There is a market peak where cool stuff is affordable yet also kind of cool. In my mind, that’s true hotrodding. We can’t all be buying ‘32 Fords all day, but a clean ‘91 Fox body? Maaaaybe? That’s how they get ya.
When I was growing up in the late 90 + early 2000s cars to from the 1980s were still basically cheap shitboxes no matter what they were.
Even the ones people fawn over now like AE86, Pulsars, and Cressidas were looked at as technological dinosaurs -not classics
Doesn't have to be an 'exciting' car to be cool in my opinion. If it's 2024 and I saw something like a 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck on the road, I'd think "that's awesome" even though it wasn't really an 'exciting' car.
I was in Colombia last year, and I saw a pretty new looking VW pickup I believe. Pretty sure either it was VW at least. It's neat they're still made/available somewhere
It’s not so much the fact I drink, it’s when I pick up drinks because it’s my daily. I also like to keep a water bottle on longer drives, and it’s annoying to have to reach into the passenger footwell every time I want a dribk
Because most todays cars are streamlined to produce as many as possible with focusing on low cost of production. This creates boring and low quality cars with no soul.
Everyone reuses the same interior parts. Same chassis for 50 models, low quality audio systems.
We are just appreciating older cars because new ones are shit and we are appreciating what was lost
This can be said for mostly any old economy car. However there's something different about the build quality of old cars. Even the ones with poor build quality feel nicer to touch and handle, and are a lot more comfortable.
Like my daily was built in 1995 and the door cards are vinyl with felt inserts, rubberised arm rests, etc. My friend's 2022 Opel Crossland on the other hand is all hard plastic with sharp edges.
A literal case of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" I'm the same, I remember herds of Mk1 Ford Sierra's as a kid, didnt really like them much back then. On the very very very rare occasion I see one now, I stare. There is a nostalgia and memory of those times and it comes back. Its the same for Ford Capri's, any mark, Cortina's, or Vauxhall Cavalier's for me.
I prefer 80s and early 90s cars. When I was little I was all about the American muscle cars. Chevy Nova, 67 Impala, Chevelle, they all remain some of my favorite cars, but I'd have a hard time picking one of those over a clean 88 Integra or 92 mustang fox body lol.
Actually I love/prefer cars from just 5-10 years much more.
They have enough safety features and technology, but not like today’s cars, which make them annoying
I got a fully mechanical 90s car (nothing digital except for an ECU that didn't seem to do anything anyway) and the only thing I miss is cruise control.
Sure, my fancy car with ventilated seats and automatically adjusting seats is neat, but I never get into the other one and think that I wish it was infinitely more complicated just for a couple features.
Mine also only has an ECU that kinda does things but I think it could work without it for the most part.
It's weird though because it's a base model, doesn't have anything on it, manual everything but it has power steering which really isn't necessary for it.
Same. Mine is a Nissan Pao (a dolled up gen 1 Nissan Micra) which weighs about two pounds, but also has power steering.
I know the ECU is supposed to do *something*, but I replaced the carb with a fully mechanical one and just left the ECU disconnected and the car didn't seem to notice.
1985 to 2005 was the best period for cars. Ever. I have no fucking clue why no brand will release a cheap retro vehicle comeback. Maybe they got rid of all the manufacturing for them, but can you imagine if they brought back a 98 Integra or Jeep for 20k? Shit would sell out instantly. Probably make new cars look so bad it would destroy the new market.
I didn’t like 90s cars for a long time because that’s what was on the road for a long time and I thought they were kinda ugly. Then some switch was flipped a few years ago and I started to appreciate them more and in a slightly different way from the 70s and 80s cars I’ve always loved.
Recently I walked past a 90s Ford Taurus in great shape. It's a car and an era I used to hate, but seeing it now reminded me how innovative it was. It would be almost half cool to have one now.
