This is by far the least popular car I've owned

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
05/05/2016 at 20:05 • Filed to: Celica

I’ve excitedly shown, or spoken of, my car to many many people in my life. The results have been hilarious.

My Tercel got love. My pickup gets love quite often (“Aww I had an ‘83 4x4, should have never sold it...”). Even my ‘89 pickup which was beat to hell got strangers to talk to me. The Vibe gets praised from non-car people (“Oh, it’s so nice in here!”).

But the Celica? No love from strangers. No honks. No stories. No substantial admiration among friends and family. Nothing.

People who like my car:

- My mom, because she was stunned I didn’t buy another rusted out tercel. And she drives a ‘94 Miata, so of course she understands.

- My best friend, because all Japanese coupes to him are cool.

- One coworker, a fellow Toyota enthusiast.

- My boss, a man whose favorite car was his manual ‘88 Camry wagon.

People who have absolutely no opinion: almost everyone

People who don’t like my car:

- My wife, for all the reasons that I like it.

- My dad, because safety whatever.

- My other best friend who said, seemingly in pain,“It’s ah... definitely... definitely 80's!”

All these things lead me to the same conclusion I reached when I drove it for the first time:

This car is perfect for me.

DISCUSSION (33)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:08

The more you post about it the more it grows on me...not that I ever didn’t like it in teh first place :P.

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:08

I thought you said you don’t have any friends.

RallyWrench > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:08

That’s because it’s not a Supra. If it had the flares and all the frippy stuff, you’d be inundated at stoplights, a rolling traffic jam as other drivers jockey for position to be near it, snapping selfies and such.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
05/05/2016 at 20:09

I have at most two, both of whom are cited in my post

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RallyWrench
05/05/2016 at 20:11

I’ve already had two “excessive attention” vehicles. Anonymity on the road is very relaxing.

LongbowMkII > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:14

I like it.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:14

I like it, but i’m 3000+ miles away.

The only car of mine that gets regular attention is Lucky. The only people who like the 5th gen are the ones who know what an H23 VTEC even is. Although I’ll get occasional random compliments from German car guys at the gas station.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > LongbowMkII
05/05/2016 at 20:15

I should hope so!

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:16

I got compliments from time to time on the A6 because it was green and shiny, but nothing really on the Jetta except from people that I know who aren’t really into cars or are and just like it enough.

Where I work, there’s three manual Jettas including mine so that’s a thing.

I really like your Celica though, I’d give you the thumbs up if I saw you driving :P

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > TheHondaBro
05/05/2016 at 20:17

I'm Zoids friend. We're Toyota people. The few of us must stick together imo.

PorkchoPlissken > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:19

Add me to the list of those that do.

d15b > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:24

Wait until you get a Cressida! Or, a Toyota Crown!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:25

From me: “Hey, is that RWD?”

Invinciblejets > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:26

My st162 celica got tons of attention.

The only attention my rx7 gets is people thinking its a Porsche only to be disappointed the second I say Mazda.... Otherwise maybe the occasional autozone guy who “used to have one”....

Birddog > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:28

It’s a damn good thing we don’t buy cars based on other people’s opinions!

I would have a hard time not trying to find a matching Supra to park next to it.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:41

There was a blue Celica like yours at my old workplace’s parking lot. One day I was outside when the Celica drove by and I indicated my approval with a thumbs-up. The driver looked at me like I had three heads.

Captain of the Enterprise > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:45

I like it

Brickman > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 20:51

I like it :) Not my favorite celica. I prefer the 84 Celica Supra and the gen with the 4 googly headlights :)

Matt Nichelson > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 21:02

It’s different. I like different.

S65 > LongbowMkII
05/05/2016 at 21:14

Me Too.

Amoore100 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 21:15

I adore it. Cars like this are why I love Toyota, unfortunately they are becoming fewer and farther in between. This era was when even the modest Tercel and Camry were cool, before everything became tepid and beige in the 2000s.

In other news, it looks like our neighbor has finally gotten rid of his second gen Supra in favor of an early 2000s Camry. Sad to not hear that great turbo six spool up in the afternoons anymore, but I assume the Camry is infinitely more reliable and practical so I don’t blame him. Sometimes our head speaks louder than our heart, although his sister (in the same household) drives an Audi A6 (C5, biturbo I believe) so I guess they need something reliable to get around...

XJDano > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 21:30

It’s so 80's, I like it.

facw > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 21:34

As a child of the ‘80s, I strongly approve of its looks. And as someone whose family had a Celica when I was a kid, it’s i far better shape than ours was 20 years ago.

facw > RallyWrench
05/05/2016 at 21:38

The most important part of the Supra was the rear lettering:

Kinja'd!!!

I mean, sure some of that gen has a smaller Celica Supra badge:

Kinja'd!!!

But really why would you want that. I mean just looking at that picture it’s clear the owner of the white one has no taste.

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 21:51

I won’t be your friend, but I’ll be your buddy.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 22:17

I love the truck (still need to drive it) and the Celica is awesome!

JasonStern911 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 23:48

I show love. 80s Japanese cars were what was available to me when I was young.

I test drove an 85 Celica GT that a dealer had that he was asking $750 for once, and unlike most test drives - at least now-a-days, he let me drive it by myself. A few miles out, the effer broke down. I was able to get her running long enough to return to the lot. So I called the guy out and explained the motor needed rebuilt, and instead of selling it to me for cost, he gave me some sales speak on how rebuilding it would be some character building experience - as if I hadn’t had enough of those already. It’s a shame, because they are great chassis (no idea how to make that plural) and that one very likely ended up scrapped...

My bird IS the word > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/05/2016 at 23:57

Just wait. 80's sports cars will be cool again.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Brickman
05/06/2016 at 00:51

Kinja'd!!!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two
05/06/2016 at 00:52

The truck drives and rattles and putters like an old truck. But looks good while doing it!

PartyPooper2012 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/06/2016 at 08:57

it’s the most non-descript version. No rims. No racing stripes. No tints. No fart can exhausts. What do you expect really?

Spray paint some flames on it... or tramp stamp pin stripes... even a trucker radio antenna would do it some good.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/06/2016 at 09:36

Damn that is a nice Celica. Do want.

RPM esq. > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/06/2016 at 14:46

I theorize that it’s because of where you live. Surviving old Toyotas, even cool ones, are common enough (a good thing in my book) that they do not stand out as much as they would in many places. Thus, people who like them see them frequently enough that they won’t run up and bother you to get a picture or whatever, just silently nod happily and go on their way, and people who don’t know better don’t recognize it as sufficiently uncommon to merit notice.

As proof, I note that the main thing I noticed in the the picture is not the old Toyota, but rather that your garage is very neatly organized.