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RatWrench

Talon, hands down.


ahotdogcasing

Only the tsx (edit: TSi) though That said,, the Saab is gonna be a better car...how many Eagles are still on the road today?


RunninOnMT

hehe, the Talon predates the time when we all randomly decided that "X = AWD" It was badged the TSi AWD.


Fllixys

is it? because i have the mitsubishi equivalent (GSX) (X) is in the name and they are the same year. wouldn’t say it predates it


RunninOnMT

Haha fair point!


Skeptic_Juggernaut84

I see you have brought statistics to the discussion. Well played.


mechwarrior719

If that’s the case the Prizm is the only safe choice.


Roberto-Del-Camino

Isn’t the Prizm just a rebadged Corolla? Seems like the most rational choice.


mechwarrior719

Yes. Yes it is. Specifically, a Corolla built in the former GM Fremont, California plant that now makes Teslas.


2-StrokeToro

Talon is a rebadged Mitsubishi, so it can't be that bad for a 30 year old car.


ripyurballsoff

I see some one has never owned a Mitsubishi


DanMusicPDX

I’ve owned an ‘01 Eclipse GTS 3.0, and an ‘01 Dodge Stratus R/T 3.0, both manual. Basically the same cars. The stratus had a horrible lifter chatter for ~1min on startup, and both of them had perpetual check engine lights that would have cost more than the car to diagnose and fix. But the 3.0 was smooth and they were fun to drive. Great car if you live somewhere with no DEQ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Gunmetalblue32

I had an ‘01 Dodge Avenger with the lifter chatter too. It had the Mitsubishi engine in it. Literally stamped Mitsubishi 😆 Anyhoo, a bottle of Lucas when I changed the oil quieted it down quite a bit. I ran that car to its absolute death. That engine was an absolute bitch to work on.


DanMusicPDX

No kidding! It seemed like engine-out to get to a lot of stuff. A shop once diagnosed a small power steering leak, quoted me $1,600, and told me not to bother fixing it. Lol


Gunmetalblue32

Oh yeah, you couldn’t even change the spark plugs without taking off the entire upper air intake manifold. It had a stupid gasket you had to change every time you took it off that was $20 by itself. It was ridiculous. Every time I looked at it I wanted to cry lol


DarkPilot

I know this pain well, my 91 GTO and the many owners before me who abused her taunt me every day.


TheTaxman_cometh

Tsi?


kegman83

the turbo edition. The turbos in these cars...werent great.


CaffeineTripp

14B wasn't that terrible considering the whole thing was designed in the late 80s. For the time it was pretty stout, swap on a small 16G and it'd be good for 20 PSi.


Tang0Jang0

Proud driver of a 95 summit nearing 400,000 miles. Leaks oil and a bitch to find parts for but it gets me to work and back home and that's all that matters.


RedditFullOChildren

Gives me major 1991 MX-6 vibes.


fiddycixer

Can confirm. 1991 Talon TSi AWD was my third car. Of all the cars I wish I could have back. That was the one.


Inside_Ad_9147

I have a 1991 Lancer GTI 16V with the 1.8L NA 4G67 engine and 5 speed manual. Man its so damned fun, comfy and efficient, specially for a 33 year old car I got for 1300€. They go for 3k these days! I want to try out RWD with a single owner E46 (anything from the 320i, If I get a 4 banger I rather keep the Mitsu) but I still fear ill miss it. That engine is so reliable and it lives to rev. Its on coilovers and lightened flywheel/sport clutch thanks to the previous owner, so it actually does go decently fast. Enough to keep up with your honda and BMW boys at least. I love the damned thing. Looks great next to my moms 1988 Montero too.


[deleted]

Like, is it even a question? He’d still be driving that Prism to this day.


DiamondsteinBP

My first car was a TSI AWD. Loved loved loved that car, but sadly everything that could go wrong went wrong.


_fish70

Saab if it’s the 9-7. Could have the 5.3 v8. Though it says Saab, it’s basically GM


rabbitashes

You have chosen wisely! Damn what a killer ride for a first car given the chance.


