What car did you learn on, Oppo?

"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke) 03/08/2020 at 08:38 • Filed to: None

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Driver’s Ed: 19 76 Ford LTD in poop b rown:

Home: 1994 Mazda 323 in fire engine r ed:

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:44

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Nissan G60 Patrol...

Though I think I got my licence in a 1985 Nissan Skyline...

pip bip - choose Corrour > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:47

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driving instructor Mazda (but blue colour) and my parents at home had a VH Holden Commodore in brown

Cash Rewards > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:48

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Learned to drive (basics) on a 90-92 Buick Regal. I forget the exact year, but it lacked ABS, which Wikipedia says came standard in 93. Learned to drive stick in a 95 Subaru Legacy, which was my first car

Kat Callahan > pip bip - choose Corrour 03/08/2020 at 08:53

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That’s basically the four door version of the 323. 626? Protege or something similar? Familia maybe? Dunno what it was called in Straya. 

Sovande > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:53

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1983 Volvo 240 DL. Green with tan interior. License plate was DRD -436. It didn’t make an impression on me at all and I've only owned 6 other Volvos since. 

pip bip - choose Corrour > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:53

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yes 626, bigger than the 323

kanadanmajava1 > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 08:54

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My driver’s education was done with a MAN truck. It was identical to this one with a aerodynamic fiberglass bed and fake sidepipes . The color was fancy metallic red.

I didn’t have my own car but my parents had a Vectra A like this. It was bright red though.  

Kat Callahan > pip bip - choose Corrour 03/08/2020 at 08:55

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Yeah, they have essentially the same front clip, iirc. 

Kat Callahan > kanadanmajava1 03/08/2020 at 08:56

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And here I thought I learned on a land yacht... 

FSI > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:03

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Learned to drive in a BMW 118d 6MT in 2014 and then my parent’s Golf Plus, equipped with a 6MT as well.

KnowsAboutCars > kanadanmajava1 03/08/2020 at 09:09

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This reminded me how nearly all driver’s ed trucks at least used to have fake(?) high rise side pipes. I wonder why?

XJDano > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:15

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Learned on the family Astro Van similar to this:

Then took my driving test in a 1998 ford ranger similar to this:

AestheticsInMotion > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:15

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Learned stick in a 99 Ranger.

I don't remember the first actual car I drove 

Kat Callahan > FSI 03/08/2020 at 09:30

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What luxury! 

shop-teacher > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:37

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We had two driver’s Ed cars at my high school. An ‘87 Chevy Caprice wagon, in dark red. We also had a gold ‘94 Buick Skylark.

At home I learned on my parent’s ‘89 Oldsmobile Tornado Trofeo. This would end up being my first car, after I bought it from them. Yeah, I bought a hand me down.

sony1492 > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:45

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Around 8 my father would put me on his lap and I’d steer an isuzu trooper up the mile long dirt driveway to our property

Then rode a Yamaha raptor 80 for a while

Then grew into a big bear 250

Then for 6 months or so before getting my provisional license I drove and learned on a 95 Civic automatic (actual car pictured below)

sony1492 > FSI 03/08/2020 at 09:46

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That bmw is a forbidden fruit in America.

Boxer_4 > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:52

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Drivers Ed was a 2010 Chevy Malibu with the V6.  

Home was a 1999 Toyota Camry LE with the 2.2l.

The Camry was a much better car all around.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 09:58

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Before legality:

John Deere B (the hand/lever clutch skills do not easily transfer to foot-operated controls)

Home:

1989 Audi 100 Quattro 5spd (dark blue)

Driver’s Ed:

Plymouth Acclaim , not sure the exact year, early 90's. It was this exact color.

WilliamsSW > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:00

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My dad’s car at the time. Driver’s Ed had a fleet of ‘ Vettes for practice on the range, and Cutlass coupes for road practice.  Only the Cutlasses had power steering.

Nibby > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:00

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sup k cal

DipodomysDeserti > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:04

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I learned to drive on a lifted 2003 Chevy 2500 HD and a 2001 Suburban.

I can park anything.

Kat Callahan > Nibby 03/08/2020 at 10:10

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sup nibbles

glemon > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:16

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Like many people my age, I learned on a

This color, approximately this year, not nearly this nice. Tons of people had these as cheap second cars in the 70s, so that is what they taught their kids to drive on.

My dad also had a Plymouth Duster with a slant 6 and three on the tree. He ordered it that way, who knew you could even get a column shift in 1974?. We went on a trip in it when I was 15, so I drove it quite a bit.

fhrblig > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:23

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Unfortunately because I’m old, I don’t have any actual photos of the cars themselves so I’ll have to use pics from the internet.

At home, I learned on my mom’s ‘86 base model Civic hatch with (I believe) the 1.3 and a four-speed manual and also my stepdad’s ‘84 automatic non-turbo Nissan 300ZX.

