First Cars!

"Matthew Keyser" (teisco15) 02/27/2014 at 22:27 • Filed to: None

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First cars are about freedom. About adventure. Almost everyone has a first car story. My story begins with me scrolling through Twitter one night and winds up with me pushing a Merkur up my driveway. The full story is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! if you want to read it, and I certainly hope that you do.

So what was your first car? What are some of the crazy things you did with it? What is your story? Let me know in the comments.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:28

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My first drivable car that I owned is my beloved E36.

It hates me some days.

Brian Silvestro > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:31

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My first DD

not my picture

Matthew Keyser > Brian Silvestro 02/27/2014 at 22:33

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Which I lived in a place where the climate would suit DDing a 2 door convertible Porsche. Or if my pockets were deep enough to afford that

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:34

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Mine. I don't think I have any stories though, Brazil hasn't yet caught on to thatwhole freedom thing yet, so, even though I can go whenever, there isn't much to do here. At all.

Smackjack21 > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:34

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1993 Olds Cutlas Ciera. Pic from the interwebs, mine wasnt so shiny...

Mathias Rios > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:36

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My 1999 ML320, which is still with me and I love dearly. At 213k miles with no major issues.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:37

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My First Car:

Being replaced by a Focus ST

Brian Silvestro > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:39

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Wasn't mine!

My dad wanted a mid-life crisis car, never drove it, and I needed a car to get to work in high school. Boxster was only car available.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:40

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My first car is a 2005 Lexus IS300. I have it right now, and although I technically don't own it (dad bought it), I'm paying him off and will someday own it. It's a beauty and drives amazingly. I only wish I had the 5 speed and LSD...

Matthew Keyser > Brian Silvestro 02/27/2014 at 22:44

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Wow! Wish I could get stuck with a Boxster! haha. Still driving it?

Matthew Keyser > Mathias Rios 02/27/2014 at 22:46

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Thats great! 213K, just hearing that number scares me! haha enjoy it man!

Brian Silvestro > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:48

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haha no he got rid of it when we got my moms current car. I wish we still had it though, so damn fun.

offroadkarter > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:50

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This is my first car, which has been talked about on here many of times. To the point that I don't talk about it as often and I shift topics to my e23 745i

2004 Mercury Marauder

Back in 2005 I was at the local Mercury/Lincoln dealer looking at a 2000 Mountaineer with a friend who wanted to replace his 94 9c1 caprice. This dealer had two left over 04's on the lot, a silver and a black. I remember saying "dude you should totally get one of these". I thought they looked incredibly badass at the time, and I knew one day I'd own one. I just didn't know one day I'd actually own one.

Fast forward to 2007, I picked this up with just over 30,000 miles on it. Completely stock, 2 owner car from NY (first owner was a lease). I had looked at a 03 in black with 24k miles on it, but it was in an accident, owned by a 84 year old man who lost his license in that car. 2004 is a better year, and Dark Toreador Red is the second rarest color (only 980 made).

I got this car because I wanted a 03 cobra, but my dad said "not only no, but hell no". So I went after the closest thing to a cobra, and I've been building it into a four door cobra ever since (not literally, just figuratively). By the time I first drove it to high school, I already did a CAI, a tune, billet rear control arms, an alpine 9856 HU (now kickin in the BMW), and pioneer and infinity speakers.

Under my ownership, I've had this car in the following states: NJ, NY, PA, DE, MD, OH, RI, CT, VA

The car is now in winter storage up in PA for the first time ever, sitting with 92k on the odo. I've officially retired it as my DD and right now I'm driving my 96 bronco and the 85 bmw (when it works, which right now it doesn't). I've taken my marauder from a intake/tune car, to a 400+rwhp supercharged sedan knocking on high 11 1/4 mile times. This year I hope to hit an 11.8 or better with a new exhaust and retune.

Somewhere along the line of owning a car, it stops becoming a car and becomes that piece of familiarity that you recognize wherever you two go. Which is why I often like taking my car on roadtrips, cause I can count on it to get me the fuck outta dodge if I need to.

jariten1781 > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:55

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Not mine, but same paint/trailmaster package.

Didn't get good gas mileage, couldn't safely go faster than ~60 mph, couldn't stop period. Could tow my crappy boat, could fit 15+ high school kids (not so smart haha, but they chipped in for gas), could go from Dallas to OKC with a radiator that was sealed with electrical tape.

