We all have our favorite marques, but how committed are we really? Back in the day, if you grew up a Chevy man, you’d stay a Chevy man for life. I knew a guy whose dad bought a new Chrysler every other year well into the late 80s. I remember him trading in a perfectly good (relatively speaking for an 80s Pentastar product, of course) New Yorker for a slightly newer, zero-mileage facelifted example. Sometimes the allegiance was multi-generational.
Brand loyalty isn’t really a thing anymore, but let’s pretend you had to pledge your devotion to just one marque for your entire life, and for every stage of it. What would you pick for your school-age set of wheels, family hauler, and midlife crisis-mobile? And we’re limiting it to marque, not company, so no cross-pollination between Nissan and Infiniti, for example, but Datsun is grouped with Nissan because that was a name change.
If you could only drive cars from one marque for your entire life, what marque would it be?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What selfless car-related thing do you do for others?“.
The winner this week is returning champion Taylor C., who is not only helping people get their money’s worth in this economy, but inspiring the next generation of kiddos.
Over the years I’ve gotten really into spreading knowledge of cars to other people, just so they gain a little more insight and appreciation for their rides. I find it fulfilling when I am able to help a friend sell their car for more than they think it’s worth.
For example, my neighbor was going to donate his Infiniti G37 IPL 6MT because the rear frame was rusting out. I told him that car enthusiasts would gladly buy his car and replace the subframe, and that he should try and sell it at an unheard-of price. I wrote up a nice FS posting and he received over 50 interested parties, and sold the car to the first guy who reached out.
I also helped a friend sell their 2009 Camry V6 XLE; it might be a boring car, but V6 XLE is not as common as one might think and most people might mistake it for a Lexus ES350 once inside. I helped them write up a good posting and the car sold for a very reasonable price to a hassle-free buyer.
I volunteer at a Repair Cafe effort and help fix bicycles and other mechanical items. I have recently started offering automotive-related advice; one of the organizers had a strange noise coming from his Ford C-Max, and I took some time to help him diagnose it to be old shocks. I declined any payment, but he quietly slipped me a gift card which I felt was completely unnecessary.
I volunteer for my kids’ Scouts troops and was Merit Badge Counselor for the Automotive Maintenance merit badge. Hands-on requirements was to change the motor oil as well as swapping out a spare tire, and I volunteered my Mazda Miata and Mazda Lantis for both troops to perform on. To see the light turn on in their heads is an awesome feeling.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
A Honda CRX Ballade
🟩My heart said Datsun (not Nissan).
🟩My heart says Mazda.
✅My head says Toyota.
Answer will be either Honda or Toyota for 90% on this site
school-age set of wheels: civic vs corolla, city vs starlet…
family hauler: odyssey vs sienna, stepwgn vs townace…
midlife crisis-mobile: civic type R vs GR corolla, S2000 vs GR86, prelude vs celica, nsx vs supra…
Predictable boring answer from me. TOYOTA
I basically have done this anyway.
The only brand I’m loyal to anymore is me. I know what I like. No one manufacturer can cover all the bases anymore, they are all too busy trying to please focus groups and non car people.
Hence crossovers and SUVs.
There are gems out there but you have to find them, and they are not all under one roof.
It’s a toss-up between Honda and Toyota. I grew up in Hondas, learned to drive in Hondas and most of my daily drivers throughout my life have been Hondas.
But that would mean I’d have to give up my Crown and my dreams of oversteery KP61s, GX71 kaido racers, Z10 Soarers, AE86s, big turbo Verossas…
Luckily you only specified cars, so I’ll pick Toyota and keep buying bikes from Big Red
Being that I have no intention on ever buying another car model that debuted after 2010, I think I can say Nissan. They have iconic models to fit any need ranging from sporty (Skyline / Z), practical (Bluebird / Sunny), offroad (Patrol / Pathfinder), haulers (Quest / NV), and even work vehicles (Trucks / Atlas). No matter what I needed, I could probably find an answer within their marque.
The Heart says Mazda, the mind says Toyota.
For me it would be what model and that would be Z. I’ve had a 280ZX for most of my driving life since I was 16. Been rocking my existing 1983 280ZX since 2007. Added a clean 2005 350Z a few years ago. I didn’t even realize I loved the 280ZX at an early age. At one point I had gone through a box of old childhood toys and there was a battery operated small monster truck of a 280ZX I got as a kid when I was in the hospital. When I was in my 20s, I wanted to get 1 of every Z model. Seemed attainable at the time, but the rising popularity of JDM cars made that a dream. Oh yeah, had a 2003 Maxima at one point. I just never really had any issues with my Nissan’s. They just won’t die. Also, I remember my dad selling Nissan’s at some point in the 80’s. We were dirt poor, he worked 3 jobs at one point, and parents had 1 car. I would go with my mom to pick him up and remember seeing the Z31 and it was the coolest car to kid me.
My family and I have been Toyota folks for decades. Its still the reliable choice.
My Wallet says Toyota; however, my heart lately would have to go Mazda.
They have elevated their game to no end. Having owned an NC and now and NB2 Miata, I’d pair that with a CX-70 for mountain bike hauling and daily driving, a Mazda3 for the wife and an old Mazda5 Minivan for dog transport duty. Final answer.
Unsurprisingly, I’m going with Toyota as they have the most complete lineup.
I’ll take it one step further: I may even be persuaded to only buy 1993 Toyotas. You could still get a Camry V6 5MT or a wagon. MR2 Turbo. Supra Turbo. Celica All-trac. Previa [if memory serves, no S/C yet, but you could still get a 5MT]. Pickup, T100, and 4Runner all excellent choices in those years. And again I think you could get them each with a 5MT still. The Corolla (including wagon), Paseo, and Tercel all rounded out the lower end. What do the kids say…all bangers!
I can’t argue with 1993, but…I’d be hard pressed to pass up 1987 (if we are considering all markets).
Mazda
Of course I would enjoy the warm embrace of Suzuki ownership.
As a teen, I guess I would have driven a Swift GTi, the one with the turbo I think? Then the Esteem station wagon was very nice for its time with a ragtop Sidekick for the weekends, then following up with the beautiful 6-speed Kizashi… dang it. And then a Suzuki Burgman with a sidecar I guess!
Gonna have to steer towards Nissans, and 1990s ones too.
Starter car: 1994 Sentra SE-R (what a treat that’s affordable)
Family car: 1994 Maxima SE (with the 190 hp engine)
Mid-Life: 1995 300ZX Turbo (as if that wasn’t expected)
Cargo: 1996 Hardbody SE King Cab V6 (stick)
I’m keeping it USDM too, because if it was JDM, my gosh let’s see:
Starter: S14 Q’s (the K would be too expensive as a starter car)
Family Car: Nissan Gloria
Mid-life: R32 GT-R V-spec II
Cargo: Nissan Homy
Fascinating, none of those 90s cars exist anymore in my area.
Scratch the agony, I need my over-the-front-axle Atlas!!! What was I thinking??
Mazda… started with a new ’83 626 LX coupe then the list just went on: FC RX-7 coupes (several) and convertible, 929S, RX-7 GSL-SE, MPV (2nd gen), RX-8, 3’s (for the kids), CX-5 and finally an NA8 Miata. Never had a need to look for another brand. They have been “driver’s vehicles” for decades.