What car do you love that other enthusiasts will never understand?

"fhrblig" (fhrblig) 12/06/2015 at 11:38 • Filed to: None

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I have lots of enthusiasm for many questionable vehicles (cough cough AMC cough cough), but the one I probably love the most is the Chevy Sprint.

Many of you youngins here have no idea what it is, and have never seen one in the flesh. And you might never see one. Most of them have disappeared. They were cheap to buy, and that usually means they didn’t get cared for like they were supposed to. The Sprint (or Suzuki SA310/Forsa, or Pontiac Firefly in Canada, or 1st gen Holden Barina/Suzuki Swift down under) was the predecessor of the Geo Metro. It had a 1.0 3-cylinder NA engine that produced 48 tiny hp and allegedly a few ft-lbs. of torques. You could also get a 70-hp turbo screamer 3-door, but I’ve only ever had the NA version.

I owned two of them, both were silver 5-doors with varying degrees of equipment. The first one (a 1987) was my favorite. It was barebones; the only option it received was an AM/FM radio. Exposed metal on doors, cheap hairshirt upholstery, a spindly little gear lever, and a speedometer. No rear defroster even. It was great. It was as honest as cars get. It had one singular purpose, to get you from A to B as cheaply as possible. Driving it was fun, even though it was slow. On city streets it never felt like it was as slow as it was. It was totally at home at speeds of 40 MPH or less. Highways were mildly terrifying though.

Denver has a highway around the metro area that started as C-470 in the southwest, expanded to E-470 to the southeast/east/northeast, and now the Northwest Parkway to the.... northwest. When I owned it, my daily commute used the stretch of C-470 from Kipling over to University. On the eastbound stretch from Santa Fe Drive to Lucent Parkway there is a somewhat steep hill. When approaching this hill I’d have to flog it to get it to 70 MPH, then downshift to 3rd and keep it floored up the hill. If I was very lucky I’d still be going 50 MPH at the top. But it was still enjoyable. Crosswinds would scare the hell out of me. I would have a mental image of an empty beer can being blown across a parking lot every time the wind picked up. Speaking of that, one time I was headed home westbound on the same highway and suffered a blowout on one of my front tires. I drifted into the Taurus next to me and then spun out, coming to rest in the median. I got out and looked at our two cars, and the extent of the damage was that my passenger side mirror was gone and two other tires had come off the wheels. The Taurus had a 1-inch section of paint damage over the right rear passenger door handle. I guess it was kind of like throwing an empty beer can at a boulder, not much will happen. While I owned it, gas prices plummeted briefly to sub-dollar levels. I filled up with 7+ gallons for $5.60. That’s almost as good as free. It ended when the clutch went out, and because I was young and dumb I traded it in instead of fixing it.

The second one (a 1988) I picked up a couple years later for $1100. This one was downright luxurious compared to the first: it had both a rear wiper and defroster, an aftermarket cruise control, and was the first car I’d ever owned with working a/c. I had it for two weeks before the engine blew. I had driven 200+ miles to be with my parents for Christmas that year down in the San Luis Valley, and the day after Christmas I set off toward home. I checked the oil and everything, but it either developed a leak or consumed it all going over La Veta Pass. About 10 miles north of Walsenburg I was flying along at 80+ MPH (hill assisted), and coming down a hill there was a loud bang, the dash lit up and engine was off. I came to a stop and tried to restart it, but the noises... ugh. This was on a Saturday, the day after Christmas. I figured I was screwed, and started walking back to Walsenburg while hitchhiking. A young guy picked me up in a Suzuki Sidekick, which amusingly enough he was trying to coax back to New Mexico on 3 cylinders. He dropped me at the Loaf and Jug and I called a tow truck to bring it in to Walsenburg. The mechanic that picked me up showed me the quarter-sized hole in the side of the block. My stepdad was kind enough to tow it back to Alamosa, and a friend of mine drove down from Denver to come get me. Fortunately my stepdad was able to find a used engine down there and put it in for me, and I Greyhounded my way down there to get it a couple months later. It lasted another year before my circumstances improved. It wasn’t quite as good as the first one, but it still had that spirit about it. The A/C even worked well as long as the temperature didn’t go above 80 and acceleration was not a priority. The cruise control worked ok on flat surfaces, too! Later on I’d gotten a better job and decided to get something more substantial, a Geo Prizm. I sold the Sprint to the friend who picked me up that day, and she drove it for a couple years after that.

