Back in December of 2009, I walked around the parking lot of the Eugene Holiday Mart, to see what a random moment in time at this even would yield. The result was 80 cars shot. I decided to visit again this past Sunday, and not surprisingly, there weren’t quite as many. Time marches on, and the economy here has been very good. But that’s not to say there weren’t still plenty of worthy shots. And this time I shot more multiple cars.
So how many CCs do you count?
The snow camouflage CVPI – just the thing when you are being pursued by a drone in the middle of January.
Looks lethal towards pedestrians and bicyclists.
Our police is not very efficient here, but this car would not last a day in traffic here before losing the license plates.
Why would the police try and take the guy’s license plates for doing a “snow camo” paint job and putting some Mustang wheels and driving lights on it? That push bar is what came with the car when the agency sold it at auction. If they didn’t want civilians driving them with the push bar then they would remove them before sale. Note many agencies used to remove the push bar on their Crown Vics to put them on the replacement vehicle, not to keep them out of civilian hands and now that there are no replacement Crown Vics they are sent to auction with them.
I don’t know if it’s so much the push bar as the jagged “teeth” he’s added to it. Then again, in many other countries, the entire push bar would probably be illegal for non-police use. Also many such driving lights are pretty clearly marketed for “off-road use only” to avoid having to meet certification requirements, and as such might require covers if you want to be a stickler.
I doubt the paint or wheels would be a problem anywhere (i hope!)
Yeah the teeth might draw some attention. I can’t say I’ve seen that many driving lights on the market that are marked for off road use only but if they are that doesn’t mean they would have to be covered, just not used on road. Now if they are mounted above the level of the headlights then in my state they have to be covered when the vehicle is on the road regardless of whether they are DOT approved or not.
The shark teeths are a real “killer”, but the push bar would be too perfect for criminals to run the car through shop windows.
That is why many shops facing parking lots have posts of iron or rock outside the shop windows to prevent thieves to brake the window.
Even with posts outside, I saw a shop yesterday with the window smashed.
Any car can drive through the windows and if you are doing that kind of crime you probably steal a car for the job and then leave it in the store or on the side of the street near where they parked their own car.
There is no point in using a car, which is not strong enough to handle the crash and back out again, not leaving dna to fingerprints to the police.
The ….. gangs know that.
Don’t tell that to the gangs in California doing vehicular crash & grab (no vehicle left behind) into Apple stores of late.
The vast majority of crash and grabs use a stolen vehicle. You don’t want to use your own car and give the cops a picture of it and then try to drive around in a vehicle with the damaged caused by running it through a store. https://www.facebook.com/ramraidthefts/ You’ll see that in almost every case listed there the vehicle is stolen and is just an everyday vehicle.
I like it!
Wow, very impressive Paul. Still a CC heaven.
As impressive as people’s willingness to keep these cars on the road, I am even more impressed these owners don’t appear to feel the need to drive later model cars for social status reasons. People appear quite comfortable being themselves in the cars they choose. I really appreciate that.
New car isn’t necessary for social status reasons, when people can choose ANY old cars from the past century.
Then comes to the time when a half-track was driven on the road with plate, or people drive a Romanian car around NY, or import a Polish car. ( I assume they have other cars though, given the practibility problems )
Is that really a Dacia, or an old US-market R12 with Dacia badging?
Agreed.
I like the Ford what’s-it’s-face with the dog driver!
I’m curious – are there any new car dealerships in Eugene, or is the area somewhat depressed – not a put-down, but are there any mid or upscale areas in town? I’m talking neighborhoods.
I ask because all the photos I’ve seen on here, those areas don’t seem to exist. Or do you just ignore them?
Eugene does seem to be a down-to-earth city, however, and I hope to visit that part of the country some day.
Yes; we have new car dealerships. 🙂
The economy is quite strong; unemployment is at or below 5%.
Everything sold at this Holiday Mart has to be hand-made; it’s all artisinal, crafts, etc. Hence it attracts a certain crowd, the kind that doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the status of a new car. Why spend the money when a Corolla keeps running forever? It’s not like folks have long commutes here.