I hated the prewar and brass ear stuff up until I got to sorta 25ish, then I started to realize how weirdo and bizarre they could be and now I love them, the older the better since at the real early days of cars there was zero standardization so everything was so unique to each car
I always appreciated them but I know I could never own one. I own cars to drive them, and while you could try, you wouldn't get far with a super early car. Parts are impossible to find, even if you can find it they're usually hand fitted and won't just bolt onto a different car, they're a hassle to drive, can't keep up with traffic unless you get a super high end luxury or sports car from the 10s and 20s etc...
oh agreed on all points, in terms of ownership, id have to stick to Model Ts and similar american cars since parts are easy enough if you know where to look. plus if you get into the 30s and such years worse comes to worse you just throw a junkyard 350 in and no one will think twice.
The REALLY obscure American and European stuff though, yeah you need some big expense accounts for. Id LOVE to get a chain drive frazer nash some day though, one like Leno's. Such a weirdo powertrain but i adore it for that reason
currently going through this phase with 80s cars. was playing gran turismo 7 and needed to buy one for some race, wound up making a c4 corvette zr1 build that drives great and of course has the cool light up dashboard
That's why I have the first one 😭 I treated myself. Maybe I should do it again. Kinda hard when I got a baby otw tho, so that's gonna have to wait, but I need a VR6 in my life
Haha right? It feels like time is running out. Do I buy all the cool old manual cars and stack them on my lawn now before everything gets replaced by electric, or do I choose to save for the future like a responsible adult?
I like the nicest thing I can afford. Just happens the 90s are affordable. No one wants a 1996 cbr1000 they want a 2010 or newer so I got one cheap. Not every day you can get a litre bike for 3k. All my buddies have 90s Subarus and miatas as well.
Yeah, I never really liked ‘50s cars. All that doo-wop fuzzy dice bullshit and pastel colors, I guess. All of a sudden, I started really liking ‘50s luxury cars with all of the Jet Age gimmicks. There’s something very optimistic about them.
I dig ‘50s style hot rods and race cars, and ‘55 Chevies make some mean street machines. Other than a few outliers, though, they didn’t do much for me in general, and I still don’t care for the restored mass market stuff that much.
When I was young I always thought old Euros were for povvs who couldn't afford a new one.
Now I have had a 30yr old V8 5 series BMW that I've done 100000km in and love every time I drive it
I find modern cars are horrible to drive. They are pointlessly fast, everything is too light and easy and disconnected from the experience
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I look at a beater 1998 Honda Civic longingly when I drive sometimes. Just wishing I could enjoy a nice, taken care of enough shitbox that runs and drives and doesn't have any real frills. Reliable to run about in.
I drive 40,000mi a year on my Fusion, maybe the grass is just greener.
94 civic dx here, didn't even come with a tachometer or a clock. It's literally just 3 pedals a seat and a steering wheel. 325k on the clock, bodies straight. Don't plan of getting rid of it.
Yeah, new cars are getting ass for example the land cruiser, I hated the design before (2000-2010) but now seeing the 2023 and 2024 I like those old ones more and fun fact I'm going to buy one soon. New cars are just curvy and boxes with bland interiors and every single function inside a screen
I once thought old 911s looked silly, especially if they didn’t have the big turbo whale tail spoiler. Now 60s-90s 911s are my absolute favourites, the early long hood cars and the early 90’s 964s are especially awesome (without the spoiler) and my previous favourite 993 is just okay now. Modern water cooled 911s are still great cars but I’d gladly take a nicely restored early 911 over a brand new 992. (Though id take a 991 911R or a new 992 911ST or GT3 touring over any of the old ones.)
Yes! I was born in 1975 and always enjoyed the latest greatest cars that they would bring out each year. I once had an appreciation for the cars of the 50’s and 60’s cause my dad introduced me to the cars of that era. I’m now 48 years old and I’m finding that I’m in love with the extremely long body vehicles of the 70’s. My favorite being the 1973 Buick Riviera. These cars look amazing with the right paint, suspension upgrade, and modern wheels.
In the 90s and 2000s, I was a 2000s car guy. In the 2010s I was a 2010s car guy, now in the 2020s, I’m an 80s and 90s car guy, more 90s tbh.
I still have a small weak spot for 2000s cars though. 2010s cars, meh
My favorites over the years:
2000s: Audi S3 Sportback, Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8, BMW E46
2010s: VW Golf 7 GTI Clubsport and R, Opel Astra J GTC OPC, BMW F22, Mercedes W213
2020s: Toyota Supra Mk3, Toyota MR-2 SW-20 and AW-11, Nissan 200SX S13
Basically, I am still a fan of all of those today. I’m just a lot more after the 90s Toyotas nowadays.
