#14: Cars We Can't Help But Love

Later on in high school, when I would drive the car, like my friends all just nicknamed it

the tank, that that was it's nickname for a good reason.

I mean, these things to the listener, if you've never been in a 90s Volvo, I mean, they are

solid cars and so awesome cars.

Yeah.

Welcome back, listeners.

Today's episode is going to be another fun one here talking about cars that we

have a soft spot for.

Oh, the cars are just, when you see them drive by, you just, even if it's something you'd

never think to buy, you just fawn over it, you're just, oh, those soft eyes, like seeing

a long lost love.

Yep.

It's just those cars out there, listeners, that perhaps you have one that comes to

mind that whether you had one growing up or it was the car that got away or whatever

it is, it's that car that you just see it on the road or drives by, you're like, oh,

my gosh, if only.

And so that's a big part of the life plus car story and how we have these cars in our

lives and they come and go, some stay, some don't, and then you hold onto those.

So today we're excited to talk about particular favorites for me and Brendan, what those

brands are.

So getting started here, I'll set the stage here for my favorite brands.

But it's not going to be a wagon, right?

You're not talking about wagons, like at all?

I don't know what you're talking about, Brendan, I mean, I figured it would be maybe like

a Hummer H3 or, you know.

Well, yeah, I mean, sidebar, the Hummer H3T, the truck, pretty darn cool.

I have to say, I'm not, you know, yes.

And those could be had with a six speed manual.

Fun fact, really?

I didn't know that.

They are.

They are super rare, Tremac T 56, something like that.

I think so.

Yeah, you could get the H3 with a manual, which is wild to me.

Anyway, so I'm just adding that to the bucket list real quick.

Very good.

Yes. Yeah.

Oh, that yeah, that's that should be another feature here that we refer to

often the Life Plus Cars bucket list.

That's oh, I like that.

That could be the running bucket list.

Yeah, this could be a running feature here on the podcast.

So yes, but all of my all of my joking and all of that aside,

like please do continue.

I know you are going to talk about wagons, obviously.

And you're going to go Volvo.

Ding, ding, ding, Brandon.

Yes, there it is.

It's as if you knew.

I mean, we're I mean, I might have.

We're we're an audio podcast for the moment.

So listeners, you're not able to see it.

I am wearing a Volvo shirt.

So here it is.

And I am here today to talk about Volvos.

Now it goes back a ways for me.

So Volvo is a car to me that just brings me back to childhood.

I grew up in two different Volvos.

My mom had a 70 sorry, a 740.

So a 91, 740 sedan in Maroon.

I don't remember the car very well since I was very young.

When I was six, my mom got a 96, 850 sedan in gold.

And that is the car that stands out of my memory

more than anything.

I mean, we so I was in first grade when my mom bought this car.

It just it was just the epitome of a safe tank of a vehicle.

And that wasn't part of what my mom bought.

It was just like Volvos have always been known for their supreme safety

and that they are just so rugged and well built, especially these 90s Volvos

that later on in high school, when I would drive the car,

like my friends all just nicknamed it the tank, that that was.

That was its nickname for a good reason.

I mean, these things to the listener, if you've never been in a 90s Volvo,

I mean, they are solid cars.

And yes, they are awesome cars.

Yeah. So the 850 was my mom's car.

She loved this thing, too.

If you were to ask her about it, which I think we we should on the podcast

at some point to talk about the Volvo and that she loved this car.

And it went everywhere.

And it was that that that amazing like 90s gold spec.

Like you just don't really see gold cars like that anymore.

Like there was just like that phase where cars like that champagne

or that kind of golden color and that. Oh, yeah, it was in that that shade.

And then it had tan cloth interior.

I could sit in that car and just smell it like, you know,

it's just like have that cloth seat smell.

And it was the Volvos and maybe even the sobs

to have let that distinct smell the interior.

Like, I don't know what it is, like the glue they use.

You're right. For the plastic.

I don't know, but it's like I can open up like a sob,

nine thousand like door and just smell and be like, Oh, my God,

I'm transported back to the 90s.

Like it's amazing. You really do.

You're like, you just, yeah, it's a time machine.

In addition to my mom's Volvo,

my aunt and uncle had a seven forty wagon.

My my other aunt had a seven two forty wagon.

So there were there were a lot of Volvos in and around my family.

To your blood, it is.

Oh, actually, my aunt on my dad's side also had a two forty wagon.

So like I was surrounded by Volvos.

So I think that's like from early on, as you said,

like it was just ingrained in me that child like I equate Volvos

with childhood growing up in the back of this eight fifty sedan

going everywhere and just hearing that five cylinder engine.

Now, these these eight fifties of the mid nineties,

they had this unique five cylinder engine there.

And so it had that unique engine note that I took note of.

Oh, yeah. And it's something that always stands out in my mind.

And it had a little sport button that a little I just

would that you would on top of the shifter.

Yeah, a little little toggle switch to the side.

Oh, OK. Yes.

I remember my mom putting it in sport mode to get up Goodfellow Hill,

in particular, it would click into fit.

And it would do it would activate that fifth cylinder.

It would otherwise because then if you clicked it out of sport,

then it just would be down to four cylinders.

I can just remember being like that as a thrill as like a little

like car obsessed kid like, oh, my gosh, we're going into sport mode.

Yes. And quick.

And just hearing hearing that and like that, like, OK, here we go.

And I mean, granted, this is like a big heavy sedan.

So in reality, we probably weren't even going that fast.

But as a little kid, I'm like, yes, sport mode. Yeah.

Yep. It's all about the sound.

Loving it. Yes.

So that, yeah, that car really was transformative for me

since I also learned to drive with that car.

It was the car that I remember when I was like 13 was when my parents

first let me start the Volvo up and back it out of the garage.

Like that's as far as they would let me like that was it.

I could back it out of the garage and let it like warm up for my mom

and like the morning and such like you're so well reserved.

