Today’s “new” 1991 Saturn for sale just begs the question: What car from 1993 would you buy now in factory-new condition to be your daily driver for the next ten years or so? It’s not about making money off some exotic that might have appreciated. It’s your money, although like the Saturn, you get it for 50% off the inflation adjusted price. And then you get—and have to—make it your daily driver.
Eagle Talon
+1, I’d still be driving my ’96 if it hadn’t been hit and then died while I was wrangling with the other drivers insurance company.
Toyota MR2, Miata, BMW 3 Series
Back then, I would have chosen a Mercury Sable, which had standard dual frontal airbags starting that year (IIRC, the Taurus still had the passenger airbag as an option).
But since I would get burned by the unreliablilty of my actual 1990 Sable, in hindsight, I’d get the Toyota Camry, which only had a driver airbag. This is of course the “fat” Camry so lauded all these years later.
Lexus ES300; still see a few around in decent shape!
I know its a FANCY Camry to some, but that extra price tag seems to have worked in staying power!
93 Toyota Camry. I still see them driving daily 30 years later.
Yes and they don’t look dated. Pleasant but plain . A car for every season . I’d take one out of practicality.
The Imperial. Assuming some basic reliability. Which I realize is a ridiculous assumption.
My ’93 but I would probably pick something more pragmatic for a DD. I like the ES300 comment. Or maybe an LS400? I would also be tempted to say a 4×4 Toyota Pickup or Nissan Hardbody but they sure were spartan back then.
The Hardbody SE-V6 was hardly spartan. It would have power steering, brakes, mirrors, windows, A/C and a sunroof. What more do you need?
It could also be a na diesel with 5 speed tree shift
Cougar XR7 with the 5.0 H.O. I’d prefer a Tbird SC with the 5 speed manual from a right brain point of view but no way would I depend on that engine for daily usage
300ZX, twin-turbo please. Still the best Z.
Easy- The last of the O.G. Saabs. Make mine a 900S 3door turbo, manual transmission. Black, tan interior.
I was thinking the same thing.
I’d say the same but I’d skip the turbo in the name of greater potential engine and transmission reliability. Also, I’d choose the 4 sedan with a 5-speed to reduce the rattles as the big hatchback made for a bit of a loose structure after years of driving.
Easy indeed, my current 3 season daily driver is a 93 900 convertible.
I’d take a Jeep Cherokee XJ, two doors, 4.0 six and 5 speed manual.
I like the baby Cherokee. I almost bought a 1984 when they were introduced. I currently have a 2001. I’d go for a 1999 Cherokee.
This, though I’d probably go for the 2.5 instead.
Oh boy, I was ready to pick a Town Car until you reminded me of this. I am with you on the 5 speed, but make mine a Cherokee Sport in dark green, just like the one my sister bought that year. At this stage, it would last me the rest of my life and then pay the nursing home bills when I can no longer drive and sell it. 🙂
1993, lots of good japanese stuff at that time
Toyota Supra twin turbo
Toyota Soarer with the 1jz-gte/manual combo
If Im forced to buy the usdm version Lexus SC400
Acura NSX
Or maybe a nice bubba truck
K5 Blazer or reg cab/short box z71 Chevy
Ive owned enough boring sedans that nothing from 1993 really does it for me.
Lincoln Mark VIII LSC (Midnight Black w/ Mocha interior) and Cadillac Allante (pearl Red) for fun driving. Chrysler Imperial (dark Green) for daily drive and when I need a roomy interior.
The LSC is still a good looking car
It would have been a Plymouth Voyager or Dodge Caravan back then, but if I could do it over, a Chrysler Intrepid.
It depends on if I’m in a Ford or Chevy mood, but I’d take a Camaro Z28 with a six speed, and I might choose that purple pearl color. On the other hand, a Fox Body Mustang Cobra in teal might be a cool daily driver.