Hers was like this one , but it was so basic it didn’t even have the rubber strip on the sides. Vinyl everything, no radio, no ac. She loved that car. It was pretty fun.

The Z was like this, but boy was it a POS. I took my license test in it, and the speedometer failed 30 seconds into the drive. I still got my license, because the tester gave zero fucks about anything. M y test consisted of driving around a mall and parking nose-in to a space. He got in the car with my license on the clipboard, and I figured I’d have to royally screw things up to not get it.

They paid for me to take a driver training course because the schools did not offer it at all. They picked a company run by an older woman, and it turned out there were several BBB complaints against her. I’m not sure why, because the training went well and was pretty thorough. Maybe they were all turned off by her ‘79 Mercury Zephyr 2-door.

Not the cooler one with the swoopy B- and C- pillar treatment, but this thing. Hers was white, and let’s be charitable and call it ‘weatherbeaten’. At one point the turn-signal stalk fell off in my hand while I was attempting to turn. Other than that, it worked well enough.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:29

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1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic

Kat Callahan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/08/2020 at 10:32

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That rivals my LTD. 

Urambo Tauro > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:37

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Wow, driver’s ed car... good question! I’m afraid I’ve forgotten, but I want to say that it was some small Chrysler car.

But I can’t forget the car I learned to drive stick on! It was a 1990 Chevy 1500 pickup with this shift light that I paid WAY too much attention to. I eventually had to unlearn my bad habit of shifting early.

Your boy, BJR > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 10:57

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Moms car (and driving school car, weirdly)- Pontiac G6 V6 sedan (driving school car a 4cyl coupe)

Dad’s car- 1989 Saab 900S

Stepdad’s car- Silver DeVille with the talisman package (nicknamed centrum silver)

FSI > sony1492 03/08/2020 at 11:01

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That BMW was also rather great handling and had great power for its size. Me thinks the M135i/M140i will be future collector's items. Who else offered a compact with rwd and an i6 engine?

FSI > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 11:02

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Could have been worse! But another driving school in my town even has a Golf R, Audi SQ5 and a Golf GTD. That would have been even better

phenotyp > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 11:05

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‘84 Accord, ‘88 Suburban, with trailers. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 11:19

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My moms car 1982 Cutlas Ciera (internet photo)

Our drivers ed car was a white Voyager with a 4 cy engine. It was slow.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/08/2020 at 11:27

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Funny.  Mine was that era Caprice as well.  Midwest, I guess, and it was always Ford or Chebby dealers providing the wheels for the local high schools.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > FSI 03/08/2020 at 11:38

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A friend of mine went to a wealthy private school and they had thei r own private driver’s ed program. They taught everyone who took the program to drive manual in a NA G- series 911 (‘82, I think) with a multi- plate turbo racing clutch and solid shift linkage. The theory being that students could abuse the shit out of the clutch and the NA motor didn’t have enough power (and the car didn’t weigh enough) to ruin the heavy duty clutch, and the super-notchy shift lever made gear misses less likely . It seemed to work, but it also had the side effect of everyone who learned to drive on the 911 was confused by the “ feather-light” , relatively feel-free clutches and rubbery, va gu e shifters in normal cars.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 12:01

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1983 Mazda B-2000. This one isn’t mine, but the only difference is mine had a blue stripe and a blue interior. I learned to shift by sitting in the passenger seat and shifting for her as she drove. There wasn’t a tach, so I learned how to listen to the engine. It didn’t take long for me to know when to shift without my mom saying anything.

The other truck I learned on was an early-80's Chevy 1-ton dually with a custom flatbed. My friend’s dad used us as free labor and one of our jobs was moving trailers around their property. I never took it on the road, but I learned a lot about maneuvering vehicles with trailers attached.

ranwhenparked > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 12:04

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At home, it was a 1990 Subaru Loyale wagon in black

Drivers ed was some sort of K-car, I want to say either Dodge Spirit or Plymouth Acclaim in like green or teal.

Nothing > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 12:25

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Simultaneously: 1985 Grand Marquis (automatic), 1972 Chevy C10 (manual, three on the tree).

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 03/08/2020 at 12:36

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Vanishingly thin on the ground nowadays. Only a few coupes have survived.

thatsmr > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 12:38

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Learned to drive and took test in moms Chevy Citation. Learned manual in dads Charger 2.2. First car 77 Monte Carlo (ugh)

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 12:43

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Well it was a white long bed Chevy with dual tanks. It was lifted a bit with BF tires. My dad still has it I’m sure, he grew up on a ranch and most of his stuff goes there and he doesn’t sell it. 

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 03/08/2020 at 12:53

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I always laugh (I had a used late 70 Cutlass as a beater for awhile) that it’s almost impossible to find a 1973-1982 Cutlass anywhere in reasonable condition— remarkable given that some of those years they built A MILLION of the damn things...