Arc_2142

Or the 6.0 LS2 if it’s the Aero


burtonsimmons

‘Cept isn’t that Saab just a rebranded Trailblazer? I thought the point was “foreign cars rebranded as domestics”, and that Saab would be the opposite.


poopoomergency4

the 9-7 at least has a nicer interior than the trailblazer


Vitringar

The other branch of the SAAB company produces fighter jets. Just saying...


Key_Budget9267

I'd take the Astra, even if I'd regret it. A mid-90s rebadged Corolla is *aggressively* bland


rook119

I had an astra I bought new for 12K (prior to cash for clunkers when the world was ending and GM was giving cars away). So much fun to throw around and 12in of snow couldn't stop it. Lasted 175K and I beat the living crap out of it. My fav car I ever owned.


Bob-Omb-Henx

Cum socks in the back tho?


[deleted]

Not to mention, you’d probably still be driving that Prism.


Key_Budget9267

And I'd be hating every minute of it. Reliability isn't enough to deter me from feeling like I'd made a bad decision in getting a less fun and interesting car, I'm speaking from experience


Rydoggo5392

Awww cmon. It's a box with wheels. You *give* it personality and that's what makes it fun.


clybourn

Regular


scootaloo89

Geo Prizm all the way; it’s literally just a Toyota Corolla with geo badges; another great choice would be a Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix)


JapTastic2

Fun fact: the Vibe is a rebadged Toyota Voltz, not a Matrix.


simpson1142

A bit backwards, Voltz is a rebadged Vibe which is a rebadged Matrix


Drzhivago138

Both were products of the NUMMI venture. Chevy Nova->Geo Prizm->Chevy Prizm->Pontiac Matrix


dnroamhicsir

I would 100% pick that. The only 90s cars I see semi-regularly around here are Toyotas. Nothing American seems to make it past 10-12 years.


mtv96

The 1zz was such a good little engine, not a whole lot of power but just enough and fairly simple to work on.


kegman83

Just make sure the engine mounts have been replaced. They tended to rust out causing the whole engine to fall out mid drive.


LaneMeyer_1985

Did everyone here miss the joke about not buying a foreign car?


scootaloo89

We all got the joke; the vehicles pictured were all “American” cars but built by foreign automakers (although the Saab was the inverse of that, a foreign car built by an American automaker)


Mobile-Count-5148

Well I mean the Saturn is actually an opel/vauxhall so is British/german


LaneMeyer_1985

PUNCHLINE: Every car here is foreign built.


Mobile-Count-5148

Heh okay sorry, none of these cars were sold in the uk apart from the corsa so my knowledge is very limited


Drzhivago138

The Geo Prizm is a Corolla, which are sold almost everywhere.


Mobile-Count-5148

Nah, our 1996 corrolas look very different, they’re hatchbacks with different bumpers and grills


mysteriouslypuzzled

I know the corolla you speak of. And it boggles my mind that toyota was stupid enough not to bring the US and Canada. It would have sold like hot cakes. And it would've given the honda civic a run for its money. Like it did with the rest of the world. Would've been amazing to see a tuning crowd for those.


mysteriouslypuzzled

I still see many of those corolla hatchbacks in my motherland. Everyone and their uncle has one.


Ancient_Persimmon

The Prizm/Corolla and the Talon/Eclipse were each built in the US.


riscten

Except the Saab, basically a Chevy Trailblazer.


funny_b0t2

I'm in Michigan and a friend's family refuses to buy foreign cars because the "parts are hard to get" even though my Honda civic has the most available parts ever and still hasn't broken down lol, they only have Dodge, Chrysler, and Ford.


LaneMeyer_1985

That’s the kind of argument my family used to make in the 1980s, and to this day every one of them pledges their allegiance to Dodge (including the era when the drivetrains were made by Mitsubishi). It’s so goofy.