I mean, you could have taken it down to cul-de-sac

like a round mall here and like no one would have known.

I you're not on the main road.

Like I I didn't make the rules.

That's yeah. Well, it's a good thing that you and I were like,

you know, like brothers during that because I'd be like, like, who cares?

Let's go. Just taking around the just taking around a little much trouble.

We'd be going through fields with it.

Be like, yeah. Oh, man, a field Volvo.

There we go. That could be.

Oh, that could be a way too much fun.

Now I'm thinking. There you go.

Listen, should we buy a field Volvo together

that we just go do some fun road rallies with?

I mean, the number of Junker Volvos I see on Marketplace, you know,

there's some possibility there.

Oh, anyway, yeah, nothing like it.

That that's food for thought.

Food for thought.

That could be a whole other segment.

OK, all right.

Well, let us know, listeners.

Should we buy it?

Should we make it?

Should we make a field Volvo and would you would you watch?

Who wants to see Ian and I doing some, you know,

reverse roadies, you know, you put in reverse, put on the e-brake

and just spin it around as fast as you can.

Yeah, I I'm liking this picture.

Yeah. Oh, absolutely.

This is. So, yes.

So, yeah, so when I'm in I'm in middle school there and that alone

was a thrill for me.

I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm starting up the Volvo and I'm backing it out.

Like, yes, I'm like actually driving a car, albeit 10 feet.

Hey, I could I took what I got at that point.

Yep, I totally get it because I was the same thing.

Totally get it. Yeah.

So I think that's also in part why

Volvos means so much to me because that car in particular,

that 850 was my first entrance into driving a car.

And it is just so it's woven into my

being as an enthusiast.

And maybe you encounter that as well, Brandon, is that like the car

you learn to drive in just has a really special place in in your memory.

For me, it was this Volvo and that I went on to then once

I was 15 and a half and I could drive with my parents.

So that was the car we typically drove because it was it was smaller than my

and my dad had the Honda Odyssey that was mentioned in the last episode.

And so typically I took the Volvo out with my mom

and that was also the car that I learned to drive on.

And that was a story in and of itself, too.

That I do tell.

Oh, I remember going part of the Volvo dream is all part

of the Volvo Volvo dream.

So this was at the DMV and I bring the Volvo there

after the written test, we go out to the car and so this was

which you ace the written test, obviously.

Yeah, oh, oh, sure.

Of course, of course.

Anyway, so I did pass the written part.

And so then we went out to the to the car.

And so this is the point where it's like I think it's 2008.

So the Volvo is starting to get on in years.

And so the passenger side door, the hinge.

And this is apparently a common thing with these.

These of all those would pop when you opened it.

So the door was still functional, but it would make this horrible pop

twice. So we opened it.

I can hear it right now in the back of my mind.

Yeah.

And I had to say like, oh, yeah.

So, sir, by the way, when you get in that the door is going to make

a popping noise, it's OK.

Just wanted to give me a heads up.

But he just kind of gave me a gruff like, oh, yeah.

And then like proceeded to like get in and then open the door.

I'm like, and there are the pops.

I'm like, OK, yep.

Yeah, he did not care.

No, he did not care.

Yeah, just like.

And so took the took the whole route.

Route went well, everything in the end.

It was pretty quiet around.

What was it was Levin in at the where they had the DMV at the time.

Oh, that's right.

Yeah.

Even Sanos.

Oh, yeah.

When there used to be.

Yeah.

So driving around the Volvo all as well.

And then we go to the powerhouse mall back of the lot.

And he has me do parking.

And I had done all my parking like backing in from the right.

This time he wanted me going from the left.

And I completely just landed in between two spots.

And I just was like, well, OK.

And then he let me back.

And I never forget we got back.

I parked the car.

He scribbled some notes and gave me the pass.

And then just looked at me and said, like, just work on your parking.

And that was that.

I was like, I was like, thank you, sir.

And then I and then I got my license.

So that was that was my my driver's like driver's license experience.

So all all in the Volvo all tied to this Volvo.

Yes, I do it.

So that, yeah, just it totally explains why when you see like that

90s era of all those you just you do you have a soft spot

because you just have all those memories tied to it.

Yeah, exactly.

I mean, I will see an old 850 sedan and it's particular the sedan.

I mean, I do love Volvo's.

However, it's like particularly the 850 sedans just because I grew up with one.

Like I'll I'll say I'll stop and stare at one.

And we're talking about like a like a rough old 850 that drives by.

And I'll be it's as if like I'm like a little kid staring at a Ferrari going by.

But I'm like a grown man looking at like an old, you know, ragged 850 Volvo.

Then I'm like, oh, well, I get it.

I get bad.

Really.

I mean, I don't know about where you are, but like I can't remember

the last time I saw one driving down the road in 850 sedan.

I cannot remember the last time I saw one.

And they're there.

I saw like there's a guy that has like a 240.

Yes. Yes.

And like there are people that like couple of wagons and like some of the newer

ones, you know, XC 70s of like the early 2000s and stuff.

But in 850 sedan, it's probably been it's three or three years since I've seen

one actually on the road.

Yeah, there are there are a handful I see down here that seem to be daily drivers,

which every time I see it coming, I'm like, oh, my gosh, it's an 850.

Yes, yes, yes.

And and also like it's that that five cylinder is unmistakable.

I could like I could hear it coming from like a half mile.

I'm like, that's an 850.

I know it.

And so that's like, yeah, so it is cool because and it's always it's always

a treat because I think I think the eight fifties.

And this is actually what happened to my mom's Volvo is like the eight fifties

were plagued with electrical problems, whereas I don't think like the

two forties and then like and then the V 70s, 70s that came afterwards,

I think, were improved.

And so but I think to your point, Brandon, I don't you don't see many eight

fifties out there because they just I think they've run out of those

electrical problems and people just give up on them.

So that that is ultimately what got the well, man, I mean, for my mom.

