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@SpeedCo, while I really thought my my Taurus SHO would be on here, I'm glad to see what could be considered the modern sleeper. Thank you for including the little gazoo toyota. I'd have one of those too
Who needs aerodynamics, when velocity x mass = you can coast for aaaaaages. I would like that on a T-Shirt though... My XC-70 is awesome though... handles like an Elise 😂
My dad who works for Toyota borrowed a GR Corolla for the weekend and the mad man said he was gonna teach me stick on it. Although there were growing pains stalling the car, when I got it down the GR Corolla is the most fun I ever had driving a car. Then when I went on to drive other manual cars they just did not compare to the GR Corolla, the thing is a beast. Not only is it a pleasure to drive I have the great memory of my dad thinking a literal rally car is the best thing to learn stick on. Have nothing but praise for the GR Corolla, it became a dream car for me when I got behind the wheel of one.
Oh yeah! Dad is a real one, dude!! I personally love hatchbacks and rally cars, I'm still new to it and I don't have experience driving a manual, but I hope my first experience with a hatchback will be as great as yours!!
I rode in a BASE GR Corolla, open diff, small brakes, ripping down some mountain roads and it’s the craziest car I’ve ever been in, in a way that I can’t even describe. The car has so much grip, every time you think “holy shit we’re about to understeer into a tree” it just effortlessly turns in.
I owned two Saabs, and I loved both. The best wierd thing on the cars was the “Night” function which killed all the interior and non-essential instrument lights, including half the speedometer. It was a fighter jet thing, they found that a dark cockpit reduced eye strain at night. It worked too. Driving on a dark highway at night was a trip.
Super underrated feature that most later model Saabs had. I was surprised to find out my 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP also has night mode, and you can choose whether you want just the speedo or speedo + tachometer illuminated. Just the speedo is cooler, but mine's a manual so tach is useful
It was very cool the first time I experienced in a 9-3 aero. My raddilac has it and when working night shift driving home in the dark it's such a fantastic feature to have. It also makes sense gm has it in some of their cars as they bought saab.
I've also had 2 Saabs, a 93 vert and a 900 coupe. Everybody would mock them until I let them drive them, they would always come back loving the cool little features like the keys in the centre console, the night mode and how the convertable just looked right with the roof down.
I always suspected I was a nerd, but you just confirmed it with this list! 20 years ago, I owned a 1983 Volvo 240 (still my favorite car I've ever owned) and I still have a Ford Ranger in the garage, haha.
Remember kids, what makes someone cool is: a) not how much money you have but how you use your money b) not how much things you know but how much of that you can teach c) don't just copy what others say but research, learn and choose by yourself
And if you research the cost to own these German and Italian cars you will find that it is less the initial cost, but, rather, the maintenance and insurance that will make you sorry that you made the purchase.
You nailed the GR Corolla. When I see them, I'm like "hell yeah. They're cool in a nerdy way. That guy driving doesn't care what people think." And then I immediately say "I'd never drive it though"
I have a SAAB 9⁵ Sportcombi Aero, it's the later "Dame" version. I get people walking up to it all the time "Is that a SAAB? Do they still exist?" "My dad/grandma/uncle/teacher had one! This is so cool!" One of my favorite experiences is driving that car as just regular people of all ages that remember them hit me up. My Volvo V60? I get very occasional compliments like "That's a pretty car" but only true wagon and Swede enthusiasts ever talk to me about the car.
Skinny, white collar, data-crunching nerd here. I knew nothing about vehicle maintenance until I purchased a 5 speed Ranger during COVID as a "learning opportunity." Now I've got 10x the "car guy confidence" and do 10x as many "truck things" as the guys who own $80k trucks in my rural Midwest community.
Sounds like you knocked it out of the park. True care people love badass cars, yes, but they love talking about what makes cars work more (especially if it's a little odd to see in todays day and age). 5 speed Rangers rock to car guys. No one cares about my 600hp Infiniti, but everyone LOVES my 03 Forester with a 5 speed and less than 70k miles, lol.
I'm more of an S-10 guy when it comes to trucks but I applaud you getting a truck at the proper size you needed. Damn near no one needs full size enough to own a personal one. If you look at the rest of the world its the small trucks that are getting shit done. From little scooter 3-wheel trucks to the famous Hilux.
I can’t express enough how much peace and happiness to see Volvo get some love. From being incredible drifters, to beasts at the drag strip, all the way to them being genuinely safe vehicles… they really can do it all. They’re like the Swiss Army knife of cars, and it doesn’t get mentioned enough. They’re work with Polestar, the R-Design models, and just being one of the most continually aesthetically pleasing (debatable) vehicles in vehicle history, they’re great. 10/10 would highly recommend to a friend Great videos, keep doing your thing
FUCK YEAH! I'm a nerd and I bought a '90 240 wagon like 3 months ago. It's painted gold, stock, auto, slow as shit, has almost 300k miles, and it's badass and I love it more than most things on this earth.
My first car was a '77 SAAB 99 Turbo. Was a hand-me-down from my dad who drove it off the lot in '78. Had 302,000 miles on it. Learned to drive stick on it. Got made fun of initially in high school when I got it. It was painted "coral white" which had a pink hue to it. That thing was built like a tank and I and 2 friends could stand and jump on the bumpers. My mom told me that a 1990 corolla rear ended her and the corolla was totaled. The SAAB had a medium dent in the trunk. The mechanic literally fixed it with a hammer. it was good as new. Plus all the weird design, features, and safety choices done. Ignition in between the seats. Heated seats. The front seat belts were just straps and you "buckled in" by taking the strap and putting it in a literal scissor-style clamp between the seats. The cherry on top was it was WAY too fast for what it was stock. Then I modded the vacuum system to get more turbo noises and gained what felt like 10-15hp. None of my friends had anything that could outrun it at the time and it started to get a reputation as at my high school "The Swedish Rocket". It looked goofy as fuck, made hot-boi turbo noises, and was way faster then it looked. After I sold it off when I was in college, I ended up owning two SAAB 93 SE and then a SAAB 93 Viggen. The viggen was modded to within an inch of its life. It put down 386hp to the front tires. I have moved on to RWD and V8s now, but have a soft spot for SAABs.
2 years ago my dad randomly stumbled across a listing of a 2003 SAAB 9-3 (my pfp). It was posted for $500 and was "burning oil". Somehow we negotiated down to $150 and I bought it and drove it home spewing blue smoke out exhaust. Long story short I pulled the engine and rebuilt the head in my garage. Found out the turbo had blown so I ordered a cheap used one from a junkyard. After it was all back together the junkyard turbo still sipped on oil but it actually made boost and let me truly row through the beefy little 5spd manual. Proudly named the ShaatBox, it took me and my friends on many adventures and never failed, junkyard turbo and all. After fixing this car I went down a saab rabbithole and have never come back. Sadly, several months after fixing it, my dad had taken it on his commute since my family shared cars (due to a lack thereof), and ended up sliding off the icy road into a ditch. Totaling the car. A year later and I now own a 1996 9000 Aero (also 5spd manual) and I already have plans to get another Saab. Love these things to death. The 9000 is just as fast as modern WRXs and handles very well even on its stock suspension (though the body roll is hilarious)
As a current owner of a running and driving widebody Starion, yeah. You can't find parts unless you're going through one of the two or three guys who buy up every parts car in the country and then charge you "I need it now" prices. But anything routine maintenance wise (seals/bushings/etc) are readily available. There's easily probably less than 3k of these things out on the road in the US. I think we've got like 10k members on the largest FB group and maybe only 100 or so actually have running and driving examples (at least those who post frequently) and a good chunk of them don't even see the light of day. I take mine out all the time and get loads of stories about people who have owned them or knew someone who had one in the 80s, but they haven't seen one out on the road since then. It's a blast to drive but is super slow by today's standards. Handles great and I can keep up with newer cars in the twisties, it just really doesn't have a lot of oomph to get back up to speed even though the full torque/boost kicks in at 2600ish rpm. I do think BaT is a bad baseline for price on them, scouring the pages can net you a decent non-runner for $1-3k (that'll take you maybe a winter to get going again) and a good weekend driver for $6-10k (that will give you the occasional issue from 40yo parts going bad). Showroom quality run that $15-30k range. Swapped cars run about $15k for something with average grade fab work. Prices have been creeping up though, and the deal I got on mine just two years ago is unheard of now. All that being said, I'll probably have this thing for life because it's a truly well fleshed out car when everything is going smoothly. Definitely way ahead of its time.
