Rad '80s/'90s Cars You Should Buy Now!

[@HelloRoad]

Which rad car from the '80s or '90s would you want in your garage?

[@EMdemo]

The NX always intrigued me. We had a 95 se-r but like the one in the video, it was an auto.

[@sanman1188]

I already have an SW20 mr2 in the garage. Would like a YJ wrangler, Isuzu Amigo or Rav4 convertible.

[@FWDSUXARSE]

Already have my 4th Gen fbody but would love an RX7, another Supra or MR2.

[@sehismith]

I loved my 1984 Isuzu Impulse. It ALWAYS got lots of looks. We drive it for 177,000 miles. The single front wiper always amused me, and the instrument pods were cool.

[@Ld28]

I have a 1982 Datsun Maxima diesel 5 speed in my garage And a 1993 Mercedes 300sd w140 turbodiesel

[@andrewhopkins1010]

Back in the late 80s/early 90s a guy at my church had a first gen Impulse. I loved that car.

[@nolarobert]

I needed a cheap car in the late 90s and found a high-mileage Isuzu Impulse for $500. I loved how it looked and it appeared to be in good condition. I convinced myself that I could take this Impulse back to Warp speed but it just wasn't meant to be. I took the Impulse to a mechanic who gave me a laundry list of issues the engine had that would cost a few thousand dollars to repair. I didn't have the money so I junked it. The lesson here is never to buy an Impulse on impulse.

[@keelay1977]

That VW Fox with quad headlights had BMW 5-series headlights and marker lights stuck on it somehow

[@HelloRoad]

Weird!

[@smartkid1201]

Even thought I grew up in the 90's, I've always had a soft spot for the Mitsubishi/Chrysler Starion/Conquests twins. They(87-89) still look good today.

[@johnmoser2689]

I have a good friend who still has his Starion it's awesome.... much better than the Conquest

[@nobodynothing6551]

Anyone buying a Laser has a project on their hands regardless

[@adamogden5212]

that's any old car

[@boosted_spirit]

Chrysler or Plymouth laser?? Chrysler Laser is probably more reliable because it's all Mopar stuff I stead of Mitsubishi

[@zeroswings2]

​@@boosted_spiritI think it's also the Dodge Daytona

[@racerx9931]

Sold my Daytona Shelby back in 2020, it was clean, made all the turbo noises and fun to be seen in, still needed work.. Sold "as is" and the buyer definitely bought a project. Cool cars tho!

[@johnwillimott8122]

I still have my 1990 VW Corrado G60 supercharged! Love it!!!

[@TheDarthSoldier]

I have mine too! Bright yellow

[@davidsherrick898]

My 1988 Alfa Romeo Milano just got back from the shop! It's definitely rad!

[@my1vice]

An Alfa in the shop? lol

[@Kerleem]

Oh man, an awesome trip down memory lane with some of these! Nice video!

[@HelloRoad]

Thanks!!! :) :)

[@raymonwhite3340]

Had a gen 1 Impulse and loved it. It was fun in the curves and just looked different. Miss that car all the time.

[@mjrtensepian1727]

That white nx2000 in WA was in my FB saved list for a minute. Neat car, great European-y stying.

[@robertngreen6]

I love these videos when you search for survivors for sale today. Some very interesting choices here!

[@ivanloyalty3439]

I still got my 1990 Mazda mx6 gt

[@matthewgaines10]

Always liked those.

[@hectorae86]

Yes, I have lusted after the Isuzu for quite a while.... Love that thing

[@danielarias2212]

I have a 1992 Fox! Not running but thanks for the inspiration to get it back up

[@sanman1188]

The issue with most of these is going to be finding parts. Curious to hear about that as I feel that is the biggest challenge with Radwood era cars.

[@osvaldovidela6466]

Except for the Fox if you have people down in brazil or argentina, they sold quite well down here, so OEM and aftermarket support is always good.

[@hachiroku8677]

@@osvaldovidela6466 The VW Fox sold in the US was very different than the one sold in Brazil (VW made over 2,000 adaptations to make it comply with US law). You may easily find some mechanical parts in South America for cheap, but most cars sold there never had EFI. On top of that, headlights, side markers, and bumpers were exclusive to the North American market. If you can't find North American spec exterior components for your Fox, you must downgrade to South American ones.

