Retired Cars

Fashion styles come and go.  What’s “in” one season is “out” the next.  The same is pretty true for cars.  Some cars are American classics and will stand the test of time (like the corvette or Mustang), but most will have their time in the sun and quickly fade away.  It’s fun to take a look back on vehicles we’ve seen come and go.  We’ve listed a few models that had their time but have been sadly discontinued:

Mercedes R-Class
Mercedes has always been known for it’s luxurious, upscale, classy cars and SUVs.  The word “mini-van” doesn’t really fit into this category.  Mercedes tried their hand in disguising the mini van as a luxury SUV, but it really just ended up looking like a minivan! At over $50,000 it was an expensive stretch that most soccer moms were just not willing to take. In 2012 they discontinued them.  If you’re dead set on buying one, you can still find hundreds of new vehicles unsold on Mercedes’ lots across the US.

Saab 9-7x
Saab, known for it small zippy cars, tried their hand in the SUV business with the 9-7x.  It looked almost identical to the Chevy TrailBlazer, and the only thing that read “Saab” about it was the logo on the back.  The car was priced too high for the value and failed miserably in sales leading to a quick and painful discontinuation.

Ford Crown Victoria
When you see a Ford Crown Victoria, one of 2 words come to mind: cop or cab.  These cars were used for years as police vehicles and cabs in cities across the United States.  The Crown Victoria is known for its reliability and toughness.  You can purchase a used one and expect it to last you a while.  It was discontinued in 2012.

Honda Element
The Honda Element was a popular car for outdoor enthusiasts and dog owners because of it’s dynamic interior arrangements.  This unique boxy mobile was one of the first of it’s shape and size.  Bikes can be placed inside, standing straight up along with kayaks and all your camping gear.  The Element’s design didn’t change much in the 9 years it was being produced which opened up the hole for competitors to create their updated versions of the small “boxy” SUV.

These are only a few samples of the recently discontinued car and SUV models from US motor companies.  Car insurance rates on these vehicles won’t change just because they have been discontinued, and owners of these vehicles and others will still need good auto insurance policies that can help cover them in the event of an accident. Speak to a Vern Fonk Insurance representative today about finding cheap car insurance in Washington or Oregon today!