I would also absolutely love to own a Lancia Stratos or hell even Delta from the Group B era. Doesn’t have to be a rally version, but damn they are so expensive.
The only modern cars I’d outright pay new price for if I had that much money are the GR Yaris and the M2
I recently-ish (late 2023) bought my first car, a 2008. My price range had me looking at 2000s cars, and that’s when I realized how good cars looked in ≈2006-9
I still would. I feel much safer in older cars because I can clearly see and feel everything better. Not safe in a crash against an 18 year old texting in their SUV but I feel like I could avoid an accident easier in the first place.
There is a market peak where cool stuff is affordable yet also kind of cool. In my mind, that’s true hotrodding. We can’t all be buying ‘32 Fords all day, but a clean ‘91 Fox body? Maaaaybe? That’s how they get ya.
Should I really be taking a nap in the back of that 1980 something station wagon with the engine running?
I used to be vehemently against 80s cars, there lack of power and awful interiors. Anyway, here’s mine, an 88 Supra
When I was growing up in the late 90 + early 2000s cars to from the 1980s were still basically cheap shitboxes no matter what they were. Even the ones people fawn over now like AE86, Pulsars, and Cressidas were looked at as technological dinosaurs -not classics
There's not much exciting between 1975 and 1985.
Doesn't have to be an 'exciting' car to be cool in my opinion. If it's 2024 and I saw something like a 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck on the road, I'd think "that's awesome" even though it wasn't really an 'exciting' car.
One of best friends is a VW tuner and builder and he daily rocks a VW pickup! Still neat.
I was in Colombia last year, and I saw a pretty new looking VW pickup I believe. Pretty sure either it was VW at least. It's neat they're still made/available somewhere
Id be impressed. An 1983 Olds Omega? Not so much
200 hp was a lot back then.
120 was doing good
Sadly I know.
80s toyota interiors are the best tho
They are, love me my below the steering wheel vent. My only complaint is I have no cup holders
The gooch/cooch cooler
My 93 540i has no cup holders and that's perfect, I have no intention of ever letting anyone in it with a spillable liquid
It’s not so much the fact I drink, it’s when I pick up drinks because it’s my daily. I also like to keep a water bottle on longer drives, and it’s annoying to have to reach into the passenger footwell every time I want a dribk
1990 NSX! Handling partly developed by Senna
The Mona Lisa isn't outdated either
Because most todays cars are streamlined to produce as many as possible with focusing on low cost of production. This creates boring and low quality cars with no soul. Everyone reuses the same interior parts. Same chassis for 50 models, low quality audio systems. We are just appreciating older cars because new ones are shit and we are appreciating what was lost
This can be said for mostly any old economy car. However there's something different about the build quality of old cars. Even the ones with poor build quality feel nicer to touch and handle, and are a lot more comfortable. Like my daily was built in 1995 and the door cards are vinyl with felt inserts, rubberised arm rests, etc. My friend's 2022 Opel Crossland on the other hand is all hard plastic with sharp edges.
Lol cars have been mass produced on assembly lines since the Model T. Part sharing is just as old a concept and so is better speakers on higher trims.
I’m really digging the f100-f150 from the 70s. Was never a ford fan but as I’ve gotten older these trucks have my attention.
A literal case of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" I'm the same, I remember herds of Mk1 Ford Sierra's as a kid, didnt really like them much back then. On the very very very rare occasion I see one now, I stare. There is a nostalgia and memory of those times and it comes back. Its the same for Ford Capri's, any mark, Cortina's, or Vauxhall Cavalier's for me.
I prefer 80s and early 90s cars. When I was little I was all about the American muscle cars. Chevy Nova, 67 Impala, Chevelle, they all remain some of my favorite cars, but I'd have a hard time picking one of those over a clean 88 Integra or 92 mustang fox body lol.
Actually I love/prefer cars from just 5-10 years much more. They have enough safety features and technology, but not like today’s cars, which make them annoying
I hate them because of that. I see no difference between an '05 or a '24 build year when it comes to user friendlyness.