I’m sure that my personal experiences during the times I owned them helped to bond me to them, but it would have happened anyway. I guess the Mirage is the closest current car to what the Sprint was, but it doesn’t seem to have the same spirit of the Sprint. It actually has real-car features, like airbags, comfort, automatic climate control. Still, I like them because it reminds me of the Sprint in some ways.

So what is the car that you love that makes no sense to other enthusiasts?

CAR_IS_MI > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 11:50

1

old italian cars...

theyre always broken and I could just go out and buy a nice new Ford, Chevy, or Dodge brand vehicle but I prefer my finicky Italians and their ‘lets wire this in the most insensible way for no apparent reason’

TheHondaBro > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 11:51

1

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 11:56

1

MINI

COUNTRYMAN

JCW ALL4

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE (for a high performance fun to drive cute ute)

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 11:57

3

80s/90s American cars.

fhrblig > TheHondaBro 12/06/2015 at 11:57

1

I understand that more than I would a Camry, probably.

dogisbadob > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:03

4

The 92-96 Camry/ES300 is the best car ever made. The ES250 is awesome, too.

. . > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:04

1

Fiat Multipla, FSR Tarpan, Wartburg 353, Ford Scorpio, and loads more.

Hey Julie > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:04

1

No way, onetime my old forester broke down 3 miles south of Walsenberg at 2 in the morning and I spent the night in the post office there. that town is something else

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:12

2

Oh the list I could make with this question. Though I think I’ll go with the second gen Saturn Vue, particularly the XR trim.

Yes, these things are heavy (4,000lbs for FWD V6s), yes they’re built by a dead brand owned by GM prior to their bankruptcy, yes it’s a crossover with absolutely zero apparent sporting pretensions. But, the 3.6L V6 was exceptionally smooth and moved the car very well, the interior wouldn’t have looked out of place in something more expensive and not made by 2008 GM, and despite how heavy and tall it was, it was surprisingly fun to chuck around. It is seriously still my favorite car I’ve ever driven which probably makes me sound insane to most enthusiasts given I daily an M3.

Laurence > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:13

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The original Smart Cars

back when I was a kid in the very early 2000’s (like, 2-3 years old), the smart car was just coming out, and one of what I imagine was the very first ones parked at the end of my street. it was bright yellow like the one in the photo above, and it caught my attention in a way my Dad’s purple Astra never did. My favourite toy growing up was a yellow diecast model that looked almost exactly like it; by the time I stopped playing with it, it was missing wheels and had almost no paint left on it.

Some of my earliest memories are of this car, which I usually only saw from a distance. It started my love for cars, and I think made me who I am today; if that Yellow Smart had been a grey Fiesta or something instead, I never would have noticed it, and I’d probably like sport or something instead.

TLDR; even though most car people laugh at them, I like Smart cars because they were what got me interested in cars.

Wheelerguy > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:18

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Nissan’s 2015 LMP1 racer.

Amoore100 > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:30

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Unless it’s one of the older Camrys... I’ve heard those were dead reliable with none of the nastiness that accompanies the new ones...I think I would rather have an old Camry or a newer Accord rather than the other way around...