Yeah, and I mean, and to like in today, like they're not like sought

after, right? And they're not like, I mean, they're they just aren't a car

that brings big value, right?

It's right, right.

I mean, unless you're talking like an eight fifty are

exactly wagon or something.

It's like it's just not a vehicle that people are like looking for that.

Like if it breaks down or there's wiring issues, they scrap it.

Like, you know, maybe maybe 20 years from now, be like, oh, my God,

there's like 10, eight fifties a day ends left.

We're going to save them. I mean, just don't know.

But yeah, yeah, it's just like like every time I'm like,

oh, I'll save you. Don't worry.

I'm just going to be that guy with eight, eight fifties out in his front yard.

We're like, no, it's fine. I'm going to save them.

Don't worry. Hey, hey, I'm all for it.

I am all for it. That's the way to do it.

Yeah. Well, then you have to like so it wasn't you got to tell me a little

bit more about it. It wasn't that long ago that didn't you look like an eight

fifty wagon, right?

It's almost matches like the one that's on your shirt.

It was like a red fifty wagon.

You wouldn't look that in the last summer, two summers ago.

Yeah, it was last fall.

So this fall of twenty twenty three.

Yeah. So yeah, I had been looking at old

Volvos on Craigslist as I do as well as as we do.

And I just this this red eight fifty wagon pops up

and I'm like, hmm, what's this?

And it's a ninety five eight fifty G.L.T.

wagon and most importantly, a five speed manual factory five speed manual.

That I have that was really what this was like.

Oh, oh my gosh, this is this is like this is such a unicorn.

This is unheard of.

And so got chatting with the guy and the owner and he was the second owner

bought it from the original guy who bought it, knew, really had loved

and cared for this car and then it had two hundred thirty seven thousand

miles on it. So this car had seen a lot of life.

Talk about life plus cars.

This thing had seen a lot of life and think of the stories it could tell.

Oh my gosh, yeah.

So I was I drove it and thought, oh my gosh, I was so close.

I was so close to buying it.

And then I did back out just to say, you know what?

No, no, I never mind.

Well, I mean, it's you know, it's probably for the best.

I mean, yeah, it wasn't super cheap if I remember right.

But it's also right. It's like anything.

It was older, more miles.

You know, if you had called me, I remember when you talked about it.

I did talk to you about it.

It had like a hundred thousand miles on it.

I would have been way more gung ho like, yes.

But, you know, you get up above 200.

It's like, you know, unless it's been, I mean, just pristinely taken care of.

I mean, just pristinely.

It's like that you got to hesitate a little.

But yeah, I think that's the moral of that is you just keep your eyes peeled, right?

And that's right. You never know where they'll pop up.

So that's what I mean.

And it was exciting to like get back in at eight fifty

because I hadn't been in once since my mom's eight fifty.

I think that was the last time I was in one.

And so just that alone was like such a nostalgia trip for me.

And that's why it goes back to what we've talked about past episodes, like car shows.

That's the reason we go to car shows or even like cars and coffees and small gatherings.

Like you get people that show up and stuff like that.

And it's just so nostalgic.

It's the best. It is the best.

Yeah, I mean, that is the beauty of cars is that they can be such a time machine.

Like they can exist.

They exist both in the present and the past, particularly these older cars

that we keep running that they hold on to all those memories are wrapped up in the car.

And then yet they're also here making new memories every single day.

I mean, very much like we do as humans.

So, yeah. Oh, yeah.

But I mean, you're so right because it's like you see like a fox body

musting and you're like, well, nothing says eighties.

Right.

Fox body must take the same.

You could be said for like a Pontiac Bureau.

It's like, geez, that thing's a time capsule.

It's like that's just like someone reached into 1985 and like walked it out.

Right. Yeah. Yeah, it's just any of that stuff.

You see cars from the sixties.

It's like that, like, you know, like, wow, that's like a sixties or seventies car.

Like that's amazing.

You get to just pause and experience life for just a moment as that car drives

by as of like, oh, as if it's like 1973 or as if it's 1987.

You're just like, wow, in that moment.

And then the car drives by and you're like, oh, and now I'm back to 20, 25.

Yeah, it's like, I love it.

I always like catches my breath when I see like a mid seventies,

like Cadillac de Ville. Oh, my gosh.

I mean, that was like a decade of like the bigger meant like the better,

right? Like the better the person's doing in life.

And I mean, we're talking freaking boats, man,

like just boats, like 20 feet long, almost.

Oh, they're huge cars that were like like a Cadillac like came from.

We're those big, giant Bench seat, 500 cubic inch V8 front wheel drive.

But he must rock it in the road.

Yep, that's the word.

Yeah, that's just so nostalgic.

Yeah. And I'm right there with you with the volvos like that is

that's not like the top of my list on like the cars that I have a soft spot for,

but it's on there like it's in the top five.

Like for some reason the Volvo wagons for me,

like I don't understand why I like them so much.

I mean, like I remember like a friend of mine, Andre,

like his parents had like a 850 wagon, a silver one.

Like I think it was a 96 or maybe a 98.

I can't remember what year it was.

But like that, I remember driving around in that.

Great car and like I've owned a couple of all those.

Like I had a C 70 convertible and I think I had an XC 70 at one point.

But but those eight fifties, man, like the eight fifties are

and then like the later generation of the V 70 are wagon.

Yes. Oh, that's a special car.

I just I to this day, if I found like a low mileage V 70 are wagon,

like a 2000, what, like four, five, six, right?

That like the six was the last year of that seven.

Yeah, yeah. Oh, seven was.

Yeah, I found one like that with a manual that was like, you know,

50, 60,000 miles out.

I'd be like, damn it, with the Atacama interior,

just that dark, brown, Italian leather.

Just oh, my God.

They're just such beautiful cars.

I just love them and they're sporty.

Yes. I love it.

Like everyone thinks Volvo, right?

They think like safe, practical, like basic soccer mom, right?

You know, they just but Volvo just always surprises you.

