Regular cars: Unicorn edition

[numbnuts240]

i thought this would be kind of entertaining. my buddy and i always alert each other whenever we spot what we refer to as unicorns. cars that you just never see anymore, be it just a normal run of the mill model, or a specific trim level. we're talking normal, every day cars. not your split window vettes, split bumper camaros, super birds, vintage import iron, etc. i'm talking crx si's (or any crx, for that matter. up here anyways), nx1600/2000, beretta's, any variant of neon, or cavalier, etc. post up what you spot, get a picture if you can.

in the last few months i've seen one crx. something i feel like i haven't seen in person in many years. i spotted a first gen neon r/t that even still had 95% of its clear coat intact. a turbo lebaron, which i never even knew existed. i saw an ion. where did all the ions go?

all those were spotted while driving, so it was a bit difficult to get a picture without turning into one of those drivers that well all despise. last weekend, while swapping cars at the rental garage, we spotted this gem parked across the street



chevrolet cavalier z24. in surprisingly decent condition. i'm holding out for a beretta z26.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I saw a PT cruiser turbo convertible today. It wasn't in very good condition though.

[Jesda]

I work with a guy who has a mint 95 Escort GT hatchback, the one with the Miata engine.

Has 55,000 miles.

[nissangirl74]

Living near a retirement community, we see time capsules on a regular basis. I saw a pristine silver Chevette a few weeks ago. A local guy drives a yellow Vehicross as his daily; you don't see those much anymore. I'll keep an eye out for some good ones and try to get some pictures.

[OriginalWheelman]

I had to try real hard to not buy this Diesel Escort Wagon on Craigslist.
https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/cto/5363176345.html

[Jesda]

I saw a Cavalier wagon, first gen, in SPECTACULAR condition on my way to work over the fall. I sped up to take a picture but got stuck at a light.

I cared more about getting a picture of that than any exotic.

[AZhitman]

Stuck in traffic next to an XLR-V today. I had to 'adjust', which ain't easy in the Miata.

For fun, I was looking at 92-95 Legend 6MT Type II today. There's actually a nice one here in town for sale. Definitely a future collectible.

I'd love to have my old work car: '93 Lumina 2-door 9C3 police package with V6, 16" alloys and Recaro seats. Had to be ultra-rare, because it was the only one in the fleet, and when I went to try and buy it at auction (when they gave me a goddam Crown Vic), it mysteriously wasn't listed. Hmm.

[Bubba1]

There was a guy that attended one of the cruise nights where I volunteer. He brought an immaculate 1984 Plymouth Voyager (minivan that is). Don't see them anymore especially clean ones at around here, and surprising how small they are compared to the cra...er stuff offered now. Regret not bringing my camera.

There are still a few 1st gen Neons in my area. Mostly driven by teens, with ricey pepboys/jc whitney add-ons, and fart cans.

[OriginalWheelman]

There was a guy that attended one of the cruise nights where I volunteer. He brought an immaculate 1984 Plymouth Voyager (minivan that is). Don't see them anymore especially clean ones at around here, and surprising how small they are compared to the cra...er stuff offered now. Regret not bringing my camera.

There are still a few 1st gen Neons in my area. Mostly driven by teens, with ricey pepboys/jc whitney add-ons, and fart cans.

I had one of those! It had the manual in it. Was awesome for a minivan. The Aeorstar was better though.

[numbnuts240]

a couple more i'm keeping my eyes out for:

hyundai scoupe. my sister had one as her second car. to this day, it was the only one i have ever seen.

mazda mx-3. i haven't seen many at all, but it was beat out by an s13 as my first car.

[BusyBadger]

There's an older guy I see around from time to time that drives a remarkably well kept Merkur XR4Ti. I usually see him out on residential-ish roads, probably out shopping and the usual errand running, but on the couple of occasions I've seen him on the interstate he was getting on it.

[OriginalWheelman]

Merkur XR4Ti.

This car is on my "If I had all the money in the world list.

[AZhitman]

My old Kenpo instructor drove one... super-clean, with a lot of Cosworth mods.

Call me crazy, but every once in a while, I see a late-90s - early 00s Protege that looks like it just rolled off the lot. It's seriously pristine. I keep meaning to flag the guy down and ask if it's for sale. Such a bulletproof, handsome, and nice-performing car for the money.

