Car That Will Be Extinct In 10 Years

[nofear365]

My latest Hagerty news letter came in and they had an interesting article about cars that will potentially be extinct within the next 10 years. Due to poor build quality or typical "first car abuse", people have been writing in their suggestions. The Cavalier was one of them. The first gen Dodge Neon was another. Within the next 10 years you'll mostly likely not see many of them around.

This got me thinking. I now see more Ferraris and Bentleys in a week than I do 3rd gen Camaros in a month! I almost NEVER see them. I NEVER see Lincoln Mark VIIs from the 80s or even Mark VIIIs from the 90s anymore. Maybe it's a regional thing? A billion of these things were made. Where did they all go?

I'm sure quite a few Honda Civics out there bit the bullet during the Fast and Furious craze.

What others do you think will do the way of the dodo?

[dustybarn]

GM X-cars (I haven't seen an Olds Omega in a decade).
Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona
Ford Capri (the original German car, not the Fox Mustang). These may already be near extinction.
Ford Fairmont
Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen

[Cory W]

I believe it varies from region to region. Western and Southern states should have a better survival rate, if only due to the general lack of winter. Different times I have crossed the US I noticed many older vehicles in surprisingly good shape in those areas compared to what I see up here, for example. Due to our four distinct seasons, high snow accumulation, and salting, a lot of vehicles are sent to the crusher due to weather related xollisions, or eventually rust away. It's almost a treat to see something that used to be common in the 1980s up here now, or even the first half of the 1990s.

As for the list? Any mass-produced daily grocery getter, really. The cheaper it was to buy new, the more likely it is to be scrapped when anything happens to it.

Examples:
-Chrysler K-cars, and their derivatives (so the entire lineup from 1981 to 1992)
-Ford Tempo/Topaz
-Most Mitsubishi models, including Chrysler captive imports
-Toyotas up to the mid-80s
-Hondas, same era as Toyotas
-Any Sterling (British Hondas, essentially) model
-The Yugo
-Lada models (Canada)
-Renault models sold through AMC


Special models and Limited editions have a better chance of survival if the owner cares about that sort of thing....or if the person who buys it from a PO does.

[Farrar]

Interesting topic. Yesterday I passed a Mercury Cougar on the way home and thought "Wow, when's the last time I saw one of those?" It had been a few years, at least.

I would surmise that planned obsolescence combined with the rapid pace of technology development add up to a lot of cars on the road now that will be extinct a few mere years after they cease production.

[Kenny_Z]

Every time I see a Yugo I think to myself "how did that thing survive all these years?"

Third gen Camaros are common around here but so is the mullet. There's a nicely restored green one in the area. I see it quite often.

[Farrar]

Every time I see a Yugo I think to myself "how did that thing survive all these years?"

Off topic, but my favorite Yugo joke: they include heated rear windscreens so that your hands will be warm while you push. :lol:

[Mark D]

3rd Gen Camaros have mostly disappeared around here as well but I do still see a few on occasion. I remember back in the 90's they were everywhere. If I see one now it's usually an IROC or a Z28 that someone has taken care of and stored winters. The base sport coupe/RS and mid range berlinetta trim package cars are much rarer now since they were the cheaper V6 cars that nobody cared about.

My dad still has his 87 IROC that he drives when the weather is nice but it's mostly tucked away in the garage. I would imagine the same is true for other 3rd gen camaros that are now becoming somewhat collectible if in good shape.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19818&d=1371134821

[wrkey]

I have a 92 Geo Metro LSI convertible. It was originally up in Iowa and the cheap thin metal frame/underbody is in horrible shape. I think these cheap little cars will be in very short supply over the next few years. I like my little GEO as she get's around 40+ MPG and it's a drop top!

19819

[ALEXAKOS]

The TOYOTA PRIUS should be in the bin after its second battery change.
Never liked Hybrids. I'd rather drive a Diesel to save gas than carry with me a few hundred pounds of environment polluting batteries..

[Mark D]

2nd and 3rd gen Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth minivans can also go on this list. The entire fleet of 2nd gen vans is already pretty much gone. Every 3rd gen I see is rusted to hell or falling apart. Most other 90's -2000's vans seem to be getting sent off to the scrap yard too. For as expensive as they were new they sure don't seem to last long or have very good resale potential. One of many reasons why I'll never own a minivan.

[DMCMW Dave]

One of many reasons why I'll never own a minivan.

You don't buy a minivan for resale value/collector car/owner status. You buy it because you need it.

[Farrar]

You don't buy a minivan for resale value/collector car/owner status. You buy it because you need it.

And you get rid of it when the kids are grown up and out of the house.

The only reason my parents still have their minivan is because they use it to haul gardening supplies.

[Dangermouse]

Round here they (G2/G3 vans) are owned exclusively by house painters

[DMCMW Dave]

[QUOTE=Farrar;107736]And you get rid of it when the kids are grown up and out of the house. /QUOTE]

Or you need it as a shop truck.....

[Farrar]

Or you need it as a shop truck.....

True enough. I once seriously considered taking the back seat out of my PT Cruiser so that I could pick up a 3.0L PRV...

[NightFlyer]

Good blog / website for seldom seen, previously mass produced, cars on the street:

http://www.oldparkedcars.com/

[Kenny_Z]

Or you need it as a shop truck.....