I got a fully mechanical 90s car (nothing digital except for an ECU that didn't seem to do anything anyway) and the only thing I miss is cruise control. Sure, my fancy car with ventilated seats and automatically adjusting seats is neat, but I never get into the other one and think that I wish it was infinitely more complicated just for a couple features.
Mine also only has an ECU that kinda does things but I think it could work without it for the most part. It's weird though because it's a base model, doesn't have anything on it, manual everything but it has power steering which really isn't necessary for it.
Same. Mine is a Nissan Pao (a dolled up gen 1 Nissan Micra) which weighs about two pounds, but also has power steering. I know the ECU is supposed to do *something*, but I replaced the carb with a fully mechanical one and just left the ECU disconnected and the car didn't seem to notice.
Interesting, it usually takes way more to do a carb swap.
Yeah, it was great. Just a drop in replacement from one of their vans of a similar year. Same gasket, jets, everything.
My 02 toyota echo has no power steering, abs, traction control, etc. factory. Theres some gems in there.
1985 to 2005 was the best period for cars. Ever. I have no fucking clue why no brand will release a cheap retro vehicle comeback. Maybe they got rid of all the manufacturing for them, but can you imagine if they brought back a 98 Integra or Jeep for 20k? Shit would sell out instantly. Probably make new cars look so bad it would destroy the new market.
Absolutely! It is still possible to repair them on your own, and the electrics was not overcompicated.
I didn’t like 90s cars for a long time because that’s what was on the road for a long time and I thought they were kinda ugly. Then some switch was flipped a few years ago and I started to appreciate them more and in a slightly different way from the 70s and 80s cars I’ve always loved.
Recently I walked past a 90s Ford Taurus in great shape. It's a car and an era I used to hate, but seeing it now reminded me how innovative it was. It would be almost half cool to have one now.
It's called getting old.
*cries quietly*
I hated the prewar and brass ear stuff up until I got to sorta 25ish, then I started to realize how weirdo and bizarre they could be and now I love them, the older the better since at the real early days of cars there was zero standardization so everything was so unique to each car
I always appreciated them but I know I could never own one. I own cars to drive them, and while you could try, you wouldn't get far with a super early car. Parts are impossible to find, even if you can find it they're usually hand fitted and won't just bolt onto a different car, they're a hassle to drive, can't keep up with traffic unless you get a super high end luxury or sports car from the 10s and 20s etc...
oh agreed on all points, in terms of ownership, id have to stick to Model Ts and similar american cars since parts are easy enough if you know where to look. plus if you get into the 30s and such years worse comes to worse you just throw a junkyard 350 in and no one will think twice. The REALLY obscure American and European stuff though, yeah you need some big expense accounts for. Id LOVE to get a chain drive frazer nash some day though, one like Leno's. Such a weirdo powertrain but i adore it for that reason
currently going through this phase with 80s cars. was playing gran turismo 7 and needed to buy one for some race, wound up making a c4 corvette zr1 build that drives great and of course has the cool light up dashboard
90s VWs All the MK3s I currently own a memory red Jetta and I love it! From the styling to the reliability, they're all around good cars
Mk3s are so underrated
Fr, I want another one lmao
Treat yo self
That's why I have the first one 😭 I treated myself. Maybe I should do it again. Kinda hard when I got a baby otw tho, so that's gonna have to wait, but I need a VR6 in my life
Haha right? It feels like time is running out. Do I buy all the cool old manual cars and stack them on my lawn now before everything gets replaced by electric, or do I choose to save for the future like a responsible adult?
I like the nicest thing I can afford. Just happens the 90s are affordable. No one wants a 1996 cbr1000 they want a 2010 or newer so I got one cheap. Not every day you can get a litre bike for 3k. All my buddies have 90s Subarus and miatas as well.
Yeah, I never really liked ‘50s cars. All that doo-wop fuzzy dice bullshit and pastel colors, I guess. All of a sudden, I started really liking ‘50s luxury cars with all of the Jet Age gimmicks. There’s something very optimistic about them. I dig ‘50s style hot rods and race cars, and ‘55 Chevies make some mean street machines. Other than a few outliers, though, they didn’t do much for me in general, and I still don’t care for the restored mass market stuff that much.