Amoore100 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 12/06/2015 at 12:34

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I always liked that generation Vue since it had kind of a European feel to it since it was sold overseas as the Opel Antara...I still prefer the previous gen V6 Vue though because those came with the marvelous Honda J35 engine...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 12:53

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There is a rust free Sprint 3 door near me that someone still daily drives. But I have a fascination with 80’s shitbox turbo cars, though sadly I’ve never driven one.

fhrblig > Amoore100 12/06/2015 at 13:02

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Yeah, anything pre ‘96 were not bad. Everything since, just blah. I don’t think people are crazy for buying one, I just don’t get why you would anymore when there are so many good or better choices.

fhrblig > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 12/06/2015 at 13:03

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And you can still buy a new one! Sort of.

fhrblig > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 12/06/2015 at 13:03

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Yep, me too.

fhrblig > Laurence 12/06/2015 at 13:04

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I can understand why people would like them, I just don’t happen to like them. I can’t hate them either.

fhrblig > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/06/2015 at 13:04

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Ooh! Turbo or NA?

fhrblig > In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you 12/06/2015 at 13:05

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I don’t mind the sub-crossover class, which is helpful since I have to drive my partner’s Juke often.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:13

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The newest generation of Cadillac Escalades.

Milky > In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you 12/06/2015 at 13:14

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That guy comment - 208hp is high performance now?

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:16

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SaturnIon. My mom had one when I was young abs I absolutely loved that car.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:20

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NA. It’s faded blue on steelies.

fhrblig > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/06/2015 at 13:25

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WANT

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:29

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I know someone down there wrote the 1996-99 ES. But I personally loved the 1999-2001 post face lift model even more. Mainly cause of the wheels and a family friend owned one.

Boxer_4 > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:32

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The list is long, but near the top of that list is the 4th generation Camry. I grew up with one (one of my earliest memories is picking it up from the dealership brand new. I also learned to drive with it 11 years later. Unlike the picture above, ours was a Cashmere Beige LE 4 cylinder with the Oak interior and rare optional fog lights.

The interior is one of my favorite interiors of all time. It was simple and well built (it still looked good well past 130,000 miles). Actually, everything held up quite well on that car.

I love the wagon version that never reached U.S. shores. I would love to import one someday.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:38

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There is a graveyard of shitboxes like that about 5 miles from me. I also saw 4 FWD Capri convertibles in one day here as well, 3 of which were on the road.

not for canada - australian in disguise > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:44

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Ladas. Not the Niva, that’s actually explainable, but cars like the Signet and Samara. I don’t even know myself why I like them, I just do.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:47

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Well one car I love that most enthusiasts hate is the Prius. I love it because technically speaking, it truly brought something new to the table when it was introduced in Japan in 1997.

And it also proved all the automotive “experts” wrong when they said that fuel economy doesn’t sell and that hybrid drive-trains “don’t make sense” and “will never sell” and “will never make money”.

The truth is it just didn’t make sense to them... because technically speaking, they didn’t know half as much as they claimed to.

They didn’t get it that the Prius was more than just about fuel economy.

It was a proof of concept.

And because of the Prius, we have since gotten amazing cars like the Porsche 918:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_9…

And other cars I love, that many enthusiast don’t are the ones by Tesla. And it’s for similar reasons... that it “will never sell”/“will never make money”/“Doesn’t make sense”... and once again, I’m pretty sure the “experts” will be proven wrong again.

And I love what Tesla makes not just because the cars are great, but also because they brought and continue to bring truly new things to the table.

fhrblig > not for canada - australian in disguise 12/06/2015 at 13:49

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I feel like the old Signets and Rivas are like the car version of an old American pick-up. Basic, robust, and not the most comfortable, but good vehicles that can take a beating.

fhrblig > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 12/06/2015 at 13:52

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I am ok with the Prius, because trendy people moved from SUVs into them. More fuel for me!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 13:56

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And that’s another valid way to look at it.

Having more fuel efficient daily drivers means more fuel available for more fun cars... and classic cars too.