[@Lon1001]

So many unique cars and especially a lot of "sportscar-inspired" sporty coupes that were fun to drive and be seen in. I miss my Fiero and wish I had somewhere I could have just kept it to tinker on and drive once in awhile. An ex GF had a little Pulsar NX SE that was fantastic.

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

The VW Fox 2-door wagon was a fantastic car. I drove a 5-speed one as an auto-parts delivery car back in the very early 1990s, great fun.

[@SPcamert]

You pronounced Schenectady correctly! As an upstate New Yorker that warms my heart.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

Always awesome to watch ... I Thank You!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Ethan, As we survey the options listed here, it occurs to me you need to learn to overcome your 'impulses'. 😉

[@donaldclary846]

I graduated college in 1993 and immediately bought a 1993 Nissan NX1600, brand new, with a 5-speed manual... for $9,995. I LOVED the t-tops! In 2012, I bought a Pearl White 1992 Allante - GREAT car!

[@gsilva220]

In Brazil, the fox with the sedan rear end (2 and 4 door) is called _Voyage,_ and the 2 door wagon is called _Parati._ The _Gol_ is the 2 door hatchback, which never went to the US. These cars have a legion of fans in Brazil, nice to see them in this list!

[@hollybirge4087]

My brother had an 73 Impulse he bought in 84. He kept it for five years and loved it

[@royperry2859]

Of the listed cars I liked the Isuzu Impulse and the Cadillac Allante. The 1980s were a great period for cars!

[@BlackTownie999]

Ford Panther Platform, ANY model...The parts interchange is a huge bonus....And it's got a little aftermarket support too...

[@newerafrican]

A good friend of mine was instrumental in high speed testing the Allante in Germany. We visited them in 1991and got to drive one for a few days in southern Bavaria. Was cruising for a few minutes at about 120 mph (250 kph) on an open section of the autobahn until my wife protested (we had 2 little ones at home staying with grandma), so I slowed down to about 90mph. Definitely a capable car. I think the one we drove had the Northstar V-8. Quite an experience!

[@punchbuggy13]

The Volkswagen Fox seems super cool! Can't believe I don't remember hearing of it at all. I like that they seem to have tried to have it replace the Beetle, but we all know that's an impossible task. That one Fox looks like its front end was switched with a mid-80's Golf's front end?

[@ThriftMachine]

Look into the Mitsubishi Starion Chrysler Conquest before they are put of reach, they are exploding in value lately

[@danieldaniels7571]

I had one of those (a Starion) back in the mid-90s. I loved that thing!

[@SteveLowtwait]

My dad bought a Chrysler Laser new in 1984. It was gold over a tan interior, stick shift, had the digital dash, and those swiss cheese wheels. It was very cool and I loved when my dad dropped me off at school in it.

[@DoesItTho]

Sweet musicals! Dope rides. Good times.

[@jameschestnut7786]

I had an 88 Isuzu impulse turbo in charcoal silver. That car was awesome 👌.

[@350zlover2]

Would love to have a Lexus LS400, Acura Legend and a 88 Buick Rivera

[@nutandboltguy3720]

I might have a 98 LS400 for sale soon.

[@joeyfoureyes98]

Pontiac Fiero is super underrated! Very nice ones are well under 10 grand. Parts are dirt cheap and you'll get plenty of looks.

[@350zlover2]

I agree! Fiero is a very nice vehicle to own as a toy! They still look modern.

[@TheDarthSoldier]

Hopefully it doesn't catch fire

[@djkenny1202]

I see early ones with only 30k under $3500. You want to swap out that 🔥 engine.

[@leonel1982]

I love that Impulse's control cluster

[@donkeytime1704]

There's such a cool factor of owning a vehicle from that era, especially if you've lived it. Many vehicles, especially if the vehicle is an import, could be challenging to find parts for many of these vehicles. I have a 1990 ford ranger extended cab and we're in the middle of doing a V8 swap, putting in a 5.0 HO EFI from that era and fortunately it's still easy to get parts for that engine design since it's still popular. I was born in 1970, so my entire teenage life was from that time and it's so cool now that I can have a moment to return there when going for a drive in my old truck with the windows down and cranking out an old 80's tune. Just the form of therapy that I need from time to time.

[@jasonshull3106]

I love my 1989 Audi 100 Quattro. 4 doors, 5 speed, and BBS wheels from the factory.

[@matthewgaines10]

Very nice.