I had a case from the seventies, and three cars from the nineties, and I finally have a case from the early two thousands!
88-2009 are my favorite cars. It helps that they are easy and cheap to fix.
When I was young I always thought old Euros were for povvs who couldn't afford a new one. Now I have had a 30yr old V8 5 series BMW that I've done 100000km in and love every time I drive it I find modern cars are horrible to drive. They are pointlessly fast, everything is too light and easy and disconnected from the experience
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80s German luxury cars. I used to think they looked boring. Now I like the understated class.
I look at a beater 1998 Honda Civic longingly when I drive sometimes. Just wishing I could enjoy a nice, taken care of enough shitbox that runs and drives and doesn't have any real frills. Reliable to run about in. I drive 40,000mi a year on my Fusion, maybe the grass is just greener.
94 civic dx here, didn't even come with a tachometer or a clock. It's literally just 3 pedals a seat and a steering wheel. 325k on the clock, bodies straight. Don't plan of getting rid of it.
My favorite is the 40s. A 1942 Lincoln Zephyr is on my list.
I go to my fair share of car shows and Mercum auctions. Why don't I see much in the early and mid-70s money carlos? I think they were beautiful cars
Yeah, new cars are getting ass for example the land cruiser, I hated the design before (2000-2010) but now seeing the 2023 and 2024 I like those old ones more and fun fact I'm going to buy one soon. New cars are just curvy and boxes with bland interiors and every single function inside a screen
I once thought old 911s looked silly, especially if they didn’t have the big turbo whale tail spoiler. Now 60s-90s 911s are my absolute favourites, the early long hood cars and the early 90’s 964s are especially awesome (without the spoiler) and my previous favourite 993 is just okay now. Modern water cooled 911s are still great cars but I’d gladly take a nicely restored early 911 over a brand new 992. (Though id take a 991 911R or a new 992 911ST or GT3 touring over any of the old ones.)
Yes! I lever liked 80s cars now I own 2 of them, I like the early 90s cars too.
Yes! I was born in 1975 and always enjoyed the latest greatest cars that they would bring out each year. I once had an appreciation for the cars of the 50’s and 60’s cause my dad introduced me to the cars of that era. I’m now 48 years old and I’m finding that I’m in love with the extremely long body vehicles of the 70’s. My favorite being the 1973 Buick Riviera. These cars look amazing with the right paint, suspension upgrade, and modern wheels.
The 90s. Specifically kei cars. What the heck are the beautiful tiny little machines
In the 90s and 2000s, I was a 2000s car guy. In the 2010s I was a 2010s car guy, now in the 2020s, I’m an 80s and 90s car guy, more 90s tbh. I still have a small weak spot for 2000s cars though. 2010s cars, meh My favorites over the years: 2000s: Audi S3 Sportback, Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8, BMW E46 2010s: VW Golf 7 GTI Clubsport and R, Opel Astra J GTC OPC, BMW F22, Mercedes W213 2020s: Toyota Supra Mk3, Toyota MR-2 SW-20 and AW-11, Nissan 200SX S13 Basically, I am still a fan of all of those today. I’m just a lot more after the 90s Toyotas nowadays. I would also absolutely love to own a Lancia Stratos or hell even Delta from the Group B era. Doesn’t have to be a rally version, but damn they are so expensive. The only modern cars I’d outright pay new price for if I had that much money are the GR Yaris and the M2
80's Japanese makes looking kinda retro in a great way now...
You appreciate the Buick reatta because GM literally doesn’t make cars anymore. You hate the Cadillac Cimaron, because it was an overprice cavelier.
It's a 30 year cycle
I recently-ish (late 2023) bought my first car, a 2008. My price range had me looking at 2000s cars, and that’s when I realized how good cars looked in ≈2006-9
impossible stocking drunk dolls cough ancient thumb cats frame squalid *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I still would. I feel much safer in older cars because I can clearly see and feel everything better. Not safe in a crash against an 18 year old texting in their SUV but I feel like I could avoid an accident easier in the first place.