Had the best A/C of any car I've ever been in. With the front and rear unit running the interior would be chilly in <5 minutes on 100+ degree days. The throttle butterfly liked to stick open necessitating throwing it in neutral and pulling over then banging on it with a rubber mallet.

The rear receiver ate 2 late 80s civics and a 318 who rear ended me just outside the high school. All totaled, never any noticeable damage to the truck.

Pretty much the best first car I could have asked for.

Clown Shoe Pilot > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:55

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and now you know what security question to avoid on your bank account

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:55

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Actually, my Dad and I were just talking about my first car this afternoon. My grades weren't so good, so he wasn't going to let me drive the family cars, but he did tell me that if I wanted to give him my license, he would give me the half the money that it would cost him to insure me, and save the other half. So, I started to save that money, poring through the classifieds every afternoon after school, taking notes here, making trips to the library there. This was back in the days before the Google, and so research was actually a lot of work. But, the all the gods of camshafts and glory, I was going to buy a real car, something I wanted to drive, not just had to. Anyway, I had been saving for a while, and I finally saw what I wanted.

(picture grabbed from the web, but same year/color as the one I had)(he has cooler rims than I did too)

I had given up my license and couldn't drive, but I was determined not to let that stop me. I talked my Dad into taking me out to meet the guy and see the car. He, for his part, determined to stay out of it unless I seemed to be getting sold a bill of goods. We looked at it, I fell in love with it, I dismissed the rusty rockers and spongy fenders because of the fresh red paint, and after he drove it and pronounced it sound mechanically, I gave the man $1800 dollars and had my Dad drive us home in my new car. (funny related story... On the way home, my Dad had a strange look on his face, and kept nodding his head. The next Saturday afternoon, I came home to find a brown one parked right next to my red one. He liked the car so much he went out and bought one for himself.) He and my Mom went out and picked up the other car later.

Anyway, that was the story of how I bought my first car.

ozkar0rtiz > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:56

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85 W123 300 D. Not my first car but the first that actually runs. My real first car is a 86 W126 AGM (Ls swapped) project that will hopefully be ready by early next year.

stuttgartobsessed > Matthew Keyser 02/27/2014 at 22:59

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The first car I DD was an 07 Chevy Silverado SuperCab. The car I took to college was a 2004 Chevy Tahoe. The first car I've technically and legally owned is my current car:

Matthew Keyser > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits 02/27/2014 at 22:59

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That's a great story man! Don't let anything get in the way of your love for cars!

Matthew Keyser > offroadkarter 02/27/2014 at 23:03

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That's awesome! I've always had a soft spot for Marauders they are just super cool sleepers!

Matthew Keyser > stuttgartobsessed 02/27/2014 at 23:05

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Ooooh Alfa Spiders are sooo cool! What year? Any work done to it?

RacinBob > ozkar0rtiz 02/27/2014 at 23:52

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My first car that I bought was a '75 Alfa Alfetta. Itlet me to a 71 Maverick V8, and to a 74 Mazda RX-2 Race Car, a 80 Rabbit Race Car, a '69 Alfa Berlina, a 74 Alfa Spider, two 84 Omni GLH's, A '84 Chevy Citation X-11, a '82 Chevy Citation X-11 Race Car, a '88 Honda CRX Si race car, another '88 Crx Si race car, a '93 civic Si, a '95 Del Sol Race Car, a '98 Teg Type R Race Car, and a '07 Civic Si.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > offroadkarter 02/27/2014 at 23:56

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you going to Ford Nationals this year?

stuttgartobsessed > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 00:09

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1976. As for work? Like you actually have to ask. Of course there's been work done to it. It's an Alfa.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 00:36

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No, I'm not that old. I just never was that good with practical....

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 01:33

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I haven't yet bought my actual first car yet, but I have a "The .5 or 1/2 car" story, if you will.
It's a'12 Jetta, bought in September of '11, and it is a great car! over 2 1/2 years, my mom and I have put about 14,500 miles on it, with about 13.8K of those being hers. I drive it about three times a week, to go shopping with her, or to get myself to tennis. I therefore learned to drive in basically a brand new car, and I'm really thankfull for that!
It drives well, the 5 speed manual is easy to use in DD situations, and it's got everything I need so far!

Still, I'm going for a FiST this summer! :D

offroadkarter > ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier 02/28/2014 at 01:50

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70% chance of yes

TA4K > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 03:48

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My beautiful Triumph <3

Takuro Spirit > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 07:56

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When I was 15 I bought it from my aunt who stopped driving it when she had kids. It needed exhaust, egr, and shocks, amng other little things. I learned how to work on it while I waited to get my license. Hated that carburetor.