Yes. And they'll just once in a while,

they'll just come out with something that's just like,

so you can buy the XC 60 that's like, you know,

it gets 40 miles per gallon and blah, blah, blah.

You can also get the XC 60 with the T8 as like 450 horsepower.

And like, if you want to get to the soccer match quicker,

you just take you get that right.

Just get the T8. It's that's awesome.

The Volvo's just like, yeah,

let's create kind of a little more performance out of this one.

It's like they've always done that like sparsely, right?

Yes, every yeah. I just appreciate it so much.

I mean, I do wish they offered manuals in at least some stuff, right?

I mean, how cool would that be?

Like just just sidebar.

How yes, you could like order an XC 60 T8, like a 20, 25 or 26

and be like, I want like a six speed manual.

And they're like, sure, like how cool would that be?

I mean, how cool would that be? Oh my gosh.

Like if if they still sold the V 60 wagon with a manual,

I would have like put a deposit down years ago.

Like just yes. Yes.

Like can you imagine like the V 90?

Like the big, the big wagon that they did that with a manual.

That would be so cool.

It would just be so cool.

I mean, I bet they'd sell like maybe 50 of them a year,

but it would just be freaking awesome.

So what is that?

That's a big wagon.

Is that freaking six speed?

Don't worry about it.

Yeah, the V 90 just is.

Oh my gosh, just the epitome of big wagon.

And I just like I feel like nobody

does the wagon better than Volvo.

Like that is just their bread and butter.

Like to your point, they were just saying like the wagon stand out.

Yeah, I mean, because it like it shifted, right?

Because like if you would like 70s, 80s,

you're immediately going like Ford Country Squire,

like wood siding. Oh, yeah.

Olds, Mobile, like what was their wagon?

Like the estate cutlass estate.

I can't even remember Vista Cruiser.

Oh, yeah, Vista Cruiser, that one.

And then like Buick had the road master in like the early 90s.

Oh, they'll go to siding.

Oh my gosh.

But are amazing.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, hot rod V8 wagons.

Oh, yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong.

Like I'd love to have a Ford Country Squire,

like a Ford LTD wagon.

That's like the four giant 460 cubic inch V8.

Yeah, I'm just going to run down the wall my real quick.

Let me just get in the old Country Squire.

Right. Yeah.

Well, Volvo, but you're right.

It was like a shift in the 90s

or it was like Volvo.

And to a lesser extent,

a sob, like yes, yes, wagon thing and just ran with it.

They were like, let's give it sporty feel.

Let's give it a manual.

Let's give it like these nice engine options,

creature comforts, and they're just they're the best.

Like I remember riding around as a kid

and some of the Volvo wagons

with the rear facing seats.

Oh, that's the best, yes, yes, best.

I love that I have such fun memories of those wagons.

Same with the Volvos.

Same.

Yeah, third row.

Yeah, the third row rear facing seats are just

that is like a signature trade of those wagons.

Like, you know, like, oh, yeah.

Yep, they've done it right.

I miss it so much.

I wish they still did some of that stuff.

Yeah, yeah, but no, but but on the same theme

of like soft spot cars.

So like, yes, let's hear yours.

Focus a little like for me, like the number one spot.

And I don't understand why it's up there,

but Jeep Grand Cherokees, especially the ZJs,

like the first generation.

Yeah, I like the Grand Wagoneers.

Like that's like, you know, the the the predecessor, right?

But the Grand Cherokees, like, especially like that 96, seven

and eight, maybe like the facelift upgrade.

Yeah, 98.

They came out with the five nine.

Like the only reason I can think of that.

I like it so much is my aunt and uncle.

I think it was a 97, maybe it was a 98.

They had like a limited with the five to V8.

And like, I remember riding around with them.

And the same thing, right?

Like the smell, like the G, like I can still remember.

Yes, yeah, and then it was awesome.

They always had chewing gum in the glove box and like,

I'll never forget just like you could get like a stick of big

gratter, double midgum out of the glove box.

But I just remember riding around in that thing

and it was just super comfortable.

Yeah. And like one time my uncle was like, hey, like,

let's go check out this pond, like up in the middle of nowhere.

And he just like puts it into like whatever for loan.

We just like go up this like crazy trail.

Like we're on the highway and it's like quiet, like powerful SUV.

And then it was just like, boo, like we're off road.

Like we're going through mud and like Brooks, it's twigs

and just like get to this pond.

He's like, oh, yeah, check it out.

This is pretty cool.

I don't know.

It's been up here forever.

Just this this thing's amazing.

Absolutely amazing.

So yeah. Oh, totally.

I mean, something about the look like me

because it mimics like the Volvo like brick look.

Right. Yeah, it's very boxy.

Yeah, something about that, like the way the headlights

and the grille and I've I've owned a couple of them

over the past few years.

And I always just love them when I have them.

But generally, they're pretty big nightmares to take care of

because at least the ones I bought have had like 220 or 250,000 miles

on them and they're rusty and they need a motor or they need a transmission.

It's like, oh, what am I doing?

It's like, you can't say them all.

But yeah, that's what there is.

There's something about that 93 to 98

like that ZJ model that just whenever I see one, like even today,

like I've seen one drive by even if it's like missing offender.

I'll like, same with you.

Like I'll stop and be like, oh, there goes the ZJ.

It's the ZJ.

Look, is that the four O?

Like I could hear it.

There's the four O's.

Yeah, you're running like a dream.

Here's Perke after like six.

Yep. It's like, oh, it's like, if I ever see like a five nine limited,

which they only made like like 12 or 15,000 or something in 98,

one model year only with that big 360 cubic inch Magnum V8.

So I ever see one of those.

I'm literally like triple take.

I'm like, oh my God. Wow.

That's like a yeah, it's like a nine and it looks great.

Like some muscle, muscle jeep.

Yeah, like following around and be like, sell it to me.

It's right up there.

I just I love it.

I love those.

And I mean, I've been totally through those two.