1:00 1988 Saab 900 Turbo was my first car and I can confirm, this is the quintessential cool nerd car. Christmas Eve 2012 it was snowing and I was pulling into an apt parking lot complex for a house party. There were two guys having a smoke outside, I rolled my windows down to increase visibility and I heard the guys say to each other “yo what kinda car is that?” Proud Saab owner moment right there
Rangers, Sonomas, S10s, and the 2wd Tacos were the preferred shop trucks where I live for their entire runs. Ridiculously reliable, cheap to keep on the road, perfect for parts runs and junkyard picks, and (at the time) very car-like gas mileage. Also an underrated nerd truck - the Mazda B series.
Volvo 240s are extremely easy to work on, sparkplugs are on top of the engine. A guy told me at a c&c that the sweeds wanted to make a car that lasted 20 year because 20 years is how long a sweed usually keeps a car. Has a galvanized frame and the beforementioned safety cage,
As a owner of both a Volvo 240 and Saab 900 I think it’s awesome your shedding some light onto these awesome Swedish bricks, they are in my opinion some of the best cars to ever be built and they are reliable as hell. having being built for the harsh climate of Sweden really made these cars into the safe tanks they are!
My first car was a 2004 Saab 9-5. It was a perfect cool nerd car. It kicked ass, was faster than all of my friends’ 3 series, and no one knew what it was. Love Saab on the list.
James: “None of these cars have insane horsepower numbers” James like 3 seconds earlier: *names a car with over 500 HP and several Nürburgring lap records*
500hp is nothing in 2024. Power is democratised in this era. And the GT3 despite it's buckets of character will get absolutely destroyed an actual supercar. A real supercar that's not a maxed out sports car like the GT3 is.
Got a 2001 Saab 9-5 I bought some months after the maker went bust when many owners freaked out about spare parts and sold them in panic. It drives well, is a nice place to be and feels reassuringly safe. It pays to do some pre-emptive maintenance and deal with rust before it spreads (especially in the rear wheelarches... creeping in behind the plastic covers). Being a nerd and browsing through Saab owner forums for purchasing and repair advice surely helps, so the car surely deserves nerd points!
I'm biased, but the Volvo 240, much like in real life, is being slept-on on your list James. My '85 245 appears mostly stock but is lowered on it's original Virgos. The real spiciness is the engine: T3/T4 top mount turbo, later model Bosch LH engine management, S60R injectors, RSI stage 3 cam, it dynoed at 300hp/306trq. That's not a lot by today's standards but it will put you back in your seat. What I loved the most was low speed roll racing people with their domestic V8 cars. Anything over 55 mph they could beat me but between 10-55mph that thing was ridiculous. Now it sits under my carport waiting for me to put a new clutch kit on on it (home ownership and my daughter now driving hasn't given me much money or time to invest in my non-daily). Love the diversity of the content you've been putting out. Glad you're able to make a living doing what you love.
had no idea R injectors work for redblocks lol. I have an s60r and gave a spare coolant reservoir cap to my buddy with a 240. literally the exact same design
@kylemontano228 Yup. Same Bosch style two pin connectors on the injectors and same relative length. My '85 B21 engine originally came with CIS/Mechanical injection but is now "updated" with later model (740 Turbo) wire harness, ECM and a B230 intake manifold (to accept the fuel injectors). It would definitely benefit from a stand alone but I liked the idea of piecing together and maxing out OE components
7:43 my 93 ford ranger was one of my absolute favorite vehicles I’ve had so far.. with minor upgrades it was peppy and fun to drive, was cheap to repair, and was cheap on gas.. it also drove really nice and it ran sooooo good ❤
I loved my 96, so fun to drive. You can also bolt on a turbo from an older Buick! No adaptor plates or anything. don’t remember which one though it’s been years. Makes some great extra power, and fun with the manual trans.
I'd add the Fabia vRS to the list,you didnt get it in the states but honestly it's a cool car. Back in 2000s Škoda wanted to have a hot hatch and they created the Fabia vRS powerd with the mighty 1.9TDI (ASZ,aka PD130). 130hp and 310NM of torque,it could do 0-100kmh in "9.3s" (they lied,it could do it in way less). It also beat the Mini Cooper S in Top Gear and it had a better 70-140kmh than a BMW 330i e46. I mean when you look at it it looks like a regular city hatchback with deeper bumpers but it's really tunable,it can easily go to 200ish hp just with a turbo and remap and some go to 450hp and the car weights only 1220kg. It also competed in WRC and it was driven by Colin McRae. I think this could easily be the ultimate cool nerd car. They are also quite cheap these days,you can get them for like 3500-5700 euros. Great vid also.
The funnest car i've ever owned was a 2002 celica GT-S, front wheel drive with over steer and a 10,000 rpm redline never gets old. Poor mans lotus elise
The jack white analogy was so perfect, that guitar is literally plastic junk, and he bought it at a pawn shop for next to nothing. And now you can find an original for under 4k. You never stop amazing me Mr. Pumphrey
He forgot the Honda Del Sol with the Japanese retractable top!! So glad he had BOTHZ of my favorite Corollas on the list though. I've got a '19 E210 Corolla with the 6 speed, so fun to drive! Been drooling over the GR platform since the Yaris but was absolutely stoked when the GR Corolla came out! But mine will have to do for now lol
As someone who is as big a guitar nerd as they are a car nerd, I have to say that Jack White's main guitar in The White Stripes was an Airline Jetson, not a Danelectro or Kay. Although he does use a Kay acoustic with a pickup mounted on it for all his slide playing, even today for his solo stuff. Great video, dude! 👍🏼
I am also a huge guitar nerd and would like to correct you a bit on that. They were called the Airline 'Res-O-Glas', made by Valco in chicago for the mail order retail company Montgomery Ward. Sometimes it was referred to as the 'J.B. Hutto' model because the chicago bluesman supposedly played one preodminantly in the 60's. The one you're referring to is the reissue made by Eastwood guitars which are exact replicas in regard to looks but they have chambered mahogany bodies instead of the original fiberglass hollow body.Just thought to set the record straight, in true nerd fashion :)
I think if this list was to be expanded, the 1988-1991 Honda Prelude would easily be on it. I think it should've been on the list to begin with, but I digress. Its the perfect little 80s sports car, with lots of cool tech and science put into it. The styling is quintessentially 80s, it has the fist globally sold 4 Wheel Steering system ever, the lowest hood line of any FWD car ever, and the same drag coefficient as a Ferrari F40! Such an amazing but overlooked car.
