Automotive Guilty Pleasures

[ToyGTone]

^ What about the Alphard? They even sold the earlier generation over here but sadly no one bought it and Toyota just pulled them out.

Here's the current gen which looks awesome for a minivan IMO.

 

[Turbo]

^ What about the Alphard? They even sold the earlier generation over here but sadly no one bought it and Toyota just pulled them out.

Here's the current gen which looks awesome for a minivan IMO.

It's a shame how Toyota only lets Asia/Middle East experience their good minivans. We Americans are stuck with this:


Its hard to get more boring than that.

 

[Tunerguy21]

There's something about the Japanese market vans that makes them look so much taller and narrower than the ones we get here. Take that Sienna for example. By no means is it a sporty shape, but it has a squattier look to it than the Alphard. I wonder how they would look in person side by side.

 

[GTP_Ingram]

the Mitsubishi Grandis

It was almost a guilty pleasure of mine... Until I drove one. Granted, a smoky, worn, tired example was unlikely to flatter it, but it was just awful.

 

[ToyGTone]

It's a shame how Toyota only lets Asia/Middle East experience their good minivans. We Americans are stuck with this:


Its hard to get more boring than that.

There's something about the Japanese market vans that makes them look so much taller and narrower than the ones we get here. Take that Sienna for example. By no means is it a sporty shape, but it has a squattier look to it than the Alphard. I wonder how they would look in person side by side.

I could probably say the same about the current Honda's odyssey minivan which I actually talked about before on another thread.

The US model looked fat and a bit dull while the Asian model looks smaller but more stylish IMO.

 

[TexRex]

Sheila's looking at these compact vans to replace the Mazda5 for the dogs, so we checked out the NV200, City Express, Transit Connect and ProMaster City today; something about this one's styling rubbed me the right way.

 

[Legro]

Another excuse to post my old car...

​

Had the one of the best rides of anything I've driven. Nice car, but I bought a poor example (in hindsight I'm fairly sure it had been a minicab in Leeds...). If I had the space and the finances I think I'd buy another, but it'd need to be V6 and auto rather than the diesel/manual I bought. ZT appeals too, but top of the pile are the V8 versions of each. Handsome, well-built, but with an engine that seems entirely appropriate for the look of the car.

Once again seconding a like for the 75/ZT, partly because of nostalgia factor I suppose, the ZT-T is the car my parents had back in the mid 00s (and again in early 2010s) after all, but the car was indeed an appealing one. I was seriously considering buying one about a year ago but the issue that exist with them is that the good non-V8 examples are starting to get more rare than trees with some money growing out of them, which on the other hand simply describes the V8 models to begin with.

It's a shame how Toyota only lets Asia/Middle East experience their good minivans. We Americans are stuck with this:


Its hard to get more boring than that.

I'm not entirely sure if I should and I suppose it's mostly the fact I don't see these on our roads but I'm sort of intrigued by the Sienna to an extend. It does look like a reasonably comfortable place to sit in at the very least.

 

[MedigoFlame]

I have a guilty pleasure of liking the first generation Scion xB aka Toyota bB. I'd love to have one as a little beater or runabout car.

 

[niky]

There's something about the Japanese market vans that makes them look so much taller and narrower than the ones we get here. Take that Sienna for example. By no means is it a sporty shape, but it has a squattier look to it than the Alphard. I wonder how they would look in person side by side.

Basically, what you'd imagine. The Alphard really is taller and narrower than the Sienna.

American Sienna and Odyssey vans have better suspension tuning. They're wider and less tippy, and have more damper stroke. Japanese vans are, as Japanese cars usually are, stiffer in terms of spring rates and softer in terms of damper rates... built for smooth roads.

-

That said, Japanese VIP vans are lighter and they feel a hell of a lot peppier on the highway. An Alphard is basically a V6 Camry with seven seats, and accelerates up to the limiter pretty quick. And the narrow girth makes it easier to pilot through traffic or along winding roads. Plus the interior has more mood lighting and leather than a Karaoke lounge. (And those leather arm-chairs have the kind of adjustability you'd expect of a La-Z-Boy). Not quite as much elbow room as a Sienna, but for six people, it's fantastic.

The one big issue is that the soft damping makes for a bouncy third row when you're going over wavy asphalt at speed. Other than that, these vans are the perfect VIP express. As such, residual values here are nuts.

 

[05XR8]

Holden Barina

I liked these in old UK magazines as Opels. It's a simple smooth looking hatch, that's a potential tarmac rally car.

 

[MedigoFlame]

I love the normal 4x4 Tacoma. But I do like the Tacoma X-Runner as well....

 

[homeforsummer]

Holden Barina

I liked these in old UK magazines as Opels. It's a simple smooth looking hatch, that's a potential tarmac rally car.

They were everywhere over here (not sure if they still are - they tend to fade into the background). Popular, but not particularly good cars, albeit reasonably nicely styled.

The tarmac rally car thing is very real though:

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I love how this looks in this colour combo:

It's so '90s, but it works very well on the little C-HR. I really like how funky the car looks, and if I were in the market for something in this class, I'd have a hard time between this and the CX-3 just because of this colour combo.

 

[MedigoFlame]

I love how this looks in this colour combo:

View attachment 658701

It's so '90s, but it works very well on the little C-HR. I really like how funky the car looks, and if I were in the market for something in this class, I'd have a hard time between this and the CX-3 just because of this colour combo.