Like I've ripped the dash out of those.

Yes.

Cedar cores and I've done engine work on them.

And I've done like ripping transfer cases out, redoing them,

swapping transfer cases, rust repair, electrical work.

I mean, you name it.

But the one thing I'll say about like the one I had is

even though it had some problems, like it never left be stranded.

Just a great rig and comfortable.

Just very comfortable to drive.

Yeah. Well, and it really was that first

the first SUV you captured well, like you could just be cruising

at 80 on the highway, like no problem.

And then like, yeah, now we're going to take this fire road

up the mountain and it'd be like, yep, we're going to do that too.

Yeah. And it is.

Yeah. It really was the first one to just perfect that recipe.

Oh, yeah. And I mean, the traction, insane.

Like I remember when the first one I had,

which geez, we're probably 10, 12 years ago now,

like there was some snowstorm and I was like driving home from work.

And I literally like you've seen my dad's house.

Like I literally like went through the field, like in the snowstorm

and like went down to where there's like a pond or whatever.

And like a stream and it was just like, I wonder if I can make it back up.

And just like in four wheel drive, just like went right back up.

No problem. I was just like, yeah, quadra track.

Yeah. Yeah. That's right.

Yeah. Awesome. Awesome rigs.

Unstoppable. Oh my gosh.

Did you know that like you could get the early ZJs?

Like I think 93, maybe 94 with a manual.

No, I didn't know that. Yeah.

No, I just I didn't know that I think 93,

they had like the the Grand Wagoneer, like trim level.

Oh, yes. Yeah.

Like a carry over. Fazed out the Grand Wagoneer.

Right. I didn't know about the manual thing,

although now that you say that does kind of ring a bell.

So I wouldn't be surprised.

Like Jeep was famous for doing stuff like that.

But right, obviously, like they're just like automatic.

Like, yeah, yeah.

That's right. Yeah.

I mean, it was it was that kind of SUV.

So I'm sure if you look on Breaker Trail or cars and bids,

there's like some mint manuals, ZJs up there.

Oh, yeah, they're probably 20, 30 grand now or something.

I mean, yeah, easily for that.

Yeah. That's the nostalgia buy.

Yep. And then I got to I'll just I'll just go into one more

that's like right at the top of my list.

So please do.

So Sarspa, obviously it's tied to

like the vehicle that I drove the most

through like the formative years, right?

Of like getting my license, like being in high school

and then like even the beginning of college, which is my father's

two thousand and four GMC Sierra

twenty five hundred HD with the six OV eight.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

So my dad bought that truck new in 2004.

And that was like a year before I got my license.

And when I did get my license,

like we did have like a Chevy Impala that was like, you know,

the kids car quote unquote, that we had to pay for like all the maintenance

insurance and all that stuff on it.

And but at some point, like we got rid of that and changed stuff around.

But I mean, I was always buying and selling cars.

So the primary one that like I would drive would be like his truck,

like his 2004 truck, because he had his his Cadillac to bill at the time.

So he'd just be driving that around.

And I'd drive the truck.

I mean, yeah, like to put it in perspective, how much I drove it,

like he had the truck from 2004 to 2016.

And in that time, the truck had like a hundred and thirty thousand

miles on it when he sold it.

And we I easily put fifty, sixty thousand miles on it.

Just me driving it.

I remember seeing it.

Yeah. Yeah.

I remember seeing it parked in the high school lot.

I remember seeing you rolling in school with it.

Yeah. Oh, I drove it all the time, all the time.

Like I go over to, you know, Rutland, Vermont, like see my mother.

I mean, I drive it down to different things like Concord, Manchester.

I mean, just all the time drove it all the time.

So I mean, I spent a huge amount of time behind the wheel of that truck.

And I have such a soft spot for that generation of GM trucks.

And I mean, and I I am a huge proponent of I still think to this day

they are some of the best built and most comfortable like generation

of GM trucks that ever came out to this day.

Like the seat was comfortable.

Like it handled well for a amount of creature comforts.

Like just a great rig.

And I mean, as you know, you know, like my my favorite vehicle

that I have to this day is I have a 2004 suburban twenty five hundred HD.

Yep. So and that's I'm doing some rust repair to that right now

because I'm trying to keep it on the road.

But that is like I just I love it so much.

And it is stepping back into that GMC Sierra that my dad had.

And it's there is some comfort with that.

But it also is like it's the most comfortable rig.

Like you just drive it.

The seats, nice tons of power.

Like to hop in and head down to Florida tomorrow.

It's like it's the perfect to go. Oh, just love it.

But it's true, though, the soft spot.

Like I'll see some like it's even drive by.

And I'm just like, oh, yes, look at that.

That's a beauty. It's a 2002 because it doesn't have this.

Like, oh, right, you know, like all the little little details

that can go year to year.

You're just like the minutiae.

Yeah, as you see one drive by all that diesel.

Oh, I got the eight one in it. No.

Oh, my God. It can't be one.

Exactly. Yeah, I'm just I'm a horrible sucker for those.

But it's it just all comes back to the memories and times

of being with that truck, which I do.

Like you told the story of like the driver's ed.

Like I do have to tell a story about that truck.

Oh, my God.

So so when I try to remember when it was.

But I'll never I'll just start with this.

Like I remember my brother and I were taking that 2004 GMC

down to go visit my brother's girlfriend's family

in Keen, New Hampshire.

So we left father's house and right.

And we were headed to get gas and you know the intersection.

But it's basically like you're sitting.

It was pouring rain and we're sitting at this intersection

to turn left and and there were no cars in front of me.

And it was but it was like, I don't know,

maybe like 10 a.m. or something like that on like a Friday.

Or you know, I mean, it was there were some cars around,

but no one in front of me.

So the light turned green.

Anyway, my brother's a passenger seat.

I'm driving dad's truck light turns green.

And I say to my brother, I'm like, you know,

this truck's pretty powerful.

Like this is this thing can lock up the back end

like nothing that electronic walking or differential.

