
Some of these vehicles are definitely “me” kind of things, like the buses, German diesels, and the classic International Harvester cabover semi. But, hold on, a Saturn Vue? Yes! I’m not even talking about the slick Vue Red Line with the Honda V6, but the one that’s a sibling of the Chevy Captiva.
Why do I love this thing so much? It’s a combination of its friendly round shape and the Sea Mist Green paint option that was introduced in 2008. Amazingly, the press photos don’t show it, so I had to nab a photo from a dealer. But this paint has an awesome pearl effect when light hits it. Just look at how there’s almost a bit of a gold shade poking through the paint. I have about a hundred cars I’d rather buy before a Vue, but I admit that I stop in my tracks every time I see one for sale on Facebook in this color.
My list has other normal cars on it, too, like the Saturn Astra, Saturn SC1, and an original Kia Sportage. The Kia is probably the weirdest of the normal cars. I’m talking about this little spot utility:
The silly thing about this is that there are far better choices out there for a three-door soft-top mini SUV. I have a Geo Tracker right there on the list! There’s also the original Toyota RAV4. But I’ve always been fascinated with these original Sportages ever since I saw one absolutely conquering a mud bowl in Tennessee. That Kia somehow couldn’t be stopped that weekend.
Not on my list, but will probably be added soon, would be cars like the Dodge Omni, all sorts of Chrysler K-cars, and some American Malaise Era iron. Ah, that reminds me, I need to add a Chrysler Executive Limousine to my list.
Alright, so you’ve seen my list. What non-enthusiast cars would you love to drive one day?
Top graphic image: Chrysler
I want to drive a Rivian/Amazon van and the now discontinued Brightdrop ev van. Plus (of course) a hundred weird small cars from overseas that we don’t get in America: all the iconic kei cars and trucks yes please. Oh, and a Toyota Hilux Champ too pretty please… diesel automatic and also the manual if possible. I’ve never driven any Citroen, and I really want to try a DS, but that probably doesn’t count since it’s an enthusiast car, albeit not a sporty one. I’d also like to try the very early Saabs that look like scarabs and have two stroke engines.
This Renault sheep dreams of Toyota Proboxes.
Cars I’ve owned since 1974 most are …meh.
63 VW bug 65 Comet 404, 69 Buick Skylark,
69 Cutlass S, 74 Cutlass Supreme, 77 Z-28, 81 Dodge Omni, 74 Dodge Dart, 74 Plymouth Valant, 83 280 ZX Turbo, 83 Dodge Conversion van, 78 Caprice Classic, 83 Horizon, 88 Horizon, 90 Buick Century Wagon, 88 Chevy Celebrity, 88 Dodge B250 Ram Wagon, 96 Dodge B-250 Ram Wagon, 97 Jeep Wrangler, 90 Izusu Pup, 03 F250 Super duty, 97 Buick LeSabre, 03 Buick Regal LS, 01 Regal GS, 18 Jeep Wrangler 2 door. There were a few others that I bought to sell that I didn’t include.
Wow! What a huge list Jim. 🙂 Either you’re 150 years old now, or you really like cars. 🙂 I’m jealous!
Started at an Oldsmobile dealership in 1976. Trade ins would come in and I’d would think…ummm if I sell this car I could buy that one…some I’ve kept for 7 or 8 years…some for a couple of weeks. The 97 TJ kept for 21 years. I’m 68 and have not bought anything since 08..a record!!!
Color me impressed. I bet if I had worked at a dealership, I’d have availed myself of the opportunity to buy some trade-ins or demo cars too. 🙂
I’ve only had a dozen to 15 cars (I’m 60) and own three atm (all old, but I like them 🙂 ). There are still more than a few on my ‘want to try’ list including some that will never happen due to cost and my decreasing appetite for agita (such as a Citroen DS) and some that might happen before I’m done (such as some kind of affordable EV).
My longest was 23 years of ownership for a ’00 VW Golf TDI and my shortest (just under a year) was a ’98 Mercedes CLK 320 which was my only new car (it was also the most unreliable I’ve ever had). My most recent purchase this past summer is my current daily: an ’89 Volvo 240 wagon (manual, AC) …I always wanted a 240 and now I have one. 🙂
That’s serious dedication to American-made, um, conveyances. Three omni/horizons??!
One for the wife and I traded the 83 Conversion van for the 83 Horizon, traded the 81 Omni for 88 Horizon for the fuel injection for the wife. She loved them. She could see the end of the hood and the back. Some cars were my back and forth work cars. Most work cars were $900 or less.
