Welp, we’ve reached the end of another week, so it’s time for another four-way runoff. And I’m fresh out of ideas for silly scenarios to help you choose, so you can use whatever criteria you see fit. I’ll go over the finer points of each car to help you decide.
I knew yesterday was a foregone conclusion, but the juxtaposition of two old Audis from the same year was too good to pass up. The 4000 by itself would be worth consideration, but next to that 5000, it looks irrelevant. Only twenty-seven of you disagreed, which makes this one of the most lopsided votes we’ve ever had.
I really, really like that 5000. Those don’t come up for sale very often anymore, especially a turbo with a manual like that. It’s in good shape, it’s a great price, and it’s not far from where I’m sitting right now. But I have room for exactly one more car in my garage (and life), and I already have a nice comfy sedan. I’d rather have something sportier for my third car. So I guess what I’m saying is, somebody please come buy that damn thing so I can stop thinking about it.
All right, let’s take a second look at the week’s winners.
1992 Buick Riviera – $3,000
The case for it: It’s a pretty cool-looking personal luxury coupe, and it’s equipped with a drivetrain well-known for durability. It’s comfortable, reliable, and the sort of car that isn’t made anymore, which makes it kind of special.
The case against it: It’s chock-full of early-’90s GM electronics, which are not exactly a paragon of reliability. A lot of things have failed already. This car may run forever, but you’ll spend half that time chasing electrical gremlins.
2013 Volvo S60 T5 – $2,000
The case for it: It’s a sleek, modern sedan with a powerful turbocharged engine. It has all the luxury stuff you could want, but it’s still old enough to be spared the bullshit that’s installed in cars today. Oh, and the interior is gorgeous.
The case against it: Ford- and Geely-era Volvos are still good cars, but they’re not the indestructible monoliths that the old ones were. And the more modern and complicated a car gets, the more expensive it is to repair when something goes wrong. Also, while depreciation is vicious on these, this one seems suspiciously cheap.
2008 Honda Element LX – $3,995
The case for it: The Element is unlike any other car on the road. It’s weird, and yet very practical. They’re well known for racking up a quarter-million miles without breaking a sweat, and this one is still well shy of that. And while the color might not be everyone’s cup of tea, conspicuous cars are safer.
The case against it: The ad is a little hinky-sounding, so you’ll want to make sure everything is legit before you hand over any money. Other than that, if you’re cool with the color, not much.
1986 Audi 5000 CS Turbo – $2,200
The case for it: It’s a world-class turbocharged executive sedan with a manual transmission and a five-cylinder engine that makes glorious noises. It’s also in remarkable shape for its age, and it’s being offered at a more than fair price.
The case against it: It’s a forty-year-old German car that’s hard to find parts for. It has a complicated hydro-boost power brake system, a complicated vacuum-operated power lock system, and lots of electronic bits to go wrong. This car could make you fall in love with it — but it could also break your heart and your wallet at the same time.
So there you have it, our week’s winners, as chosen by you. Which is the best deal? Which is the most fun? Which is the coolest? You tell me. Make your choice, and then drop a comment explaining why you chose what you did. Have a great weekend!
This was a little tough. It was easy to eliminate the Buick and the pink menace. Then things got harder. I had to go with the Audi 5000 An inline 5 turbo with a manual. I considered the Volvo. It’s really nice and a lot newer but I’m rolling back to high school with that Audi.
Also, the Volvo and Audi ads are down so I’m not the only one who thought the same way. I guess you’re off the hook, Mark. No more Audi temptation today. Unless you were the one who bought it?
If the CRX had won, that’s where my vote would have gone. Since it didn’t I’ll be Audio 5000 G.
Gotta go with Molly Ringwald today. The sedans just ain’t of any interest.
I really want that 5000 but Michigan + rust is a no-go. I’m not David Tracy.
Volvo is the only choice.
I pick the one car from the day I got a flat and didn’t vote, Volvo.
The Honda’s front end is all jacked up, virtually none of the panels line up. I’ll take the Volvo, because at least you can rip those excellent seats out and have a really good office chair for less than something with a Herman Miller badge on it. You get an entire car too!
What is “I’ll take the two troublesome Europeans for the price of the hinky Honda, Alex”
A $2,000 modern Volvo + a $2,000 forty year old Audi = “one of them is bound to be running on a given day”. Right?
Suspiciously cheap Volvo for me today, but I’m going over it with a fine-toothed comb before I commit. Audi is a very close second; I loved those back in the day.