And my brother's like, so anyway, the light turns green.

I hammer it and lock up the rear end.

I do like a try to do like a drift through the intersection.

And right as I was like, OK, I should probably let off

the gas like it was too much and it was too late.

So I ended up doing just full like doughnut right

in the middle of this busy intersection right in Lebanon.

And I'll never forget like it freaked me out, right?

It never happened that I like went too far with it.

I'll never forget there was a guy sitting in a truck

like a cross from us.

And I just see like he was just sitting in the steering wheel

just shaking his head back and forth like mouth the gate.

Like what are you doing?

You stupid king.

So I do it.

I mess up and then I just like keep going and like go

and fill up with gas and we're driving to the gas station.

My brother's like, that was awesome.

But don't ever do that again ever.

And I was like, OK, fair enough, fair enough.

Oh my gosh.

Well, the follow-up to that, which is so funny.

It was definitely a I don't want to say core memory,

but like it was a memory that affected me, right?

That I was like, OK, like you need

to learn to be more responsible because like,

I mean, I could have like, what if there was like a car

in the way and like I could have hit someone or like, you know,

hurt my brother, right?

I was like, OK, so some of this stuff

you need to actually be conscious about.

Yeah.

But I was like worried about telling dad, right?

Yeah, right.

As I score, you're like, oh, no, what if we don't get something.

I never told him and it was it was probably

like even my brother was like, yeah, I wouldn't bring it up.

Like nothing bad happened, don't bring it up.

I was like, OK, so like anyway, a few months

went by and like we were having dinner or something.

And I was just like, yeah, I got to tell you, dad.

I was like, I did this with the truck and told him the story.

He was like sits there.

He's like, uh-huh.

He's like, well, I was wondering when you were going to tell me

because there was someone I knew that was saw my truck do

a donut in the middle of the road.

And they called me about it that day.

And I was like, huh, yeah, it must be my boys around.

Having fun in my pickup truck.

He's like, I was wondering when you were going to come clean.

I was like, geez, I was like, oh, God,

I can't get anything past you.

He's like, he's like, you have no idea.

Yeah, the people I have watching and waiting.

He has his eyes everywhere.

I was like, oh, no, that's a red flag.

But yeah, that was a fun tile bed.

Yeah, but it would.

I mean, if it was the road was wet,

that thing would just light them up like nothing.

Yeah, yeah, great, great truck, great memories.

Right. And like those four riviers in high school, as you said,

as you said, like you were like, well, that was dumb.

That's not what it was like.

It was like as your brother said, like, that was awesome.

Don't do it again.

Exactly.

But it's also like there's like little memories

that like pop into my mind, too.

Like I'll I'll never forget like that was the first time

that I drove down to you.

Remember that like music store that was in that plaza in West

Lab? I can't remember the name of the store.

Yeah, I can't remember the name.

But I like I remember driving there in the truck by myself

first time, like going by myself to West Lab, right?

And I bought my first ever CD, which was Guns and Roses,

Greatest Hits and then listening to that on the drive back home.

Like, oh, dude, like, welcome to the jungle in Paradise City.

Like, I'll never forget that feeling of just like listening

to those in the car by myself, like driving like the freedom.

I was just I was like, you can't beat this.

You just can't beat this feeling right now.

Like, yeah, like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I've got a six liter V8 under my right foot.

It's like a Guns and Roses blaring windows down.

Nice day. Like, yeah.

What a thrill.

Oh, yeah, the memories.

There's so many memories.

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

It does actually makes me think of like speaking of like the music moment.

So I it brings to mind the 850 again.

And I bought one of those cassette tape players

that you could hook your iPod up to.

Oh, yeah, it was like the FM transmitter, but the cassette.

Exactly. It had it.

I used to have one of those. Oh, my gosh.

It had, yeah, it had a tape deck.

Like they had the original Volvo stereo and everything.

And I just so I have so many memories of just popping that into the cassette

and plugging in my little iPod Nano, because that's like all I had.

Because we're talking like, I don't know, like 2009 or something like that.

I mean, maybe, yeah, like it's, but I just have such a memory of like that.

That felt like such a thrill as a teenager.

You're like, OK, I have my own set of wheels.

I have my music.

You get to dictate.

I get to, yeah.

Yes, like I get to, you know, figure out where I want to drive.

I get to pick the music like this is living like this.

Yes, everything is so good.

Yeah, it is. It's amazing that you can't you can't beat that feeling.

Like it is a great feeling. Yeah.

Yeah. So wait, what was the music, though?

That's a real question. Was it Beatles?

Oh, it probably was.

So at that point, it was probably a mix of oldies from my dad,

which would have been like Beatles and Almond Brothers and Bear Naked Lady.

It's been. It's been.

So that actually would have been for my mom's side of the CD collection,

because at that time I was putting all the music from my

my mom and dad's CDs onto the laptop, putting in my iPod.

So like my dad was all the classic rock.

My mom was like, you know, Bear Naked Ladies, John Mayer, Matchbox 20,

all that. So like my my music collection was pretty much all either like 60s,

70s rock or 90s, early 2000s, hoody vault.

Yeah, right. Yeah, some sugar rain there as well.

Every morning, dude. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I'm not in tune. Never mind.

All the classic millennial songs.

Oh, it was so good.

So that was, yeah, I had that all loaded up on my iPod nano.

And I would pretty much just shuffle that and windows down.

Man, this name is Smash Mouth.

Somebody watch told me the world is going to throw me.

I ate the sharpest two in the shed.

Oh, yeah. Boom, boom, boom.

That's what I mean, I mean, if we have these nostalgia cars,

like if we buy these soft spot cars, like we have to have like the period music

and buy the CDs or like track down the cassettes, like we got to like do it properly.

OK, so I have to you just struck a chord with me.

It's like I got to just have a little sidebar.

So oh, please, as you know, Ian, but the listeners don't know.

So like my my dream car, like my ultimate obtainable dream car.

