We continue our countdown of 12 econoboxes from this vintage Car and Driver comparison article. The twelve sub $10k (when new) cars were ranked by an assortment of college kids, and this next one is number 11. Today’s Justy has the desired 4-wheel-drive option, but it still has a 1.2 liter 3-pot engine that puts […]
What’s not to love in this next car? It is a rare 2-door SUV from the 80s with a turbo diesel engine, rust, crust, and a toilet paper holder mounted on the side. Or is that a towel rack? Or a wet-suit drying rack for a surfer, perhaps? I’m gonna stick with the TP holder as my final answer, Regis. Find this 1986 Isuzu Trooper DXL 4WD Turbo Diesel 2-Door offered for $6,500 in San Diego, CA via craigslist.
In the world of strange car names, this next feature is a doozy. It is a Honda (that looks like a Toyota to my eyes) that is inexplicably called the “Today Humming.” I don’t know what to say. Today Humming, tomorrow Life Dunk…that would be my ideal car stable. Throw in a King Midget for good measure and I’ll be driving my Mazda Proceed Marvie home now. Anyway, today’s Honda Today Humming is equipped with all-wheel-drive and a 660cc 3-cylinder engine and all the JDM right-hand-drive Kei-hatch style you need. Find this 1995 Honda Today Humming offered for $7,400 in Dallas, TX via craigslist. Tip from Brad.
Living in southern California has its pluses and minuses as car lover. One of the positives is that cars do not rust away. The big negative is the smog rules making imported vehicles nearly impossible to legally drive. So this Japanese import with a clean California title is a unicorn. Find this 1986 Mazda Bongo Brawny offered for $14,500 in Santa Barbara, CA via Craigslist.
The Subaru Forester was launched in 2007 as Subaru’s first entry into the (then small, now large) segment known as the crossover SUV, but the Forester was a long way away from being an AMC Eagle. A few years later Subaru put a slightly detuned version of their 2.5 liter turbo motor from the legendary […]
Ask the average Joe what he knows about Subaru and he will probably talk about the new Forester or a variety of SUV-ish looking wagon-things that are designed to be lightly off-roaded and driven around the city. Press a little more and Joe might talk about the sporty WRX or STI versions of the Impreza…but […]
I love it when someone calls some car “the nicest around” because it often is such a stretch from the truth. And I won’t give the hyperbolists in the room a free pass with this next car, I’ll at the most admit that it looks like a blast to own/drive. Find this 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac […]
The 5-door Honda Civic Shuttle (previously called the Wagovan) was a crossover before there was such a thing as crossovers, but it competed with Toyota’s Tercel Wagon and Subaru’s Wagon thing in the small 4X4 wagon segment. Power in the Civic Shuttle came from a 109 horsepower 1.6 liter 4-banger that was mated to a […]
The Mitsubishi Delica was a compact Japanese van with unibody construction, a mid-engine RWD or 4WD drivetrain, and a smattering of engine options. These were sold in North America under the creative model names Van and Wagon, and only lasted a few years here (1987-1990). Those were basic cargo and people mover versions, but if Mitsu […]
This next car comes as a tip from Jeff S who writes: Turbo Subies last forever…er…not really but this is interesting. I have to admit that this machine does have some interesting street cred regarding its turbo, hatch, manual trans, and push button hi-lo 4WD. Find this 1987 Subaru GL offered for $2,500 in Eastern West Virginia […]