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Journal: What Car Did You Hate As A Kid But Now Appreciate?

What Car Did You Hate As A Kid But Now Appreciate?

By
April 8, 2013

When I was eight years old and living in Paris, Citroën 2CVs were all over the place. Even then in 1978, they stuck out from the crowd as a strange object from the past. They didn’t look like they belonged. At my school, the kids played a stupid game called “Green Deux Chevaux”.  The rules were simple: whoever spotted a green 2CV and yelled “Green Deux Chevaux” first would earn the right to punch the other kids. As a result, I hated the 2CV, but now I find them quite charming and cute. Their antique-like aesthetics have now become their appeal for me. Plus, I really enjoyed driving our fellow Petrolista Dana’s 2CV.

What about you? What car did you dislike as a kid but have come to appreciate?

Photo Sources: Low Tech Magazine, Flickr

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PM Summer
PM Summer
7 years ago

The Chevrolet Corvair, especially the first generation. I feel very differently 50 years later.

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Pedro Serro
Pedro Serro
7 years ago

When i was a kid, i felt the saab 96 was an ugly car. Now i love it!

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Rip Curl
Rip Curl
11 years ago

I am almost ashamed to say that I once did not care much for the Mercedes SL Pagoda while I now totally adore it. I guess that is what being young and stupid is all about.

1
Pedro Wald
Pedro Wald
11 years ago

Shame on me…

I used to hate the Jaguar E Type…
my dad had a small collection 1:24 die cast cars… One of those was a British Racing Green E Type Coupe..
hated that one…thought it was ugly…

SHAME ON ME!

now I think is one of the most gorgeous cars ever made, and i really love how it looks in British Racing Green!
(and i still got that 1:24, now in my personal collection)

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Josh Palmer
Josh Palmer
11 years ago

I used to HATE Mazda Miatas when I was a brainless teenager… I would list them as my most hated car because I THOUGHT they were cheap, crappy sports cars for middle aged men who couldnt afford a Porshe. Proof that when a teenager says that they know it all they really know jack shit…

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Brett Evans
Brett Evans
11 years ago

The only car I can think of that ever received hate from me was my parents’ 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan. When we purchased a fully-loaded Taurus station wagon in 2000, the antiquated van became an object of derision in my mind, as I usually wanted to take the Taurus with all the toys on road trips, but my parents wanted to keep the miles low, so we usually took the van. I was so happy when we sold it, yet now I really would like one just for nostalgia’s sake

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zumjosh
zumjosh
11 years ago

Any old Datsun. I appreciate them much more now… Especially a well restored and lowered one.

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tapz
tapz
11 years ago

Heh, so the green 2CV game was pan-European, then.

My parents had a white 2CV, and I wasn’t impressed at the time. Not a proper car. Now, of course, I realise that that was the point. A car so minimalist it became it’s own category.

Other cars I now appreciate but didn’t then aren’t so much a matter of personal maturation, as the car’s maturation. Mercedes are the textbook example of this phenomenon: they aren’t really attractive until they are at least twenty years old. And that’s always been the case. When the W124 was new, pontoons and fintails were just so much cooler. Now, I’d have a W124 over whatever is in the showrooms now. Maybe it’s to do with the kind of people who drive old versus new mercedes?

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Afshin Behnia
Afshin Behnia
11 years ago
Reply to  tapz

Hah! Where did you play the game?

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tapz
tapz
11 years ago
Reply to  Afshin Behnia

The Netherlands- and I think the Germans knew the game as well. Mind, we spent many holidays in France, though I’m sure we didn’t learn the game there. Plenty of green 2CVs to relieve some boring hours on the [i]autoroute[/i], though.

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Pedro Wald
Pedro Wald
11 years ago
Reply to  tapz

as a proud owner of a w124 cabriolet I must say you’re spot on…
I didn´t care much about the w124 when I was a teenager… now I find them appealing, even the station wagon!
It´s something about the timeless design, the way they were built back then, and the serenity and composure of the way they drive… great machines!

As you mature, your taste matures too! 🙂

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Davis Kinzell
Davis Kinzell
11 years ago

Fiat 124 Spider. My parent’s used to have one that I learned how to drive stick on, but would rip on for being of Italian origin rather than German. They eventually sold it to a guy who was going to be using it for club racing. 10 years later, I kick myself for being such a wanker to my folks, and scour craigslist on a daily basis looking for a clean orange example just like the one my folks had.

