What car were you totally surprised to love? Angus <3 Audi 5k

Whenever I see an old German boat like the derelict 750 near my house, I remember how AWESOME it was bombing around the back roads of NH very briefly in a $500 Audi 5000. Turbo, 5 spd, probably not Quattro but would have to hunt up old classifieds posts to figure it out for sure. It was for a long ago swap project that never happened. The car left a lasting impression! Soft suspension, leather seats, 5 lbs on the boost gauge dangling out of the dash...it was fun and comfortable in a way I didn't know I wanted! I'd probably take that car back (had I not parted it out) over either of my old e36's as a for-instance.

I was a typical young kid in late 50's early 60's loving v8 rods and customs. Drove my boss's Borgward with 4 on the tree. Started my appreciation for small 4 cyl motors and foreign cars. Surprised me how much  fun I had. Went in Army in "64" and wanted a Mustang but I drove a used TR4 and loved it. Didn't think I would. Ended up with a new MG. 

Surprisingly the 2001 corolla I bought new. I still have it. Deceptively fun to drive and handles amazingly well.  Wider wheels and tires, lowering springs and koni yellows really woke her up. It doesn't have a lot of power but at 2400 pounds it doesn't need a lot either. I was expecting a good commuter. What I got was a competitive autocrosser, and that was before the wheels and springs.

2003 SVT Focus.  I regret so much.

I bought a 93 Accord as an appliance just before #1 was born. It had a back seat and 4 doors, an auto trans and the air worked. Everything was very stock and well maintained, and the miles were low. Perfect cheap reliable basic transportation for a young family. 
That car is #1 on my wish-I-still-had-it list. Fantastic car. Turned me into a Honda fanboy.

NA Miata. I tried to heed the advice of Public Enemy, but then I drove one and actually wrote a letter to Chuck D explaining why in some cases it is OK to believe the hype.

My Datsun 1200 that I still have 36 years later.

'86 Audi coupe GT. Kept it for 12 years.

Wrangler Unlimited - 2019 model with the little turbo 4.  Had one as a rental, put 700 miles on it in 3 days.  Great visibility for a modern vehicle, reasonably good on the highway and outstanding in town.  Roomy enough for 4 adults, ran 90 all day long down the interstate.  Decent on fuel.   Top and doors coming off were just a bonus.  

Ford Maverick.  I bought one from a friend for $500.  Had the stock smogger 2bbl 302, and it was way quicker than expected.  I drove that thing for three years.  Replaced the rubber with something stickier and cut a coil off the front springs and it put more grins on my face than I expected.

W210 E300TD.  As someone who typically drives malaise-era boats, I was flat out shocked at how well it handled while still having a super soft and quiet ride.  And the TORQUE.

 Few years ago I bought a crappy  mid 90s Grand Caravan. It was rusty but super cheap and I wanted something bigger to run through the winter.

About a year later the trans went out so I sold it to the junkyard. I still miss that thing. So useful, decent power from the 3.8, and it was somehow the most comfortable vehicle I’ve ever owned. I liked how it drove better than the newer mopar minivans too.

Back in university/college I had a part time job as a driver for a local Avis franchisee who also leased a lot of vehicles. I really, really didn't like any of the Audis I got to drive.

A decade later I bought an early A8 on a whim and really, really liked it. Didn't like the maintenance bills that came with it, but I did like the car.

Back when my wife still owned the Audi A6 quattro 2.7T (funny how Audi's keep popping up in this thread), she wanted a stickshift econo-beater for her rather lengthy commute.

We settled on a 1st Gen Dodge Neon DOHC manual coupe with about 170k miles on it.  

That car ran and drove so much better than anyone could ever expect from a cheap, high-mileage E36 M3box.

I was unexpectedly attached to the first (and only) Japanese car I have owned, a 1968 Toyota Corolla. 

