The year is 1993.....

ba_barabus

.....and you've gotten a promotion. Bin that budget buy you got in 91 and step up in the world to the range of junior executive cars.

Your choices are as follows, what would you get, or indeed did you buy new.

Xedos 6 - Left field offering from Mazda. It'll be reliable, different and worthless after a day. Nice

Accord - As above, comes with everything including bland reliable motoring

Camry/Galant/Maxima see above, smart styling in fairness

Safrane/XM/605 - French comfort, a talking dash and more electrics than you can shake a stick at. What could possibly go wrong

Omega - solid and RWD. Good build quality too.

Granada/Scorpio - final facelift and stacked with extras. Old but BIG

Legacy - AWD Boxer madness. Expensive to keep fuel in

190E - Long in the tooth

Alfa 155 - great to drive and is my style. Best built Alfa yet.....But not a real one, it's only a Tempra.

Thema - 2 litre Turbo of Italian sporty luxury

Saab 900 - newly launched Vectra in a frock with oddly very few compatible parts....

Volvo 440/460 - snooze

BMW 316 - new model, looks tidy but you can't afford one with a nice engine or extras. WORK HARDER

For me, personally it would be a choice between a 605 and Camry. Good memories of both and I think they've aged well.

Have I missed any?

Arthur Daley

Rover 600 came out in 1993.

Audi 80 was on it's last legs

Fiat Croma would have been in this 'Granada' class also

I'll take an XM myself

ba_barabus

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Rover 600 came out in 1993.

Audi 80 was on it's last legs

Fiat Croma would have been in this 'Granada' class also

I'll take an XM myself

There was a huge amount of cars available in that sector wasn't there

R.O.R

My dad went for the Citroen Xantia in 93 after we had looked at all the other options.

2.0 VSX if memory serves correctly

boombang

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Fiat Croma would have been in this 'Granada' class also

If the Chroma and Thema are in, should we have the 9000 as well as the 900 as an option, or does that drift into 518 territory?

Splitting hairs for fun.

In retrospect I think the Honda looks a good purchase.

CiniO

In 1993 I was only 11 y.o.
My dad had a 1990 Trabant 1.1 which he got 3 years earlier brand new from a dealer.
It was last batch of trabants from their Zwickau factory, and due to change in regulations normal 2 stroke engine which Trabants used to be equipped with for over 30 years (since late 50s) was not available anymore - instead VW 1143ccm engine was under the hood of that limousine

Anyway - if I was to choose from your list it would be Xedos6 or Accord or Legacy if I could afford it.

https://youtu.be/A3jrvmhcTUE

Harry Palmr

The 190e ended production in 1993 so I doubt there would have been many to buy and the run out model spec here was useless in any event!

I'd have gone for a big soft Frenchie I have to say but a 2.0 petrol as the 2.1 derv was a useless engine size in Ireland.

Atlantic Dawn

The Accord in 2003, it was a huge improvement on what had went before and was really highly spec'd, I loved the ad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54

road_high

The mass market class of car is one that has really died a death. It’s really only Mercedes Audi BMW and Volvo seriously in it now. Jaguar too but not wildly popular here either. Land Rover developed a lot as a brand since then.

Good to see the Camry back in this class. I guess the Mazda 6 in high spec can mix it in the small exec class too. But other than those everyone is focused on SUVs now.

colm_mcm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

The Accord in 2003, it was a huge improvement on what had went before and was really highly spec'd, I loved the ad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54

1993 though.

mickdw

I was too young in 93 to be driving anything.
In 2000, I bought my first car and it was a 1992 Audi 80 2.0 petrol so that would likely have been my pick off the list.
As a family car we also had an Audi 80 in 1993 followed by an Audi 100 shortly after.

colm_mcm

Mercedes C Class would have come out that year,
The refreshed Passat was out too

These were the days of the working mans coupe too, so the progression wasn’t necessarily to an exec saloon.

Guy:Incognito

ba_barabus wrote: »

Safrane/XM/605 - French comfort, a talking dash and more electrics than you can shake a stick at. What could possibly go wrong

I wouldnt pass up the chance to buy one of my Safranes new.

As for issues with electrics, I bought my 93 one at 12 years old and my 97 one at 8 years old. Everything worked as it should, inflatable seats in the 97 one included.

2 litre in the 93 one was underpowered though, so I'd avoid that.

Old diesel

In 1993 you could have had the last of the old classic pre GM 900.

That would be on my shortlist.....

Along with Mondeo Ghia with everything on it. Leather/Aircon - the works.

Didn't like the new model Galant that came out that year so if it was my own money not a company car then the nicest newest example of the model it just replaced would also be on shortlist in 2000 GLSI form. Ideally the hatchback.

Would probably have tried an Audi 80 too - someone mentioned that it was on its last legs. Nope dont really agree - it was just after its 1992 refresh, was built great and looked a safe well engineered car. Top of the shortlist in TDI form if the new gig required 40 to 50 k miles a year driving.

Would definitely have tried a Xantia but not sure I'd have had one over a Classic 900 or the Mondeo on exact same shortlist.

I really liked the Mondeo interior at the time even in normal spec and the Ghia was even better.

BrianD3

Volvo 850? The 440/460 was much smaller and cheaper and not really a competitor for the other cars on the list.

The Opel Omega in 1993 was the old model which was showing its age compared to the likes of the much newer Safrane. Also the Granada/Scorpio was old hat.

I would probably have gone for a 605, Safrane, XM, 850 or high spec Mondeo.