[Kompresshun]

I'd love to get my hands on an old Mustang SVO or a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. They're getting harder to find these days.

I wouldn't mind a Starion or a Conquest either.

[nissangirl74]

a couple more i'm keeping my eyes out for:

hyundai scoupe. my sister had one as her second car. to this day, it was the only one i have ever seen.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/5379563756.html

[numbnuts240]

woah that thing is clean. i just read something stating that the scoupes were made to compete with the toyota paseo. there's another model of car that has pretty much disappeared from new england. tercels, first gen elantras, b13 sentras, u13 altimas, stanzas, all gone. i remember always laughing with my friends whenever we saw an oxymoron, otherwise known as the elantra gt.

[LocAL_anarchy]

I'd love to get my hands on an old Mustang SVO or a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. They're getting harder to find these days.

I wouldn't mind a Starion or a Conquest either.

Was in Philadelphia today visiting friends, and I saw a pristine Starion sitting next to a gorgeous late-80's BMW M6. 2 cars I would absolutely love to have. Philly seems to have a plethora of these old unicorn cars mentioned in this thread. Unfortunately, most are in pretty bad condition. A shame.

[skydragoness]

I see old, "every-day" cars here kind of often since the rust didn't make most of them rot away (just the lack of upkeep kills most of them around here it seems).
There's someone that works at the library in historic McKinney that has a first gen Ford Escort. First car my parents bought brand new and I was probably 6 years old. It was very weird to see one in daily driver condition. I'll have to take pics of all the old commuter cars I see here and upload them here next time!

[Bubba1]

I see old, "every-day" cars here kind of often since the rust didn't make most of them rot away (just the lack of upkeep kills most of them around here it seems).
There's someone that works at the library in historic McKinney that has a first gen Ford Escort. First car my parents bought brand new and I was probably 6 years old. It was very weird to see one in daily driver condition. I'll have to take pics of all the old commuter cars I see here and upload them here next time!

My best friend briefly had a first gen Escort, not long after they came out, which he labelled the "Escort from hell". He didn't pay much for it, and he figured to use it as an economical commuter. didn't work out. That little car always had something wrong with it, rattles, groans, squeeks, sputters, electrical shorts, etc., to the point one would think Ford was sadist. Since he was not a masochist, he sold it. I don't see them any more.

[numbnuts240]

i was followed by a dodge caliber srt-4 on my way home from work yesterday. first one i've ever seen, and only learned they existed a few months ago



is it bad that i kind of like it?

[Bubba1]

I just saw one up close a few weeks ago at a cars n coffee. Not awful looking. But it kinda has that same "cheapie destined to break" vibe that the SRT-4 Neons had.

[numbnuts240]

a couple that i saw on my lunch break (don't worry, i was sitting at red lights)



accord wagons were always pretty rare around here.

[Desert Rat]

This could be a great list. Just going back to the 80s/early 90s, when's the last time you saw one of these on the road:

Isuzu Impulse
Dodge Daytona / Chrysler Laser
VW Rabbit
Chrysler K cars
Ford Tempo / Mercury Topaz
Hyundai Excel
Toyota Paseo
Ram 50 pickup
Chevy Citation
RWD Nissan 200sx
....and the list goes on.

I did see not one, but 2 Murano cross cabriolets one day a couple weeks ago. I didn't think anyone bought those ugly a** things. When I bought my '85 300ZX, I was actually looking for a pristine MKII Supra (82-85). Couldn't find one in more than one step above junk condition.

[OriginalWheelman]

Are Paseos that sought after? My landscaper has a niceish one he thrashes. He paid like $200 for it 4 years ago.

[Desert Rat]

I dont' think so....just an observation on cars that used to be everywhere that you just don't see anymore.
Otherwise it's just a little econobox turd.

[OriginalWheelman]

It goes pretty fast for a 1.5L but like I said, he flogs it. I can't imagine it's top speed is much more than 90 though.

[numbnuts240]

saw one of these last night, tbh, i forgot all about them



and on the way to work this morning, another car i forgot all about

[Bubba1]

Are Paseos that sought after? .

uh...no.

[numbnuts240]

after seeing the escort, i brought up the fact that you don't see tercels or paseos anymore.

[szh]

I saw a Pontiac G8 the other day - the Holden-produced car from Australia.

Couldn't take a picture - I was driving.

Z