Is there a car out there that **NOBODY** likes?

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

 (I like Aveos.)

Things you don't expect an automotive enthusiast and professional mechanic to say.

My vote goes with the OP - Ford Tempo.  Seems like it even flies under the GRM radar.

TJL (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Danny Shields (Forum Supporter) :

I recall the sales were expected to be pretty large but fell WAY short very quickly. I dont hate it, but it was a prettt unloved vehicle as far as purchases go.

I think it was a case of not being wrong, just being early.  I saw a ton of Escalade EXTs when they started making those, and way more Mark LTs than I ever saw Blackwoods.  Of course, I think Ford also figured out wealthy people were happy to pay a fortune for a Ford-branded truck as long as it was some special trim line with all the luxury goodies.

Peabody said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

 (I like Aveos.)

Things you don't expect an automotive enthusiast and professional mechanic to say.

I suspect if the factory recommended timing belt change interval had been shorter, these might not have been remembered as poorly.  Everyone locally I know who had one had the belt go and demolish valves before it was due for a change.

eastsideTim said:

Peabody said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

 (I like Aveos.)

Things you don't expect an automotive enthusiast and professional mechanic to say.

I suspect it the factory recommended timing belt change interval had been shorter, these might not have been remembered as poorly.  Everyone locally I know who had one had the belt go and demolish valves before it was due for a change.

I know I posted the story about the guy who went 30k miles in an Aveo without changing or adding oil.  The filter was plugged solid and the oil pan had black whipped cream in it.

Cleaned it out with kerosene and a couple oil changes and it was fine.

I have sent one to the junkyard because the speedo gear drive came off of the differential.  Only available as a differential assembly.  Parts not available.  No used transmissions available.  Car could not be registered because of the fault code associated with no VSS signal.  Real shame, it was such a nice car too.

Peabody said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

 (I like Aveos.)

Things you don't expect an automotive enthusiast and professional mechanic to say.

I see little functional difference between this

and this

which was probably my favorite car of all I have had.  (Not my car. Mine was red.)

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

One is easier to get in the back seat of.

DarkMonohue said:

All this AMC chatter has me wondering whether the stick-shift Pacer I walk past most mornings is in need of a home.

And here it is, in all its faded Curbside Classics style glory, waiting for someone to slip in a lightly warmed up High Output 4.0 and a five speed.

Appleseed said:

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

One is easier to get in the back seat of.

And one is probably more reliable than the Volkswagen

In reply to TJL (Forum Supporter) :

Apparently, the Lincoln Blackwoods were VERY popular with members of the Mexican Cartels.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

So it looks like the Mk1 Rabbit coil overs fit the Aveo with very little modification. Good eye, my friend.

And the 1.6 (107hp) eco is the same family as the 1.8 (138hp) eco in the Cruze/Sonic/Astra, have many parts that interchange, and complete swap is an option.

Thanks

Here's a design study for the Matador coupe.  It's still gawky and ill-proportioned, but it is much less actively hideous:

They should have picked this option.

Lots of old cars mentioned in this. 

How about newer vehicles? 

I absolutely can't stand the Chevy Traverse. A) It's bland B) Wrenching on it is not that fun C) Just buy a minivan. My brother had one for 10 years and I constantly got calls on "Hey this light is on" and when I would visit, I got suckered into fixing it. It wasn't comfortable either. Yet people buy these things up. I feel like this about most big CUVs too. They are for people that need minivans but have too much of an ego to buy one.

Teslas - I'm not pointing to the fact they are EVs, in fact leaving that aside. They aren't comfortable, they don't look good, they have weird ergonomics, and are pretty mediocre overall IMO.

Anything with a CVT. I've yet to drive a CVT equipped car that was enjoyable outside of being an appliance. Even so, some of them are jerky and counterintuitive to their intended operation. They also make lower powered cars feel even more gutless.  

Modern CUV styling - You get vehicles with large exterior dimenions but cramped interior quarters and becuse of the design language of sloping the rear of the roof into the hatch, you get minimal cargo space. Yet people gobble up these CVT powered jelly beans like candy. 

DirtyBird222 said:

Anything with a CVT. I've yet to drive a CVT equipped car that was enjoyable outside of being an appliance. 

You Sir need to drive a Formula 500/600.  I knew I'd like the CVT for autocross but found it to be fantastic on a road course as well.

Duke said:

Here's a design study for the Matador coupe.  It's still gawky and ill-proportioned

It certainly is.

There's something familiar about it but I can't put my finger on it.

In reply to Peabody :

Besides looking like a brutalist version of a Matador Coupe?

The whole thing kind of reminds me of a MkIII Capri with the proportions all screwed up.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Reminds me of an Alfa GTV6

Peabody said:

There's something familiar about it but I can't put my finger on it.

Plymouth Arrow, perhaps?

I see come Lamborghini Espada in there too

I spotted a Studebaker Wagonaire on the road recently - even posted it in the unicorn sighting thread. Looks like it is even more unicorn than I realized.

Trent said:

I see come Lamborghini Espada in there too

...as drawn by an 8-year-old.

scardeal said:

My vote goes with the OP - Ford Tempo.  Seems like it even flies under the GRM radar.

but Sir Jackie Stewart said it was a real driver's car!

j_tso said:

scardeal said:

My vote goes with the OP - Ford Tempo.  Seems like it even flies under the GRM radar.

but Sir Jackie Stewart said it was a real driver's car!

 

My wife had one we we first started dating; the steering was decent and the brakes were very good.

The issue with hers is it pinged like mad. It eventually melted a valve yet it still ran. The dealer fixed it under warranty but it still pinged. We played with the timing until we got it to stop pinging.

 By that time she had her fill of it.

I like the matador

Tom1200 said:

DirtyBird222 said:

Anything with a CVT. I've yet to drive a CVT equipped car that was enjoyable outside of being an appliance. 

You Sir need to drive a Formula 500/600.  I knew I'd like the CVT for autocross but found it to be fantastic on a road course as well.

Interesting take. What CVT are they using? From rental cars to the Honda and Subaru CVT equipped vehicles my ex wife and girlfriends have owned. I'm not sold.