I remember quite liking the Mitsubishi Galant and Honda Accord at the time. New designs, big and pretty impressive and solid looking. Later I found that the Galant had a very poor performance when crash tested by the IIHS and based on the EuroNCAP test of the Rover 600, the Accord would also have been poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGuJv0kIdRE

road_high

I always think of the late Gerry Ryan when I hear of the Xedos Mazda - remember he had one and used sing it’s praises.
That was Mazdas answer to Lexus and all the jap Marques have it had similar. The Xedos didn’t last very long at all though

road_high

colm_mcm wrote: »

Mercedes C Class would have come out that year,
The refreshed Passat was out too

These were the days of the working mans coupe too, so the progression wasn’t necessarily to an exec saloon.

The Passat was a bit of an expensive rarity then- they were too expensive and not particularly competitive with the Mondeo or Vectra- how things have changed!

BrianD3

road_high wrote: »

I always think of the late Gerry Ryan when I hear of the Xedos Mazda - remember he had one and used sing it’s praises.
That was Mazdas answer to Lexus and all the jap Marques have it had similar. The Xedos didn’t last very long at all though

I always think of Patrick Watts in the 1993 BTCC!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQdl2ssatPA

And this incident in 1994

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUCv0cmMG8U

Alun

Ah 1993, I remember it well. I bought my first ever new car, a Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6.

mondeo

The Rover 600 was a stunner back in 1993'. Beautiful car.

mikeecho

In 1993
Leaded petrol was 76.5p/l (97¢/l)
Super unleaded 76p/l (96.5¢/l)
Reg unleaded 72p/l (89¢/l)

Diesel.... That was green and for tractors

Zubeneschamali

In 1993 I was in a 205. I didn't buy the Alfa 155 until 96.

ba_barabus

There's a lot I missed when I made this one. By rights I should have included high spec models of the Carina E, Vectra, Primera among others.

Thing is, I do think by in large this period of the 90s was a high point for car design and build quality. Some great engineering and build quality.

In regards to some mentioning the C180 as being a choice. Iirc it never launched or was registered in Ireland until 1994. Could be wrong

theoneeyedman

ba_barabus wrote: »

There's a lot I missed when I made this one. By rights I should have included high spec models of the Carina E, Vectra, Primera among others.

Thing is, I do think by in large this period of the 90s was a high point for car design and build quality. Some great engineering and build quality.

In regards to some mentioning the C180 as being a choice. Iirc it never launched or was registered in Ireland until 1994. Could be wrong

When you see the top quality offerings from the Japs back in 93, Carina E and Primera as mentioned, and the xli corolla/micra in their segments, it would make you cry.
Sh1te like Tuscons and Quashqui being pushed down your throats now, and the HRV's... yuk

selectamatic

ba_barabus wrote: »

There's a lot I missed when I made this one. By rights I should have included high spec models of the Carina E, Vectra, Primera among others.

Thing is, I do think by in large this period of the 90s was a high point for car design and build quality. Some great engineering and build quality.

In regards to some mentioning the C180 as being a choice. Iirc it never launched or was registered in Ireland until 1994. Could be wrong

Was just going to post that a
2.0i Carina e executive would be a solid option.

They were the go to company car for Connacht Gold/NCF at the time.

colm_mcm

road_high wrote: »

I always think of the late Gerry Ryan when I hear of the Xedos Mazda - remember he had one and used sing it’s praises.
That was Mazdas answer to Lexus and all the jap Marques have it had similar. The Xedos didn’t last very long at all though

Fella I knew in Limerick bought Gerry Ryan’s old Xedos. Can’t remember if it was a 6 or a 9 but it was definitely a V6.

Wishbone Ash

ba_barabus wrote: »

..... Have I missed any?

The dreary Nissan Maxima?

ba_barabus

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The dreary Nissan Maxima?

That was there!

colm_mcm

ba_barabus wrote: »

That was there!

Didn’t even notice it, it’s like 1993.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Didn’t even notice it, it’s like 1993.

Ha! Much like everyone else so.

Anyone have any interest in me selecting another year and class of car tomorrow night?

Wishbone Ash

ba_barabus wrote: »

That was there!

Doh! Apologies - missed it which isn't a surprise!

AMKC

ba_barabus wrote: »

Ha! Much like everyone else so.

Anyone have any interest in me selecting another year and class of car tomorrow night?

Let's do it say 1994 class D segment so

Ford Mondeo,
Opel Cavalier,
Puegeot 405,
Citroen Xantia,
Renault Laguna,
Fiat Thema,
Alfa 155,
VW Passat,
Audi 80,
BMW 3 series
Honda Accord,
Toyota Carina yuk,
Nissan Primera,
Mazda 626,
Subura Legacy,
Saab 93,
Mitsubishi Galant
Merc C class

Maybe I missed some not sure. Do add if you want.

For me it would be a V6 Laguna.

BrianD3

BrianD3 wrote: »

I always think of Patrick Watts in the 1993 BTCC!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQdl2ssatPA

And this incident in 1994

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUCv0cmMG8U

Early/mid 90s btcc was brilliant

Panrich

mikeecho wrote: »

In 1993
Leaded petrol was 76.5p/l (97¢/l)
Super unleaded 76p/l (96.5¢/l)
Reg unleaded 72p/l (89¢/l)

Diesel.... That was green and for tractors

Is that right? I remember unleaded was 57p a litre in 1996.

bazz26

2019 thread about 1993....:pac:

Pique

With McRae and Vatanen chucking the Legacy around the WRC stages in '93, I think it'd have to be that.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Nissan Primera - super reliable, dull as dish water unless you went for the 2.0 eGT but a great car none the less. It would have been my choice.