What once-common cars are now impossible to find?

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/04/2014 at 18:22 • Filed to: None

Ubiquity. Some cars are just everywhere. The PT Cruiser, the Ford Taurus, the Buick LeSabre, and all a manner of trucks are swarming around towns like roaches. It's nearly impossible to pull up at a light without one of these being present at the intersection.

However, some cars that enjoyed having a presence like this are impossible to find nowadays. My example is the 90s Buick Roadmaster Estate wagon.

I used to see these all over the place, back in the early 2000s when my grandma had hers. Now? I'll *occasionally* see one in real life and good luck to anybody who wants to grab one off of Craigslist. Before Cash 4 Clunkers took its toll a mint-condition example of bench-seated corvette-engined goodness could be had for $10 and some pocket lint. Nowadays, if one can even be found, it's rarely even a runner and hideously overpriced.

So what cars can you guys think of that are scarcities now, but used to be as common as crusty socks in a 13-year-old's room?

DISCUSSION (25)

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 18:31

Kinja'd!!!

Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 18:31

Kinja'd!!!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 18:36

Anything on or related to Chrysler's K-platform.

All have been crashed by teenagers or rusted out.

Frosted > Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS
06/04/2014 at 18:47

Here in Jersey, that generation Camry is still everywhere.

Opposite Locksmith > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 18:49

Mitsubishi monteros!

Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS > Frosted
06/04/2014 at 18:55

The only one I've seen up here in Pittsburgh recently is my neighbor's.

offroadkarter > Frosted
06/04/2014 at 19:28

as are explorers, I still see gen 2 explorers all the time and gen 1's are still around. Gen's 3-4 are still very common.

ly2v8-Brian > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 19:59

Any Japanese car before 92. Any German car before 95. Any Chrysler corp car befor 98. Any Ford before 90. Any non Chevy GM before 89. Chevys are pretty easy to find between 46 and now (most notably trucks). At least that is what it seems like in my area.

GLiddy > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 20:09

The Roadmaster had issues. As you can see in your photo, the rubber door trim would start sagging and just fall off. The trim strips around the wood/vinyl side applique would start peeling and look like crap. Finally the B-Pillar paint seemed to be of very low quality and flaked right off.

The interior plastic became discolored and very cheap looking after a very short time too. In other words, the quality of materials used on the car was shit. When a car looks like shit, it is worth shit.

My Mom gave me her Roadmaster to sell for her 9 years ago or so. I got some 3M heavy duty trim tape and reapplied all the rubber trim. I removed all the wood colored trim pieces, sanded them, primed them and applied a nice tan semi-gloss enamel. Then, since I didn't want to bother color matching the paint, I repainted the B-pillar trim in a semi-gloss black. All the work made the car a lot more presentable and I sold it to a fellow with a large family for $3500 cash which Mom let me keep.

sebdel > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
06/04/2014 at 21:10

In my chilhood and teen years this thing was everywhere, 90% of taxi cabs were datsuns, and you could see all kinds of these Now they're just gone...

Kinja'd!!!

Obviously I'm outside the US.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > GLiddy
06/04/2014 at 21:30

I saw one that had all the wood, trim, etc. stripped and it was painted matte black with red drag stripes. Looked mean as hell, and the engine was tuned up a bit and it was running 13 seconds, I believe.