Modern SUVs aren’t nearly as bad as many classic cars when it comes to fuel economy.

And while I love Teslas and Priuseseses, I also love many classic cars... including hearing/seeing them run.

Your boy, BJR > dogisbadob 12/06/2015 at 14:25

2

No it isn't.

MultiplaOrgasms > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 14:39

3

I guess this one makes less sense to normal people than actual car enthusiasts (at least a minority of them), however the Volvo 360 is quite an interesting car in its own right.

Designed in the mid 1970s by DAF in the netherlands, it had just about as much style and grace as a skip. And on paper things don’t really get better underneath, considering it was powered by some VERY unsexy Renault engines and were originally only available with a Variomatic CVT. As such it became the definition of an Old Age Pensioners Car and most people looking for something interesting and cool went straight ahead and bought a Golf. However in 1981 Volvo fitted it with a B200 Redblock engine as well a a five-speed manual transmission, and thus the 360 was born. What made all 300-series cars unique was the inreasingly rare (in the compact class) Front-engine, rear wheel drive layout. But what made it really unique was the fact that due to its DAF heritage the transmission was directly mounted to the rear DeDion tube, making it a real transaxle, something usually associated with high-performance GT cars, and an identical setup to the Alfa Romeo Alfetta and GTV. Furthermore the sporting GLT had lowered suspension and a shortened final drive ratio. The 360 does actually enjoy somewhat of a cult following particularly in the netherlands, and there is even a one-make racing series for it, yet most people are put off by the fact that it is much heavier and thus slower than most of its contemporaries as well as its rather derpy looks. But I ask you how could anyone not love a car with lots of 240 mechanicals and therefore great aftermarket support in a lighter, more compact package paired to superior chassis balance and suspension?

fhrblig > MultiplaOrgasms 12/06/2015 at 14:42

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These are nice and weird. We never got them here, too bad.

dogisbadob > Your boy, BJR 12/06/2015 at 15:02

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Yes, it is. Such a well-made car that even Toyota can’t make them like that anymore!

RazoE > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 15:08

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I’ve always wanted a turbo Sprint gutted to high-hell with some sticky tires and go hunting..........for Corollas, probably.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 15:09

1

I’ll admit I’m actually a huge fan of crossovers, but not actually on purpose. I’m very tall so I rarely fit in cars. SUVs and pickups are ideal for me, and crossovers combine the space of those vehicles with the drive of a car.

fhrblig > RazoE 12/06/2015 at 15:13

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I wanted to swap the turbo into a 5-door.

Your boy, BJR > dogisbadob 12/06/2015 at 15:27

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How?

PushToStart > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 15:34

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Plymouth Prowler. It’s really not that good at anything, and it’s probably partially to blame for the, ahem, “highly-loved” PT Cruiser, but it looks so fucking cool and unique I just can't hate it. It's ridiculous and there are plenty out there who will dismiss it and question it but I still think they're cool as hell

SX4NoMore > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 15:40

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My 2011 SX4 6MT AWD hatchback. With Tein coilovers and stock steelies. And little else.

There was little to go wrong, because there was very little, but boy that was a helluva little go-kart.

Kind of like a poor man’s WRX.

fhrblig > SX4NoMore 12/06/2015 at 15:59

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My partner owned two of them, and his mom liked them so much that she bought one too. Both of them had the 4-speed auto unfortunately, but damn was it fun in the snow.

dogisbadob > Your boy, BJR 12/06/2015 at 15:59

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Easy, by not being cheap and cutting corners :)

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > dogisbadob 12/06/2015 at 16:26

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Um no. Not the Lexus anyway. I had a 93 ES300 5MT. I loved it, but I wouldn’t exactly call it well built. The flickering gauge needles, hydraulic fan clutch, and head gaskets still give me nightmares. All the stuff that was unique to Lexus generally didn't work well.

dogisbadob > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 12/06/2015 at 16:30

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Head gasket issues are almost inherent to iron block/alum heads.

