These Are The Automakers You'd Buy A House From

Cars. Homes. Precious few automakers are bold enough to build both. But Aston Martin did — the company announced last week that it had built a house in Tokyo, and it got the whole Jalopnik slack pondering: What would be the best car company to buy a house from? Last week, I extended that same question to all of you, and today we're poring over your answers. 

Some of you answered in the vein that I did with my pick of a Fiat 500 apartment — picking an automobile whose vibe would be represented by a dwelling you'd like — but others took into account how a house would actually be built and which automakers would do best at that. Materials, wiring, interior design, all things you considered while coming up with your automaker dream homes. I appreciate your attention to detail, and I appreciate even more your daydreaming about which automakers would be worst. Let's dive into your answers.

In my house I want dead simple reliability, intuitive functionality, the ability to do my own repair and renovations, and reasonably low operating costs. Ergo, I would like my house to be built specifically between 1989 – 1995 by Honda or Toyota.

Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

Unfortunately this is both too late for the AE86 of homes and too early for the EK9 Type R. Could get you a nice Accord, though it won't get you one of those fancy-looking Woven City apartments. 

Morgan.

They're used to working with structural wood and all the other materials you'd normally find in a house, and they're weird enough that I'd end up with a really cool place to live.

I'm not sure I'd love all the mechanical systems being on the front porch, though. Still, they'd probably be all nicely polished and looking good.

Submitted by: Stillnotatony

Making considerations for the type of material homes are built from is smart. Though, honestly, I'd take an all-metal building if it was insulated enough. 

I'm curious to see what sort of disaster Land Rover could conjure up. If anyone can figure out how to make a super-expensive, elegantly designed house that somehow manages to leak oil, Land Rover can do it.

Submitted by: Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death

I grew up in a home with oil heat, so I assure you it's possible for a house to leak oil. 

Volvo. Open, airy, modern, and all those simple surfaces would be easy to clean. And the chairs would be supremely perfect.

Submitted by: BuddyS

The Scandi minimalism trend may be waning, while hygge remains strong, but who's to say how you decorate your Volvo home? Volvome?

Mazda.

The interior finishings will make it seem like you spent a ton on the house when it was really a bit less than a ton. Plus, the red appliances will absolutely sparkle!

Submitted by: dolsh

Mazda, if you sell me a Soul Red toaster, I will absolutely buy it. I'm not kidding. My apartment's toaster oven is weirdly smoky, and we could use something else for bagels, but I won't buy one if it's not Soul Red. Ball's in your court, Mazda. 

There are a lot of car companies I'd rent an apartment from; Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigseggggggg... If I'm buying a house to live in, I'm going with Honda or Toyota. Well made, comfortable, nothing too surprising, and the resale value should really hold up.

Submitted by: badrear

Your commend on resale got me thinking: Is there any vehicle that's had comparable inflation to the housing market? What's the most "cost $300 in 1976 and $3 million today" car out there? 

Imagine living in a house where the sink or shower is operated by a touch screen where you have to go multiple layers into the UI to adjust the water temperature. and if anything breaks they haul it away on a trailer, hold it hostage and tell you everything is actually working fine.

Submitted by: Nitro0o

This is the evil version of that old Corning Glass ad. You know the one, with all the glass stuff in it. We're all familiar. 

Acura. It'll be tastefully designed with just enough luxury that you'll have everything you want, but not so much that it'll be tacky or pretentious.

And it'll last a long time, as well.

Submitted by: Stubb063

This might be the most objectively correct answer, luxury and longevity for reasonable prices. 

I'll go with Toyota. It'll cost me a bit more than the average house, but it'll outlast most with regular maintenance.

Submitted by: KillingTime

If you think Toyotas cost a bit more than average, I'd like to introduce you to the average new car transaction price. Toyotas are, mathematically, cheap. 

Peugeot. You'd get a quirky, but functional house, and also they'd probably throw in a bicycle and pepper mill too.

Submitted by: Peugeot

No salt, though.