Are there any kinda pedestrian, not-particularly-interesting cars that you have a strange taste for?

Couldn't tell you why, but for the longest time, I have always had a strange admiration for the late 80's and early 90's Honda Accord coupes.

Great sightlines, simple but well-proportioned styling, reasonably economical, easy to work on, etc. What more do you really need in a car? (That is a rhetorical question.) I would totally snap one of these up as a daily driver if I found a well-kept one in nice shape; to me they kind of represent a high point of that old-school Honda goodness, when they were just really well-put-together cars that drove like more than the sum of their parts.

Yeah, by modern standards they are slow, get mediocre gas mileage, don't have fancy entertainment doodads, aren't terribly safe, never handled particularly well etc. But I don't really care, something about them just speaks to me in a way that I don't really understand.

Does anyone else have a strange taste for a certain older, not-motorsports-oriented vehicle that isn't really that unique or interesting? Something that none of your friends really get but you're just partial to anyway?

Because the body style is so rare, nowadays any 3 door hatch makes me turn my head.

I hear ya on the Accord. For a laugh I bought one off craigslist for $1400 in 2018. high mileage but everything worked except the antenna reel was broken. It had fading clear coat but the body was straight. There was a nasty power steering leak that looked like a pain to fix.

It's not safe by modern standards, but I loved how low the dash sat.

Mid-90s Bonnevilles.  Especially in green with gold wheels.

Volvo 240s 

The 1990 Accord was the Pinnacle for Honda, it also was my first car. I also have a soft spot for the 1st gen Ford Focus hatch, it did car things. It didn't have any additional frills but it got me from point a to b in an economical manner.  It is usually the model I hold up for what you "need" in a car, if all you're trying to do is commute.

Saabs. 99 in particular. Also 9000.

Does the classic Saab 900 count? Cause I really want one of those.

Kei van. I guess they are interesting here but nothing special in Japan.

I love my Element and that isn't particular interesting or motorsports oriented.

I too love the hidden lamp Accords! 

I have a completely rational affinity to Gen2 Prius and a less rational affinity to Q45s. 

Volvo 140s..........but I love loads of others. My Datsun 1200 in stock trim was/is pretty pedestrian. I also have found memories of our Plymouth Valiant.

pointofdeparture said:

Couldn't tell you why, but for the longest time, I have always had a strange admiration for the late 80's and early 90's Honda Accord coupes.

My mother had one just like that - '89 Accord Coupe in the SE-only teal over tan leather.  She loved that car and drove it until 2004 when it finally succumbed to miles and rust.  I agree - the greenhouse and visibility out of all Hondas of that era makes me nostalgic for the good old days.

I have a minor thing for Peugeot 504s, based on seeing one like this in rally / safari trim at the Philadelphia auto show around 1979-1980.

I've never even ridden in one, but I have an odd liking for this generation M45:

First gen Mazda3's. They are total cockroach cars that will go forever with no maintenance and really not anything special and yet I love them and look at every one I see in traffic. 

Love me 3rd gen accords, would particularly want another LX-i hatchback. To add to the list, if there was any aftermarket support I'd love to tune an old accent up as a kind of a British touring car tribute.

Not sure what it is about them, but I really like the current-gen Toyota Avalon. Especially from the rear. 



Yes, the front is polarizing with the giant maw, but I like that too. 

Late model AWD Tauruseseses

Dunno, just pushes the button 

Pretty much everything I've ever liked is pedestrian and not particularly interesting.

I loved my Skoda

Mk1 Ford Fiesta 1977-1980. I owned four and would cheerfully take another one. 

pointofdeparture said:

Couldn't tell you why, but for the longest time, I have always had a strange admiration for the late 80's and early 90's Honda Accord coupes.

Great sightlines, simple but well-proportioned styling, reasonably economical, easy to work on, etc. What more do you really need in a car? (That is a rhetorical question.) I would totally snap one of these up as a daily driver if I found a well-kept one in nice shape; to me they kind of represent a high point of that old-school Honda goodness, when they were just really well-put-together cars that drove like more than the sum of their parts.

 

Yeah, by modern standards they are slow, get mediocre gas mileage, don't have fancy entertainment doodads, aren't terribly safe, never handled particularly well etc. But I don't really care, something about them just speaks to me in a way that I don't really understand.

Does anyone else have a strange taste for a certain older, not-motorsports-oriented vehicle that isn't really that unique or interesting? Something that none of your friends really get but you're just partial to anyway?

I had that exact car - '92 Accord EX Coupe (black but with the 5-star wheels). It wasn't a rocket ship, but it had a great transmission, really good interior (cloth seats never wore out after 200k+ miles) and never had any problems whatsoever in 200k miles. Only reason I sold it was I had kids and needed a sedan and wanted a bit more power (got a 2000 Maxima 5MT). 

I still think they're great-looking cars when I occasionally see one. Especially the EX package ones

+1 on the Mazda3 and the Taurus. Especially with a certain wheel that they come with.

I like that Bonniville too.

I have a weird thing for Infiniti J35s.

Speaking of Maximas...



A 2002-03 6-speed SE has been on my want list since they were new. My older sister worked for a Nissan dealer back then, and I had a 1989 SE that I brought in for service on the day the first one they received showed up. She got the keys and we checked it out, and man, it was quick for back then! They had 260hp and that extra gear, which made them magical at the time. I don't think the styling has aged as gracefully as the older ones (especially the 1989-94 models) but I'd love to have one. I haven't seen a clean example in over a decade around here; they all got roached out with a quickness. 

Side Note: The current Maxima just got the axe. The 2000-03 cars were the last good ones, so I'm surprised it took this long. 

I like the 2nd gen Yaris hatchbacks, the ones that look like eggs.

In reply to Puddy46 :

Ooh yeah... I had a gold (pewter?) version of that SSEi with ugly 90's bling wheels on it.  I still miss it.

johndej said:

Love me 3rd gen accords, would particularly want another LX-i hatchback. To add to the list, if there was any aftermarket support I'd love to tune an old accent up as a kind of a British touring car tribute.

The next generation Accent is the first car that popped into my head when I read this post.  I don't know why, as it's not particularly fancy, but something about the shape/styling of this generation really appeals to me.

-Rob

I have always had a soft spot for the Protege 5 preferably in blue or white. Tint the fogs yellow, black wheels and a light smack from the lower stick. Perfect amount of family car and subtle ricer vibes.

I really liked the way 80s Accords and Civics drove, as in the general stuff you notice (or fades into the background unless you actively notice) when putzing around.  The weight of the steering and shifter, the way the interior trim looked and felt, etc.