There are other parts of Eugene that look more “normal”. Or boring, IMHO. To each rheir own. 🙂
The other thing to keep in mind is that Eugene is a “college town”, home of the Ducks and college students often drive their parents or grand parents hand me downs, not new or near new cars. Sure there are those people who buy their kid a new or near new car to take to college but in general that is less common. The other thing about a college town is that the amount of people looking for part time work keeps the wages down at the low end of the spectrum. Several thousand students looking for a 5-10 hr per week job for beer money means that employers like fast food restaurants don’t have to offer anything more than minimum wage to have tons of applicants for a single job opening.
My kids go to school in Bellingham WA another college town and the disparity of vehicles is very wide. There are lots of new high end cars in that town sitting at the stop light next to the college student’s hand me downs.
One of my Son’s friends from HS that also goes there drives to the next town for his job as a C-store cashier because he makes more money than he would in the college town and can get more than 5 hrs per week. When I lived there I got a job that was technically based in Seattle and payed based on Seattle wages, which meant that I made near twice as much as I had working at a local restaurant or as a cashier at a gas station.
This event doesn’t attract university students. And they generally drive hand-me downs from their parents, like 5-10 year old CUVs and sedans; mostly very boring cars. I rarely see cars like this near the campus. There are many super-high end exotics near campus, due to all the billionaire Chinese sending their kids to the UO. The whole campus scene has changed a lot from the old stereotype of the past. The kids that come to UO are almost inevitably from more affluent families.
Eugene is a classic alternative-culture town. When the “real hippies” moved out of SF in 1968-1970, many came here. And since then. it’s continued to attract a people looking for a certain lifestyle and values.
Every time I hear about Eugene I can’t help but think that Nelson, BC is it’s Canadian equivalent. Subtract about 140 000 people and it sounds like the same place. Transformed in the 70’s by draft dodgers and displaced hippies it’s a really got the alternative culture vibe going on. Mixed in with the usual rednecks and gearheads makes for a CCers heaven.
Most Canadian small towns are rife with low mileage old cars that have never left the area, but the ones that do seem to congregate in Nelson. I’m there at least once a year and I’m always blown away at what I see on the streets. I really ought to take some pics next time, the problem is that I usually spend my short daylight hours skiing. Maybe next time.
Being about your age Paul, and growing up in Berkeley and now living in Santa Cruz, I’m still coming to terms with this major auto-demographic change. Never mind that it’s been 40 years … Here as well you see the older people driving air-cooled Beetles, old American pickups, Volvo 240’s etc … perhaps the same cars they owned as graduate students (undergrads didn’t typically even have cars) or at least the cars they aspired to back then. The students drive a mix of small Korean/Japanese cars or early-2000’s mid- to high-end SUV’s and sedans, presumably hand-me-downs. Faculty and local tech employees hold the middle ground with late-model Outbacks, Priuses, and CRV’s, with the occasional Tesla or AMG Merc. Our local Farmer’s Market is a mostly walki-in or bike-in affair, but CC highlights this week were a Festiva, a first-gen Microbus and a first-gen Tacoma with camper shell, painted all over in a thick pale yellow applied with a very coarse-napped roller, or maybe a broom.
Nice pix Paul ! .
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I too liked the digital camo car and the dog protected Ford….
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Is it fair to assume this is in indoor swap meet ? .
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-Nate
That first generation Camry is a rare sight indeed, hardly any left anymore. It sure looks good for being antique and wonder if it is a stick shift?
https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-043.jpg
I always thought the placement of the badges by the D-pilliar a bit atypical.
https://i1.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-028.jpg
Good catch with the 600, I have only seen two in Portland this year.
https://i1.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-036.jpg
That Green car a Rabbit? I did not realize that body style came with square headlights.
https://i1.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-016.jpg
Cool Crown Vic indeed and I wonder what the owner is like.
https://i2.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-013.jpg
Interesting art on the hood of this Plymouth Grand Voyager and those are either shiny hubcaps or neat looking rims. I assume soneone cares about their Plymouth. The Chevrolet Lumina APV is not very common even in Portland and most Honda Oddysseys I see are not in that pretty Red color. Wonder if these Minivans are still serving their original purpose?
https://i1.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-010.jpg
Previas! So many Previas it is ridiculous. Sure their numbers are dwindling, but they still have a loyal following. Maybe this one would not have a dent if there were not so many stickers on the windshield.
https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CC-311-001.jpg
Good catches here Paul, thank you for the photos.