I wouldn’t say lust – but I do have curiosity about certain cars and I’d love to try them:
Cadillac Catera – does it zig?
Solstice/Sky – is it better than the NC Miata?
Crossfire – Unique looking and aging well visually
Holden Commodore – They’re a big deal in Aus, is it warranted?
Ford Falcon – Same as above
MG TF – Is it better than the NB I used to own? Maybe you can tell me, Mercedes
Peugeot 406 coupe – Always thought it was pretty, probably drives like an economy car
Chevy SSR – what’s not to like?
Toyota Crown Sport – Budget Purosangue
Honda e
Alfa Brera – probably boring FWD to drive but so so pretty
I’m sure I’m forgetting a ton. Especially stuff from when I was a kid that I lusted over for no reason. Stuff that is sadly disappearing.
I had a Catera as a rental and rather liked it. I don’t really understand the hate for it.
The Ad campaign. And fitting a square peg in a round hole. It could have been an Oldsmobile, it would have fit in their contemporary lineup. Maybe even a Buick or Pontiac. But it was not a Cadillac.
Read the owner reviews on the Edmunds website. About 20% of the owners have a good experience. The rest have had nightmare problems with all sorts of expensive mechanical and electrical breakdowns.
It’s a German Opel with a Cadillac badge on it.
Seriously, read the Edmund reviews. Most Catera owners will never, ever buy another Cadillac.
Some cars are best experienced as rentals. I knew they were terrible owners’ cars.
I once had a Nissan Cube as a rental car, it was absolutely brilliant fun to drive, specifically the perfectly tuned CVT in it. It really clicked with me that one could squeeze the throttle and play with how the transmission rubber banded its way up and down the ratios. It was quick enough and just whimsical enough to be entertaining.
I had a similar feeling with a Soul I once rented.
Does a Lada 2107 count? Cause I did get to drive one of those and it was delightfully awful! Feels about the same as driving a shopping cart.
2107?
Yes! Its the slightly updated but still largely the same version of the Vaz 2101 zhiguli! The main difference is that they got 2 big square headlights as opposed to the 2 big round headlights they had previously. They also had smaller bumpers and less chrome!
The Mazda Cosmo, or Ford Cortina Gt
Two of my favorite cars I’ve never actually driven: Volvo 240 (or any Volvo), Chrysler Fifth Avenue (M-body)
I had a Volvo 1800 ES, that vehicle got so much attention because it didn’t look like a Volvo.
The 240 doesn’t disappoint.
2005 Volvo S80 in black, chrome handles, beige interior baby!!!
Peugeot 504
I’m not a collector. If I was I would be collecting motorcycles not cars
I have a thing for weird suspensions so a Yamaha GTS1000 and Yamaha Niken would be near the top.
If I could get another mid 80s Tercel 4 wheel drive stickshift wagon in nice shape, I’d be happy.
That or Mercedes’ RTS bus.
With the granny gear and locked rear axel. So underpowered but went wherever I pointed it.
I had an ’84 one of those and I miss it. It was amazing in the snow. Our Jeep GC would get high-centered in deep snow, and the Tercel would just float on top.
Loved my PT Cruiser (manual transmission 5gear) and would love to have it back. Fun to drive. Can sit up and just hated by everyone……
I want to drive everything once. K-cars, kei cars, mary kay cars, you name it I want to drive it. What if my favorite car to drive is a 92 Ford Escort? I won’t know until I drive one! I know that I prefer small, nimble cars but what if I love cruising in a big 60’s Impala?
Give me every experience!
K-van subaru domingo, prepared to be asked a lot of questions.
I would like to drive a few of the smaller cars that are not available in the American market. The VW polo, Renault Clio, Peugeot 208 kind of thing. Dare I say it? The Dacia Sandero?
Cars that are adequate in 99% of situations and relatively inexpensive, but are unavailable here because it’s ‘murica and we drive giant pickup trucks to haul our air and fake SUVs that will never go off road and would get stuck immediately if they did.
Top of my head non-exhaustive list:
Plain-Jane early ’70s Plymouth Valiant/Dodge Dart with a slant six, because I’d like to see how far we’ve come since that era. If I had lived then, it would likely be a vehicle I would have owned.
Some sort of Detroit barge from the ’60s for a road trip. An early Honda Civic.
Some ’80s Detroit mediocrity, specifically a 5-speed Plymouth Horizon and an Iron Duke Chevrolet Celebrity, because these were our family vehicles that I never got to drive. Just to see how mediocre they actually were.
