Good morning, and happy Friday! This week, something unprecedented occurred, or at least I don’t remember it happening before: All four winning cars were the ones I would have chosen. We are in total agreement! I’m so shocked that I can’t even think of a dumb scenario for today. I’m just going to let you pick your favorite of the four.
Yesterday wasn’t a super-close vote, but it wasn’t a blowout either. The good ol’ Ford Aerostar still has its fans, and quite a few of you said you preferred how it drives to the GM vans. I can’t really comment; the only Aerostar I’ve ever driven any distance had a four-cylinder and a five-speed manual, and about 200,000 miles on it. It drove like an old Ranger stuck inside an empty cookie tin.
The Silhouette just seems like a nicer place to spend time. And yeah, maintenance on it would suck, but I’ve had a transverse V8 Cadillac. This can’t be that much worse. Can it?
All right. I gotta be quick tonight, so we’ll just keep this simple. Here’s a quick recap of the week’s winners:
1987 Honda Civic CRX – $5,000
This cute little first-gen CRX drew a lot of positive comments; I guess it’s no surprise that this car has since sold. Yes, $5,000 is a lot for an old used economy car, but then again, when was the last time you saw one this clean?
It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that cars that were new when I was in junior high and cheap beaters when I was in college are now being insured and registered as classics. I don’t feel that old. Though it does make me wonder what will become of cars like this CRX when us Gen Xers have all had hip replacements and can no longer get in and out of them.
1984 Pontiac 6000 LE – $3,000
This super-clean Pontiac has sold as well. And I’m not surprised by this one, either. Plenty of you are not shy about expressing your dislike for ’80s GM cars, but nostalgia is a powerful force. GM sold millions of A-body sedans, and a lot of folks who are buying classic cars now grew up in the back seat of one. Hopefully it gives someone $3,000 worth of warm fuzzies.
And if nothing else, you can’t say it isn’t a comfy ride. Modern cars have a lot more stuff in them, but they could learn a thing or two about seat comfort from the cars of thirty or forty years ago. And personally, I’d give up the toys and gadgets to just have a nice place to sit.
1970 Oldsmobile Toronado – $2,850
I bet this old Toronado was a really cool car when it was new. It’s hard to imagine sometimes, seeing these old rusty heaps, that for someone, many years ago, this was a brand-new car. Imagine finishing up the paperwork and having the salesman (always a man, back in those days) hand you the keys. You fire up that big 455 and hear it settle into a throbbing idle, switch on the AM radio and hear “Ride Captain Ride” come out of the speakers, turn it up, and point that long nose towards the nearest freeway entrance.
But of coruse, that was a long, long time ago. This Oldsmobile has seen a lot since then, and the years have not been kind. But apparently, that 455 still purrs. That has to be worth something.
1994 Oldsmobile Silhouette – $2,800
I sometimes wonder how product placement, like this van’s appearance in Get Shorty, works. Did the producers have to pay GM to use it? Or did GM pay them for advertising? I can’t imagine GM would have had a problem with it; the film is nothing but complimentary to the van, and at the end (spoiler alert!) when the film crew breaks for lunch, we see that almost every character now drives an Oldsmobile Silhouette.
I did read that there’s a goof in the movie regarding the van’s power sliding door: When Chili and Karen pull up to Martin Weir’s house, the van is facing the wrong way to show off the power door, but it magically turns around in the next scene so the door is facing them. Whoops.
So there you have them: the week’s winners, as chosen by you – and me, as it turns out. I didn’t mean for there to be three GM vehicles from defunct brands in here, but that’s how it worked out. Anyway, choose your favorite, and if you’re here in the US, enjoy your three-day weekend! I’ll see you all back here on Tuesday.
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Late to the party, story of my life. Anyway, I picked the CRX! I had a red ’85 and loved it! If the 6000 was the STE, I would’ve voted differently. The 6000 STE was probably the best car GM made in the 80s/90s.
The silhouette is not really a mini-van. It’s just in the shape of one.
I voted for the toronado,of course I did. It’s probably not the best idea,but it can’t be the worst either I think.
I voted CRX, but that comfy brown interior… even though it’s surrounded by a car that stranded me miles from civilization… is drawing me in… HELP!
CRX was awesome and in great shape…next would be the Toronado!
I wish I could vote twice. I’d take the CRX as a hobbyist car, but I am digging that Olds as a daily driver.
I understand why the CRX is leading here (and I chose it over the Turdcel), but today I think the fancy Dustbuster has the best dollar to value ratio while looking much more preserved. And it would smoke the lightweight car on every stoplight. Ouch
Yes, I like the CRX despite the high mileage and busted seats, but not at that price when the other options are about half that and better preserved.
CRX for me. Would be a great weekend/fun car that deserves to be preserved.
Gotta be the CRX, even if its an HF. You can do stuff with powertrain, but finding a clean MK1 CRX is unicorn time.
CRX. This isn’t even a fair fight.
I have a soft spot for Toronados, also have fond memories of my cousin’s Pontiac 6000 (he had a 2-door with the 2.8L V6) so i tossed a coin and went with the Toro.
I expected to go CRX but having another look at the minivan tipped the scales for me. It’s just really nice inside and out.
My mom would love it if I got the CRX. She loved hers.