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Gavin
Gavin
11 years ago

Sometimes it takes years to realize that you didn’t know any better. For me, the car I now appreciate is the Citroen CX.

1
John Teyssier
John Teyssier
11 years ago

My mum’s friend used to picked me up from school everyday at 5pm for 4 years in a citroen 2CV Charleston. My rear end still remembers that f…….g metal bar in the middle of the back seat. I hated it, she used to drive it like a manic, scared me to depth, I always though we would crash it. Still alive 27 years later, I have a soft spot for this car, probably nostalgia.
Every time I see one it puts a smile on my face! Although I did see a guy over taking me at 140 km/h in one of those. Being in there a that speed would just be my worst nightmare, forget about nostalgia!!!

My favorite (funny)footage of the 2CV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q00jiJrDqY

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Chance Contra
Chance Contra
11 years ago

Renault 4.

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Richard Kudláček
Richard Kudláček
11 years ago

I used to hate BMW E28s, for being too obnoxious and sort of design-wise unfinished. But that card has completely turned over some 2-3 years ago. I never wanted any beemer more than a bone stock E28 with any M30 engine now.

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zackdag
zackdag
11 years ago

I hated, with the passion of 10,000 fiery suns, Fox body Mustangs, now I’m generally luke warm on them with the exception of the SV0. I’d give a lot for a nice, well kept SVO.

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Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan
11 years ago

SAAB 900. They looked so very odd and foreign to me as a ten year old. Now I would kill for a black 900 turbo.

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Afshin Behnia
Afshin Behnia
11 years ago
Reply to  Dan Sullivan

Beautiful shot! Are you the man behind this? http://www.daniel-sullivan.net
If so, I love your work!

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Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan
11 years ago
Reply to  Afshin Behnia

Alas, no. Great website though. I sourced the photo here: http://www.boldride.com/ride/1981/Saab-900-Turbo-3d

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zackdag
zackdag
11 years ago
Reply to  Dan Sullivan

Be still my beating heart. I love that car and that photo is incredible. Nice work!

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Konstantyn Levyn Baranpourian
Konstantyn Levyn Baranpourian
11 years ago

As far as I remember I never “hated” any car! they were all engineering masterpieces to me.
but if you insist,I shall say Renault 5! I never fancied the old french rust boxes until I saw a 5 GT Turbo a couple of years ago and then I simply fell in love with the little carburetted turbo rocket.

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Horaţiu Lazăr
Horaţiu Lazăr
11 years ago

Rear-engined Skodas. I would really really like a 130 or a 110

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Richard Kudláček
Richard Kudláček
11 years ago
Reply to  Horaţiu Lazăr

110 was a sweet car, my grandparents used to have one in pea-green. I also drove S125 for some time as as a second car, before it completely disintegrated after being driven, slid, jumped through fields always on a full throttle. It was fun, but thank god its gone. That car with its rear engine, narrow tires and soft dampers doesnt handle anywhere near safe, and the light front doesnt help on braking either. On the other hand, the engine is not very powerful, so it its a safe fun.

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Shane Elliott
Shane Elliott
11 years ago

Classic BMWs. I hated them. Thought they were all boxy and boring. They all looked the same, etc. They weren’t flashy or deserving of their price tags. Now they’re among my favourite shapes on the road.

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Afshin Behnia
Afshin Behnia
11 years ago
Reply to  Shane Elliott

I simply loved boxy BMW’s for as long as I remember! I think I may have been the only one amongst my petrol-friends in high school who actually drooled over the E28. The others saw it as a boring family sedan.

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Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
11 years ago

There’s probably loads of cars that meet this criteria, But right now I’m thinking of the Pagoda Mercedes SL’s that my Dad owned when I was a kid. Slow and just not cool compared to my beloved Ferraris. Now I really appreciate it’s understated classy looks. I really want one.

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Jesús Learte Alvarez
Jesús Learte Alvarez
11 years ago

Renault Dauphine, which I considered too femenin. Seat / Fiat 124, which I considered unpersonal, boring. Renault Alpine, too low, too little… now I consider them almost perfect.

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