Personal luxury coupe for me today. I’ve already owned a 3800 (Series II) powered Monte Carlo, and I put a couple of thousand miles a year on my El Camino, so I’m used to long doors.
Honestly at that price for an Element, it might be worth a wrap. It can’t be that difficult of a vehicle to wrap given it’s shape, right?
An AWD ’08 and later Element under 200k and with a non-trashed interior… 4k isn’t a terrible deal. Keep in mind, ’08 and newer have the CRITICAL side curtain airbags that took this vehicle from “I’m not putting my kids in this vehicle” to “alright they have a chance at surviving a T-bone-ing”.
This is of course if the ad isn’t totally bullshit.
You beat me too it – the Element is cheap enough that a wrap would be reasonable if the color is too heinous.
I’m not usually a do-it-yourself guy when it comes to aesthetics, but if there’s any vehicle I thought I might be able to do a wrap on, it’d be this.
Exactly. Even if there are some wrinkles, it is still a net upgrade.
The Volvo is hands down the best bang for the buck. The Element is the most practical. The Buick is a rust belt car but at least has parts availability. The Audi just makes no sense to me.
“And while the color might not be everyone’s cup of tea, conspicuous cars are safer.”
Really? Still a no for me, regardless.
Safer for you because everyone is looking right at you laughing. Dangerous for everyone else because they’re running into each other while doing so.
I’m not sure which car is the coolest, but I know the Pepto pink Element is the least.
I’m shocked to see all the Audi love so far. I actually voted Volvo because I’m a sucker for that interior and now I’m second guessing it. If I was spending actual money I’d probably buy the Audi.
ditto
Is that you, Taggart?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBHVElYZ1ZY
I’d still go Volvo, but I wouldn’t cry any tears if someone got there before me and I had to take the Audi instead.
I think a lot of us are suspicious of it at that price. If it’s as-presented then it’s quite a deal and I’d pick it.
Man I want that Audi!
I’ll go Volvo. I like the looks on the outside and that interior looks like a nice place to be on a road trip.
The Audi is the only one with a stick. It is also an Audi. Euro Lux is from a different world from the one I come from: I’m blue collar Millenial where it tends to cater to white collar Gen X. So the Volvo doesn’t suit me either. Never mind that car beat one I voted for. I prefer Euro with cloth or vinyl to Euro with leather.
Now, I am JDM-coded and it should be an easy win for the Element. But as pointed out, that ad is shady at best, and to me that says that it’s not worth pursuing. Shame, because a pink Element might be fun to mess with people in.
So that leaves the Buick. The Daytons actually achieve what the ugly wheel covers these cars often had mean to emulate, and the tires also have reasonably sized sidewalls. Sure, it’s ’90s GM electronics inside, but otherwise you’re looking at a clean automobile whose neoclassical styling has been enhanced with authentic wire wheels. It’s a Zimmer or Mitsuoka Lite, and I can get behind the idea. It just needs whitewalls. Thick ones, not the lame vestigial whitewall stripe these came with.
The best vehicle of this group (i.e. the one least likely to leave you waiting for a tow truck while you question your life choices) is the Element.
But the hell with that line of thinking. I’ve never owned a turbo car or a manual car, and the 5000 takes care of both. I wouldn’t need it to run all the time either as I’ll always have a modern daily to handle the more mundane driving.
Doin’ my Audi Duty today. I mean, which of these rides doesn’t have complicated electronics that can take a dump on you?
The 500 looks good, makes a fine cruiser, and has a manual transmission. That’s good enough for me. And it’s not pink, although I find Elements capital-U Ugly no matter what color they’re painted.
My heart wants the Audi but my head says Volvo.
In this case, listen to your heart. You can fix that Audi with a rock and a screwdriver. That Volvo needs a laptop and a software subscription to the mothership to touch literally anything electronic in it – which is everything.
If we’re actually supposed to drive the thing, I think the Honda and the Volvo are the best choices. I’ll go with the Volvo because it has gloriously non-greige seats, while the Honda is pink.
I was going to vote pink, until that interior photo, looks like you can see the hood and it isn’t pink…
Guess it’s turbo Audi until it blows up. At least it’s manual and cheap.
its down to the riv or audi 5000 for me. One Friend owned a Riv another friend owed the Audi 5000
I think the Element would be a runaway winner if it wasn’t pink. Since I don’t care if it’s pink, I voted for it.
As I already own a P3 S60 T5 AWD that makes turbo 5 cylinder noises, I’ll vote for the Riviera. Looks super cushy and isn’t pink.