What could have been

"Your boy, BJR" (jerseyshoreben)
06/21/2014 at 22:21 • Filed to: None

This isn't some pansy assed "if they followed this concept" thread, this is a "what was almost your first car" thread. First up- me. My first car was a showroom condition 1995 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer. Every. Single. Option. Ticked (except leather seats lol). Anyway, it was down to two modes of transport when I picked. The '95 ford bronco, which i could buy outright, but needed (very minor) repairs, but also the top came off (I live at the beach, so topless driving is something enjoyable) or the '83 Rolls Royce (seriously) Silver Spirit (i live in a fairly wealthy area, used luxo barges are left and right here), which I could only cover half of and needed a loan from my grandparents, who are real "keeping up with the joneses" folk and would have happily loaned me money if it meant a Roller as my first car. However, me, being me, wanted my first car to be MINE, so i went ith the bronco (it was also summer, and the RR had a broken AC.) Anyway, if i went the greedy route, an early 80's rolls woulda been my first car. What was your almost first car?

TL;DR: I almost had a rolls royce first car, anyone else here have insane "woulda, coulda, shoulda" car stories?

DISCUSSION (42)

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:24

Mine's kind of the opposite: my first car was a 1970 Mercury Cougar with a 351 Cleveland, and the "what could have been" car was...a Ford Pinto.

(Edit) not mine, but close:

Kinja'd!!!

I dodged a bullet there. :-)

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:24

I will let you know in the future.

heliochrome85 > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:25

1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL was the almost-first car. 1995 Cadillac STS was the actual First car.

Your boy, BJR > heliochrome85
06/21/2014 at 22:27

^resident stoner would kill for an M-B 420 ANYTHING

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:27

Give me 2 months, and i'll tell you how I almost either got a Juke or a Mustang

Your boy, BJR > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
06/21/2014 at 22:27

I woulda gone pinto.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:27

I think my "almost first cars" are fairely well-recorded here on oppo. Surely, you remember that last one.

Your boy, BJR > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
06/21/2014 at 22:27

Sorry, luv. Grownups are talking.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:28

i almost had a 70's GTO that was ready for the drag strip (and legal!) that hadn't run in 2 years for 6 grand but instead i ended up getting a 85' jaguar Xj6 for $2,300

i guess i thought i would get less tickets that way

Your boy, BJR > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 22:28

PHAETON. Whatever. You pretty much ended up with the proto-phaeton

Your boy, BJR > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
06/21/2014 at 22:29

If you don't get a juke, I will put my head through a goddamn wall

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:30

I actually meant the '76 Cadillac. I'm glad I didn't get the Phaeton or I would be speaking to you now from a small village in Cuba, where I fled the debt collectors.

JasonStern911 > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:31

My Grandma gave me her old 1986? Chevy S10 Blazer that had been sitting. Unfortunately, probably due to the sitting, a freeze plug had rusted through. So before I even got to drive it, my mom drove it with a coolant leak until the motor blew. And very unfortunately, there was considerably more damage (I forget what exactly) than just replacing a head gasket and the freeze plug. So without consulting me, my Grandpa sold it and bought me a Ford Festiva. Great car, but a terrible first car. I nearly rolled it several times, and the one low speed accident I got in hurt a bit, so I can only imagine what would have happened had I got into a real accident. I honestly think that car might be one of the bigger reasons as to why every vehicle I have purchased since (with the exception of my Nissan XTerra) has had impressive handling and brakes...

Your boy, BJR > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 22:33

God I wish I were in Cuba right now (my grandfather is from there lol)

Also, fuck you. Caddys are my one weakness.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:33

I understand the retro appeal of the Pinto, but at the time...the Cougar with the 351 was just so much fun it was unbelievable.

ranwhenparked > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:34

First car was actually a 1971 Super Beetle, it was actually exactly what I wanted. Had it about a year, but was paranoid about what the road salt and brine would eventually do to it over successive winters and also wanted something with better heating, so wound up shopping again.

Always wanted a vintage (eg, 1970s or 80s) Cadillac and came very close to buying two of them. One was an '86 Brougham in grey with a red velour interior. Drove way out to central Pennsylvania to look at it, and by the time I got there, the plastic fender extensions had totally collapsed (they were fine in the photos) and there were various other issues I didn't want to deal with, so passed. The other was that blue '85 Seville, which was a totally mint car and fit the bill, but I was spooked by the thought of owning an HT4100 and passed. I bought a Volvo 940 Turbo instead, which served me reliably for years. Eventually, I gave it to my younger brother as his first car and bought a '96 Fleetwood, which is the one car I really, really wish I still had.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:35

Cuba is not high on my list of places to go right now. No offense, but totalitarian communist dictatorship and I don't mix well.

Your boy, BJR > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
06/21/2014 at 22:36

Just because I would have gone pinto doesn't mean its the smart choice. I picked OJ's car over a Rolls Fucking Royce (yes, the "Fucking" was 100% nesciccary)

Your boy, BJR > ranwhenparked
06/21/2014 at 22:38

LMAO. You would have been simultaneously the best and worst brother ever if you gave him an '85 Seville

Your boy, BJR > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/21/2014 at 22:39

Lol none taken (Personally, I totally dig Fidel, but that's not a discussion for oppo)

ranwhenparked > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:40

Depends, I drove the Volvo for 4 years before that happened - the Cadillac would have almost certainly wound up needing an engine transplant in that time, so in that case, he would have gotten an almost mechanically new car. But it still would have been a 20+ year old FWD Cadillac.

Ferrero1911 > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:42

I almost inherited my grandparents 1995 F-250 dually. I lived in Texas, so a giant diesel truck that seated 6 would have made me the cool kid. Instead my cousin got the truck (because he lived 2000 miles closer to where the truck was located). I ended up with a 1982 Oldsmobile Delta 88 which was sold to me by the family of the woman who lived across the street. She died and so they came knocking to see if we wanted it since I was 16.

