What car would you have if the Monte Carlo didn't exist?
 

Just curious as to what others on the board would be driving around in if there never was a Monte Carlo. Keep in mind, this isn't what your dream car is or anything like that. You spent $X on your Monte, right? If you couldn't buy one, what would you have bought instead? Consider the same things that you did when you bought the Monte. Such as exterior style, interior features, etc. It's just a question I came up with out of curiosity. After a few answer I'll throw my hat into the ring as well.

I look forward to seeing what you guys say.

The new Dodge Challenger. :)
(or Charger. either one)

If not one of them, then the new Camaro.

That is a very hard question to answer considering that i bought my Monte out of necessity ( i had blown the heads on my Dodge shorty van and had no place to work on it ).

It would most likely would have been something older. Maybe even an S10 Blazer or Jimmy, like what i have now.

Well, I have the Camaro in the garage. When I finally began parking it for the winter, I had a Buick Century and then had a Grand Am. I grew tired of the Grand Am (even though I still use it now).... I was originally planning to get a Grand Prix with a 3800 to replace the Grand Am.....

I shyed against the Grand Prix because the style I loved (the '97-200X) for a couple of reasons (one was age of it's last year by the time I was shopping for a car). The Monte SS just caught my eye and I set sites to buy one (glad I did, I keep saying for a 3rd gen F-Body fan, this thing has stuff that reminds me of driving my '84 Camaro that I'm now in restore of).

Odds are, I would have gone for either a different W-Body or maybe even a Bonneville. I would have loved a GTO (but a little out of my price range and not realistic if I have to drive it in the winter as I may someday drive the Monte in the winter as it was bought to be a daily driver).

When I bought my monte, I was looking for something with an l67 or a v-8, so I would have been happy with GP GTP, GP GXP, Impala SS, GTO, whatever I could afford at the time. I almost got an 07 Impala SS but I'm glad I didn't. The Impala was 5 grand more then the monte, and I've invested under $1500 on mods on the monte and have more power then the impala has

When I bought the MC I was looking at MC's and GTO's. MC won for two reasons, 1) FWD better in bad weather (I already have a T/A in the garage) and 2) $. So if there wasn't a MC I would probably have a GTO (& less cash)

When I bought both of mine, I was specifically looking for a monte. I guess id have a lumina :cool: or maybe a 2dr grand prix 97 - 00 gtp as I looked at one of those before I got the current one.

Newer Challenger RT or newer Honda Accord coupe - I WONT buy a 4 door car.

Would it have been a V6 since that's what kind of Monte you got?


Good cars guys. I'm a GTO fan as well, it just has terrible mileage and sucks in the winter. I also really like the older, 2 door, Grand Prix GTP's.

'90's era Buick Riviera; mid '80s Buick Regal; older Camaro; Impala SS.

I like those V6 Accords too, 'Space.

I was just searching and found a black 2004 Pontiac GTO with 46,838 miles in Milwaukee, WI. They want $12,995. Hm... VERY interesting...

http://images.cars.com/supersized/DM...8/T8666.07.jpg
http://images.cars.com/supersized/DM...8/T8666.16.jpg

Mr. Burns is jealous of my lust.

Edit: Issues with the GTO. No heated leather and no dual climate control. Those are turn-offs.

Good question, Rick. I would probably have a 05-06 GTO, LS1 Trans Am, or a Stang Gt. The only problem with these is the winter weather. (I drive my Monte all year). If I were to by a car that could double for winter duty, maybe a AWD Trailblazer SS.

Stang GT, 2007 or newer because that's when Ford added heated leather. Get some winter tires and be careful. You'd be OK! lol

I was set on a 2004+ Supercharged Buick Regal

My agenda was kinda clear. I woulda bought whatever else Chevrolet was using in Nascar. Certainly wouldn't have been as exciting if it was the Impala...

2006 Lincoln LS V8... Kinda lame, but that's actually what I went into the dealer looking for. I drove it and LOVED it. I didn't love the pee smell that came complimentary with it. I told the dealer that there was NO WAY I would pay over $4000 for a car that smelled like pee. It was so bad that the whole interior would have had to be replaced. I started looking at other models and ran into The Beast. And now you know... the rest of the story...

I actually like the Lincoln LS too. Just has too many doors. lol

I would have went with a Charger...

Four kids will do that to you! :D I would avoid the '04 GTO, they didn't come with the 6.0 until 2005 I believe...

I am taking this question as if the Monte Carlo wasn't around at the time of the purchase what car would I buy that was available at the time (Example, I bought my monte in October 1999, so the GTO wasn't available then so I wouldn't count it as an option.)

That being said at the time I was looking either at the Grand Prix GTP, Bonneville SSEi, or the Impala so one of those 3.

Before I purchased the GTO I was leaning heavily toward a G35 coupe..I was undecided between that and the '04 GTO, but when the '05 came out with 400HP, that tipped the scales...