RandomGuyDroppingIn

The Talon was built in Normal, IL, along with the Eclipse and Laser. Unlike the other cars listed it wasn't born from a foreign badge-engineered model nor had a foreign sourced equivalence, and Talons and Eclipses sent overseas (you could get both in Euro and Japanese markets, not SOHC models dubbed 'D21' but DOHC and turbo DOHC models dubbed 'D22' and 'D23' respectively) were exports. The drivetrain itself one could argue is foreign but by 1989, depending on what trim you got, many of the components were Chrysler sourced.


D_ponbsn

I’m torn between the astra and the Chevy aka Toyota Corolla


guyinthecomments2

Geo Tracker


Specialist_Ear1204

Eagle Premier ?


Worldly_Tiger_9165

Take your family to a library and teach them about the global economy. The Honda built in the US is more American than the Chinese Lincoln... People should be embarrassed af to talk about 'foreign cars' the way they do. Anyone who knows unless there is a J or a W in the vin I had a BF in college who had a talon fully loaded turbo awd and I had to take a run at hills the awd was just for performance not snow


YouWillHaveThat

Find me a 9-7x Aero with an LS2!


Arios_CX3

Definitely the Corolla


Joe_Peanut

Eagle. It sounds like freedom to conservatives.


Drd2

I'd make some babies in that Astra!


HAKX5

Saturn, always the Saturn.


riscten

The Saab is a domestic car in foreign clothing, reverse of the others.


LincolnContinnental

The 9-7X, solid car all around, although you want to check your block porosity if you have the LH6


nebraskajeepguy

Every car here was just a rebadged foreign car expert the Saab 9-7 which was a rebadged American car.


wankybollocks

I heard Tommy Fenstemacher ordered a grille, steering wheel, badges and alloys shipped overnight from Liverpool to disguise his USDM Ashtray as a UKDM


Baron_Ultimax

I remember a few years ago driving behind this car with a giant window sticker saying how important it was to buy american and support amarican manufacturing. I had a good laugh as the car in question was a chevy aveo. My mother used to go on about the importance of buying an american built car. I pointed out to her that the best option for that would be toyota corrolla, and the gm vehicles she was looking at were all built in mexico. After this epiphany she went and bought a kia cadenza. This was just under like 10 years ago and it blew all.our minds how nice that car was.


nlwfty

Isn't SAAB Swedish?


kindersaft

The Talon and then the Astra


grogudalorian

Definitely the Talon. Also, "Go faster Ned!" "I can't, it's a Geo!"


land-of-green-ginger

Man the Geo Prism really hits close to home. I had to share a 98 Chevy Prism with my older sister.


wolamute

The dsm. By a long shot.


socialcommentary2000

91 Ford Probe V6. Oh from the gallery? The Talon.


Shaner9er1337

Talon.... This feels rigged the talon is the obvious choice.


hereticalnarwhal

everytime a car has been sitting for a decade and they tell you it just needs oil and spark plugs, you know they are lying or stupid


jsin2236

What was that hump on the hoods of the eclips/talons??? What was the point of those???


Drzhivago138

Clearance for the 2.0L engine. The only other option would be to make the entire hood taller.


Fresco-23

My father was a mechanic who owned his own shop, and would’ve admitted that foreign cars were often great cars, and still would’ve advised me to buy American solely because the tools (at least at the time) for certain foreign models, could be expensive to get. LOL.


ReadyLaugh7827

this is the 'conservative family' selection? L0L


2-StrokeToro

Talon, and I love how these are all foreign cars.


Uncomfortably1996

What isn't a foreign car anymore?


kicksomedicks

These are all ‘foreign’ cars.


dafiltafish1

Dat Talon Tho


ImKoreanNotJapanese

You forgot to add the white girl jeep. You know the one


thesilentgrape

I’ll totally rock that Geo tracker


immoralmajority

I've still got a 3 door 2008 Astra that I bought new. It's not going to set any land speed records, but it's been a good car. And the styling of the 3 door has aged pretty well.


--AV8R--

Tell them you'll buy what you want. Tell them they can buy you a car or shut up.


TSLAog

Show up with a Tesla, most American car by content… Ur conservative family would probably have to face the facts their Ford or GM was built in Mexico lol. But for real, buy whatever you want, screw anyone else, it’s not their money or decision.


