Favourite moderately priced vehicles over the years

[Vulcan]

I still think the original Mustang fastback was the best looking Mustang.

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

No offense but that thing is hideous.

Different strokes for different folks

[GGG]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

The Mustang LX with the 5 L, not the GT, was the car to get back in the day. All the engine, none of the crappy plastic body panels.

The best was the 4 cyl version. The engine compartment was so big that it was the easiest car ever to learn how to repair cars. You could practically stand in the engine compartment.

It was also practically free to fill up with gas. Sure it was slow as hell but that car never died.

[bossy22]

I wanted the Grand National when I was younger.

Spoiler!

[-TC-]

I had a used '81 Mazda 626 that was my grad gift.

It was fantastic, rear wheel drive and just a ton of fun to sling around....I miss that car

[Art Vandelay]

Always liked these. Got a chance to drive a couple. That twin turbo was lots of fun.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Late 90's Rav 4. I bought one for $600 dollars with 140,000 km, and I've put 90,000 more on it doing nothing but oil changes (which take under 5 minutes with a pan and one wrench) and one brake job. The Japanese used to build awesome stuff. Granted that 5th gear is wonky now, but for the price I'll just drive it in 4th and not go over 110km/h.

$600? That's quite the ROI...

[Regulator75]

Always had a soft spot for the Chevrolet Impala, the last couple versions were pretty damn ugly (I even owned the 2001 LS version).

The new 2014 Impala finally a new design, sure it's not the fastest or coolest car, but it leaps and bounds nicer than it's last two predecessors.

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

Always liked these. Got a chance to drive a couple. That twin turbo was lots of fun.

The FD RX-7 is one of the best penned Japanese cars of all time (NSX & Toyota 2000GT would be tops as well). Also one of the most unreliable. I have never understood why Mazda has snickered with the rotary engine for as long as it has, the German's invented it but abandoned it long ago. The RX-8 proved that a "modern" rotary is still no good.

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by Suave

88 Fiero GT

I think the styling on the fieros has held up remarkably well. Too bad about the bad reputation and people butchering them to make their fake exotics. On nice summer days I wish I had my old 85 GT, man that was a fun car.

I had a 1984 Fiero SE in High School. It replaced my first car, a 1981 Chevette. It served me well for many years. I lusted for a 1988 T-Top GT.

The Northstar V8 & the supercharged 3.8L V6 are fairly easy replacements for the stock 140HP 2.8L V6 and certainly change the driving dynamic.

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

FYP.

Scirroco <--- This exact one is for sale, locally here in Calgary. $8500.



And then my personal bias showing, a reasonably affordable when new, VW MKIV R32. Even easier to get into, on the used market.

I owned both a 1987 Scirroco 16V & a 1990 G60 Corrado. I think the Corrado is one of VW's best efforts ever from an aesthetics standpoint. It looked like nothing else and had such presence. The few you see on the road today are generally heaps. The retractable rear spoiler, which is standard fair on most exotics now was groundbreaking in 1989. Porsche was the only other manufacturer to offer this on the way more expensive 964.

The MK1 Scirroco is beautiful !!

[Doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I could never get into that gen Supra... too big and bubbly for my tastes, and that spoiler was a little too pre-riced. I'd rather have the MR2 Twin Turbo...although finding an unmolested one is nearly impossible.
.

I owned a 91 MR2 Turbo (note these are not Twin Turbo's), the one car I regret selling the most. So much to like about the car...mid engine, T-Tops, the 3S-GTE engine is bulletproof.

Agreed finding an unmolested MR2 Turbo's and Supra TT's is nearly impossible thanks to all the Fast and Furious movies.

[Hevishot]

I think small trucks will always have a place in my heart. My first truck was an 83 Chev S10 Tahoe. It had a 2.8 V6 with a 5 spd, bucket seats and carpeted floor. Purchased with less than 200k on it. Sold it with over 320kms on it.



I liked that truck so much I followed it up with another mini truck. A 2000 GMC Sonoma with 4.3 V6, Purchased with 35k on it and sold it with over 200k to a buddy who proceded to drive it until there was nothing left of it.

[Dion]

My favourite car as a youth - 1977 Pontiac Trans Am.

[Table 5]

I love that someone at a giant corporation like GM thought that putting a screaming chicken on the hood of a car was the way to go....and it totally worked. So good.

You don't really see that today with every car coming in 20 types of silver.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I love that someone at a giant corporation like GM thought that putting a screaming chicken on the hood of a car was the way to go....and it totally worked. So good.

You don't really see that today with every car coming in 20 types of silver.

I think Bo Darville helped that vehicle.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

The Mustang LX with the 5 L, not the GT, was the car to get back in the day. All the engine, none of the crappy plastic body panels.

Originally Posted by Sliver

Especially the notch back. Those still look absolutely sick.

For about 9 months I had an ex-police package one.

It had steel wheels on it, vinyl interior, was beat to crap, no back seat, no radio.... it was a lump. Just an engine and transmission on wheels. I even took the 5 litre badges off of it to keep it ultra stealth mode. That car was a frikkin blast until I snapped the drive shaft doing a burnout in it.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Always had a soft spot for the Chevrolet Impala, the last couple versions were pretty damn ugly (I even owned the 2001 LS version).

The new 2014 Impala finally a new design, sure it's not the fastest or coolest car, but it leaps and bounds nicer than it's last two predecessors.

Much better than the current Caddy cousin. But its still FWD and V6 only. Not really an Impala, no matter if the last couple gens only had V6's and were FWD.

Need a V8 option to go along with the styling, like the one in the (not available to Canada) Chevy SS. Or drop the Chevy SS and just have an Impala SS.

Soft spot for the Impala as well...learned to drive/my first car was my parents 1978 Impala. 350 V8, bench seat, guzzled gas, RWD that needed sand in the back in winter.

In 1994 GM came out with a properly upfitted Caprice Classic (suspension, engine etc) and called it an Impala SS. Black was cool, as was dark cherry.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by pylon

For about 9 months I had an ex-police package one.

It had steel wheels on it, vinyl interior, was beat to crap, no back seat, no radio.... it was a lump. Just an engine and transmission on wheels. I even took the 5 litre badges off of it to keep it ultra stealth mode. That car was a frikkin blast until I snapped the drive shaft doing a burnout in it.

Nice and a very fitting end for the car. That's like the Mustang equivalent of the three-gun salute.