You know how to play, right? It’s easy: we have a picture of a parking lot, and from that lot you must choose one (1) car, and that car will be the only car you ever own, forever. High stakes stuff, motherjumpers. So choose wisely, and tell us in the comments, along with your justification and reasoning, because you will have to defend your choices. This time we’re going to do three (III) parking lots, two from a Sainsbury’s location in the United Kingdom, because they have a fantastic photo archive of “car parks” (that’s crazy Brit for “parking lot”; in America, a “car park” is where you take your car to frolic off-leash with other cars) from Sainsbury’s stores of the years. The third one will be a picture of a parking lot from the Los Angeles International Airport, just to mix it up a bit. Okay, ready for the first one? Let’s do it – Here’s Number 1:
Some good stuff there! A Mini, some Fiats, Opels, holy crap, an NSU Prinz! What’s it gonna be from all these little fuel-sipping wonders? Okay, Number 2:
How about this one? From the early ’90s, and we have a good mix of Volkswagens and Fords and Rovers and other stuff. Lots of options! Okay last one, Number 3: Okay, now let’s head to America, specifically, sun-baked LAX:
Some good stuff there, too! And, likely rust-free! Look at that Eclipse up there, and…is that a mud-spattered Volvo? What’s the story there? Pick, explain, talk, argue, and so on. Let’s have some fun here.
- Ford Escort Mk3 2. Not sure, maybe a Triumph 2.5 PI Mk2? 3. Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 4. Rover 800 (I think those wheels make it a Vanden Plas) 5. Volvo 340 6. VW Polo Mk2 7. Renault 21 8. Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 9. Austin Rover Metro 10. Suzuki Swift 11. Ford Granada Mk2 Estate 12. Maybe a Ford Fiesta Mk2 13. Vauxhall Astra Estate 14. Metro (blue one) 15. Mini 16. Looks like it’s probably another Metro 17. Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 Hatchback 18. Another Metro 19. Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 Saloon 20. Bit of a guess, but I think it’s another Granada Mk2 21. Mini 22. Renault 9 23. Ford Fiesta Mk1 24. Hard to say with the shopping trolley in the way, but I reckon it’s another Swift 25. Ford Fiesta Mk1? 26. Ford Granada Mk3 27. Ford Escort (maybe an XR3!) 28. VW Golf Mk2 (white) 29. Mini 30. VW Golf Mk2 31. I originally wrote down Nissan Sunny, but now I’m not convinced 32. Mercedes E-Class Estate (the legendary W123) 33. Another Metro – how the hell did they sell so many of those awful cars? 34. Citroen AX 35. Reliant Regal 36. Peugeot 205 37. Another Golf Mk2 38. Another Mini 39. Citroen BX 40. I’m starting to clutch at pixels, but I think it’s a Ford Cortina 41. Rover SD1 Annotated photo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mgxW2yfCEf2ILdlLtumoVy8a3ZrvsDnI/view 1991: There’s a good few 1980s/early 90s executive cars, must have been taken in the late afternoon just as the middle management classes were getting out of work. I’d be tempted by the Rover P6, but it’s Honda-derived descendent, the 800, would be the much more livable car on a day-to-day basis. Not dealing with Leyland build quality when it’s my only car. Honourable mentions to the barely visible Ford Granada (maybe even a Granada Scorpio?), Vauxhall Senator/Carlton (basically a Holden), EF Civic, and the Renault 21. Interesting that all besides the Senator/Carlton were also sold stateside under various names, and all failed miserably besides the Honda and the P6. LAX: This picture bores me to death, maybe it’s familiarity kicking in. Tossup between the dirty Volvo 850, the extremely brown Nissan Cube, simply for the quirk factor, the Lexus CT on the third upper row next to the Jeep, or maybe the Aura XR, a surprisingly underrated warm sedan. I might punish myself with the Toerag, if it’s the V10, which it definitely isn’t, or either the Mk2 or Mk3 Discos, but I think I have too much self respect. 1991: Gotta go with that silver Jetta (or whatever it was called in the UK) in the front. I always admired those angular V-dubs while at the dealer buying parts for my Super Beetle. I probably could have bought one with what I spent at the parts counter. LAX: Meh, but if forced to choose I’d go with the orange CrossTrek (controversial choice, I know) or the early-mid 2000s Outback. What can I say, I like Scoobies. My DD is one of the very last manual trans Foresters. 1991: Meh. LAX: I am shocked by: the lack of diversity in that lot; the total number of Subarus, the almost complete absence of Priuii; zero rust-free pre-1980 vintage machines that make up what seems to be at least 10% of cars on any given SoCal highway at any give time. So, I’m gonna go with the Cube … because as somebody mentioned … the quirk factor. Pic 2: I’m very tempted to say “Rover 3500” as it’s already has a classic air to it by that stage, but having sat in one before I know the charm of it’d be short-lived. I’m on team W123 Estate again here. Pic 3: Well, assuming I have to drive it forever but my children eventually get to capitalize on it as part of my estate? 996 911, baby. Picture 2) Has to be the Rover P6 and its Buick-derived 3.5L V8 on the middle-left. Those were serious getaway cars in its day if you could not steal a Jaguar Mk II, or you might get chased down by the police in one. Would need a British Racing Green paint job if I’m driving it forever, though… Picture 3) Torn between the Acura TL and the Porsche 996 in the top-middle-right, next to the Saturn LS. Love the TL and its paint job, but the tinted windows probably mean it’s been modified and likely ruined in some way. Betting the Porsche is in better shape, and praying the seals on the water-cooled engine have been replaced by now…