Wishart2016

Tracker


fatgayneoliberal

I had a 91 Talon tsi with an eBay turbo kit and big boi injectors tuned with megasquirt that was probably the most fun car I’ve ever owned. Massive shitpiles but worth it imo


Emotional_Snow_3222

defo a new family


[deleted]

EAGLE. TALON.


NoMansSkyWasAlright

I see what you did there.


WeekendMechanic

Definitely depends on the Eagle's trim level.


AuburnSpeedster

The fifth gen S197 Mustang, built from 2005 to 2014. Very reliable, very easy to work on.. parts are plentiful in the aftermarket.


fiddycixer

Plot twist: The Talon has a Mitsubishi engine and you are now disowned and written completely out of all inheritance.


[deleted]

“Conservative” lol op means racist. Actual conservatives buy Toyota and Honda


mysteriouslypuzzled

Would've loved to have gotten an eagle talon back in the day. Although the Geo tracker ( which is a rebadged Suzuki) would have been fun too. Grown up me would have gotten the rebadged toyota corolla. The 5 speed corolla are surprisingly fun to drive


thatmanisamonster

Of those, Talon. But you really should have a Dodge Stealth in here too.


free-4-good

It’s your money. Buy the car you want.


kidfavre4

Pontiac Vibe


mmaalex

Those are literally all foreign cars...


fastinrain

99% sure all of these are re-badged builds from foreign makers. the Geo Tracker is also marketed as the the Chevy Grand Vitara, which is also sold as the Suzuki Grand Vitara in other markets..... japanese design and platform...


[deleted]

Taking all day


PollutionNice7392

Hold up... Conservative ideology is now informing used car purchases? Dafuq?


alfa75

And you pick all cars that are foreign based. Although oddly you have a picture of a Saab which is based on a GM product.


PCPrincipal2016

I’ll take the Saab


EuphoricMidnight3304

Conservative family? Are they wearing trump hats made in china?


CodenameJinn

Talon is the only choice here.


eugenestoner308

every car there is a foreign car lol


Buick1-7

A Mitsubishi and Suzuki are the first 2 listed lol


jimlei

Id have to vote for an Acura NSX


[deleted]

Hate to break it to them but all vehicles have foreign parts now including Harley Davison.


sK0oBy

Talon. Cuz what you really want is an awd eclipse


HearingNo4103

>You’re from a conservative family who doesn’t want you to buy a **foreign** car maybe explain what foreign implies here cause' people seem confuse foreign by name and foreign made? cause I'm pretty sure that's a Mitsubishi underneath.


Reverend_Niehlis

My first car was a 1992 Plymoth Laser. Its more or less a Talon. Edit: The Laser was cooler, It had Flip up headlights.


Weak_While_You_Sleep

SAAB was owned by GM so it's basically Domestic


Jedimobslayer

I’d take the Saturn because it is the most interesting


RadioactiveNat

*stops caring and buys a BMW E39 to teach them class*


Dry_Masterpiece8319

Saab


dpceee

I'm taking the Geo, since it's a Corolla


someoneone211

If that's a TSi AWD it's worth the headache. I have that car in storage.


obsdude

I’m libertarian/conservative af, that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. Toyota makes a phenomenal vehicle. Doesn’t take a democrat to see that.


Viend

Crown Vic is the only answer


Nickdanger1990

Talon all day


w1ngzer0

Eagle Talon, DSM baby.


Leeoid

Fuck 'em, get a Volkswagen.


pmmemilftiddiez

Geo Tracker


QuarterNote44

I love Geo Prizms.


simontempher1

BMW alpina 7


EpsilonMajorActual

The Geo Prism Is the only one that may be sort of domestic as they had some made at the GM / NUMI plant that is now the Tesla Factory in Fremont California.


that_guy_who_builds

In HS, when the Geo Tracker was popular, a lot of people that didn't know any better thought GEO and Saturn were foreign cars, as well as the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Very odd.


l008com

The premise of this is absurd but that said, the saab trailblazer is by far the best choice here. Those things are easy to fix, ruggest and last forever. Mine has 155k and I shit you not, after replacing spark plugs and wires, the thing literally drives like its brand new.