As someone who owns a Volvo 740 Turbo wagon, dailys a Saab 9-5 SportCombi Aero AND builds Gundam kits, ive never felt so called out by a single video in my life and im not upset in the slightest. All solid choices.
I bought a Saab 9-3 coupe in May 2023. This particular car was made in april 2002 and had run 204.000 km. I drove with from my home in the south of the Netherlands to Berlin and back. Then I drove it all the way to the very east of the Czech Republic. Only thing that needed work was the exhaust because of too much rust. A total of 200 euros in repair and on we went. I bought it for 1750 euros and 20.000 km on, it just keeps going. They are reliable, quirky and cool. Saab was made for the weirdos, but it draws you in and never lets you go. Im saving up for a 900 now thanks to your videos! Thank you!
I worked at a Saab/Cadillac dealer in high school and initially thought Saabs were weird and cars for losers that went to one dealership to buy a new car and it happened to be Saab. I was just flat wrong. Definitely saw some odd people, but even as an unsophisticated high schooler as I got to drive more of them I actually really liked them (mainly 9-3 & 9-5) and appreciated the quirkiness/fun factor. Especially any of the manual 2.0T or Aero models - I loved driving those. The 2003-2007 9-3's are probably my favorite and were actually pretty quick in period (not sure if your 2002 would've been a 2003 model across the pond here). Today I appreciate even more the uniqueness of cars and Saab had that in spades, even into the mid-2000's. That said, every Saab seemed to have huge problems with lower quality gas for some reason: that's when gas prices were insane here in the US and people were using the cheapest they could find.
To me, the ultimate cool nerdy cars come from Volkswagen. Specifically, the Mk1 Scirocco the Mk2 Golf gti. Wagons as well, and they are so underrated. Volvo and Audi have some insanely cool wagons. Lower it, put some bbs wheels on it, and call it a day.
The best wagon has to go to the mitsubishi VR-4 Legnum. Twin turbo V6 with active yaw control, awd, and a 0-100 of 5 seconds, in a car that can carry your whole family and still have more boot space than most new utes
Wagons. I get very overexcited whenever I see a 5-cylinder 80s Audi 100/200 avant for sale. Very nearly went for it on too many occasions. BBS definitely
Finally, some Starion/Conquest/Starquest representation. I'm restoring one that's been off the road for 22 years, and there's so many weird design choices. It's basically a turbo truck motor. Forged crank and rods from the factory. Way more torque than herspers. Truck steering box instead of rack & pinion. Hubs integrated into the struts. Throttle body fuel injection. So much of it is ahead of its time, so much is kinda antiquated. Parts are still definitely out there, but you're stuck rebuilding instead of buying new/reman units for things like steering, oil pumps, etc.
1985 Nissan 300 ZX got snubbed. Just take a look at the wedgieness of it, the t-top convertible roof, and the 80s futuristic interior with digital dash... Absolute 🔥
@Aaron_Lindenberg I've had an 04 s60r and 2 240s. My first was an 83 wagon. The one I currently have is a 93 sedan being turbo LS swapped lol. Love my volvos. But I miss when 240s were affordable. And I can't touch a 6 speed v70r or s60r in any running and driving condition for under $10000
If you want a Starion, you can double your luck by looking at the Conquest as well. It was the Chrysler version, but it was the same car. Basically the predecessors to the 3000GT/Stealth.
The Volvo 850 t5 had a drag coefficient of 0.29 that's better than 90% of the current vehicles. My dog used to drive his 850 t5 and wow, once it got to about 70 it's like doc turned on the thrusters and it would get over 30 mpg at 90 +! Also you can't forget about that awesome trailing arms / connected rear steer airplane strut fiberglass thingy magic.
Saab hate comes from someone that's never driven a Saab 900 Turbo with a 5 speed. The born from jets, yes fine, but there was a commercial of one of these being dropped on its roof and it did not cave in. Saab by the way s were incredibly over engineered on purpose and there's a reason that they're called architects cars. They're ugly but they're insane to drive. They handle incredibly. They teach you about torque steer like no other vehicle does. If you've ever done a drop-in clutch then you know what I'm talking about.
"Minis invented front-wheel drive." Citroën Traction Avant has entered the chat. Hell yeah on the Ford Ranger! I had a '92 with the 6-foot bed and a shell and it was awesome!
This channel has some of the most personality I've ever seen on youtube. Very clear passion for the work and for creativity. Subbed off of vibes alone.
As someone who grew up next to Sweden, I saw Saab's and Volvo's everywhere. 😄 If you wanna go for the really cool models, you gotta go for - Volvo 850 T-5R - Saab 93 Viggen - Saab 900 Aero
I was always told Saab Key was in the middle because they used to be an airplane company and that’s where airplanes used to have the keys. A style harkening back to their heritage.
@@SpeeedCoApprentice Airframe Mechanic here, yes they do for the magneto's, but they generally are not in the middle. They're typically on the instrument panel directly next to or on the magneto's themselves
Now im imagining a huge bowl for keys ( John wick style) on an aircraft carrier. Plus I thought your dad drove a hi luxe into the ocean on purpose James.
The Z3 Coupe is what made me actually get a BMW (87 327es). I always loved the clown shoe look. One day I'll get one. I want to engine swap one so badly.
I’d add the Golf R32 - it’s in the same category as the GR Corolla - in fact hot hatches, especially the limited production peak performance models are peak cool nerd cars.
Golf R’s are actually more nerdish cars then Gr Corolla in my opinion Packed with technology,looks subtle but okay,reliable (considering Vw’s standards and the disaster that happened with gr corolla’s) and can be tuned extreme numbers with little tuning
Ok! Did you really have to throw the most beautiful message there at the end?!! Make a grown man cry??!!! Bravo James. Bravo. Love your videos guys. Keep em coming!
If you want a cool nerd car that is unknown to most car people, get a Saab 9-7x aero, they only made about 500 of them with the aero trim. It’s mechanically identical to the Chevrolet Trailblazer SS, except it’s got more options & a better build quality. I’ve owned several of these, they’re pretty quick despite weighing 5500 lbs, they come with an LS2 6.0 V8, Torsen AWD & 4.10 gearing. Nobody knows what they are & you can get one for about $7-$10K.
13:59 The Pheaton as well as the 1st gen Tuareg also came with a 5.0L V-10 turbodiesel option. I bought one in college and I still have it. I love that truck so much- yes, it is a truck, I don't care what y'all say, the 1st gen Tuareg is a truck. Mine had the V-10 TDI, a rear diff lock, air suspension, disengaging anti-roll bars, auxiliary hookups from the air compressor, part-time 4WD, and it could tow 11,000 lbs. Yes, it will cost at least $1000 at any shop just for a diagnosis, and parts are hard to source in North America, but it was extremely reliable, and towed like an absolute beast. One time, I challenged my friend who had a 6.0L Powerstroke Excursion to a tug-o'-war, and the VW pulled him without breaking a sweat. You get all that off-road and towing prowess while also in the comfort of heated and massaging vinyl seats, a 12-disc CD changer AND iPod hookup, the finest in early 2000's vinyl wood trim, and a MASSIVE sunroof. The rear hatch space is quite roomy as well. With the backseats folded down, you could easily get a twin or a full air mattress in the back for activities 😏. You even have built-in on-demand air to fill it up. Also, just like with any older VW TDI, you could tune it to roll coal for days. Once I got pulled over because my taillights were out, but they actually weren't out. The back of my car was so dirty from rolling coal that the officer couldn't see my taillights. I was let off with a warning. They're fast as hell, too. In 4H, that thing launched like a stabbed rat from all that torque. 2004 VW Tuareg TDI, best mid-size SUV ever. Super nerdy, but it's the cool kind of nerdy. It's like the shy and understated computer lab nerd that also lifts and plays hockey.