And, yet, (imagine!) some days it feels like you can go to EBAY and find more First year Z-28s listed than Chevy actually built that model year....

Part of it was perceived value, part was their ubiquity (and perceived ‘not worth saving’ traits) and part of it was malaise-saturated indifferent quality.

Oddly, that car NEVER LEFT ME STRANDED. My wife’s Land Rover left me stranded three times in a single week, once. Go figger.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 13:15

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First car driven: dad’s ‘01 Toyota Tundra TRD (actual car pictured). An absolute blast to drive, and surprisingly agile. I learned how to have fun driving in this truck.

Driver’s ed car: Circa 2014 Honda Civic just like this, but with a crap wrap.

First car: Automatic ‘12 Chevy Cruze, which I still have. Learned to take care of a car.

GLiddy > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 13:32

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Drivers Ed Car: 197-some thing tan Ford Fairmont.

Home: 1977 White Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. Mom’s car.

Dad’s Car. 1977 Lincoln Town Car

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 03/08/2020 at 13:36

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That ‘77 Caprice only broke down twice that I can recall: once because of a loose alternator belt and it stopped charging, and the transmission went out because GM had built that car using the Turbohydramatic 200 transmission instead of the TH350 which it should’ve gotten. The AC went out because of a failed evaporator or condenser after some years, and the cruise control failed relatively young. But other than that loose alternator belt that one time, I don’t think it ever stranded us. And it drove famously well.

Would that be a G-body?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 03/08/2020 at 13:39

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Because it's when I was learning to drive, I believe, I have an irrational exuberance for GM sedans of the era.

CB > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 14:03

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Home: 2003 Nissan Maxima

2003 Chrysler Town and Country

Driver's education: 2007-ish Honda Civic Hybrid

FSI > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 03/08/2020 at 14:12

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Great story! A friend of mine who works at a Porsche dealership actually told me they push old Porsches because of the heavy clutches.

fintail > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 14:22

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Home - mostly 2 cars:

66 Galaxie almost just like this:

And a 60 Country Sedan quite like this:

And this was in the 90s, my dad was an old Ford guy, and it was more fun to drive old cars than moderns.

Driver’s ed:

Plymouth Acclaim just like this, it was almost new then:

BEER4Bonnieville > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 14:26

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1954 Ford.

Nibby > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 14:32

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wha t’s good? where’ve you been of late? hope all’s well

kanadanmajava1 > KnowsAboutCars 03/08/2020 at 15:18

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Maybe fancy looking truck attracted more students for the schools ? I did pick mine because that truck looked so awesome...

Josh - the lost soldier > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 16:26

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Technically speaking, this is where it started:

This, in addition to countless hours of Need for Speed, is what got me into driving. When I was finally able to drive, my first experience was behind the wheel of my grandmother’s 1991 Toyota Corolla DX.

glemon > Nothing 03/08/2020 at 18:13

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Upvote for three on the tree, my dad bought a 1 974 Plymouth Duster new with three on the tree. He wanted it that way, said it made mere sense to shift with your hand close to the steering wheel. Man it was a long shift motion, swear t he lever moved about a foot going gear to hear 

Kat Callahan > Nibby 03/08/2020 at 19:26

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Got a new car. Work for the UN now. Also am Associate Editor at https://paydayreport.com/about/  Doing okay. 

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 20:19

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When I was 14, 97 1500, I’d drive on teh off road trails

Home: 2000 Chevy venture

Drivers ed: Some POS cavelier  

Nibby > Kat Callahan 03/08/2020 at 21:46

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congrats! that’s a pretty great writing gig you got there. have you got any samples you can share? also what car did you get? happy to see you’re doing well!

Kat Callahan > Nibby 03/09/2020 at 05:41

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Actually at Payday, I am literally just an editor, but Mike and I wrote this Intercept piece together: https://theintercept.com/2019/09/26/gm-uaw-strike-china-electric-vehicles/

As for my new car: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/the-2000-logo-ts-is-dead-long-live-the-2009-fit-rs-1842042180

Nibby > Kat Callahan 03/09/2020 at 08:35

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Your writing is so clear and concise. I like how you and Mike make it easy for people to understand what’s going on with the GM union strikes but in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re holding readers’ hands.

As for the new car... sounds like it is a good Fit for you!

Longtime Lurker > Kat Callahan 03/09/2020 at 20:31

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Home: 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis 2 door

Drivers ed: 2005 Ford Focus sedan

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Kat Callahan 03/10/2020 at 00:08

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Driver’s ed: Dodge Stratus

Home: 1990 Ford Festiva (preferred). Others: 1980 Buick Malibu, 1980 Buick LeSabre wagon/Roadmaster.