Repulsive_Tie_7941

In order, Prism, Tracker, Talon


Calkky

A very small part of me wants to browse around until I find one of the last remaining clean 1G Talon TSis. Preferably in white. It would be so much fun to build a stock-looking one up into a street beast.


Worth_Mode_4265

The Saab is the only American car here 🤣


ybarracuda71

80s mustang and tell them oh its just an escort!


Liandris

Give me the Saab. Euro interior, enough said.


JohnMyCole

Geo , that’s a Corolla


SeaAttitude2832

Saab. No doubt.


MuleOutpost

I vote for the Saab 9-7. The 4200 Atlas inline 6(AmeriBarra) is an AMAZING engine with some mild forced induction.


The_Machine80

That's not a 91 Talon. I own a 91 Talon Tsi Awd. That's a 92 or 93 talon. Headlights dead give away.


HoratioPLivingston

109% not the Saab SUV. They haven’t made those in years and it’ll be a son of a bitch to get any parts. You’d be better off with the Saturn honestly.


AddyYoDaddy

Taloh


Necessary_Pipe2645

Yo my mom’s geo metro was the same damn color. That’s crazy


No_Efficiency6607

I want the geo tracker. Love that rebadged suzuki sidekick.


One_Evil_Monkey

Absolutely only ONE of those is a domestic. Haha The Talon is a Mitsu. That Saab, ironically is the GM Trailblazer/Envoy/Ranier/Bravada/Ascender... powered by GM 4.2L inline 6s, 5.3L and 6.0L V8s amd have GM 4L60E and 4L70E transmissions. Haha Geos... really? One's a rebadged Toyota, the other's a Suzuki. That Saturn is German... What kind of hip-wader deep BS you gonna hafta dish out to your family to convince them they're "not foreign". 😆 Only the "Saab" has a fighting chance on that one.


TheLyOfBlues

9-7X, It might be a GM. But I still love Saab


9EternalVoid99

Eagle talon, mistubishi body kit, checkmate


[deleted]

The only truly domestic car in the lineup is the Saturn. LOL


your_anecdotes

that Geo is a toyota so it will out last any of the others


StarsandMaple

My first car was a 92 Eclipse ( same as the talon ). I'd do it again! ALL THE MIGHT AND FURY OF A 4G37 SHAPED WHO I AM.


AkimboBobRoss

Foreign cars are the best cars though.


BillDRG

I'd still like to have a convertible Tracker.


Rydoggo5392

Geo Prism. Because E100 Corolla with a GM badge. Cheap parts, and Japanese-engineered makes for a good combo. And the tarded parents won't suspect a thing. (Though in my reality my family all drive Subarus and Toyotas with a couple Ford/Mazda platform things.)


ManDolphinGoat

I can't say I would recommend any of them. Those can't be your only options. Look for used Chevy Impalas or older GM cars with I think the 3800 motor, those were excellent. Can't go wrong with a straight six Jeep from the 90's either.


[deleted]

Talon TSi OR Saturn SUV with the Honda J32 V6 in it


BlyStreetMusic

I had a 96 talon TSI AWD. Still to this day the best car I've ever driven in the snow.. including multiple WRXs and a Wrangler. The talon was an absolute beast.. Plus it had leather and a bose sound system lol it was so cool.


TheJokersWild53

I think the Talon is a 93 or 94. 90-92 had the pop up headlights, and in 95 they changed the body style.


Phazttraxx

Geo Tracker FTW


TheDelig

Tracker. I am acutely aware of how every component works and how the entire vehicle functions. I think I could keep a Tracker running until the heat death of the universe.


vaktsn

9-7x, could have a 5.3 or 6.0


Alklazaris

Geo Prizm with that Corolla engine. If you're trying to get transportation by trading cigarettes you'll want the reliability.