I genuinely like the Toyota CH-R, however...personally not in that color. Preferably in this blue. I agree with the CX-3 as well.

 

[ToyGTone]

How about a nice stock old 80's Honda Civic Hatchback in Red and Black? Awww...it caught my attention more than a Supra nearby.

So Boxy, So Clean, So eighties. Awwww so beautiful.
Screw owning new cars, i want this to be my daily driver.

 

[Michelin Man]

How about a nice stock old 80's Honda Civic Hatchback in Red and Black? Awww...it caught my attention more than a Supra nearby.

View attachment 663887

So Boxy, So Clean, So eighties. Awwww so beautiful.
Screw owning new cars, i want this to be my daily driver.

I regularly see a similar case near me, except it's an absolutely immaculate EG Civic Hatch, in it's original Aztec Green. Seen it up relatively close, and there didn't seem to be an ounce of rust, or any visible marks, was in great condition, and even more remarkable was that it wasn't even an elderly person driving it .

 

[Silver Arrows]

Something about the 80's and early 90's Caprice Classics speak to me.

 

[ToyGTone]

I regularly see a similar case near me, except it's an absolutely immaculate EG Civic Hatch, in it's original Aztec Green. Seen it up relatively close, and there didn't seem to be an ounce of rust, or any visible marks, was in great condition, and even more remarkable was that it wasn't even an elderly person driving it .

Most of the EG hatches over here are fitted with your average aftermarket mp3/radio player, BBS rims and Bucket Seats. I recall seeing one in nearly stock which surprised me a lot and had a similar reaction but not as big as this one. The one above is really rare to spot over here nowadays, let alone in that lovely condition.

Something about the 80's and early 90's Caprice Classics speak to me.

I smell some gangsta's with their donks and Lowrider's.

 

[Turbo]

I smell some gangsta's with their donks and Lowrider's.

Contrary to the common stereotypes, the majority of Caprice Classic owners are people over 60.

 

[ToyGTone]

Contrary to the common stereotypes, the majority of Caprice Classic owners are people over 60.

Caprice overall (That one along with 90's and older, not counting the "Holden" one) or just the Classic trim model? You're probably more than likely to be right but i would say it's somewhere around 30-60 age over here. Not sure about North America or the rest of the world really.

 

[Turbo]

Caprice overall (That one along with 90's and older, not counting the "Holden" one) or just the Classic trim model? You're probably more than likely to be right but i would say it's somewhere around 30-60 age over here. Not sure about North America or the rest of the world really.

Caprices overall.

 

[TexRex]

Something about the 80's and early 90's Caprice Classics speak to me.

My '86 wagon said "roll me into a ditch." I did.

 

[05XR8]

Something about the 80's and early 90's Caprice Classics speak to me.

I smell some gangsta's with their donks and Lowrider's.

Their cousin, Olds Ninety-Eight, were "O J's"(high profile gypsy cabs) back in my day. The plush velour seats were heaven.

I'll add another "guilty p", Toyota Corona wagon. I had an '83 sedan, but this coffin on wheels looks so right. Blends right in with the tarmac.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Not sure if this could be considered a guilty pleasure or unpopular opinion. But I like the 7th generation Toyota Celica. I don't even mind the loud factory body kit.

Not the greatest picture, but I find this really tasteful.

 

[05XR8]

I like those over the 86. As a "Would You rather?", I'd choose the ZZ.

 

[homeforsummer]

With you on the Celica. Was a striking design when it first came out and it still looks handsome from the right angle. I'm a fan of the rear three-quarter view:

And for me the car is best completely unadorned - no body kit, no spoiler. Though I'd not say no to a decent set of wheels. Best in silver or black, as those colours suit modern shapes like this.

One of those cars I've considered on numerous occasions, but always end up buying something else.

 

[Tunerguy21]

To me, this is how this gen of Celica looks best. Its a nice design normally, but its always seemed plain to me. That rear was made for a wing, and otherwise it looks too bare. There are probably a lot of people who think this kit is too much, but I think its properly handsome and well-balanced. If I could find a decent enough one, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot after my MX6.

 

[05XR8]

One of those cars I've considered on numerous occasions, but always end up buying something else.

Yes!

Also, the Diablo style sloped door windows, are the best.

 

[homeforsummer]

Yes!

Also, the Diablo style sloped door windows, are the best.

It's a raising beltline done well. All the lines originate somewhere and go somewhere else.

I would say it's better with the pre-facelift front end, with the small grille, rather than the slightly weird upper lip of the post-facelift one and its wider grille.

 

[MedigoFlame]

It's a raising beltline done well. All the lines originate somewhere and go somewhere else.

I would say it's better with the pre-facelift front end, with the small grille, rather than the slightly weird upper lip of the post-facelift one and its wider grille.

Agreed. I found this:

Much more attractive than this:

At first @homeforsummer, I was going to disagree with you about the rear three quarter being the best angle, however, I see what you mean about the body lines having an end point. I never quite realized that when I was younger and always thought it was odd that it kind of ended in a somewhat boxy rear.

I am curious as to what would have happened if they did make a GT-Four/rally car out of the seventh generation Celica. I still remember the racing modified one from Gran Turismo 2.