These Are The Cars Our Readers Were Weirdly Obsessed With As Kids

When you're a grown adult with experience and maturity, it also comes with the benefit of developing great taste. As a result, you know what's worth the money, and you definitely know what isn't, especially when it comes to cars. I mean, why else would you still be reading this ramshackle blog that's barely holding itself together, even with multiple layers of duct tape and chewing gum applied at random? Clearly, you're an adult with impeccable taste.

The same, however, probably can't be said about your youth. Not that it was your fault. You had no life experience or bills to pay. Maybe you were into some cool cars, but it's just as likely that you were obsessed with a car you wouldn't drive today, even if someone paid you. Which is why, on Tuesday, we asked you what cars you were weirdly obsessed with as kids. Some of you suggested cars that were far cooler than the third-generation Ford Taurus I chose, but I appreciate a few of you suggesting cars that were just as mediocre, if not worse than the Taurus. Now, let's take a look at some of the most popular answers.

Second generation Honda CRX, used to see one always parked at a gas station as our school bus drove by, it looked so much different and interesting than all the other cars we'd see. One of the few things I remember from when my age was a single digit.

Suggested by: fabey

Thunderbird SC, the "super coupe". If there was a print ad in a magazine at the time it was on my wall. I'd probably still be tempted today if the perfect survivor showed up at the right price.

Suggested by: GreySpace

Keeping with the Ford theme, I loved the Contour SVT. I wanted one bad but couldn't afford one so had to settle for the Contour SE as my first car purchase. I thought about modding it with all the SVT parts to make a fake SVT but decided against the cheap knockoff.

Suggested by: Long time lurker

The Saab 900. In the John Gardner James Bond novels, Licence Renewed (1981), For Special Services (1982), and Icebreaker (1983), Bond didn't drive a tricked-out Aston Martin. He drove a silver Saab 900 Turbo. With all the gadgets, and faster than whatever the bad guys were driving. This was catnip for a 12-year-old who was into James Bond novels. I assume Saab didn't have the dough to get James Bond into a Saab in a movie, but they did build a one-of-one special edition that matched the Saab in the books. My fond recollection of the fictional James Bond Saab led directly to my ownership of a 1988 900 Turbo after college. It broke down a lot, which, if recollection serves, was not a feature of James Bond's Saab.

Suggested by: JohnOfAllCars

The Chevette. I'd love to say it had something to do with being a rear wheel drive econobox in a sea of front wheel drive econoboxes when I was a teen, but I never appreciated that at the time. I just liked the things.

Suggested by: Transplant674

I have two that come to mind immediately. A 1992 Buick skylark gs coupe (had to be teal of course) and a 1988-1994 Chevy cavalier z24. These two were the epitome of cool for me and my 5th grade classmate could not convince me that any Porsche or Ferrari was cooler. I still stand behind that z24 choice!

Suggested by: Chris

1970's BMW 3.0 CSL. Dad let me wander around the dealer in Marin in about 73, and I traced my finger on the letters of all of them on the lot. I was 6 or 7. If you bought one, it probably had my cooties on it. OK, maybe only one CSL on the lot, I remember looking for the L, not sure I really found one. Also a lot of 2002's, but they were by far a notch down from the 3.0s.

Then I built models of them in full racing livery with the box flares and everything.

Now restoring a 71 2002, since even a plain Jane 3.0 is all the money, and we ended up owning a bunch of 2002's over the decades since. That's how I met my wife, she had one, so she was OK.

Suggested by: DieselOx

When I was a teenager the GMC Syclone and Typhoon came out, thought they were simply amazing, especially the Typhoon. I have never been a truck guy, but I was fortunate enough to pick one up around 10 years ago. Was so grateful to be able to own that.

Suggested by: KCyclone

Born in 1970. I had a weird thing about AMC Gremlins. I loved the flat back end, the angles, the big C-pillar. Our neighbour had a Gremlin X and a customised Dodge van. The car and the van were painted to match each other, had matching Cragar mags (because 1970s), and they'd both had a round bubble window installed in the sides.

Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

Merkur XR4Ti. Just a different look from everything else available in the states. Later in life I got a chance to drive one and well it was disappointing. But still looked cool AF

Suggested by: Bryan R

The Pinto.

We somehow got some cutout paper from which you could build a little model of the recently/about to be introduced Pinto. We kids were pretty excited about it and would always be on the watch for Pintos when we were riding with my parents.

You asked for "weirdly."

Suggested by: Chuck