If your state was a car....

This weekend I got an idea that on further thought has been refined down to:

If your state was a car, it would be a ...........

Think of this as being sort of like those state quarters the U.S. mint put out over the last few years. What car/truck?/SUV? would best represent your state?

Rules:

The vehicle you specify does not have to be of the current year (that is, DOES NOT have to be a 2010 or 2011)

The vehicle you specify DOES NOT have to be built/assembled in your state.

It DOES have to be available for sale (or was available for sale, when new) in the U.S.

I wish I didn't have to do this, but I ask that you nominate vehicles built AFTER WW II.

If it helps to "make your case", offer a few words of explanation for why you chose this vehicle to represent your state.

Finally, if you think you can, you can "nominate" other state's vehicles, but I would rather make it an un-official rule that you only nominate for a state you live in currently or have lived in during the last 25 years.

Maine is a well used LL Bean edition Outback. Some fancy parts, but mostly just rugged, dependable and utilitarian (and kinda slow).

Ohio is a Toyota Corolla. It's the most boring car every built and nobody actually wants to be in one.

Michigan is a Yugo because like the Yugo, Michigan doesn't work. (I think Michigans unemployment rate is at about 112% or something right now).

Massachusetts makes me think of a DeLorean. A long time ago it was a cool idea and people probably were justifiably excited about it. Then it turned out to be less then was promised (and very expensive) and a bit of an underperformer. Those who drive and love them put on blinders to convince themselves it is a really great ride...

My current state - Brandenburg, Germany - would be some kind of modern Skoda wagon. Generally comfortable place to be in, has everything you could ask for, is quiet and competent, but also rather square and dull. Shirked off communism in the early '90s with the help of generous foreign investment but you still find the odd throwback to remind you of its past.

Berlin (which is its own state, hah!) is a VW New Beetle; an early one from around the launch ('97 or so.) In theory it's the funky, stylish, partygoing hipster that gets all the chicks, but you get the impression it really wants to be the centre of attention. It's trying way too hard and gets annoying to be around after about five minutes.

New Jersey could be a first gen Miata. Even if you try to deny it all day long, it just might be the answer to a lot of your questions... Certainly not a perfect solution to all questions but very good if you can live with compromises.

FL is a pickup with big mudding tires

PA is either a Dairy tanker, and old Ford tractor or a black Suburban on 22" chrome rims with tint and 30 subwoofers turning your liver to liquid depending on where you are in the state.

New Hampshire would probably be either an old Subaru or Saab. I hardly see any anywhere else-but NH is full of them.

JoeyM wrote: FL is a pickup with big mudding tires

...and truck nuts!

DrBoost wrote: Ohio is a Toyota Corolla. It's the most boring car every built and nobody actually wants to be in one.

You weren't specific enough:

Like Corollas, some parts are GTS and some are automatics with hubcaps.. I like the GTS parts -great DDs and inexpensive fun. The rest -zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: PA is either a Dairy tanker, and old Ford tractor or a black Suburban on 22" chrome rims with tint and 30 subwoofers turning your liver to liquid depending on where you are in the state.

I was thinking PA was a late '80's/early 90's F150 4x4 with rust in the quarters and lower fenders, tinted windows, thumping bass, pine tree air freshener, 20's and a hay bail in the bed. I think that captures PA's split personality.

Connecticut would be a Lexus, with a AAA card, just in case.

Indiana is a beat to crap base model 1g automatic SOHC Neon.

Rob_Mopar wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: PA is either a Dairy tanker, and old Ford tractor or a black Suburban on 22" chrome rims with tint and 30 subwoofers turning your liver to liquid depending on where you are in the state.

I was thinking PA was a late '80's/early 90's F150 4x4 with rust in the quarters and lower fenders, tinted windows, thumping bass, pine tree air freshener, 20's and a hay bail in the bed. I think that captures PA's split personality.

I think you are both pretty close here. I was picturing a Horse & Buggy stuffed full of speaker boxes. I've seen them around Lancaster and thought it sums up the two faces of the state.

Woody wrote: Connecticut would be a Lexus, with a AAA card, just in case.

Truth! Probably a hybrid suv going 55 in the left lane on 84...

W/ RI's mafia roots, I'd have to say a black S-Class Benz. If it were the 70's it would have been a Coupe DeVille.

Boy, I can't think of anything for New York. Maybe something Italian, you know; high maintenence, high cost, lots of down time, pretty in the eye of few beholders.

British car? If it ain't broke, it will be. Costs way too much to go too slow.

Wally, bail me out here.

Whether you hail from an urban or rural setting, everybody loves an LTD in Georgia. Characterizes the state well in that it is half cushy/polite and half unreliable/cantankerous. It's got a certain sense of style. Although it hails from the dark ages of automotive design. Just like Georgia, it is inefficient and yet charming. Also usually modified in ways that address none of it's shortcomings (hello state legislature - also see this thread).

914Driver wrote: Boy, I can't think of anything for New York. Maybe something Italian, you know; high maintenence, high cost, lots of down time, pretty in the eye of few beholders. British car? If it ain't broke, it will be. Costs way too much to go too slow. Wally, bail me out here.

New York? Easy: Yellow Caprice Classic taxi with no hubcaps. 860,000 miles. Needs an air freshener.

Minnesota- I'd have to echo the Subaru comment. Though I'm thinkin' more along the lines of an 80's legacy. Beat, old, ugly, but is unstoppable. Another would be an early 90's Escort for that same reason. You just can't kill those things, much like most of the TRUE Minnesotans.

Alabama - IROC Z (with optional mullet wearing driver) or maybe a an '85 Chevy Truck

I think GA is a decent car with a busted radiator. It's pretty nice when it's not overheating.

racerdave600 wrote: Alabama - IROC Z (with optional mullet wearing driver) or maybe a an '85 Chevy Truck

As long as the truck is red. This state is the capital of red trucks...gotta have a roll tide roll sticker or a Bear Bryant hat sticker on it. I think about 40-45% of all trucks around here are red.