Can you make a list of vehicles you consider to be a good buy for any price? Or even a list of vehicles you would recommend that are usually under $10,000 any year
So about the Phaeton: The cooler engine option instead of the W12 is the 5.0 V10 Diesel. It's unreliable, but oh god the POWER!! If you remove the speed limiter, the V10 TDI will get you to 310 kph (185 mph). You have to be a special kind of person to want to have this engine and maintain it.
I have my 97 volvo 85p glt , a bunch of features for that time, exotic and sport mode,winter mode. Driving it in l.a when it rains is so fun it doesn't slide and handles the rain like a champ
I love how the Starion is so obscure that even its promotional photos are are so much lower res than the rest of these cars. And I'm glad to see that my nerd status is confirmed by the same. Back in college, because I liked the 944 and I liked the Delorean but I only had like $500, I went out and got one of the even more obscure versions of the Starion, the ChRySlEr!? Conquest. One of the earliest cars to have a turbo, and one of the earliest fuel injected cars. There were vacuum hoses everywhere. The thing never ran right, and literally caught fire one time while I was working on it in a parking lot. But from just the right angle, it's gorgeous. And you'll probably never see someone else driving one on the street, and that's what makes it cool to me.
12:04 - "Cool-looking in an off-putting way. like Adam Driver or Adrian Brody" this is so funny to me because those are two of my wife's celebrity crushes. she says I look like them. 😅
I must be a nerd. I’ve owned the Mini JCW, a Volvo 24X wagon, a Ranger p/u and I had a Conquest that we bought new in 1988. I’m currently trying to sell my G8 GT so I can buy a Z3 coupe. When I bought the G8 a few years back the Z3 coupes were a bit too much for my budget.
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SAAB's were dog excrement once they had to use GM BS chassis!!!
All before the 9-5 rank! [ all else are turds ]
I love you, but there are so many Cars under the Stars, why did you decide to put a GR Corolla and a Mini…
They don´t ship to my country
You paid for views on your last few videos
@SpeedCo, while I really thought my my Taurus SHO would be on here, I'm glad to see what could be considered the modern sleeper. Thank you for including the little gazoo toyota. I'd have one of those too
The 'A' in Volvo stand for Aerodynamics.
underrated comment lmao
I need this on a shirt asap.
It's spelled Vulva.
Who needs aerodynamics, when velocity x mass = you can coast for aaaaaages. I would like that on a T-Shirt though...
My XC-70 is awesome though... handles like an Elise 😂
Valva
Please have mercy James, we can’t take these prices increases anymore.😭
Realllll
im screaming
Time to sell my 2011 Ranger for $20k
glad i got my 240 before this lol
He needs to hype up cars that are actually boring/junk so good cars can be left alone 😂
My dad who works for Toyota borrowed a GR Corolla for the weekend and the mad man said he was gonna teach me stick on it. Although there were growing pains stalling the car, when I got it down the GR Corolla is the most fun I ever had driving a car. Then when I went on to drive other manual cars they just did not compare to the GR Corolla, the thing is a beast. Not only is it a pleasure to drive I have the great memory of my dad thinking a literal rally car is the best thing to learn stick on. Have nothing but praise for the GR Corolla, it became a dream car for me when I got behind the wheel of one.
Oh yeah! Dad is a real one, dude!! I personally love hatchbacks and rally cars, I'm still new to it and I don't have experience driving a manual, but I hope my first experience with a hatchback will be as great as yours!!
I rode in a BASE GR Corolla, open diff, small brakes, ripping down some mountain roads and it’s the craziest car I’ve ever been in, in a way that I can’t even describe. The car has so much grip, every time you think “holy shit we’re about to understeer into a tree” it just effortlessly turns in.
@@---bl6px “Kansei dorifto”?
@@MikaelMyers-fg7hh what??
@@---bl6px Initial D reference, the protagonist was going too fast in a corner, and was assumed to understeer, but he didn't.
I owned two Saabs, and I loved both. The best wierd thing on the cars was the “Night” function which killed all the interior and non-essential instrument lights, including half the speedometer. It was a fighter jet thing, they found that a dark cockpit reduced eye strain at night. It worked too. Driving on a dark highway at night was a trip.
Super underrated feature that most later model Saabs had. I was surprised to find out my 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP also has night mode, and you can choose whether you want just the speedo or speedo + tachometer illuminated. Just the speedo is cooler, but mine's a manual so tach is useful
It was very cool the first time I experienced in a 9-3 aero. My raddilac has it and when working night shift driving home in the dark it's such a fantastic feature to have.
It also makes sense gm has it in some of their cars as they bought saab.
I've also had 2 Saabs, a 93 vert and a 900 coupe. Everybody would mock them until I let them drive them, they would always come back loving the cool little features like the keys in the centre console, the night mode and how the convertable just looked right with the roof down.
You'd also have a heart attack when you were driving for a bit and saw the fuel gauge at zero.
Cool, but weird, all my cars except my 94 Saturn just had a dimmer that worked well.
As a bicycle nerd, I can appreciate the canary yellow Klein in the background. I apologize, I was unfamiliar with your game sir.
Real recognize real
@@SpeeedCothe goat
Bro, beat me to the comment. 100% nerdy bike even when they were new and expensive.
Had to go back and catch that. Sick
I got a blue Klein.
I always suspected I was a nerd, but you just confirmed it with this list! 20 years ago, I owned a 1983 Volvo 240 (still my favorite car I've ever owned) and I still have a Ford Ranger in the garage, haha.
Remember kids, what makes someone cool is:
a) not how much money you have but how you use your money
b) not how much things you know but how much of that you can teach
c) don't just copy what others say but research, learn and choose by yourself
Preach!
@@SpeeedCoI want more dad videos
this would go so hard on single father facebook
d) smoking
And if you research the cost to own these German and Italian cars you will find that it is less the initial cost, but, rather, the maintenance and insurance that will make you sorry that you made the purchase.
You nailed the GR Corolla.
When I see them, I'm like "hell yeah. They're cool in a nerdy way. That guy driving doesn't care what people think."
And then I immediately say "I'd never drive it though"
id drive the fuck out of one if i could afford it. I just wish we had the GR Yaris here in America
I mean I'd never buy one personally bc I live in a place where the GR Yaris is available, and that car doesnt catch fire lol
that GR yaris tho ....
Id drive one, tho I currently drive a Sti so they kinda fill the same perfect Midwest daily driver role with awd but still incredibly fun.
@@thegreymercenaries1069 I drive a Blackwing. Doesn't itch what I need scratched
I have a SAAB 9⁵ Sportcombi Aero, it's the later "Dame" version. I get people walking up to it all the time "Is that a SAAB? Do they still exist?" "My dad/grandma/uncle/teacher had one! This is so cool!"
