Odd Cars....did you own one?

[ZAPPER]

Looks just like every other car from 1920 thru 1940 to me, without seeing the name plate I can't ID any of them in a photo, some I can tell by looks, but most I can't even guess. To me I tend to think that the non American cars were more narrow and lower. MG? I don't know, the wheels do look like something that I should know.

[makntraks]

MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........




makntraks

[offline]

Horrible looking cars.. the volvo's. Ride and
handling is not much to speak of either.

Much prefer and own:



- 93 GMH VR wagon (Length 4903mm / Width 1794mm)
- 2002 HSV enhanced 5.0 litre V8 Engine
- Maximum Power: 185kW @ 4800 rpm
- Maximum Torque: 400 Nm @ 3600 rpm
- GM HydraMatic 4L60-E Electronically controlled dual-mode four speed
- Sports Suspension (5-link) Front: Firmer spring rate. Revised stabiliser bar diameter. Reduced ride height. Rear: Firmer spring rate. Revised stabiliser bar diameter. Gas pressure shock absorbers. Fuel tank guard.
- 2100 kg Towing capacity
- & more

Perfect for shopping trips

[makntraks]

Horrible looking cars.. the volvo's. Ride and
handling is not much to speak of either.

Much prefer and own:

Volvo's rock and you know it... What you drive is a weenie' mobile.....
A "sports wagon" trying to imitate one....... a reguler "grocery get'er"

Every time I get in mine, I know what "sports car" means even though it is a wagon...

makntraks

[offline]

Volvo's rock? Ummm.. yeah right

Any mention of the brand name Volvo with the term
"sports wagon" are merely marketing terms.

As for my "weenie" mobile, you obviously don't even
know what type of car it is let alone its size
and capacity.

Anyway this is about odd cars. Mine has a odd look
to the front end at least. Yours is the same beige box
volvo has been producing for ages.

[offline]

The Golf won Australia's Best Car award for 2004.....

Not exactly. The Golf won the Best cheap Mid sized Car of the Year 2004.
The others were:

Best Small car: Ford Fiesta LX3D
Best Mid sized: Subaru Liberty 2.5i4D
Best Family: Ford Falcon XTBA Mk2
Best cheap Luxury: Honda Accord v6
Best Luxury: Audi AB Quattro
Best cheap sports: Subaru WRX 4D
Best Sports: Audi Qu'tro S
Best 4WD ATV: Toyota Prado GXL
Best 4WD SUV: Lexus R330 Sport
Best 4WD Recreational: Ford Territory TX
Best People Mover: Honda Odyssey

...and poor old Volvo did not even make
it to the 15 runners up list in any
category despite selling a mid size, a wagon, a sports car
and a 4WD hehe

[ZAPPER]

My brother had a little Volvo with the fins in back. We called it the B-18 but I think that was the engine. He told me that if I wanted to learn to be a mechanic to buy a Volvo. Actually I hear that they are a pretty fair car until they start to go to shit, and then, atleast here in the states and 20 years ago, the parts are high dollar. My other brother the repo/junk man loves them, especially the older wagons because they are heavy and bring good money for there size at the scrapyard. No insult intended just my personal expeirence.

[richdvd]

Give me makntraks' Volvo ANYDAY.

[offline]

Since Ford owns Volvo, we should have seen an improvement. The latest models are certainly looking
nicer, but they need to trash the whole undercarriage
and suspension. They still drive like micro tanks. I think Volvo designers should look at what VW has done to
improve their lineup.

[ZAPPER]

When I took paramedic training in 82-83 there were a couple of old timers that swore Volvos were the toughest cars to have to cut someone out of. I don't have anyfirst hand experience chopping the roof post out of one and peeling the roof, but I do seem to remember that at about that time they were suposed to be like one of the safest cars on the road. I also think that they were like the first for standard seat belts and some other safty features. Volvo used to make some good marine engines, but I am way out of that loop nowadays and don't know if they still do or not.

[offline]

The Volvos were the safest cars
you could buy 15-20 years ago. They were
built solid to last and were reliable as hell.
They had a world wide reputation for safety and
design innovation. Then about 10-15 years ago
things began to slide.

[hech54]

Another weird one. It was made in 1933 - but what is it?

Believe it or not.....this is a Nissan. Hell I never knew they were around for that long. 1933 Nissan Phaeton.

[hech54]

The Golf won Australia's Best Car award for 2004.....

Not exactly. The Golf won the Best cheap Mid sized Car of the Year 2004.
The others were:

Best Small car: Ford Fiesta LX3D
Best Mid sized: Subaru Liberty 2.5i4D
Best Family: Ford Falcon XTBA Mk2
Best cheap Luxury: Honda Accord v6
Best Luxury: Audi AB Quattro
Best cheap sports: Subaru WRX 4D
Best Sports: Audi Qu'tro S
Best 4WD ATV: Toyota Prado GXL
Best 4WD SUV: Lexus R330 Sport
Best 4WD Recreational: Ford Territory TX
Best People Mover: Honda Odyssey

And "not exactly" a staggering amount of American cars on that list either....