I’ve owned two MY 1993 cars, both Toyota’s though only one bought new. Ownership coincided with some great years of my life … a lot of career success, a second home in the mountains, kids growing from infancy to driving age, and some great family road trips. Plus they were reliable and at least the Corolla wagon just sipped fuel. The 80 Series Land Cruiser did guzzle gas though. But the former is a bit mundane to make my daily driver, and the latter wouldn’t be cheap to buy, even at 50% off, nor to run. So I don’t know, maybe a last-year Fox Mustang, 5.0LX or like DougD, a Jeep XJ. Or a Suzuki Sidekick 4 door. Not the identical Geo-branded Tracker, just because. All with manual transmission of course.
I wouldn’t even care what color it is:
Ahh totally forgot I also had the SC400, black of course!
Judging by the manual shifter, that is an SC300, no manual with the 400, which is why I’d take the 300 with the 5-speed. Unless gearbox swaps are part of this equation…
This one is too easy for me. Even though I’m not longer a truly Certified Volvo Nut™, if you give me this time machine I’m buying the last of the Volvo 245 5-speeds.
Although the 245 was pretty outdated – basically unchanged since 1975 – and ridiculously overpriced* – you could buy a pair of Saturn wagons for the same dough – with a modicum of care and rust prevention I could still be driving it to this day.
*really. MSRP on the 245/stick was $22,820, and the Saturn SW1 was $10,895
Damn, yes! ’93 245 would be the dream!
If I were spending new Volvo money in 1993, I’d be going with a 940.
I had the SHO and I had the 5th Avenue with the covered headlights. SHO was fun, Chrysler was super comfy and very reliable. Mom had the Camry which was of course super reliable. Almost forgot, I had the Camry as a TWO DOOR for my stepdaughter’s first car. But to start fresh ‘now’ with a ’93, it has to be the Limited Edition Miata, black with that luscious slutty red interior:
https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/showdown/1/399/17134/1920×1440/1993-mazda-miata-mx5
Another I really loved was my Mitsu Diamante but that may have been a ’92……
Honda Civic VX. Manual. With that tiny tailgate.
1993 Toyota Camry Wagon
This is the most practical car ever and there will never be anything like it again.
That’s a ’91 at latest. The ’93 was the next generation.
If it had to be a 93, would probably be a RWD FLEETWOOD Brougham like the one I once owned. Actually prefer others I have owned ,but for the 93 model year that Cadillac would be the one. Unfortunately though dependable and a beauty, it had some issues. Of the vehicles shown, would choose the Imperial, though again not true to Imperial image.
Honda Accord EX coupe
Lots of interesting to me vehicles from 1993. Something like a Miata would be a good choice with a hard top for the winter but I’d probably go with something like a Nissan NX2000 with the 5 speed and t-tops. Sporty, economical and a little unique.
My next door neighbor in the mid 90’s had a Mazda MX3 with that tiny V6 and a 5-speed. I was so jealous. The NX2000 would be fun, but for that time and in that segment I’d go with the MX3. The exhaust note was like music when he came home every night. Drove me nuts.
I had a 93 Sentra SER in the late nineties, it would either be that or a Civic SI Hatch.
Honda Civic Si hatchback in metallic teal and yes, I’d keep it stock.
Here’s one from a BaT auction a couple years ago;
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1993-honda-civic-si-2/
Early build 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS.
It’s the first vehicle that popped in my mind. I like the ‘early build’ excuse to skate under the wire here! I wanted one desperately as a teenager back then and I still would love one now 30 years later.
+1 Under the wire. Agree. The 90s seemed at the beginning a bit boring, or didn’t appeal, but the ’94-’96 Impala SS was both modern and a throwback–definitely the grandson of the ’65-’66 Impala SS. In black it was mean looking with a touch of evil. The digital dashboard was not my choice, but the exterior and the LS engine, oh my.
If you bought a 93 Toyota pickup truck I would bet people would stop you on the street and offer cash right there to buy it off you for twice the price you paid for it. Get it with the 5-speed and the 4, but RWD, SR5 ExtraCab, not PreRunner.
Similarly if one bought a Chevy Astro minivan, though that might not be so comfy as a daily-driver.
Others:
Ford Crown Vic with the Handling and Performance Package.
Alfa Romeo 164 with the V6.
The Imperial would be a fun if quirky choice. Was the automatic reliable by then?
A Camry. Could drive it for 30 more years, if you could still buy gas then.