So there's unobtainable, then there's obtainable, right?

Yes. You know, most people Ferrari is pretty unobtainable.

So for me, my obtainable dream car, 93 Corvette ZR1

that I want the 40th anniversary run.

They only made 245 of them.

But I actually like I've been wanting that car for so long

that I actually have a playlist saved in my old iTunes

that is just 1993 releases that I was like, I'm going to play these

when I get my 93 Corvette.

So I'm just living in like 1993.

Like what was it like when this car came out?

Like what people listen to on the radio?

It's like I've even bought like some cassette tapes

because it has a cassette.

Yes, yes, CD too.

But as a cassette, even bought some like 93 cassettes.

Like I think the one immediately comes to mind is Dion Ferris.

Like she's got like somehow it's that song.

It's that song.

Everyone knows like, I know what you're doing.

Whatever that song is.

Yeah. So yeah, I just sidebar they're like, you talk about that.

And it's like, I actually did that.

I have like a full list of like, these are the songs

I'm going to listen to when I get my 93 Corvette.

Go right back to 93 when I was what, four or five years old.

Right. Yeah.

But hey, it's my dream car.

It's exactly.

I mean, oh, I love that so much.

I mean, I'm all about manifesting here.

So like, I love the whole picture.

You've got it all lined out.

The music, the whole vibe going, yes, I'm all for it.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

I knew you'd understand.

Absolutely.

And yes, to the listeners, I also like I am like the steward

of a model like a one 18 scale model of this car

that Brendan gave to me that it's like it's I did.

I tried to declutter my house and I was like,

I just can't give this away unless it goes to the right person.

Yeah. This is the one model car.

Like I gave the others to like friends and kids and family.

I like, no, like this one means so much to me.

It's like, I have to give it to someone that will appreciate that.

So and I do.

And it's always a matter of like, yep, shoot for your dreams.

Like there it is. There it is on the shelf.

Yep. So so let's let's take it back to you.

So the Volvo wagon can't be the only soft spot car for you.

You must have another one.

Yeah. So the other one for me is a YJ Jeep.

So I promise I promise.

Well, we didn't intend for this just to be like a half Jeep podcast here.

It's so for me.

And there's a round headlight, right?

Oh, no, at the risk of losing half of our Jeep listener population.

That is the one that has the square headlights.

So what years were the YJ?

The YJ, I do.

That is 87 to 96.

You could get the YJs.

Yep. And so the YJ stands out to me in particular,

which is funny because like amongst Jeep circles, it's like,

if you don't, if you don't know listeners,

it's like the unloved Jeep of sorts, because it broke the mold of like

having square headlights instead of the round ones.

Anyway, I love I love the YJ because I go back to summer when I think I was,

gosh, I think seven or so.

And it was at Storrs Pond in Hanover, which you know, Brendan, of course.

And yeah, so we would go there creation center with a pond and pool

and snack bar camps. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yes, more snack bar. Oh, that.

Oh, yeah, man. Microwave s'mores.

Nothing better. There was something about it.

You're just like, you knew it was like this is just made in a microwave,

but yet it's delicious. I don't know how they do it.

I don't know how they do a childlike wonder.

That's the secret.

And that and that's the beauty of these soft spot vehicles

that like is that childlike wonder that wonder that I think

you you and I both have for these vehicles.

And so for me, it was this summer.

I remember it was one of the lifeguards drove this lifted

dark forest green Y.J. Jeep and it had the big

like big all-terrain tires.

Yeah, the 35. Yeah, the chrome mag wheels.

Like it just every time I saw it had the doors off at the top off.

It had like the six big off-road lights on the top of the roll bar.

And I just every time I saw part there, like I would go with my family

and I would just stare at this thing and just like I saw him get into it

a few times and leave, I'm like, I just want to be that guy.

This is so cool.

He is living the dream, living the dream.

Like I just I and so that that I still picture that Jeep

and just being like, that's I need that's I need it.

I need that Jeep. It's just it's awesome.

I love the I love the Y.J.s, too.

I mean, my personal favorites of T.J.s, but I love the Y.J.s.

But for me, it was more pop culture, Jurassic Park.

Oh, sure. Yes, like that.

I mean, that forever, like that is like they're iconic because.

Oh, it's absolutely Jurassic Park. Yes.

Yeah. Yeah.

But I just like I love the styling just like I mean, the wheels,

like those bland 90 wheels love that.

Oh, it's so they're so simple.

Underpowered motors.

Yes, like the whole package is just like, yes,

like the gauge package and cluster.

Like it's just so 90s, so simple, so 90s.

It's just I love them. I love them.

Yeah, my dream would to be find would to find like a late model,

like 95 or 96 Sahara Y.J.

because it has like the green and tanned two tone interior

and it just it's got the look like to me that that's my other soft spot.

And I think that's why I love Wrangler's in general.

And particularly the Y.J. because of that summer playing at Stores Pond

with my brother and van went everything and but and then showing up

and seeing that Jeep and just just completely just falling in love

with that Jeep. And like, I'm like, oh, my gosh, I need I need one.

So ever since then, the yeah, the Y the Y.J.'s do that

not quite on the level of like the 850 Volvo,

but when I do see a Y.J.

Especially one that is super clean, either like unmodified or one

that's tastefully lifted seems that like those childhood cars

are what just stand the test of time.

Like, I love like I've talked before about that, like eighty nine

plummeth voyager that like was our family minivan growing up

like the formative years and how it turned into my field car.

Oh, so I love seeing like the late eighties, early nineties

cranks or like whether it's K cars or Dodge or whatever.

And they have like all the same like, you know, switches and dials

and stuff like the van. Sure.

I love it. Like, I love seeing it just like a trip down memory lane.

Right. I just I love it.

Like, oh, yes, I grew up with that stuff.

Yeah. You know, like for the AC, it's not like a little button

you're hitting and like an LED comes up.