[@OCDRex11]

Great concept for the channel. I like the content very much as well (80's kid here)! Off to watch the purple Probe one now. PS, I have owned about a 1/4 of the cars you have but am no longer running around and buying them. Made it to my 40's, bought a C5 Z06, and I have stopped. But I will tell you, that I'll never stop looking!

[@josueleyva413]

Had a coworker old G that owns a NX2000 in shafter CA since I saw I felt in love with the design and it was 1991 bet he still drives to work .

[@brianbaney2360]

Hay i had a 1992 mx6 gt turbo just another fun sports car that never gets talked about

[@ghost21501]

My uncle had a Fox when we immigrated to the US. 8 year old me thought it was so cool. My dad only had an Accord.

[@autochatter]

Was laughing at all the Fox models listings as a automatic but were not. They were all manual for sale here, which was part of the reason sales were not great.

[@HelloRoad]

Haha yep good point!

[@loosemeatsamich3689]

My first car was a 93 vw fox Wolfsburg. One of the best cars I’ve owned.

[@VirtualRyders]

I can only think of the Bundy Bounce when I see that Caddy. "The Allanteee!!!"

[@nycmaverick]

I I had a 1985 Impulse turbo. Very well made. Mine lasted 235k nice clutch and shifter feel.

[@dallisb1047]

My ex had an NX 1600. It was fun to drive. Would love to have a 2000!

[@frankiemck40]

I had a 1983 Impulse. So many questions about that car. It was a real head turner.

[@voxromantic3340]

1982 Datsun 200 ZX!❤ It talked!😂 “Your door is ajar, Ding”

[@DocZoidberg549]

Don't have any cars, but I love my late 90's GM OBS trucks.

[@jefferysmith3930]

Ethan, you’re a man after my own heart. I had a 2dr. ‘87 Fox bought used in ‘89. I loved that thing. It took a lot of abuse from 19-20 year old me. Fast forward a few years (and a few cars) and I bought a new 5 spd. White 93 Sentra SE-R, a car I had coveted since its launch in ‘91. I wish I still had it. A few months later, on my recommendation, my girlfriend (now wife) traded her ‘88 Cavalier Z24 on a low mileage one year old 92 NX2000 in Ruby Pearl that we found at a local Buick!!?? Dealership. It was unfortunately an automatic, but still a great fun little car. We used the T-tops whenever weather permitted. Another car I wish we still owned…though maybe a 5 spd.

[@nutandboltguy3720]

I want that $4,000 Chrysler Conquest if it’s running and manual transmission.

[@stephenbacks3100]

Love the first gen Impulse, as I had an epic college road trip in one back in the early 90s. Parts were hard to get then, as most were exclusive to the Impulse. So if you get one, get the best you can find.

[@siamiam]

ive owned a first gen impulse turbo and a 2nd gen awd turbo , both were fun but really hard to maintain because parts were hard to find even back in the 90s i tried to get a Sera for decades and when they were finally legal to import i came close to getting one then doug demuro made a video on one and they shot up in price the NX200s were a really fun pocket rocket the allantes were nice cruisers, id suggest a non northstar one, less power but more reliable , honestly id get a buick reatta over one

[@tomhughes6486]

Great video. I loved the MX-3 that I had. Still kicking myself for selling it.

[@jeremyb456]

I would take the Isuzu impulse as they are very rare and I love the half pop-up headlights. Finding parts would be challenging

[@ghost21501]

I like the Allante vibes. I could see myself cruising in it on some bags.

[@FlowStateNewOrleans]

So many of these cars, I remember from my 86-90 high school parking lot. I've always loved the Allante and if I were ever seriously going to look at buying something from that list, it would probably be one of those. If I were ever going to look for an NX, it would be the Pulsar, not the 1600 or 2000.

[@davedelarosa319]

I had a Fox wagon, my sister had an NX2000. And I have a soft spot for the Impulse as its basically a Japanese take on a mk1 Scirocco, of which I also had.

[@courtney5796]

After I totaled my '83 Rx7, I was so close to getting a Chrysler Laser. By age 19 I had already wrecked one car and one motorcycle, so I opted for an '88 Plymouth Reliant instead. I got lucky with it, 185,000 when I sold it. Just oil changes and brakes.

[@rosskramer5296]

wow, all of these cars are on my bucket list (which has already included 50 cars). But the one I have wanted my whole life is the Gen1 Isuzu Impulse. I remember seeing it on the cover of Road & Track back in 1983 and the design blew me away then, and it still looks great today: pop-up headlights, flush-mounted windows and a sexy Pininfarina design. Sign me up!