One of my favorite experiences is driving that car as just regular people of all ages that remember them hit me up.
My Volvo V60? I get very occasional compliments like "That's a pretty car" but only true wagon and Swede enthusiasts ever talk to me about the car.
Skinny, white collar, data-crunching nerd here. I knew nothing about vehicle maintenance until I purchased a 5 speed Ranger during COVID as a "learning opportunity." Now I've got 10x the "car guy confidence" and do 10x as many "truck things" as the guys who own $80k trucks in my rural Midwest community.
Sounds like you knocked it out of the park. True care people love badass cars, yes, but they love talking about what makes cars work more (especially if it's a little odd to see in todays day and age). 5 speed Rangers rock to car guys. No one cares about my 600hp Infiniti, but everyone LOVES my 03 Forester with a 5 speed and less than 70k miles, lol.
Love to see it, as you should.
@2000FocusZX3 Respect, brother
F yeah it's a ranger lota work lota fun
I'm more of an S-10 guy when it comes to trucks but I applaud you getting a truck at the proper size you needed. Damn near no one needs full size enough to own a personal one. If you look at the rest of the world its the small trucks that are getting shit done. From little scooter 3-wheel trucks to the famous Hilux.
I love these car lists James, don’t listen to the people that don’t like them keep making them!
Who doesn’t like them?
@@SpeeedCo The people that think the prices of the cars will increase every time you make a car list.
Make a car list based on most hated from commentors
@@PrivilegeYT hell yes
@@SpeeedCoyour great to the power of 50000 grandmothers cousin
I can’t express enough how much peace and happiness to see Volvo get some love.
From being incredible drifters, to beasts at the drag strip, all the way to them being genuinely safe vehicles… they really can do it all. They’re like the Swiss Army knife of cars, and it doesn’t get mentioned enough. They’re work with Polestar, the R-Design models, and just being one of the most continually aesthetically pleasing (debatable) vehicles in vehicle history, they’re great.
10/10 would highly recommend to a friend
Great videos, keep doing your thing
FUCK YEAH! I'm a nerd and I bought a '90 240 wagon like 3 months ago. It's painted gold, stock, auto, slow as shit, has almost 300k miles, and it's badass and I love it more than most things on this earth.
Right behind you in my ‘93 240 Classic. 170k. Nerds unite!
so jealous dude
Nice to see a barely broken-in Volvo. Good luck with your new car!
I really want one, is my dream car fo show. You think it would be worth getting if I can find one?
Dual turbos will give that brick some Oomph!
My first car was a '77 SAAB 99 Turbo. Was a hand-me-down from my dad who drove it off the lot in '78. Had 302,000 miles on it. Learned to drive stick on it.
Got made fun of initially in high school when I got it. It was painted "coral white" which had a pink hue to it.
That thing was built like a tank and I and 2 friends could stand and jump on the bumpers. My mom told me that a 1990 corolla rear ended her and the corolla was totaled. The SAAB had a medium dent in the trunk. The mechanic literally fixed it with a hammer. it was good as new.
Plus all the weird design, features, and safety choices done. Ignition in between the seats. Heated seats. The front seat belts were just straps and you "buckled in" by taking the strap and putting it in a literal scissor-style clamp between the seats.
The cherry on top was it was WAY too fast for what it was stock. Then I modded the vacuum system to get more turbo noises and gained what felt like 10-15hp.
None of my friends had anything that could outrun it at the time and it started to get a reputation as at my high school "The Swedish Rocket".
It looked goofy as fuck, made hot-boi turbo noises, and was way faster then it looked.
After I sold it off when I was in college, I ended up owning two SAAB 93 SE and then a SAAB 93 Viggen.
The viggen was modded to within an inch of its life. It put down 386hp to the front tires.
I have moved on to RWD and V8s now, but have a soft spot for SAABs.
Haha! That sounds like my own story.
Fortunately, I still have my Viggen. Despite the states efforts.
2 years ago my dad randomly stumbled across a listing of a 2003 SAAB 9-3 (my pfp). It was posted for $500 and was "burning oil". Somehow we negotiated down to $150 and I bought it and drove it home spewing blue smoke out exhaust.
Long story short I pulled the engine and rebuilt the head in my garage. Found out the turbo had blown so I ordered a cheap used one from a junkyard.
After it was all back together the junkyard turbo still sipped on oil but it actually made boost and let me truly row through the beefy little 5spd manual.
Proudly named the ShaatBox, it took me and my friends on many adventures and never failed, junkyard turbo and all. After fixing this car I went down a saab rabbithole and have never come back.
Sadly, several months after fixing it, my dad had taken it on his commute since my family shared cars (due to a lack thereof), and ended up sliding off the icy road into a ditch. Totaling the car.
A year later and I now own a 1996 9000 Aero (also 5spd manual) and I already have plans to get another Saab. Love these things to death. The 9000 is just as fast as modern WRXs and handles very well even on its stock suspension (though the body roll is hilarious)
2:16 james is just a chill guy really
As a current owner of a running and driving widebody Starion, yeah. You can't find parts unless you're going through one of the two or three guys who buy up every parts car in the country and then charge you "I need it now" prices. But anything routine maintenance wise (seals/bushings/etc) are readily available.
There's easily probably less than 3k of these things out on the road in the US. I think we've got like 10k members on the largest FB group and maybe only 100 or so actually have running and driving examples (at least those who post frequently) and a good chunk of them don't even see the light of day. I take mine out all the time and get loads of stories about people who have owned them or knew someone who had one in the 80s, but they haven't seen one out on the road since then. It's a blast to drive but is super slow by today's standards. Handles great and I can keep up with newer cars in the twisties, it just really doesn't have a lot of oomph to get back up to speed even though the full torque/boost kicks in at 2600ish rpm.
I do think BaT is a bad baseline for price on them, scouring the pages can net you a decent non-runner for $1-3k (that'll take you maybe a winter to get going again) and a good weekend driver for $6-10k (that will give you the occasional issue from 40yo parts going bad). Showroom quality run that $15-30k range. Swapped cars run about $15k for something with average grade fab work. Prices have been creeping up though, and the deal I got on mine just two years ago is unheard of now.
All that being said, I'll probably have this thing for life because it's a truly well fleshed out car when everything is going smoothly. Definitely way ahead of its time.
Are you in San Antonio? I see a slammed red widebody Starion all over the place and it never ceases to amaze me.
Just got a Conquest (non-running) for $1.5K and am picking it up tomorrow! Glad to see it getting the recognition on this channel.
1:00 1988 Saab 900 Turbo was my first car and I can confirm, this is the quintessential cool nerd car. Christmas Eve 2012 it was snowing and I was pulling into an apt parking lot complex for a house party. There were two guys having a smoke outside, I rolled my windows down to increase visibility and I heard the guys say to each other “yo what kinda car is that?” Proud Saab owner moment right there
Rangers, Sonomas, S10s, and the 2wd Tacos were the preferred shop trucks where I live for their entire runs. Ridiculously reliable, cheap to keep on the road, perfect for parts runs and junkyard picks, and (at the time) very car-like gas mileage. Also an underrated nerd truck - the Mazda B series.
I want to love the Mazda B's but couldn't get myself into the styling. Still, one of the cooler small trucks.
@@johntheleprechaun178the styling of the b series always just struck me as a rebadged ranger
And we can't have them anymore. Huge trucks only.