My 96 ES300 had the 1MZ alum block, and the hydraulic fan worked fine. No problem with the gauge needles, but the gauge number bulbs did go out.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 16:46

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ZQ8’s and Xtreme’s. Especially modified ones. Lowered truck rides like crap can’t haul anything with them not actually that fast crap interior blah blah blah. Until I had kids, I owned a bright yellow one and loved it. The 4.3L only had like 230 ft-lb, but it came on from zero and with no weight in the bed it would spin the rears on command. I had a 3 inch drop in the back and could toss my mountain bike over the side of the bed do burnouts my way to the trails. I’d love to get another for an LS swap some day.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > dogisbadob 12/06/2015 at 16:53

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Hmm I wonder - did they change the needles? Mine had electrolumenescent ones that pretty much required a whole new instrument panel to fix and they didn’t last long. They never exactly died either. My speedo would just go blank for a day then come back the next then blink like a turn signal the next. There was a guy in one of the forums 10 years ago who made a small business of repairing them individually for around $100 each which was still more expensive than a bulb but better than the whole panel.

Funny thing is that I liked that car so much when it was working right that I bet if I had just bought a 4 cylinder Camry of that era I might still have it today.

CivoLee > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 17:09

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I seem to be the only automotive enthusiast that doesn’t hate the BMW GTs.

dogisbadob > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 12/06/2015 at 17:35

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The needles were LED’s (or at least the later ones were), but the gauge bulbs were still incandescent.

MgS > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 17:52

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I had a first generation Firefly through university. It was nothing special, but it started consistently, and I could afford to keep it running even as a student. In a YYC winter, it was like driving snowshoes - it never got stuck, it went _over_ the snow piles.

As you say, highways weren’t its forte, but it did well enough (I drove from YYC to Penticton several times, and it never caused any problems - you just planned your passing _very_ carefully)

It gave me an appreciation for good, basic transportation.

Amoore100 > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 19:34

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Like that time I was watching a news video about how there’s no Lemon Law in Canada and this woman had a “brand new” Dodge Journey that kept cutting out on the freeway...the only part that I noticed was that she spent $22K on a fricken Dodge Journey when a CPO V70 would have been infinitely nicer, likely more reliable, and much better built...

Amoore100 > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 19:34

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Only if you like buying rental cars...

Amoore100 > Laurence 12/06/2015 at 19:36

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I definitely liked the originals; the premise was rather good, and the design was looked rather smart (pardon the pun). But then the later generations came along and it just became a fashion statement and the design was rather overwrought and old looking. I have high hopes for the new one though as it’s on the Renault Twingo chassis...

Amoore100 > MultiplaOrgasms 12/06/2015 at 19:43

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Yes. I like 360s very much but I would say I prefer the later 440, which was also built at Nedcar if I’m not mistaken but wasn’t really a DAF design.

Look at it! It’s like a mini-850! How cute...

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > Milky 12/06/2015 at 19:54

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It weighs under 3400lbs and has a stick. So yes, it kind of is

MultiplaOrgasms > Amoore100 12/06/2015 at 21:24

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But whereas the 300 had that awesome RWD chassis, the 400 was just your run of the mill FWD sedan. And it still had those damn Renault engines. But it has turbo, I guess. And pop-up headlights.

Amoore100 > MultiplaOrgasms 12/06/2015 at 21:35

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Yeah, I was making my assumptions based solely on appearance since we never got either in the States but still, I would have both equally. Besides, glass trunk hatch, upside down Volvo grille, and pop up lights are awesome any day.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > fhrblig 12/06/2015 at 22:12

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I love almost everything about my Smart Fortwo. Even the dopey transmission and the ratatat-tat engine rhythm at idle.

pip bip - choose Corrour > fhrblig 12/07/2015 at 04:34

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Dacia Logan , Tata Nano , Datsun Go.