[@comjanatl]

daytona cs was great l used to own rabbit gti, 944, vettes in mine

[@autochatter]

Does seem criminal to not have a Suzuki X90 on this list!

[@HelloRoad]

Haha I included that in a previous video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/an3CmnSiod92epo

[@autochatter]

​@@HelloRoad So I see...Touche! 😅

[@GABRIEL_CRAFT]

I watched the video in its entirety liked it and I'm respectfully suggesting that the Nova twin cam could be such a great draw to your channel with a few mods and maintenance videos😊✨

[@lonsullivan5047]

I have a 1991 Dodge Shadow convertible that I rescued. It's laughably slow and the body twists more than it can handle a winding road, but I love it. I have my eye on 1991 Mazda 626 GT hatchback, but I've been offered a great deal on a 1989 Mazda RX7 convertible that I can't pass up. Oh if only I had unlimited funds I'd own unlimited 80's & 90's cars! LOL

[@JeffCagle-xc9li]

I'll take you 1991 Dodge Shadow conv. . You don't know how to fix it up. I had a 1992 Dodge Shadow ES and I blew away a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup by almost 3 car lengths .

[@djkenny1202]

The cowl shake and structure rigidity is a mess on GM 90’s small verts.

[@christianboyd4635]

My friend had a second gen Eagle Talon TSI and it was really fast and cool, loved it. My ex girlfriend had a VW Fox and it was just a baby Jetta it was a pretty good car.

[@MrKydaman]

I'd love a 91 Prelude.

[@paulhardman2515]

I currently have for sale what I consider to be a very cool but slept on car. A 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. Black on black with only 31.5k original miles. 32V DOHC 4.6 liter V8 with 290 horsepower. Same engine they later put in the Cobra Mustangs. This car is in like new condition. Power everything and damn quick.

[@adamogden5212]

my whole fleet is 80s and 90s gems I daily a 1994 cadillac seville SLS and she has been great! northstar and all.

[@TarawaS2000]

Those NX2000 instrument clusters are worth a ton of money. Probably buy those dilapidated ones, sell the cluster, and make most of the money back.

[@tenkarabadger5244]

Great list.The NX2000 is the winner!

[@chuckwhitson654]

Isuzu impulse turbo (rwd 1st gen) are awesome. Suspension by lotus. I had one and it was a really cool car

[@vortecmacs]

Go get the Laser. I’ll watch all the videos you make on it.

[@christianboyd4635]

I had an 84 Impulse in white, I loved the way it looked but it was kind of a pos and had a lot of issues. The interior was crazy futuristic and cool too.

[@der_pinguin44]

Impulse underpinnings come from the Isuzu Gemini. The Chevette was like the first cousin; related, but not directly.

[@mrjsv4935]

Interesting cars and the Nissan indeed might be my choice too, it was called Nissan 100NX here in Europe. Loved these little sporty Coupes from Nissan and Mazda. Subaru SVX was quite unusual Coupe as well in the early 90's with the concept car styling.

[@mishasamorodin9150]

Love the toyota Sera. I've seen on in my hometown of Vancouver once.

[@rovervitesse1985]

Bought a Rover SD1 Vitesse in ‘05 as my first. Sold it for almost 10x the buying price

[@john_toss]

To find a clean non rusty 80/90's cars like these, you have to go out west or go down south. Even the PNW has cars that are relatively rust free

[@nlpnt]

All VW Foxes were manual, there was never an automatic option for them. 4-speed across the board at first, at that. A 5-speed was included on the 2-door "GL Sport" for 1988, expanded to the "regular" GL 4-door and wagon for '89. Even so, the Fox kept VW alive in America for a time in the early '90s when the Golf-Jetta III for the US market was suffering interminable delays.

[@Francois_L_7933]

If you want the ultimate in odd cars, try and find an Innocenti De Tomaso. It was designed by Bertone, so you'd be tempted to think sports car... Nope, this is a boxy sporty economy car from the late 80's. All of them came with world class Italian engineering, so that says a lot about reliability 😁

[@The49ersOwn]

This barely qualifies, being first produced in October 1999, but I would import a SEAT Leon. I've always been intrigued by the unique aesthetic, the five door hatchback layout, and the fact that we never got Spanish cars in the U.S. Here's hoping it's old enough for Radwood because I would love to roll up to the show in one as a left field entry.

