In today’s thrilling episode, we’re going to look at two cars that have the same color scheme. They’re both rare, they’re both in nice shape, and if we’re being honest, they both seem a little expensive for what you get. Is one of them more worth the price than the other? That’s what we’re going to find out.
We looked at a couple of two-door sedans yesterday, and it sounds as if a lot of you had trouble choosing. And for once, it wasn’t because you hated them both! From the sounds of it, a lot of people’s heads said Toyota Corona, while their hearts said Volvo. The head won out, but just barely. As of this writing, only about thirty votes separate the two.
I understand your indecision. I’d have trouble choosing between them as well. I’ve low-key wanted a Volvo 240 for years, and that’s a good spec to get, but that Corona is cleaner, and I really like the light, airy look of the interior. I think I’d have to drive them both and see which one felt more like home.
Of all the possible color combinations for cars, green outside and tan inside is one of my favorites. It just looks good on everything. And it doesn’t really matter what shade of green it is; Forest Service Green works just as well as British Racing Green. The combination was really popular in the 1990s, but you don’t see it much these days. You don’t see many interior colors except for black, actually, unless you start looking at higher-end cars. Both of today’s cars are from the end of the green-over-tan era, but they both wear it well, and they’re both cars you don’t see often in any color. Let’s check them out.
2000 Daewoo Nubira CDX Wagon – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline-4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Odometer reading: 67,000 miles
Operational status: Ad doesn’t actually say
Daewoo doesn’t have a long or distinguished resume of selling cars in the United States. The first Daewoo-built car sold here was the ill-fated Pontiac LeMans revival, based on the European Opel Kadett. It should have been a good little car. It wasn’t. In the late ’90s, Daewoo came to the US as its own entity, just in time to go bankrupt and have to get bailed out by General Motors. This Nubira was the middle child of Daewoo’s lineup in the US, a car that sold so poorly that I haven’t actually seen one on the road since about 2005. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Nubira wagon in green. It’s a fetching color, I have to admit.
All US-market Nubiras came with a 2.0-liter twin-cam four-cylinder engine built in Australia by Holden. Either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic were available; this car, like nearly all Nubiras, I would imagine, has the automatic. Curiously, the seller doesn’t actually mention how well it runs; only that it’s hard to find “in this condition.” I assume that means running and driving? These cars weren’t known for their reliability.
It’s the fancy CDX model, with air conditioning, cruise control, and power everything. The seller appears to have installed a touch-screen stereo in it, but since it’s positioned so low in the dash, I have to imagine it’s a pain in the ass to operate. I think I’d yank it out and replace it with something with knobs and buttons, personally. It does look like it’s in good condition inside, at least.
Little wagons are always useful things, no matter who makes them, and this looks like a very practical car. The cross-bars on the roof racks are apparently a factory option, and I have to believe they’re one of very few sets in existence. I can’t see a reason to go for this over an Escort wagon or something, unless you really want a Daewoo, but if that’s the case, then you do you. You’re unlikely to find a nicer one than this.
2004 Mitsubishi Galant GTS – $4,800
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8-liter OHC V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: San Jose, CA
Odometer reading: 119,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Some cars seem to exist only in a certain period of time, regardless of how long they were actually produced. Mitsubishi’s Galant sedan is such a car. When I think of the Galant, it’s the early 1990s versions that come to mind, especially the cool all-wheel-drive VR-4 model. Remembering that Mitsubishi still sold the Galant in 2004 is a bit like being reminded that Collective Soul released a new album that same year. Oh right, so they did. Well, good for them.
As it turns out, in 2004, the Galant had a bit of a surprise under the hood: a 3.8-liter version of Mitsubishi’s long-serving V6, making 230 horsepower. That’s not too shabby at all for a mid-sized sedan, though not quite at the level of Nissan’s brawler V6 version of the Altima. No manual transmission was available in the Galant by this point; you get a four-speed automatic with one of those manual-shiftable plus-and-minus gates. (Does anybody ever actually use those?) The seller says it runs and drives well, and just had a bunch of service work completed. It does, however, have a salvage title, though the seller doesn’t know the reason. It needn’t have been an accident; it could have been a theft recovery. If it doesn’t affect the car, and your insurance company doesn’t care, it probably doesn’t matter.
This one is also the top of its range, which for the Galant means the GTS model. It has leather seats, power everything, and nice-looking white-faced gauges. It’s all in good condition, but I do wonder about that yellow plastic bag in front of the vent on the right side. Is that an air freshener? What smell is it covering up?
It looks good on the outside, and this one is a nice color as well. The seller does say it has “scratches here and there,” but what car outside of Pebble Beach doesn’t? None of the panel gaps look off in the photos, which also leads me to believe that the tarnished title is not due to damage.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw either of these cars. Wait – actually, I had a friend in Portland with a Galant from this era, but hers was nowhere near this fancy. A Daewoo of any description, though? It’s been years. If nothing else, you’re practically guaranteed to have the only one in almost any parking lot, and you certainly won’t see another example of either in green. Which one is worth the money to you?
When I (briefly) sold cars, we had a 2004 Galant. It was beige with a beige interior. I think ours was a 4-cylinder because I remember it being kinda slow.
I also remember that it had the coldest, most forceful air conditioning I’ve ever experienced. There was literal frost forming on the air vents (in the middle of a humid PA summer).
Otherwise, very bland car. We had to practically give it away.
Even though I have a soft spot for longroofs the Mitsubishi gets the nod.