Yes, the later US-built Rabbits had rectangular headlights.
The one vehicle that was really missing here was the Toyota van; they used to be very common in this crowd. There’s still some around, but the numbers are dwindling. I guess most of their owners have bought Previas. 🙂
Good point Paul about the lack of Toyota Vans, I just noticed. There are still some Toyota Vans in Portland and one household has three, but yea, their numbers are dwindling. I noticed in San Francisco and even in Portland people are starting to utilize Siennas as adventure vehicles as a modern version of a VW Bus once their Van and Previa wear out.
Those Saturn S-series are kind of cockroaches and usually they blend in well.
Looking quickly I can see 3 Previa’s, they looked pretty over-the-top to me when first launched, but now still look clean and fresh.
The silver Escort coupe is completely new to me.
Just been playing the game ‘what would I take home’, I’ll take the aqua Civic 3 door, still a good looking practical car.
The Escort coupe was a NA-only vehicle. Keep in mind that our Escort of this generation was Mazda-323 based, and not the same car as the Escort in the rest of the world.
Two real station wagons parked next to each other. You don’t see that much any more.
The silver Honda Fit and Geo Metro make a good pairing, as do the Lumina APV nosing up to the Grand Voyager.
It looks like early 90s is now the sweet spot in Eugene. 8 years is a long time (in old car years).
A wonderful grouping and several cars that once familiar to me I never see here in CO at all. (Lexus SC for example).
I like the Metro/Fit/Rav pic for some reason and the multiples with various station wagons as well.
During the snow storm up in Portland, I saw something real crazy. An old Volvo wagon with chains mounted on the front wheels.. The owner didn’t know the car was rear drive !!!
And of course when FWD was still relatively less common you would occasionally see people put chains on the rear of those and of course wonder why they still were having problems getting going.
Having lived all over the country, and relocated to Vancouver WA last year, I feel safe in saying that this is the CC daily driver epicenter of the universe. Perusing CL is a pleasant torture, as there are so many cheap and straight daily driver ready cars for sale! In my neighborhood alone there are two 50s Studebaker Pick-ups in use as daily drivers, not at the same location, one AMC Eagle, and a vast array of others.
The Dodge 600 ES is the most impressive find here, at least to me!
Fully concur. Beyond its amazing condition, it has Chrysler’s ‘acclaimed’ pizza wheels.
Those were surprisingly common. My Shelby Charger had them, they were optional on Daytonas & Lancers; I think also Shadows and just about anything turbocharged except a New Yorker. I replaced mine (PO’s tire-balance idiot managed to gouge all four), and the guy at the salvage yard said they were off a Sundance.
I’m almost shocked to see it out and about at this time of year, looks to be more of a summer driver. Maybe the Toyota van wouldn’t start.
It’s a daily driver. I’ve seen it on the street for years here; it used to live close to me. And I shot and did a CC on it some years back; it must have been the other site because I can’t find it here.
Definitely the most impressive (though that little red Sprint in the lead picture is a serious rarity also, at least in my part of the country.)
It is almost identical to a 600 belonging to a friend in college–same color, same pizza wheels. Though the one you found, in 2016, looks to be in better shape than hers was in 1999. And hers wasn’t in bad shape either…
I’ve only seen one 600 in the US, a few years ago. I covered it here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-capsule/curbside-capsule-1983-dodge-600-e-class-with-less-class/
The sedan version was very common in Mexico when I visited though, where they were badged “Dart”
(123 x 3) + (124 x 2) = > classic MB than I see in one month.
That cute little gold Olds Alero looks lost in the crowd.
The guy driving the Festiva looks a little “ruff”.