Revisit some of the cars I learned to drive on, or owned for a bit: Dodge Caravan, Saturn SL/SC with a 5-speed, Mazda Protege (actually would likely buy a good condition one – one of the few cars I’d like back).
Pretty much any ordinary car survivor from the late ’50s to the ’80s, just because I missed that era.
I occasionally see an Horison down near my work in that same color but with some chrome 10 hole “modular style” wheels straight out of the 80’s. The exterior and wheels are in great condition. It is driven by man that must be in his 70’s and I do wonder if he bought it new.
The Omni and its Plymouth sibling are not cars anybody should have to drive.
My list:
* Buick Roadmaster wagon circa 1996
* Ford Probe
* Acura wagon
* Volvo 850 wagon
* Lincoln Continental, any model year
* Lincoln Mk IV, VII, VIII, X
* Mercedes 560 SEL (W126) (or maybe that’s an enthusiast car? Idk)
* VW Arteon
* VW Beetle
* VW microbus
* Buick Regal TourX
* Genesis G90 (enthusiast?)
* Ford Pinto
* AMC Pacer
* AMC Eagle
What about the omni glh tuned by Carol Shelby?
I’m sure it’s fine if you don’t need it to take you to work reliably.
Ford Probe: a great car in many ways.
Pinto: Mediocre, but basically functional. Very unremarkable.
AMC Eagle: Cramped, heavy, thirsty, only unique in that years later so many others copied the concept.
Beetle: Slow, noisy, cramped, not very efficient, not much luggage room, very easy to drive. A basic transportation unit at a low price. Pretty reliable. They did not have an oil filter, only held 3 quarts, and never came with A/C.
These 4 have been in my family at one time or another.
Lucky!
I love the Pinto because of that big glass hatch. It was just cool looking.
An entire list would be…exhaustive to sort out. So I’ll just say a Saturn SW2 and call it good.
Unimog
Lotus Elite (the big 4 seater)
Renault Clio V6
Caterpillar 797
Amphicar
Bentley R-Type Continental
MG TC
Facel Vega
Tatra
Citroën SM
Bugatti type 35
Ford 8n (I miss my 8n)
Any beater 1969 American convertible.
If I have to get somewhere in a currently sold transport device, gosh I’m stumped. I really ought to know what to say if someone says they want to buy me a new car, and even pay the taxes on it.
Lucid Air maybe?
A small sampling of my choices in no particular order:
+1 for Borgward Isabella, pretty car.
I had a Scoupe once, which I had bought wholesale to resell… it was slow, and literally NO ONE wanted to buy it. Other than being good on gas, there was nothing positive about it. Fortunately, it got totaled and I eventually got some reimbursement.
Anyone read the list and want to shout “Geostorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmm!”
Light blue Geo Metro convertible, though the hatch would be more practical.
During my morning commute in high school, I regularly saw a guy with a Metro hatch with a racing number stenciled on the door driving HARD. Shooting gaps to make left hand turns and squeezing into the turn lane at the last second at a light that typically took several cycles to get through. He must have avoided being the target of a lot of road rage simply for driving a Geo Metro.
Geo Metro came to mind for me too!
Chrysler TC. Of course the one I want has a 5 speed Getrag but I’d gladly take any slush box you can toss in my direction.
Ah. My interest. You have piqued it.
I’m a fan of the everyday, the mundane, the humdrum. The so-called penalty boxes that everyone reviles, I’m here to appreciate them.
As mentioned, Lamborghinis are easy to get excited about because Lamborghini set out from the beginning to make an exciting car. It’s the Michael Bay approach: it doesn’t have to be a great story if there’s lots of stuff exploding. Lamborghinis are fun but boy, they are a lot to put up with.
I’ll admit, blowing stuff up is fun. But you can’t do it all day, every day.
Any fool can make a car go fast. Throw money and fuel at it until buyers are satisfied. Swoopy curves are sexy but so what? Ginger was the exotic dream queen but who really gets the appreciation: Mary Ann. A Ford GT is amazing all right but you know what’s way easier to live with? An Escort GT. At 90mph on the twisty back roads of Tennessee Mary Ann would make you forget all about Ginger, and then take you to work on Monday morning.
It almost doesn’t matter what car you mention. I want it. I want to drive it, maybe own it for a few weeks, and then move on. I want to have it long enough to learn its personality and understand how it was made to be a success, however you define the word in the context of cars.
Except the Hyundai Excel. I don’t need to revisit that. -shudder-
What if I said Daewoo Lanos
I don’t think I need a few weeks with that one. One week should be plenty.