Over 20 years ago, my wife and I flew to Texas with my mother in law to visit relatives. For rental vehicles, we ended up with a Taurus which was fine until the battery died and it was replaced with a Caravan which was great. My MIL got a Daiwoo, which, fortunately, didn’t die. But it had a constant transmission whine, was as nice as a Yugo inside, and accelerated like a Chevette. Although it was arguably slightly better than the rental Dodge Caliber I experienced later. So, I’ll take the Mitsubishi….or nearly anything else…over that Daewoo pile.
I rented a four-cylinder version of the Galant from around that era. It ran and got me where I needed to go. Other than that, I just remember it being very bland to drive.
That said, I’ll take it over a car I’ve barely read about and have never knowingly seen in person.
You’re not wrong about the color combo stuff. Personally, BRG > FSG. Back in 1993, we test drove a Eddie Bauer Edition Ford Explorer in Dark green with a tan interior. It had the best seats I’ve ever sat on. But it handled poorly compared to the Jeep GC we had test driven the day before and we went with the Jeep. Jeep had a Green/tan combo that looked great too, but sadly what stock was available was all in white/tan.
Finding Parts for an old not popular Mitsubishi will be a pain. For a daewoo it’ll be impossible.
Not on a late ’80s Vauxhall Astra. The exterior was sort of dark grass-green and the interior was made of horrible plastics, the same greasy colour as a Cadbury’s Caramac caramel chocolate bar.
This gen of Galant looks like a badge-engineered Dodge. Awful and underdesigned, but probably better than any comparable Dodge.
The Daewo is what Jimmy McGill’s separated-at-birth twin sister would drive.
Both are overpriced, but the Galant looks more reliable, so it wins.
The Daewoo is a pretty dorky looking vehicle, but in a kind of lovable way. It’s also a wagon, which is a major strong point. The reliability thing is the killer here, though, and the Galant is a really nice example. I’ll go for the less lovable, and less practical car that will be more likely to be running on any given day. Galant it is.
My Husband needs a car, and his color is green.
I’d probably rather see him gallivant in a Galant.
I recently bought my wife a used Fiat 500, and after her first day of driving it she liked it, except the engine was loud and the shifts were jerky. Found out she had slotted it into the manual shift mode, which, I suppose, means that it only shifts when approaching redline.
I don’t expect the car will ever be put in manual mode again; possibly I will try it out if it’s slippery (keep it in a high gear).
I’ll take the Nubira, but the design was completely ruined by the facelift. With notable exceptions, “Thou Shalt Not Facelift” remains a cardinal rule.
Went to a Mitsubishi driving event many years ago, and took a ride in this generation Galant with a professional driver. Did not think it could handle that wel, or go that fast around a roadcourse.
PREACH! I love seeing Jaguars, Aston Martins, and Ferraris with dark green over tan. (Ever see an F355 in this color combo? It is fantastic!) Strangely-enough, I feel that navy blue over tan or white is better for a Porsche 930 turbo. Not sure why that particular car breaks the trend.
As a previous owner of a Prelude in Eucalyptus green pearl with tan and black interior, couldn’t agree with you more.
That sounds glorious!
It didn’t sell well, as it was only available for two years. Looked much better than the all black interior that came with all the other colors.
There is no accounting for other peoples’ taste.
Chevrolet offered the Corvette in a really nice deep metallic green over tan from the early 90s on the C4 was through the first couple years of the C5 and it looks phenomenal in person. One of the best colors for the C4 and I’d say the best for the C5.
I am familiar with that exact color combo, and heartily agree!
I will take yesterday’s Volvo please.
It’s interesting that Mitsu mirrored the shape of the rear spoiler in the taillights for the S models. I’ve definitely seen this gen of Galant with the wingless taillamps. I know Torch grills newbies to the Burnished Brakelamp on that every other Wednesday.
Tough call I love the previous gen Galant they drive really quite amazing for what they are. That gen I never really liked all that much. I have fond memories of a late 90s car show looking at daewoo and their plastic car. So daewoo I think especially because it’s the wagon.
Hmmm, the one with an Australian heart or the one that (briefly) had a domestic Aussie career? Not a tough pick, give me the USDM 380 any day.
I picked the Daewoo, but hear me out. It looks whimsical, and a bit silly, almost like the slinky dog from Toy Story, and I like that shade a green better. Will it be unreliable? Probably. Is it a “mistake”? Yes. Do I stand behind my decision? Not really….
All of the points for honesty.
I’ll take the nubile wagon. It looks better than my Escort wagon ever did from the side and rear…
Galant for me. It’s a much nicer ride and you’ll be able to get parts/service for it since the parent company isn’t bankrupt. Plus I see no evidence that it was a flood car or has janky repairs.
you get a four-speed automatic with one of those manual-shiftable plus-and-minus gates. (Does anybody ever actually use those?)
I do in my wife’s turbo Baja, but I only drive it 3 or 4 times a year.
While I love a wagon, especially a green one, those Daewoos were awful. Galant for sure, especially since it is also green.
The Daewoo is contemptible while read the Mitsu is just mediocre.
Mitsu wins.
I hate them both but that Daewoo was probably shedding parts on its way off the assembly line so the Mitsu wins by default.
The only reason I remember this generation Galant is because the night shift guard from a building across the street owns one.
His shift ends around the same time I leave for work so I’m witness that beat up car that looks twice the mileage as this one has started every time over the 4 years I’ve lived there.
That 3.8 is thirsty but there are plenty of parts for it as it saw action in the Montero, Endeavor and Eclipse. I dig the color combo as well.
In 5 years, that Daewoo Wagon might become a cool car for Radwood. But I’m not the one willing to find out.