It had the usual quality issues common to pretty much any car back then - original parts like shocks were calculated (or so it seemed) to last only a couple of miles past the new car warranty periods, but my Corolla actually handled and stopped decently, and the non-interference 1100 cc engine would take a beating (ran mine to valve float in all four gears - needed a big hill for 4th).  It seemed to be the Timex of cars - took a licking and just kept on ticking.

You can gauge my attraction to oddball small sedans by the fact that I was also much taken with a Riley 1.5 for awhile, (wasn't as fond of the handling of the Sunbeam Imp the receded it) but for pretty much the last 50 years my principal daily driver has always been a sports car rather than a sedan, although I did use Cortina Mk 3s for a bit (the US never got these) and a Mk 2 for a short time.. 

89 vw jetta diesel. 52hp, a momentum car with an engine that doesn't rev. You learn to look so far ahead and plan that you stayed continually engaged. Tight not quite heavy steering. It also made me a much better driver.

BG chassis. On stock rubber width they're playful, nimble and engaging, though underpowered. Boost the BP to transmission detonating power levels and sneak 225s under them and they're suddenly quick and have mechanical grip as well. 

Like I loved it so much I bought one the next week. Then just kept buying them. Kind of sad I don't have one right now. 

This is tragically uncool to admit, but a 2000 honda odyssey.  I was a die hard car guy, but with two little kids I coudn't believe how awesome that thing was.  made kid hauling so much easier.  I fit sheetrock in the thing.  super comfortable and reliable.  Now I'm a preacher of the religion of minivans for anyone with small kids. 

I bought a 996 and my plan was to drive it a bit and sell it. It's just one of several fun sports cars in its price range. I was very wrong.

Despite all its faults, and there are plenty, I berkeleying love this car. The sound, feel and usability just do it for me. I still hate to think of myself as a "Porsche guy," but I finally 'get' the endless praise journalists seem to have for the rear engined abomination.

Volvo 850 Turbo wagon.

Bought it thinking it would be an "ok" car to get along with, lots of power but FWD is the spawn of satan.

Completely impressed by it and had tons of fun until I blew it up.

Would have another, hands down.

ShawnG said:

Volvo 850 Turbo wagon.

Bought it thinking it would be an "ok" car to get along with, lots of power but FWD is the spawn of satan.

Completely impressed by it and had tons of fun until I blew it up.

Would have another, hands down.

I had a similarly positive experience with my 945 Turbo Wagon.  RWD, but auto only.  Great car.

1997 Saturn SC2 5-speed. Bought as a daily beater and kept for 4 years 100,000 miles. Cheap and easy to maintain, reliable as gravity and damn near 40mpg highway.  Handled pretty good for what it was and plastic panels for the win in the road salt using north!  Not fast, but gas was 4 bucks a gallon so I kept driving it!

Late 80's Volvo 240 D wagon with 5 sped manual. The gray soccer mom edition.

Do i have to stop at one? 

I bought my first minivan with a locked up engine for $200 for the SOLE reason that it had a factory 5spd manual transmission and i already had an engine for it. It was purely a novelty purchase... AT FIRST.

Then i fell in love with it! Right size, right mpg, right amount of fun to drive. I might be close to my 10th minivan now, but i still have the first. I took it to the minivan class in the $2016 Challenge. It's been turbocharged with a stripped interior for a long time now. Now i have other vans for normal van work. But none of them are normal..

I would also file my Honda Insight and Porshce Cayenne under 'cars i bought that i thought i only liked a little and then fell in love with'.

Honda CRX HF. The only car I ever regret selling. Never thought I'd like it as much as I did 

Newer Rav4 with the 2GR. Wife bought one for an appliance after me pushing my Toyota fan boy love for a 4runner. We had it 10 years, got decent mileage, never needed anything, was a hoot in the snow with all nannies turned off. It was not love at first drive but I guess an AWD Camry is not so bad. Still dream of 4linking one as a trail rig, the proportions are perfect.

When our 2nd was on the way we upped to a Sequoia, also a great SUV with the 3UR. I longed for a Land Cruiser but lost again.