[@hayden6056]

Piazza turbos are rad for sure!

[@RISCGames]

I want that Izuzu Impulse now!

[@Staatus_Quo]

This is a list of cars I, my family, and friends have owned/wanted to own. My dad had an silver 84 Impulse with the quarter pop-up lights. It was the early 90's when we got it, I was in junior high, and for some reason other students thought it was a DeLorean... I may not have corrected those people. 😂 My friend Chris had a Laser with the "Voice Chimes" and every few minutes would announce "Your washer fluid is low." 😂 I had a Daytona. My aunt had a Fox. My dad's friend had a NX2000. And oh god. The Caddy Alante. What a wild thing those were when new. My father's client had one, and I remembered that whenever he had an appointment at our shop, everyone stared at it, customers and employees, as it was such a wild car for it's time!

[@anselpeneloperainblossom-s3489]

My father collected them. They were “neat” but I HATED driving them. The hydroboost brakes in those never felt right. Even in the one he bought new.

[@idletime]

G'afternoon Ethan 🤠 . I had a cousin to the laser, an 87' Daytona turbo Z w/ the 2.2L & 12 lb turbo that Dodge sourced from the TC by Maserati w/ a 5 speed stick. For what it was that car was a lot of fun and damn fast. It was an early non intercooled blow through turbo design and they all suffered from the same flaw. The map sensors were faulty and when they would die it would let the turbos spool up until they were glowing red hot and they would catch the fuel return line on fire and they would burn up. That's why there were so many of them that were all toasted in the junkyards 🙃 ..

[@HelloRoad]

😮

[@Yourmission9]

Ethan I was thinking about you yesterday, picked up an ‘06 Subaru Legacy wagon with a manual, and 277k miles and I was like “It’s official, I watch too much Hello Road”

[@HelloRoad]

😆😄

[@rile_up]

I did the "smart" thing a got 2 Pulsar NXs (both projects) one with the sportbak. Those are wildly weird and interesting to me so I had to get them.

[@urr88]

If I remember, a red Allante was featured in an episode of Married With Children.

[@anselpeneloperainblossom-s3489]

I had an 88 XT6. I’d trade 2 of my grandkids and one of my sons for one. It was a great car

[@Templar50401]

My sister had a VW Fox. I remember that it had a very narrow foot well. Hard to clutch and brake if you have clown feet.

[@aspen9102]

Little correction: The Fox is actually the "Voyage" overseas, not the Gol, while the state is the "Parati". The Gol is just the hatch that wasnt sold in NA

[@sinistarmr2]

I know in a previous video you said it was the worst car you've ever owned, but I'd really like to see you acquire another Scirocco 16V, and do some corresponding videos about being reacquainted for hopefully a better experience the second time around. (Almost thought one was included in this video, because that Impulse styling is so similar at first glance!)

[@vadneysean72]

Kelly Bundy presenting the Cadillac Alante. A guy about a mile up the road has one.

[@TheDarthSoldier]

VW corrado and scirocco are awesome cars to get your hands on

[@Lipelouco]

The VW Fox in Brazil is called Voyage.

[@big2868]

Greetings from Glenn in Cleveland! I don't care for any of these cars. I always drove a higher end GM cars in the 80's and 90's. However, I always wanted a "95 Olds Cutlass Supreme Convertible with the built in roll bar in triple white.

[@linkloudenback8359]

I’d say that years after not having it I’d might like to have a GEO Storm.

[@Gr8thxAlot]

I had a chance to buy a Fox wagon back in the mid-1990's. It was so cool looking, and I still regret not buying it. I'm not sure how well it would have held up with a daily commute, though.

[@mexicanspec]

You dodged a bullet.

[@Gr8thxAlot]

@@mexicanspec Good to know! I thought that might be the case.

[@mexicanspec]

@@Gr8thxAlot A friend of mine bought a new one. A mechanic at the dealership told her to sell it before it got to 60,000 miles. I will take the mechanics word for it that they won't go much farther than that.

[@jbondbmw]

I had a co-worker that bought a used Allante about 10 years ago. He mentioned finding parts were a nightmare. He was an older guy though, so maybe its not so bad searching online. I am considering selling my JZX90 Chaser for an Aston DB7, so I guess I am looking for different car ownership pain, haha.

[@samuelsabo9493]

Supercharged Riviera is awesome, hell all the 90s Buicks are imo