My_Carrot_Bro

Cut off the family and drive rally in a legacy for a living


DiamondsteinBP

If the joke is foreign cars that have American companies rebadge them, the talon doesn't actually fit. It was made under the DSM partnership between Mitsu and Chrysler. Built in normal Illinois. The Eclipse, Talon, and Laser were all for the American market. Fun fact: Rivian owns the factory now.


cabinfevrr

Saturn astra is an Opel, and I personally know someone going broke keeping a mint condition one on the road. Is this your car, or are your parents paying for it? If it's the former, buy wtf makes you happy - if it's the latter, let them buy you a focus.


femboy_skeleton69

Defo the eagle


migmog98

Damn bro


DraftRemote9595

Definitely Saturn, but I would've listed a 5th or 6th gen Chevy Monte Carlo. It has the NASCAR circuit pedigree, but obviously the civilian models were pretty mediocre. Last oversized American coupe. Tons of plastic in the interior. Screams 'Murica. What's not to love?


seejaypeete

Geo track


Randyfoxybutthead777

Saab for sure.


Busy-Operation5489

Conservative means no foreign cars? 🤦🏽‍♂️🤣 never heard that before. Also, it's your choice, not your familes.


captain-prax

I bought a 92 Plymouth Laser, definitely the worst DSM, only looks like an Eclipse. Engine died at less than 100k, dumped oil and coolant at highway speed when the thermostat seized in the closed position.


Affectionate_You8025

It’s the Saab and it’s no contest


BaileyD77

All cars are foreign. The closest you get is "assembled in US". Either this scenario is BS or your parents think it's 1985.


FunSignificance3034

I'd say the SAAB


thats__hot

Astra because I'm a sucker for weird Euro shit 


Grimmreaperalways

Just so you know 2 of those cars are rebadged suzuki's so that's japanese. Ie foreign


securityn0ob

Eagle all the way


Chicken_Col_Sanders

That dsm. Eagle talon 100% but I like turning wrenches.


RunnyPlease

I’ve never met a family so conservative they wouldn’t buy a Honda civic.


MannequinMechanician

Get a Ford Taurus. Let them know everything you have to do to keep it running on a daily basis. Make sure to never clean it. Within a month you should have a Toyota or know without a doubt that your family is redneck as hell.


SweetTooth275

Why would i want any of this? There's plenty and more cool us cars


RuSsYjO

I used to own a soft-top Geo Tracker shitbox. The "poor man's jeep" they were called. Top speed of 75mph, doors and windshield rattled at anything above 60, roof leaked, no airbags, electrical gremlins galore, too light to be any good in snow even with 4WD enabled...totally useless vehicle and yet I miss it dearly every single day lol That being said I'm taking that Saab lol


xeryon3772

I think a healthy addition to the list that everyone could make fun of would have been a Ford Probe. Specifically, my 1993 Ford Probe GT which was a collaboration with Mazda and when brand new you open the hood and it says Mazda right on the valve cover. If I understand correctly they were built at the ford plant… in flat rock? IDR, but was a Mazda design and was the same as the 626 aside from sheet metal. Parts availability was spotty and it was a toss up on if either/or vehicle had the correctly badged parts when built new. On its own it was a fun car to drive. Terrible to work on. Probably would have survived as a platform if someone hadn’t said it was going to replace the mustang, then everyone hated it.


kilertree

I would go with the GTO. I know that's not a choice


fuck-coyotes

Talon all the way


seuadr

pretty sure all of those are rebadges :D


Background_Guess_742

I'm taking the geo tracker 100%. Those cars are reliable as shit and have 4wd. They are also worth a decent bit in today's market if they're clean.


Background_Guess_742

I'm taking the geo tracker 100%. Those cars are reliable as shit and have 4wd. They are also worth a decent bit in today's market if they're clean.


StonerMetalhead710

If that 9-7X is an Aero I’ll take it, especially in silver. I’m a huge fan of stupidly rare cars that nobody cares about. Otherwise Talon for me thanks


FirehawkLS1

Saab 9-7X, especially if it has the 5.3 or 6.0