My 89 Astro makes a great parts hauler/mobile tool box. Plus it has enough torque to tow short distances.

[vwdmc16]

The other day I saw a '89 GEO Spectrum on the freeway, Never saw one before, never will again I bet. It was a one year only in the US. and very unpopular. Sad little piece of shit, still soldiered on.:tongue_stick:

[DeLorean]

t=This is regional for sure.... cars you NEVER see in NY because they all rusted into the ground, but had good drivelines you WILL see elsewhere -many Jap cars for example... Cars that had reasonable rust proofing, but poor drive lines, say old Audis, SOME americal cars, maybe an few old Swedish car for example, you will still see rolling around "the rust belt" but not so much in the south.

[louielouie2000]

Good blog / website for seldom seen, previously mass produced, cars on the street:

http://www.oldparkedcars.com/

Ooh, thank you for this link! It's provided me with an awesome car-nerd binge for my Friday! :lol:

Speaking of cars that are almost extinct, I saw a Buick Reatta recently. Remember when everyone thought they were going to be the most collectible thing to come out of Detroit? :screwy:

Saw an AMC Eagle wagon the other day, too. Those things used to be downright ubiquitous in the '80s, now I go several years in between sightings. It's kind of a shame AMC isn't around anymore. I could easily see them being the modern American Subaru: quirky, highly practical, utilitarian cars with a very loyal cult following.

[eagle-co94]

GM X-cars (I haven't seen an Olds Omega in a decade).
Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona
Ford Capri (the original German car, not the Fox Mustang). These may already be near extinction.
Ford Fairmont
Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen

Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona/Plymouth Turismo

I had a Turismo and loved it...especially since I only paid $100 for it.

I won't miss Cavaliers or Neons. Hopefully PT Cruisers will follow them since they're based on the neon.

The Chrysler Pacifica will likely be there as well as the Pontiac Aztek and Buick Rendezvous.

Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable
Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique
90's & up Chevy Malibu
Most Hyundai and Kia products up to the Genesis models.

[Farrar]

Hopefully PT Cruisers will follow them since they're based on the neon.

Later PTs had many positive revisions, including to the drivetrain. And the turbocharger is a nice feature on some models... ;)

Back on topic, though: I saw a Dodge Colt Vista on the road not long ago. It was collecting some noticeable rust, even in this climate. I wonder how long it will last!

[DMCVegas]

There are a few factors that figure into what cars you still see on the road. Rust does figure into some parts of it, but just because the car is out of the rust belt doesn't mean that it's escaped ever having it. Some cars still aren't designed to handle drainage of water properly, and others can have their drain tubes and paths on the body panels clog up leading to standing water on the sheet metal underneath.

The biggest thing IMO though seems to be related to mechanics. For example, GM 3.8 V6 and Chrysler 2.5L I4 OHC engines like you would find in the old K-Cars have design problems that cause them to eat head gaskets. Granted Chrysler phased out the 2.5L some time ago, but even though GM keeps cranking out the 3800 series engine, you never really see them on the road past about 4-5 years because of this. Ford has numerous problems with their transmissions thanks to their stupid hydraulic clutch design that locks up and makes you eat synchros. But there are also too many newer versions of the Mustang that come out and compete with the old Fox bodies that people would opt for instead.

The other side to mechanics is accessibility to the engine to work on it. Mini vans are the first to go since you've got to crawl into the passenger compartment to get at things. F-Bodies are pains in the ass. Want to remove the engine? Yeah, you're gonna have to drop it out from UNDER the car... So rather than just lifting an engine out, you're lifting a car off of the engine. Chrylser V6 engines in passenger cars are a PAIN to get at the rear spark plugs. Problems like these end up being more than some people can do themselves, and cost more than they're willing to spend. Especially with our mentality that Cheap=Disposable.

For vehicles that are easy to work on, reliable, and cheap, I still see lots of full size pickup trucks on the road, and American SUVs. Older C-4 Corvettes around here too. Makes sense since they're plentiful V8s and the hood raises up to give you TOTAL access to everything.

[Mark D]

One of many reasons why I'll never own a minivan.


You don't buy a minivan for resale value/collector car/owner status. You buy it because you need it.

Proof that on a long enough timeline, Dave is right about everything:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67568&d=1639153975

[DMCMW Dave]

Proof that on a long enough timeline, Dave is right about everything:



Very impressive Long Game on your part.

[Mark D]

It only took 8 years and 3 kids later, but you were right. :)

We actually ordered it back in May, but due to chip shortages and COVID related plant shutdowns it was just delivered this week.

It's also the first new car I've ever bought.

[Josh]

Mark has woke up every morning since the conception of this thread preparing himself for this exact moment

[Michael]

67572

[Mark D]

Mark has woke up every morning since the conception of this thread preparing himself for this exact moment

Back when my wife and I were talking about having a third kid, I asked her if she knew that it meant we'd have to sell her car and get a vehicle that would fit three car seats...

When she mentioned getting a minivan my first thoughts were "Oh Shit! That thread on DMCTalk from 2013... how will I ever live this down?"

So I told her we couldn't possibly have another kid... Because if we had to buy a minivan, then I'll look stupid to all these guys on the internet. She won that argument.