Looked at this and then back at the 2009 edition. That one seemed to have quite a few more interesting finds, but I guess 7 years ago isn’t exactly just yesterday. (Favorite of those, for me at least, would probably be the lowered Mitsubishi Sigma, but there were lots of candidates).
I did see at least three cars that appeared in both sets though. The tan 245 wagon with the turbine alloys, which can be seen here lurking behind the blue T2, appears in the older set. And the blue Voyager and Lumina APV which are parked nose to nose are both there in the older photos, also apparently parked near each other–fellow artisans perhaps?
Oh, Paul, I would’ve been running out of space on my phone if I’d stumbled into this parking lot!
My first instinct is to go for the Lexus SC but there is something rather quaint and practical about Eugene residents’ fondness for older vehicles. So my second choice would be that early 90s Accord coupe. I dare say that would still make for a very comfortable daily driver, although I’d prefer the sedan.
Oh and anybody who hasn’t seen the original article, go there! My lord, the selections!
Far and away my choice of that lot is the lowered Sigma. I saw one drive past me in Hollywood a couple of months ago and I almost chased it down trying to get a photo. So rare.
An Isuzu Stylus is a rare find! A Dodge Colt wagon in THAT condition?!
I think the same Lumina APV appears in each article. I love those first-gen U-Bodies!
An old Tercel 4wd wagon is also-I had an old school friend whose mother drove one for many years before trading it for a Corolla Seca liftback (think: Toyota Sprinter/first-gen Geo Prizm). The back of those reminded me of an ATM.
So, it is abundantly clear I need to finally visit Oregon!
Living in the land of little to no rust is great for keeping oldies on the road at reasonable cost.
There’s a lot to be said for keeping simple to work on vehicles operating for a few decades.
Great collection of CC rides. The pictured MK2 Golf is the same color as my ’86 Jetta, Polar Silver Metallic is the offical name, but actually more of a gold/beige color. Family had a Plum colored ’95 Saturn SL sedan for about 10 years identical to the one in this parking lot, but it still had it’s proper color hood. Got 267k miles our of the Saturn before the timing chain broke and it was junked. The Jetta is still going strong
on original drivetrain at over 300k miles and 25 years of ownership.
Brother in Florida is still running an ’86 Vanagon, sitting next to his 2013 Leaf. CC’s are few and far between in the neighborhood he lives in.
Very cool! To answer your question, Paul, I can’t…I lost count.
Love the shot of the mint-green VW Rabbit next to its silver descendant from three generations away.
BTW, that NUMMI-built Chevy Nova was almost a ringer for one my parents bought used when I was in high school.
I love them all! What a wonderful and eclectic collection!
It seems van and wagon are very popular in Eugene, OR. And the cars there seem lasting longer than the North East, and people took time to keep their vehicles running for long time. Note there are few Toyota Previa Vans. I did not recall this site devotes any topics about this special vehicle, which it is my understand still is being made under new skin with the same chassis by Toyota. Toyota vehicles like T1000, MR2, Land Cruiser and Previa are out of box design from a old fashion and boring car company in my view.
The Previa has (and several bonus almost Previa’s have) been featured numerous times here on CC. Here you go!:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-asian/curbside-classic-1990-toyota-previatarago-the-first-and-final-frontier-for-the-space-pod/
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/my-first-car-of-a-lifetime-1994-toyota-previa-all-trac/
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake-toyota-previa-taxi-still-at-it/
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/curbside-outtake-toyota-estima-not-quite-a-previa/
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/china-outtake-hualiu-bhl6350-toyota-previa-inspired/
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/taxis-of-eugene-toyota-previa-the-spoiled-shot-or-is-it/
I still see the occasional 1st gen Camry here in New England, (saw one today in fact) but for some reason, the much More popular accord of the same era is nearly extinct here.
I see a bunch of Millionaires Next Doors. And if that’s the case then good for them. But even still, having wheels, a roof, and a working heater (or just insulation for that matter) is luxury compared to a lot of other places in the world.
Owning a nice car is, of course, nice. However, in my soap-box opinion, status is silly.
As Will Smith once said, “We spend money that we do not have, on things we do not need, to impress people who do not care.”