A 1993 Buick Century with the largest V6 would be a relatively bulletproof “sleeper”.
1993 was the very last year for the Volvo 240, if I remember. Now that’s a classic!
Funny about the Astro, I just got back from a week in CA and saw several in great condition. There aren’t many survivors in the northeast at all and as I recall they were derided back in the day.
+1
It would be a Camry V6.
Porsche Carrera 2.
The first “modern” 911.
Something like this. First date of registration April 15, 1993. Manual transmission, good! I don’t mind its (lack of) speed any longer. And in this case, the trunk spoiler is definitely cosmetic…
https://www.klaasdepoel.com/showroom/aanbod/w201-190d-20-nutria
Bingo! But a 2.3-16v for me, alstublieft. If waiting for next year’s 1.8 MX-5 is out of bounds, that is.
I would probably either buy a Saturn or a Plymouth Acclaim. I had a 1994 Saturn SL-1 car with a five speed that was a nice car and was reliable. I’ve always wanted to try a Plymouth Acclaim or Dodge Spirit. A kind of “no frills” car in a Dodge Dart kind of way. A 1993 Ford Taurus would also have been good. Liked the styling of those cars and my folks had a 1990. Was a nice car!
I had a deluxe trim Acclaim . 3.0 V6 dark cherry red with dark red interior. A comfy cocoon it was . Ran like a scalded ape. Not too big. Not too small. Comfy AF. Miss it dearly to this day. Traded it for a used 91 Dakota in 93. My life was a disaster next 6 years. Met the future ex wife not long after & In hindsight? Keep Acclaim & pass on wife AND Dakota.
Nice question – easy (for me) answer – I’ll take a 964 RS 3.8, or Turbo S Leichtbau, please!
Believe it or not I actually daily a 1993 Q45 with 172,XXX miles when I’m in California. Of these if I had the choice it would be the E36, fantastic car. I actually had a
‘94 E34 525ia from 2007 – 2016. My favorite COAL so far.
And the picture:
93 Honda Accord EX 4-door sedan. Those were peak-Honda and Honda has been on the downswing ever since.
Why not the 1993 Accord SE? It had nicer wheels, leather, color-matched body trim and Bose audio over the EX for that last year.
As a daily driver, I’d rather not have leather seats (and the EX cloth of the CB Accord is no sacrifice), but you have a point about the wheels.
The SE was stuck with an automatic only. I’d get the EX with a 5 speed manual.
Right on. I’m lucky enough to have one, 5-speed in Arcadia green. Some might be tempted to plump for the SE, but I refuse to own anything with a slushbox, and I don’t like leather either, and I prefer my wheels, never cared for even-number spokes (unless it’s a set of Libres on a Triumph). Got mine from a Honda tech who owned it for over 20 years. Even has a Honda battery, and a brand new ABS pump and distributor. I still need to find and squirrel away an NOS A/C compressor.
Easy answer: My daily driver is (still) my 1993 Audi 100 V6. Enough room, sufficient motor, good reliabilty, and: no rust at 320k. Was a good buy. I do not need anything else.
But yes, in summer we’ll unwrap our rear engine VWs.
Joe
I’m really intrigued. When I sold my ’87 Audi 4000 quattro in 2015, it was because parts were getting harder to find. At the time I was working 25 miles from home, and working from home wasn’t a thing. A major criterion for the replacement car was that if I needed a part, I should be able to get it in a day or two without beating the bushes. How are you making this work?
To answer the original question, my 1993 car of choice would be an Audi 90.
I’d probably go for a Mazda Astina, the 323 hatch’s pretty cousin.
Though what I’d really like is a ’94 with the 2 litre V6. 🙂 Make mine manual.
My ex and I bought a ’94 T-Bird back then, but that was the first year the T-Bird got the 4.6L-V8.
Although I didn’t like its styling as much, I’d pick the ’93 T-Bird… the last year for the 5.0L.
Having put 236K on my ’88 T-Bird with that drivetrain, I would feel very comfortable with the ’93 as a daily driver. That engine was indestructible!