Joe

Better MPG in the '04. lol But whatever.
Too many doors! lol

Possibly a Sebring/Stratus coupe? I don't know, I didn't really shop them. I just know I wanted a coupe with more room than my Cavalier coupe had. Also, I wanted gas mileage in the 20's, so that ruled out V8 cars.

I loved my Stratus coupe.

^^^ Nice...

I actually like the lincoln ls, it has the chassis of a mustang gt.

I'll answer substituting Bonneville for Monte Carlo. Probably the 2006 Grand Prix that I was looking at about the same time as the Bonne but who knows. It definitely would have been either a GM car or Ford truck

Hmm idk. Probably a cobalt ss, that's what I was starting to look at when I gave up on the monte stuff. I also wanted a transm am or a camaro but my dad wouldn't get me one bcuz of insurance.

Probably wouldn't have a car then as the Monte Carlo has always been my favorite. Would probably fix up my 79 Chevy step side or get a new Toyota Tacoma (drove one a few weeks ago and really liked it)

An Impala of the same vintage. Just the right size.

My Monte was inherited. I've driven it on and off for school and work, when my mom still owned it. I like the power and solidity of the ride and the its profile is just elegant. Any other car choice would be based on design and performance.
1st choice - A 1st gen Camaro. The body design just flows like the MC. It is sleek and with a bit a growl.

Actually went to the dealership to look an alero ss and it was sold. Probably would have bought a Grand Prix or an Impala. Still glad I found m
my Monte tho.

:rolleyes:
Hi `Lou, you are up early in the morn'in : ) Member's, what were you doing @ 4:20 AM this Morning ?
Think'in about what car you would purchase `if there was never a Monte Carlo ? :eek::D LOL
We EnJoy this thread 4 =Sure : )

i'd probibly be driving the '84 oldsmobile custom cruser station wagon i was playing around with before i bought the monte. only it wouolda actually wound up black with a set of slotted mag wheels & one of the 350 engines my dad has laying around instead of the boat anchor 307 turd. i had big plans for that car, and it was actually nicer than the monte when i got it. but it seemed like for every one thing i did to make it nicer, 2 things broke. washed it, and then all the door / window seals started to leak, and the rear passenger door stopped opening. fix the electric carb / distributor, and it craps out on me with no liscance and 10 year expired tags at the farthest possible spot from my house. finally said eff it and junked it & bought the monte. i still miss that car, but IDK why, lol :)

I would have gone with the GTO or new Camaro.

Oldmobile Alero SS? Never heard of that.

Well I guess I'll answer now. Reasons for passing on each model are in parentheses. I was looking at Mustang GT's (RWD, no heated leather until 2007, no sunroof, no dual climate), GTO's (RWD, no heated leather, no sunroof, no dual climate), G35's (RWD, $$$), 350Z's (RWD, no back seat, hatch), V6 Accord coupes (foreign), Tiburon GT's (slow and foreign), and RX-8's (RWD, rotary reliability, terrible MPG for small car/small engine). I probably had others on the list as well.

When putting them all into consideration, the Monte just had so many more features and the looks. Seemed like the best bet, but if I couldn't have had it, I'd probably be in a Mustang GT.

....and in my opinion, aside from the Stang and GTO (assuming it was an '05-or '06), the Monte was better looking than all of them! :p

Yeah, pretty much.

Well, this time last month I was driving a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. After the guy behind me made me into an Eclipse sandwich, I was looking for another Eclipse (3rd Gen body style, the 4th gens haven't grown on me yet.) That was my 3rd Eclipse, and 4th Mitsubishi. However, when I couldn't find what I was looking for, I widened the search.

Looked at a 2001 Sebring Coupe (in rougher shape appearance-wise) a 2000 Honda Accord V6 (in REALLY rough shape outside and in, FELT like it was falling apart on the test drive) and ran across a 1995 Lexus SC (V8, 15 years old, RWD, but was beautiful - had been painted, but paint was nice and shiney, even if it was red.)

This 2001 Monte was actually the only one of it's kind on my list to look at, due to the extremely reasonable price (if you've read my newbie post, you'll know why it was priced so reasonably.) Once I drove it, I fell in love, but I'd never have been able to afford it without the problems I bought along with it. Hopefully, all I have left is to get the missing parts in that I've ordered, and have the dealer put them on.

Cliff Notes version of my problems: Test drove it, told the dealer the Service traction stuff was lit, he offered me a 90 day warranty to go with it, and dropped his asking price by $1000. Bought it, drove it 50 miles home, halfway the Check Engine light came on. Took it to local dealer the next day, turns out the original, CA Emissions engine was replaced with a Federal Emissions engine, and the CA Emissions pieces were MIA. Had to order them from 4 different places, as 4 hoses/pipes were discontinued.

While waiting for the parts to come in, I took it back to the dealer to have them deal with the Traction System and the transmission seems to be shifting hard. Warranty doesn't cover the Hub, would have covered the bearings. Covered only half the Transmission repair, so I'm out of pocket $1400, but it feels so much better!

Anyway, I'd probably have been driving another 3rd Gen Eclipse.