I loved my Olds (it also seated 6), but I definitely had one of the crappier cars at my rich high school. For reasons I'm not really sure of, no one ever made fun of me for it, some people even seemed to like it.

Your boy, BJR > ranwhenparked
06/21/2014 at 22:43

With an HT4100 (HT stands for hand tight, I.E., the spec that the motor was manufactured to)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:44

So will I. I want that little fucker to be mine, but I will not take the CVT. I refuse to have a droany, moany belt driven POS attached to the brilliant 1.6T under the hood.

Hopefully, there's one available SOMEWHERE in August

Nibbles > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:45

My almost first car, and one I will own some day, was a 1968 Nova coupe. It had the small v8 automatic, but I wanted it so hard. I told my friends about it and saved up all my cash. I called to make the purchase, and when I got there one of my friends was buying it out from underneath me. Still very very bitter about that. I ended up with a 1985 v6 Camaro.

Your boy, BJR > Ferrero1911
06/21/2014 at 22:46

Because that car is fucking dope. Also- I was stuck behind a 2nd gen Lexus SC430 in traffic today. Thought of the Aerocabin and smiled.

Ferrero1911 > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 22:55

When you're in high school and you're the only one who drives a car older than you that's not a Camaro SS or a Mustang it's pretty hard to feel cool. The parking lot was full of Range Rovers, 3 series, Expeditions, 4 Runners and Tahoes. I was however very upset when my parents sold the Olds because it was my first car and I really liked it (looking back I like it even more). The transmission was going though, so they sold it while I was out of town and replaced it with a 1997 Grand Am with BROKEN AC!!! At the least the Olds had ice cold AC.

We actually just got back from moving the Aerocabin to the shop! Almost ready for a road trip!

ranwhenparked > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 23:05

1980s GM - engineered to 50%, assembled to 25%.

Crocket Bernet > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 23:16

EP3 Civic si. My dad and I test drove it and were not impressed so, ya...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 23:26

First car was almost a 1990 Chevy Lumina, then the rear main seal went and that basically totaled the car (it was a bit of a rolling disaster, but the engine was in okay shape).

Ended up getting a 2000 Buick LeSabre with at-the-time 190,000 miles on it, which now has 220,000 miles, several autocrosses, and lots of spirited in-town driving under its belt and no signs of stopping.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 23:36

You Dick. I am supprised you have time to comment being that you are busy ruining your life with drugs and slinging pizzas in a dead end job.

shop-teacher > Your boy, BJR
06/21/2014 at 23:40

I wanted to buy a '79 Chevy C30 regular cab pickup, with a 454 and a 4-speed (granny gear, of course), and a hydraulic lift gate. Quote from my Dad, "You are not parking that hunk of shit in my driveway."

Your boy, BJR > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
06/22/2014 at 00:06

RIGHT?! Somehow i fit oppo in my busy schedule.

AM3R > Your boy, BJR
06/22/2014 at 00:13

E34 M5, E36 M3. I don't want to talk about it.....

Frenchlicker > Your boy, BJR
06/22/2014 at 00:20

Kinja'd!!!

I almost bought a 940 Turbo but it sounded like the turbo was going out. I would have been able to buy it outright and fixed it quickly. I ended up with a Taurus that seemed brilliant, so far the problems have exceeded the price of what that turbo would have costed. I hear the 940 went to Indy to be fixed and turned into a highschooler's first car, lucky bastard. And now I wish to hit a deer so insurance will pay for my car and am rid of it.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Your boy, BJR
06/22/2014 at 00:26

You made me lol. Thanks! :-)

Your boy, BJR > AM3R
06/22/2014 at 00:30

I do! Spill it.

AM3R > Your boy, BJR
06/22/2014 at 01:15

long story short: My dad commutes into DC from NoVa for work. He wanted a perfomance car and loved BMW's so why not get an M car. The salesmen was a great friend of his and let him take home an E36 M3 for the weekend to test it out. Decided it was too rough to daily and that he would give it to me to DD and he would drive it every Sunday. Salesmen friend talks him into an E34 M5 for the next weekend and he liked it a lot better, but after the weekend was up he said he didn't need a car that big as he's alone on his commute. Made the same deal with me and we get ready to sign the papers. We get to the dealership and the salesmen pal decides to ruin my life by telling my dad it wouldn't be a good idea to DD one of these (reliability, wear & tear, etc.) and shows him..... A Brand new honda S2k. That could've also been my first car, my dad loved it so much after a 10 minute test drive he nearly bought it but decided it was too impractical.

You know what the next best thing to a honda S2k is? His salesmen pal thinks it's a v6 honda accord. I ended up riding the bus to school my junior year while my dad had a nice new accord.

Fuck that salesmen....

Your boy, BJR > AM3R
06/22/2014 at 01:18

Sero=iously though. fuck that dude.

AM3R > Your boy, BJR
06/22/2014 at 12:26

Yeah I was pretty fucking mad for a majority of the summer. Everytime I saw an M3 or M5 I'd get deeply sad.

The salesmen pal isn't all that bad, he hooked me up with my current E90 328i, and he's been really helpful so far on my quest to find an M3. He better give me a steep discount though, considering he ruined my chances to ever drive an E34 M5 :(

bob and john > Nibbles
06/25/2014 at 08:08

your friend is a dick

Nibbles > bob and john
06/25/2014 at 09:04

An absolute dick. Still lust over Novas, especially since I saw a 1973 HATCHBACK (wtf when did they make hatchbacks and why didn't I know of this) at a car show last weekend.