It's literally like a switch you have to like push in and then

it ejects all the other switches out that are pressed.

You know, like one of those classic like big push button

where it's like like right in like, all right, great.

Yeah. I mean, and there's there's like for me, too, there's others on the list,

obviously, like I have great memories, like I love the early 2000s

like Buick's like Park Avenue's centuries.

Yes. Like I had a really good friend

of mine in college had a Buick Century that we drove around all the time

in college, Cadillacs, obviously, like, like those older Cadillacs, newer Cadillacs.

I'm a I'm a big rag top guy.

So, you know, obviously, the certain convertibles just really strike

accorded me. Yeah. And then like sobs, like, you know, I've always like sobs.

Yeah, where I'm curious, where did the sob thing come from?

Because I know you've owned many and continue to buy and sell them.

Yeah, I'm curious. Yeah.

Well, it's it's a really good question, because like it all started with

like I never owned one when it started, right?

Like, I think really where if we dive into it, where it started,

it was like a a lot of my friends in high school had sobs,

like their parents had sobs, and then they did like hand me down or they

just are like sobs.

Like, like, I remember like a kid had a sob 9000, you know,

and then like another friend had had like a two like early 2009 three

coop with a manual.

And then like another friend had like a 92 900 convertible.

Yeah. Right. And there's like, you know, just all these random sobs.

But it was funny because like I was obviously, as you know,

I was known as like the guy that worked on cars.

Right. Right. Yeah.

So I would help them with like break jobs or like it needs a serpentine

bell or the AC quit work in there, the shift linkage quit work.

Like, so I would be looking at these.

But I remember like working on these cars and then driving them and

being like, wow, for these things, like actually even for front wheel drive,

like they are powerful and they handle well.

And like I just like in for me, like I've always been a big guy,

like I fit in them well.

Yes, that's a testament right there.

Yeah. Oh yeah.

So like that, I think that's really where it started was like just being around

them, but I didn't buy my first like sob that was my own until I want to say

it was like a 2002 93 something like SE or something like that.

I I could probably look it up.

But yeah, it's so I mean, really now I just buy him to work on him.

Yeah. And then resell them because I know so much about him.

And then the other part of that too is with with Tyler, like he's a

big sob guy. That's right. Yeah.

So so through him as well, like learned a lot about the sob 900s and working

on different sob stuff. So yeah.

But I mean, this it's like it's a 2005 with it's an automatic, but it's like

it's freaking sporty. It's amazing.

Every yeah, every time I've been in a sob, like I remember my one of my

college roommates, a guy named Sam had a nine five wagon, like I think

like a lovely like a late 90s early 2000s wagon.

And I remember driving at one time and just being taken aback by just

how sporty it was. I mean, it was low slung too.

Like it fell. It drove like a sports car.

They drive so nice.

I was really surprised because I was like my first real sob experience.

You know, and that's just it's like it's the balance, right?

Like this one's got the two oh turbo. Yeah.

I mean, it gets like almost 30 miles per gallon.

And then at the same time, it's like it's sporty.

It's like if you step on it, like yes, the turbo spools up.

It's like, whoa, like, OK, we get some fun.

And that was it, too.

Like I had not experienced a turbo before.

Like my parents had never had a turbocharged vehicle.

So to get into that sob and just feel that that surge of power.

Like, what? What now?

What? Like this is.

This is new.

Sensation, right?

Yeah, it's like, is this adrenaline?

This is amazing.

Like, I didn't know driving could be like this.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's like a lightning bolt.

Like, I need more of this.

Yeah, give me another hit.

Let me stab that accelerator.

Oh, yeah, that's I mean, it's true, right?

Like, you know, you have them, the cars in the soft spot, I have them.

And I'm sure even our listeners have them.

Like there will always be that car,

whether it's like the old family truckster, right?

Yeah, whether it's just like, you know, it happens.

Like, you even if you're not a car person, right?

And you and you see a 2001 Volkswagen bug drive by, you know,

you're with someone, they just stop and stare.

It's like, you know, they're having their soft spot car moment.

Yeah, they're having that moment.

They are just transported back in time.

And yeah, that it's the power that cars have on us,

that they that they rude us in that that moment.

And it's a beautiful thing when it happens.

Yes, it is. Absolutely.

And that anybody, yeah, anybody has it.

And I feel like we we all have that that car that's like, oh,

remember when like, oh, those are great.

Exactly. Exactly.

It's like anything, just the memories

and the stories that tie to the cars.

So with that, listeners, if you have a particular car

or make or model that you have a soft spot for that,

whenever you see one drive by or maybe it's a 2005 Honda CRV

and everybody you see one like, oh, my gosh,

remember the phone we used to have in one of those or?

Yeah, like we drove cross country, got in the hailstorm

and then we camped out in the back of it.

Like anything like that, exactly.

So whatever it might be or 98 outback or whatever it is.

Like if you have those stories, we'd love to hear them.

So please share again, as we've said before,

life plus cars at gmail.com.

That's the address. Send us your stories.

Like what what is your car that you've always had a soft spot for?

Life plus cars on Instagram.

If you're if you're hanging out there, check it out.

And to the listeners out there, thanks for joining us again.

We appreciate you tuning in.

And as always, remember to get out there

and enjoy the drive with the cars in your life,

especially if it's a 98 ZJ with the what?

With which engine, Brendan?

Oh, the five nine. The five nine.

Three sixty the Magnum. Oh, yeah.

#14: Cars We Can't Help But Love

Hummer H3

Honda Odyssey

Volvo 850

Mustang Fox Body

Cadillac De Ville

Volvo C70

Volvo XC70

Volvo V70

Volvo XC60

Volvo V60

Volvo V90

Ford Country

Oldsmobile Cutlass

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser

Ford Ltd

Jeep Grand

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Chevrolet Impala

Gmc Sierra

Chevrolet Corvette

Jeep Wrangler

Chrysler Voyager

Buick Century

Saab 900

Honda Crv

About this episode

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