[offline]

No not exactly

Even GMC (brand) is almost rare breed here

[hech54]

There are "Holden vs. Ford" fans in Oz just like there are "Chevy vs. Ford" fans here in America.
One would not be caught dead driving the "other"...

[offline]

I like the new Ford and I drive a Holden

Here is THE car I'd scrap my GM Estate for:

[BJ_M]

certainly looks unusual

[BJ_M]

Since Ford owns Volvo, we should have seen an improvement. The latest models are certainly looking
nicer, but they need to trash the whole undercarriage
and suspension. They still drive like micro tanks. I think Volvo designers should look at what VW has done to
improve their lineup.

yea - volvo went really downhill with inovation for awhile there, and those 200 series (GL , GLE, GTE), 400 series, through 700 series did drive aweful , specially the GL series of the early 90's ..

The XC-90 is really nice though now , sold also by ford as the freestyle (but after some research, i think the freestyle doesnt use the Boron steel and doesnt get the turbo engines, but uses mazda 's 3.0L ) , many other small changes also -- the same platform is also used by the ford 500 .. but they do get the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which volvo doesnt get yet ..

[sacajaweeda]

[BJ_M]

btw - these cars and suv with "stability control" and "traction control" system are sometimes a real pain ... i like to do 4 wheel drifts and/or let the rear end drift out and such and those damm systems keep kicking in ..

the traction control is usually ok - plus i can turn it off in my cars/suv ..

but the stability control is overly sensitive (specially in those Volvos xc70 , xc90 ) , the freaking brakes come on going around a corner all the time -- in winter , not to cool ..

the worse is some older cars and their abs brakes .. the abs would come on all the time on snow .. and in actual fact, often you can stop faster locking up or threshold braking on snow than with abs (snow plow effect) ... My old 93 caravan was awefull for this ... i went thorough so many intersections because the damm abs kept releasing the freaking brakes , it would come on with dew on the ground , and i mean it would come on and you had NO brakes .... terrible system.. i finally figured out how to turn it off (for ever) .. the abs is much better now.

[offline]

certainly looks unusual

If you look carefully (I know.. poor picture)
you might guess what it was... and still is kinda

Its from Pininfarina. They make Ferrari's into Ferrari Estates

[BJ_M]

i noticed the 'horse' on the wheels .. i never heard of this model ... i guess its for those that dont want a land rover to haul kids to school ...

[BJ_M]

only 7 were made though apparently

[offline]

Yes, only seven. Just like the 6x6 WD Range rover - only a
few can afford the concept and, in addition, mad
enough to go for it.

I'm mad but poor

[BJ_M]

good commuter

[ZAPPER]

btw - these cars and suv with "stability control" and "traction control" system are sometimes a real pain ... i like to do 4 wheel drifts and/or let the rear end drift out and such and those damm systems keep kicking in ..

the traction control is usually ok - plus i can turn it off in my cars/suv ..

but the stability control is overly sensitive (specially in those Volvos xc70 , xc90 ) , the freaking brakes come on going around a corner all the time -- in winter , not to cool ..

the worse is some older cars and their abs brakes .. the abs would come on all the time on snow .. and in actual fact, often you can stop faster locking up or threshold braking on snow than with abs (snow plow effect) ... My old 93 caravan was awefull for this ... i went thorough so many intersections because the damm abs kept releasing the freaking brakes , it would come on with dew on the ground , and i mean it would come on and you had NO brakes .... terrible system.. i finally figured out how to turn it off (for ever) .. the abs is much better now.

I got to agree on the antilock brakes. There is probally research that says we are wrong about stopping distance though, no matter what happens in the real world. It just ain't natural not to have your wheels not lockup when you smash the pedal to the floor. I need the screeching noise to remind me that I need to steer out of this mess because I ain't going to stop in time! (Although I think that being able to steer without loosing control is a big part of what antilock is about). I think that antilock is probally good for the masses and works best on dry pavement were most of us idiots drive. But to trust your car to compensate for your lack of driving skills or intelligence in any situation is really stupid.

[enstg8er]

had a fiat x1/9 years back. was given to me. P.O.S!!!!
http://www.irata.com/x19/morepicts.html

[hech54]

The Golf won Australia's Best Car award for 2004.....

Not exactly. The Golf won the Best cheap Mid sized Car of the Year 2004.

The editorial department of BBC's show Top Gear has elected the new Golf GTI
being "Car of 2005" even before it has been released to the Great Britain
market. Volkswagen's CEO, Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder, received the award now
in London out of the hands of Top Gear's head columnist Jeremy Clarkson...
... "The crucial factor for the GTI to top the list is the sum of all the
car's properties", says Jeremy Clarkson. "There have only been two possible
marks: "Brilliant" or "Excellent". The GTI is fast but comfortable and easy
to handle. It is as easy to drive as it is to park and is accepted by every
social class. This new Golf is simply a sensation."...

Now all I need to do is drive one myself....