Did You Choose the Same Cars? Fiero vs Corvette vs Metro vs Firebird

A Week of Car Choices and Cruise Adventures

Good morning! I’m still on one of Royal Caribbean’s floating hotels for another couple of days, sitting here in my pajamas at 9:00 on Thursday morning. Why the hell am I in here working instead of out lounging by the pool or shopping or taking a water aerobics class? If you knew me, you’d understand.

Actually, we’re having a great time. We’re here as part of the “Gen X Takeover Cruise,” featuring four very funny internet comedians and a couple thousand other disaffected fifty-somethings, all on a cruise while making fun of being on a cruise. Yes, there are a bunch of normies on the ship as well, which actually makes it even better. And it’s encouraging to me, because it’s proof positive that you can get famous by doing silly shit on the internet, even in your fifties. (Not that I want to be famous; it sounds like too much work, but still.)

So I’ve been feeding you choices all week, without checking the results or reading many of the comments, and this morning, I’ve been going through and finding out what you thought about the week’s offerings. As of this writing, you all haven’t even seen Thursday’s choices yet, but I’m confident enough that you’ll do the right thing that I’m choosing for you.

I didn’t actually mean for this to be an “Oops, All GMs” final; it just worked out that way. All two-doors, as well, which I like. But did you choose the same way I did? I’ll let you all have your say first, and then I’ll give you my choices.

Jetta vs Fiero – WINNER: Fiero

These two cars are both kind of cult classics, and each had its passionate defenders in the comments. But the Fiero seemed to have broader appeal, and VW’s reliability issues from the early 2000s seem to have soured a lot of you on the earlier, simpler, tougher cars like this Jetta. That’s a shame, because these really are much better cars than the ones built fifteen or twenty years later.

But put a stodgy, slow sedan up against a racy doorstop like a Fiero, and it’s going to lose every time. This isn’t quite the Fiero to get, but it’s got the better engine and the proper number of pedals on the floor, and it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than the 1988 models everyone lusts after. Easy choice for me, and for you all as well, it looks like. Now, put this Fiero up against a Scirocco in similar condition, and the choice gets much, much harder. But that’s a Showdown for another day.

Corvette vs Miata – WINNER: Corvette

This one surprised me. I thought it would be a closer vote. But the Miata’s condition and lack of interior photos scared off a lot of you. Honestly, that Miata isn’t bad; mine was almost that rough-looking, but it was such fun to drive that I didn’t care. A lot of you complained about the Corvette’s lack of color, but its blood-red interior saved it somewhat, at least enough to give it the win.

I have to agree, if only because I’ve already had a Miata. They’re great, but I’m fifty-two, and my window for crawling in and out of sports cars is going to close sooner than I’d like. I’d like to experience a greater variety of them while I still can, especially cars like the C4 that I have always admired. This one would be fine, but I’d rather have a better color combo, like the two-tone blue or two-tone brown ones that I’ve seen, even if it means giving up the 4+3.

745i vs Metro – WINNER: Metro

This one surprised me a bit as well. I know there are a lot of Metro lovers out there, but I thought putting one up against a classic ’80s BMW would make a fairer fight. But it sounds like the BMW’s gray-market status and resultant lack of parts support gave some of you pause. And it takes the right kind of person to really appreciate that 745i, whereas everybody can find a way to have fun with a Metro.

It’s definitely my choice. I briefly had a completely trashed first-generation Metro, and even that one was a hoot. This one could be a great little companion for those times when I just feel like winding out an engine in every gear – do that in a Metro, and you’re going, what, 70 maybe? Besides, I already have a comfortable, powerful four-door sedan that I like a lot more than that 745.

Cutlass vs Firebird – MY CHOICE: Firebird

Yeah, I gotta go Firebird here. The Cutlass convertible is cool, but a Firebird is a Firebird, even a basic one. And early commenting tells me this is not quite a basic Firebird; it has a performance package with better gearing, tires, and brakes that give it a little something extra. Do I care that it’s a V6 and an automatic? Nah, not really. It makes plenty of power, and while a stickshift would be more fun, the automatic has always suited the Camaro/Firebird well.

But will it pull votes away from the scruffy Cutlass Supreme? W-bodies are surprisingly nice cars, and from what I remember of the one time I rode in one, Cutlass convertibles aren’t nearly as shaky and flimsy as some other unibody drop-tops. But then, it’s got that 3.4-liter twincam engine, which is not what anyone would call a paragon of reliability. The basic 3.1-liter pushrod V6 would be a lot better.

We’ll leave that one as an open-ended question for today, and check the results on Monday. I’m off to the pool. But just so you all have something to vote on over the weekend, I’ll put up a poll between these ones. Four GM two-doors, three rear-wheel-drive, three manuals, two two-seaters, all under four grand each. Pick your poison.