@@boyznthewoodz770 that's because they are
My 99 taco is still on the road at almost 300k on the clock
Volvo 240s are extremely easy to work on, sparkplugs are on top of the engine. A guy told me at a c&c that the sweeds wanted to make a car that lasted 20 year because 20 years is how long a sweed usually keeps a car. Has a galvanized frame and the beforementioned safety cage,
I like the way you did the ad transition for ridge at 8:30 👍
As a owner of both a Volvo 240 and Saab 900 I think it’s awesome your shedding some light onto these awesome Swedish bricks, they are in my opinion some of the best cars to ever be built and they are reliable as hell. having being built for the harsh climate of Sweden really made these cars into the safe tanks they are!
Makes me miss my Volvo 850…
I wasn’t around to get me a 9-5 sportcombi, but I’m pretty happy with my V60CC.
Wagons rule!
Sleepers and nerdy.
My first car was a 2004 Saab 9-5. It was a perfect cool nerd car. It kicked ass, was faster than all of my friends’ 3 series, and no one knew what it was. Love Saab on the list.
I've owned 2 Volvo 240s absolutely love them super reliable easy to work on practical safe and can make them fast AF for little money
Not where I live, pretty much all the cars on the list are expensive where I am, apart from starions - they are relatively plentiful
James: “None of these cars have insane horsepower numbers”
James like 3 seconds earlier: *names a car with over 500 HP and several Nürburgring lap records*
I wrote the outro and improvised adding the gt3 last minute. Lol
500hp is nothing in 2024. Power is democratised in this era.
And the GT3 despite it's buckets of character will get absolutely destroyed an actual supercar. A real supercar that's not a maxed out sports car like the GT3 is.
"Zack Jobe broke one" made me laugh way too hard 😂
How did that happen? Must know plz.
I had to go back and look for this for those who may not have caught this quick blurb it is mentioned at 15:48
IS that what he said? I thought he said "that joke broke one" must b going def...
19:19 Ah yeah, my favorite channel. Beeeeqs.
the z3 coupe is extremely swag, it's like every bmw design of that era morphed together
waddup roman
not a very Sigma opinion, the car is not well-engineered
@@popthepiebad take
we only got the M version in the UK, shame really
@@lloyd-r3k we got the Z4 coupe though, muuuuch better.
my neighbor got broken up with and he bought a coffee roaster, a beer brewing setup, and a gr corrola. rock on, man!
Based.
Healthy af
Got a 2001 Saab 9-5 I bought some months after the maker went bust when many owners freaked out about spare parts and sold them in panic.
It drives well, is a nice place to be and feels reassuringly safe.
It pays to do some pre-emptive maintenance and deal with rust before it spreads (especially in the rear wheelarches... creeping in behind the plastic covers).
Being a nerd and browsing through Saab owner forums for purchasing and repair advice surely helps, so the car surely deserves nerd points!
I'm biased, but the Volvo 240, much like in real life, is being slept-on on your list James. My '85 245 appears mostly stock but is lowered on it's original Virgos. The real spiciness is the engine: T3/T4 top mount turbo, later model Bosch LH engine management, S60R injectors, RSI stage 3 cam, it dynoed at 300hp/306trq. That's not a lot by today's standards but it will put you back in your seat. What I loved the most was low speed roll racing people with their domestic V8 cars. Anything over 55 mph they could beat me but between 10-55mph that thing was ridiculous. Now it sits under my carport waiting for me to put a new clutch kit on on it (home ownership and my daughter now driving hasn't given me much money or time to invest in my non-daily). Love the diversity of the content you've been putting out. Glad you're able to make a living doing what you love.
had no idea R injectors work for redblocks lol. I have an s60r and gave a spare coolant reservoir cap to my buddy with a 240. literally the exact same design
@kylemontano228 Yup. Same Bosch style two pin connectors on the injectors and same relative length. My '85 B21 engine originally came with CIS/Mechanical injection but is now "updated" with later model (740 Turbo) wire harness, ECM and a B230 intake manifold (to accept the fuel injectors). It would definitely benefit from a stand alone but I liked the idea of piecing together and maxing out OE components
7:43 my 93 ford ranger was one of my absolute favorite vehicles I’ve had so far.. with minor upgrades it was peppy and fun to drive, was cheap to repair, and was cheap on gas.. it also drove really nice and it ran sooooo good ❤
I loved my 96, so fun to drive. You can also bolt on a turbo from an older Buick! No adaptor plates or anything. don’t remember which one though it’s been years.
Makes some great extra power, and fun with the manual trans.
I'd add the Fabia vRS to the list,you didnt get it in the states but honestly it's a cool car. Back in 2000s Škoda wanted to have a hot hatch and they created the Fabia vRS powerd with the mighty 1.9TDI (ASZ,aka PD130). 130hp and 310NM of torque,it could do 0-100kmh in "9.3s" (they lied,it could do it in way less). It also beat the Mini Cooper S in Top Gear and it had a better 70-140kmh than a BMW 330i e46. I mean when you look at it it looks like a regular city hatchback with deeper bumpers but it's really tunable,it can easily go to 200ish hp just with a turbo and remap and some go to 450hp and the car weights only 1220kg. It also competed in WRC and it was driven by Colin McRae. I think this could easily be the ultimate cool nerd car. They are also quite cheap these days,you can get them for like 3500-5700 euros. Great vid also.
FORD RANGER MENTIONED RAHHHH 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ya never know what you'll see a Ranger doing 😂 but its usually skits shit
I feel a strong sense of community each time i visit the channel. I've been loving every video!!! Thanks for doing what u do
FACTS
Dawww guuuyyyyyssss
I feel a strong sense of fellowship too
@@shelbydupree6157 feels like bros hanging out
@@SpeeedCo I feel like we’re the fellowship that made it back from Mount Donut and came back to the Shire to chill and mod our wagon😎🤣
Dude, total transparency, your videos put a genuine smile on my face every time. Thank you for being you!
YES the pop up headlights song is back!
The funnest car i've ever owned was a 2002 celica GT-S, front wheel drive with over steer and a 10,000 rpm redline never gets old. Poor mans lotus elise
A poor mans lotus elise is a salvage title lotus elise. A Celica is fwd.
@@Tdfries Or a Toyota MR2 Spyder
@@dln.sweeneythose are really more of a baby elise becouse are still very expensive
@@Tdfries There were also 4WD Celicas.
you poor sheltered soul. a shopping cart with a bent wheel in walmart on black friday is more fun to drive and faster too.
The jack white analogy was so perfect, that guitar is literally plastic junk, and he bought it at a pawn shop for next to nothing. And now you can find an original for under 4k. You never stop amazing me Mr. Pumphrey
He forgot the Honda Del Sol with the Japanese retractable top!! So glad he had BOTHZ of my favorite Corollas on the list though. I've got a '19 E210 Corolla with the 6 speed, so fun to drive! Been drooling over the GR platform since the Yaris but was absolutely stoked when the GR Corolla came out! But mine will have to do for now lol
I resonate with this list strongly and I got a VTEC Del Sol as my first project! Not fast/traditionally cool, but unique and so fun to drive
As someone who is as big a guitar nerd as they are a car nerd, I have to say that Jack White's main guitar in The White Stripes was an Airline Jetson, not a Danelectro or Kay. Although he does use a Kay acoustic with a pickup mounted on it for all his slide playing, even today for his solo stuff.