At first, I thought we were being asked to choose from the picture of those 4 cars. Then I read the comments, and realized it was about choosing any 1993 vehicle.
So from the pics of those 4 cars above, it would absolutely be the Chrysler for low cost to own and comfort.
From a list of any vehicles and based on having to keep it for 10 years with upkeep and costs in mind, along with thinking about comfort and reliability, I would choose a 1993 Buick Skylark GS sedan.
Mercedes W124 300TE or 300CE 24V?
BMW 530i or 530i Touring?
It’s the 10 year rule that guides me.
Dan: For a short period, we had a 1993 Dodge Dynasty. Not long enough to judge on cost and reliability, but I’d second that these gave a very comfortable ride. In some style, too. Maybe I’d buy one as a Sunday driver now.
Joe
Joe: That Imperiial (as far as I know) would have had the Chyselr 3.8L V6 and 4 speed auto. By then that was a good trans as long as you did the trans service when required or sooner. That engine was a very good one. Of the 4 cars shown in the pic above, my first thought was the Ford until I noticed it’s an SHO. They were a lot of fun, but the upkeep and costs due to being the SHO would have pushed it behind the Chrysler.
I’m kind of surprised at some of the answers people are giving based on the pretend to keep the car for 10 years as a daily driver. Personally, I wouldn’t pick anything from Saab, Volvo, MB, BMW or any European brands. That’s why I picked a Buick sedan for the low cost and reliability. But if I could have anything for free with totally free service and zero repair costs to me, then I’d probably pick the Jaguar XJ6 or a Saab.
Oh my, spoiled for choice.
Honda Del Sol or Civic, Nissan NX2000 or Sentra SE-R, Mazda MX-3, Toyota MR2 or even a Paseo, Saturn SC1, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Ford Escort GT or Probe. I’m probably leaving several out that I can’t remember now.
I can’t think of one vehicle on the market now that I even want. But from ’93, definitely.
Saab or Volvo, which way do I go. Well I can’t have a new Saab of any description, so it has to be the 900. Having said that, I am here in Britain, and in 1993 I was driving a Rover 200, which was a great car
MR2 Turbo
I’d want both the Imperial and the BMW 325i, for different reasons. The Imperial to make a grand conspicuous entrance at the hotel/restaurant valet parking, and the BMW to drive for simply the joy of driving.
Wow, reading these comments I am seeing that was quite the golden age. Such freedom of choice and solid offerings…
It was a pretty good moment in automotive history: Many small cars had a decent level of comfort and luxury, most big cars were no longer hopeless barges, and coupes had not yet gone the way of the dodo. You could have your choice of pretty decent four-, six-, or eight-cylinder engines, and almost all now had reliable electronic fuel injection and engine management, which meant they could finally combine decent performance, fuel economy, emissions, and driveability. Safety had improved, you could get ABS on at least some models of most cars, and most U.S. cars were finally getting airbags rather than the awful passive restraint belts.
This was about my favorite era. I had an Acclaim I just loved. I to this day would love love love a 91 Dynasty or a Plymouth Breeze. Or even Caravan. Chrysler was on top of it’s game then . Would flat Love an Intrepid. As long as I could have them with the non OD 3 speeds. (Or a recalled fixed 4 speed) . Or God help me a clean used 80s Ford aerobird. I have very fond memories associated with my Acclaim and a (then) 10 year old 91 Caravan in 2001. (Both had the Mitsu 3.0 V6)
There were no Plymouth Breezes until the 1996 MY.
My choice would be a fifth-gen Toyota Celica GT-S.
Or how about an Eagle Premiere or Monaco!
These Renaults were last built for the 1992 MY, no 93’s. But, there were many unsold leftovers.
The rules said we have to make whatever car we pick our daily driver, but do we get to keep whatever we have now as our weekend fun car? I see a lot of people picking sporty cars, but I already own a Miata. If I’m allowed to keep that as my weekend car, then I would pick something that’s the polar opposite as my daily driver.
I am leaning towards the 1993 Buick Park Avenue. Good old traditional American luxury, all about comfort. And the 3800 engine had a reputation for being reliable. If I have to go back to working from the office the smooth ride would be prefect for my pothole ridden commute.