Great video, dude! 👍🏼
I am also a huge guitar nerd and would like to correct you a bit on that. They were called the Airline 'Res-O-Glas', made by Valco in chicago for the mail order retail company Montgomery Ward. Sometimes it was referred to as the 'J.B. Hutto' model because the chicago bluesman supposedly played one preodminantly in the 60's. The one you're referring to is the reissue made by Eastwood guitars which are exact replicas in regard to looks but they have chambered mahogany bodies instead of the original fiberglass hollow body.Just thought to set the record straight, in true nerd fashion :)
I think if this list was to be expanded, the 1988-1991 Honda Prelude would easily be on it. I think it should've been on the list to begin with, but I digress. Its the perfect little 80s sports car, with lots of cool tech and science put into it. The styling is quintessentially 80s, it has the fist globally sold 4 Wheel Steering system ever, the lowest hood line of any FWD car ever, and the same drag coefficient as a Ferrari F40! Such an amazing but overlooked car.
The French invented Front Wheel Drive with the Traction Avante, Issigonis invented Transverse FWD for the mini
Nope. Wrong. Front wheel drive was in cars before that car!
Cord had fwd in the 30s
Surprised that the 944 and especially the 944 turbo S isn't on here considering it may be the coolest unknown nerd car on the planet
Or 928
@@nikoprather or 924
Far from unknown…
@@93_Garage I own an 86 951 and you will not believe me how often I was asked what that "thing" is
unknown?
As someone who owns a Volvo 740 Turbo wagon, dailys a Saab 9-5 SportCombi Aero AND builds Gundam kits, ive never felt so called out by a single video in my life and im not upset in the slightest. All solid choices.
I bought a Saab 9-3 coupe in May 2023. This particular car was made in april 2002 and had run 204.000 km. I drove with from my home in the south of the Netherlands to Berlin and back. Then I drove it all the way to the very east of the Czech Republic. Only thing that needed work was the exhaust because of too much rust. A total of 200 euros in repair and on we went. I bought it for 1750 euros and 20.000 km on, it just keeps going. They are reliable, quirky and cool. Saab was made for the weirdos, but it draws you in and never lets you go. Im saving up for a 900 now thanks to your videos! Thank you!
I worked at a Saab/Cadillac dealer in high school and initially thought Saabs were weird and cars for losers that went to one dealership to buy a new car and it happened to be Saab. I was just flat wrong. Definitely saw some odd people, but even as an unsophisticated high schooler as I got to drive more of them I actually really liked them (mainly 9-3 & 9-5) and appreciated the quirkiness/fun factor. Especially any of the manual 2.0T or Aero models - I loved driving those. The 2003-2007 9-3's are probably my favorite and were actually pretty quick in period (not sure if your 2002 would've been a 2003 model across the pond here).
Today I appreciate even more the uniqueness of cars and Saab had that in spades, even into the mid-2000's. That said, every Saab seemed to have huge problems with lower quality gas for some reason: that's when gas prices were insane here in the US and people were using the cheapest they could find.
To me, the ultimate cool nerdy cars come from Volkswagen. Specifically, the Mk1 Scirocco the Mk2 Golf gti. Wagons as well, and they are so underrated. Volvo and Audi have some insanely cool wagons. Lower it, put some bbs wheels on it, and call it a day.
The best wagon has to go to the mitsubishi VR-4 Legnum. Twin turbo V6 with active yaw control, awd, and a 0-100 of 5 seconds, in a car that can carry your whole family and still have more boot space than most new utes
james owns a scirocco and a golf as well
@@messyg-tar2251 good luck finding one though. I love those.
Corrado G60 is the ultimate nerd FWD. So much technical badassery and so many things done wrong that a proper nerd can fix.
Wagons. I get very overexcited whenever I see a 5-cylinder 80s Audi 100/200 avant for sale. Very nearly went for it on too many occasions. BBS definitely
Finally, some Starion/Conquest/Starquest representation. I'm restoring one that's been off the road for 22 years, and there's so many weird design choices. It's basically a turbo truck motor. Forged crank and rods from the factory. Way more torque than herspers. Truck steering box instead of rack & pinion. Hubs integrated into the struts. Throttle body fuel injection. So much of it is ahead of its time, so much is kinda antiquated. Parts are still definitely out there, but you're stuck rebuilding instead of buying new/reman units for things like steering, oil pumps, etc.
Heck yea dude
0:44 ZELTRON!!
17:56 Bruh you had me scratching my head before you even announced that #1, I knew what it was the moment you showed us the silhouette
15:59 - the Corolla GR isn’t in WRC. It isn’t a rally car. The Yaris GR, is. And we don’t have that in the US.
1985 Nissan 300 ZX got snubbed. Just take a look at the wedgieness of it, the t-top convertible roof, and the 80s futuristic interior with digital dash... Absolute 🔥
The z31 needs to stay unknown or else the prices are gonna go through the roof lmao
@@Bradum my friend who looks dead on for Mclovin has an LS 300ZX.
So this is correct. Nerdy as they come
That's a cool car, full stop. Not a nerdy cool car.
@@tsubadaikhan6332 sorry, it's on the list. Nerdy car
@@GatorGamerDude its to late prices have already jumped soon after i bought mine
Praying for some C30 recognition 🙏🙏🙏
Great cars. I hope not so they stay cheap.
@@deekster4457true but I want people to know
Any P2 Volvo in my opinion, but the xc70 is my favourite I've had 4. now I have 2 xc70 on my driveway at the moment
@@gopro204 oh absolutely
@Aaron_Lindenberg I've had an 04 s60r and 2 240s. My first was an 83 wagon. The one I currently have is a 93 sedan being turbo LS swapped lol. Love my volvos. But I miss when 240s were affordable. And I can't touch a 6 speed v70r or s60r in any running and driving condition for under $10000
1:47 I had seven Saab 900s back in the day. Best car evarrr.
8:00 JAMES DAD LORE ALERT 🚨 🚨
If you want a Starion, you can double your luck by looking at the Conquest as well. It was the Chrysler version, but it was the same car. Basically the predecessors to the 3000GT/Stealth.
2:58 I said it with you outloud. I know it’s iconic , but I never heard of it before I started watching donut back in the day
The Danger Ranger is not joke man, those little trucks just don’t give up lol
James is a real one for that My Chem shirt💯💯
I neeeeeeeed itttttttttt
RIP to their drummer
The Volvo 850 t5 had a drag coefficient of 0.29 that's better than 90% of the current vehicles. My dog used to drive his 850 t5 and wow, once it got to about 70 it's like doc turned on the thrusters and it would get over 30 mpg at 90 +! Also you can't forget about that awesome trailing arms / connected rear steer airplane strut fiberglass thingy magic.
100% on the GRC. Pretty much any car you buy for specs alone is nerd, and I'm here for it!
Saab hate comes from someone that's never driven a Saab 900 Turbo with a 5 speed. The born from jets, yes fine, but there was a commercial of one of these being dropped on its roof and it did not cave in. Saab by the way s were incredibly over engineered on purpose and there's a reason that they're called architects cars. They're ugly but they're insane to drive. They handle incredibly. They teach you about torque steer like no other vehicle does. If you've ever done a drop-in clutch then you know what I'm talking about.
Agreed, they are a blast
"Minis invented front-wheel drive."
Citroën Traction Avant has entered the chat.
Hell yeah on the Ford Ranger! I had a '92 with the 6-foot bed and a shell and it was awesome!
Thankful for this channel
Same! I just discovered Donut a few weeks ago and James quickly became my best internet friend 😂
This channel has some of the most personality I've ever seen on youtube. Very clear passion for the work and for creativity. Subbed off of vibes alone.
14:14 "i can not think of a nerdier engine, except maybe a rotary"
me: *laughing in Mazda FC RX7*
As someone who grew up next to Sweden, I saw Saab's and Volvo's everywhere. 😄
If you wanna go for the really cool models, you gotta go for
- Volvo 850 T-5R
- Saab 93 Viggen
- Saab 900 Aero
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving
You too!
I own a Volvo and Saab community for younger people in Sydney, Australia (I'm 21). This video sums up our little group of ~16 cars 🤣
I was always told Saab Key was in the middle because they used to be an airplane company and that’s where airplanes used to have the keys. A style harkening back to their heritage.
Airplanes have keys?
@@SpeeedCoActually, yes!🤓
@@SpeeedCoApprentice Airframe Mechanic here, yes they do for the magneto's, but they generally are not in the middle. They're typically on the instrument panel directly next to or on the magneto's themselves
Now im imagining a huge bowl for keys ( John wick style) on an aircraft carrier. Plus I thought your dad drove a hi luxe into the ocean on purpose James.
It's safety, less likely to smash your knee in a collision. Kinda convenient too though. Not great in the shit can drop in there kinda way.
As a non-car-guy, I absolutely love these videos. Brb buying a weird Saab
Get a 5cyl Volvo, easier to find parts for most models, I own a 850 and I love it
The Z3 Coupe is what made me actually get a BMW (87 327es). I always loved the clown shoe look. One day I'll get one. I want to engine swap one so badly.
Anyone else think James looks mad healthy?
You're so at home talking cars. I like your other lists, but you were born to do this right here.
love this new channel, it somehow covers not only car stuff but all the other random niche interests I have!
I’d add the Golf R32 - it’s in the same category as the GR Corolla - in fact hot hatches, especially the limited production peak performance models are peak cool nerd cars.
Golf R’s are actually more nerdish cars then Gr Corolla in my opinion
Packed with technology,looks subtle but okay,reliable (considering Vw’s standards and the disaster that happened with gr corolla’s) and can be tuned extreme numbers with little tuning
You nailed the Mini. Two of the nerdiest people I know (who don’t know each other) drive Minis.
Ok! Did you really have to throw the most beautiful message there at the end?!! Make a grown man cry??!!! Bravo James. Bravo. Love your videos guys. Keep em coming!
If you want a cool nerd car that is unknown to most car people, get a Saab 9-7x aero, they only made about 500 of them with the aero trim. It’s mechanically identical to the Chevrolet Trailblazer SS, except it’s got more options & a better build quality. I’ve owned several of these, they’re pretty quick despite weighing 5500 lbs, they come with an LS2 6.0 V8, Torsen AWD & 4.10 gearing. Nobody knows what they are & you can get one for about $7-$10K.
I'm with the guy that suggested the scion xb
Or honda element. Interior cargo space ftw
Or the stealth Scion...the Corolla Rumion :D
@esaedvik i actually prefer the toyota bb open deck and will actually be my first 25 year important vehicle soon!
3:40 The Volvo R variants were no joke. Wicked fast.
i am so glad this became it`s own channel
The station wagon is cool. It's practical, it's not oversized. Magnificent
Glad I find this channel man , really good content brother . Now I wanna try to find more channels with this vibe !!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽
13:59
The Pheaton as well as the 1st gen Tuareg also came with a 5.0L V-10 turbodiesel option. I bought one in college and I still have it. I love that truck so much- yes, it is a truck, I don't care what y'all say, the 1st gen Tuareg is a truck. Mine had the V-10 TDI, a rear diff lock, air suspension, disengaging anti-roll bars, auxiliary hookups from the air compressor, part-time 4WD, and it could tow 11,000 lbs. Yes, it will cost at least $1000 at any shop just for a diagnosis, and parts are hard to source in North America, but it was extremely reliable, and towed like an absolute beast. One time, I challenged my friend who had a 6.0L Powerstroke Excursion to a tug-o'-war, and the VW pulled him without breaking a sweat.
You get all that off-road and towing prowess while also in the comfort of heated and massaging vinyl seats, a 12-disc CD changer AND iPod hookup, the finest in early 2000's vinyl wood trim, and a MASSIVE sunroof. The rear hatch space is quite roomy as well. With the backseats folded down, you could easily get a twin or a full air mattress in the back for activities 😏. You even have built-in on-demand air to fill it up.
Also, just like with any older VW TDI, you could tune it to roll coal for days. Once I got pulled over because my taillights were out, but they actually weren't out. The back of my car was so dirty from rolling coal that the officer couldn't see my taillights. I was let off with a warning.
They're fast as hell, too. In 4H, that thing launched like a stabbed rat from all that torque.
2004 VW Tuareg TDI, best mid-size SUV ever. Super nerdy, but it's the cool kind of nerdy. It's like the shy and understated computer lab nerd that also lifts and plays hockey.
Can you make a list of vehicles you consider to be a good buy for any price? Or even a list of vehicles you would recommend that are usually under $10,000 any year
Lexus ls430 is the answer. Rwd v8, reliable, comfy
So about the Phaeton:
The cooler engine option instead of the W12 is the 5.0 V10 Diesel. It's unreliable, but oh god the POWER!! If you remove the speed limiter, the V10 TDI will get you to 310 kph (185 mph).
You have to be a special kind of person to want to have this engine and maintain it.
10:54 - he said it! Yes! Yes! Yeeees! #popupupanddownheadlights
Can't forget the "American version" of the Starion the Chrysler Conquest!
I have my 97 volvo 85p glt , a bunch of features for that time, exotic and sport mode,winter mode. Driving it in l.a when it rains is so fun it doesn't slide and handles the rain like a champ
01:55 look mum I'm famous!
Real
Ford MFing Ranger!
I love how the Starion is so obscure that even its promotional photos are are so much lower res than the rest of these cars.
And I'm glad to see that my nerd status is confirmed by the same. Back in college, because I liked the 944 and I liked the Delorean but I only had like $500, I went out and got one of the even more obscure versions of the Starion, the ChRySlEr!? Conquest. One of the earliest cars to have a turbo, and one of the earliest fuel injected cars. There were vacuum hoses everywhere. The thing never ran right, and literally caught fire one time while I was working on it in a parking lot. But from just the right angle, it's gorgeous. And you'll probably never see someone else driving one on the street, and that's what makes it cool to me.
That Tshirt broo....SAVAGE!!! LOL
What about a Subaru outback! So nerdy I have two of them
12:04 - "Cool-looking in an off-putting way. like Adam Driver or Adrian Brody"
this is so funny to me because those are two of my wife's celebrity crushes. she says I look like them. 😅
3:14 damn, he's a chill ass guy
I must be a nerd. I’ve owned the Mini JCW, a Volvo 24X wagon, a Ranger p/u and I had a Conquest that we bought new in 1988. I’m currently trying to sell my G8 GT so I can buy a Z3 coupe. When I bought the G8 a few years back the Z3 coupes were a bit too much for my budget.
Saw a z3 M coupe the other day with a dog grille in the back. Literally the coolest dog car ever!
2:47 so, Saab definitely a face only a mother could love💀more like a professor 😅😂