After it broke down on me a couple times and started eating oil and spark plugs (and a couch), I decided it was time to get something new with a warranty and no problems... plus I liked the whole sport truck scene. Traded it in on a truck and broke even on what I paid for it.

Stupidest decision OF MY LIFE.

ozkar0rtiz > RacinBob 02/28/2014 at 12:25

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X-11 race car ? I would die to see a picture. That is one of my secret wants.

Caml > Matthew Keyser 02/28/2014 at 13:08

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First car I had: 1987 Nissan Sentra XE 5-door (not mine pictured, but same color)

First car I bought with my own money: 1995 Mazda Miata M-Edition

(mine pictured)

RacinBob > ozkar0rtiz 02/28/2014 at 13:25

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Here you go! My old race car is up in Minnesota some where. I sold it to someone who wanted to Ice race it. It would be an excellent lemons car. The engine is indestructable once it had a proper oil pan, and I learned from hard knocks how to make the hubs last. Its problem was heavy and I think there were some problems with the front suspension that I never over came, It would just plow and as a result ate up brakes. It was actually a pretty good car, but not quite enough to win. It even ran and finished in a Nelson 24 hour race.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/02/2014 at 20:32

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I want one for my second car but they're hard to find and even harder to find parts for I hear.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > RacinBob 03/02/2014 at 20:34

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What did you think of the GLH and X-11? I'm tempted to restore an obscure '80s american sport compact someday.

RacinBob > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/02/2014 at 22:27

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I don't think much of the non turbo GLH, I had two and they were worn out at about 80,000 miles. Failures include rocker arms, several front bearings, shift linkage, main shaft trans bearing, and upholstery ripped out. Not to mention vapor lock when hot.

My experience with the X-11 was much better. I bought a '84 in '89 and drove it through '99. I even towed my my X-11 race car on a trailer (3800 pounds) with my street X-ll for 7 years with minimal problems. Whereas I think Dodge built cars to a budget, and then took away 20% to make money, I have a lot of respect actually for the X-ll. I do think that GM cars of the day were casually assembled and tested, but the actual design and engineering values were pretty good after you worked the problems out of them. For my race car the wheel bearings were good, although the hubs were weak (use Cavelier Hubs) and the only weakness on mine was the oil pickup and water pump. Once I put a baffled oil pan on it, you could not kill the 2.8 engine. The water pump was a real problem in that it cavitated over 4000 rpm. I put a smaller pulley and some vapor vents on it per the Chevy power book and it was fine from then on. The front suspension looks a lot like a 944 one. The X-11 was really a solid package once sorted.

Soooo what to build.If GM, The X-ll is reliable but don't forget the Cavalier Z-24 as an option. My choice would be the '88 Fiero or think about a '84 Vettes which are about $2500 nowadays.

If you are hankering for Dodge, a shelby turbo or Shelby GLH looks cool and has some style so it may be an emotional win.

To help you choose, take a look at Mark Windeckers photo page. LINK . It has pictures from '80's Champion Spark Plug Challenge, Escort Enduro Series, etc. Whatever '80's sedan icon race car is there. Enjoy. Interestingly two ex pro cars that I've owned are pictured there. The CRX-Si above is an ex Firehawk Car #56 at Atlanta and Sebring is still mine and the Motorola Cup Del Sol in at Trois Revies in '99 was mine.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/02/2014 at 22:40

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I don't want to scare you out of it, but when my tranny went out at 44,000, the cost of a new one was $5k! We put in a used one for $2700. I can help you find one if you want, they can be hard to find including parts, but it's a nice, fun economy car; and I've said it many many times, but I'll miss her when she's gone.

RacinBob > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/02/2014 at 22:50

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Correction - #27 Del Sol Mosport LINK

CRX number #56 '90 Mid Ohio LINK

Also Sebring LINK

Ps Think about building a Merkur!

edwin > Matthew Keyser 03/03/2014 at 00:38

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2001 Hyundai Accent 5 speed. Purchased because it was cheap, and good on gas. I owned it for 9 months until I was hit and it was totaled. I loved it.
Of course I love the car I bought to replace it too. 2000 Mazda Miata.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > RacinBob 03/03/2014 at 01:41

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Wow, that's the opposite of what I expected, since the GLH seems to have come away with the better reputation.

I didn't realize the X-11 used the 60 degree V6. I have the 3.1 version in my Grand Am and it's indeed bulletproof, as you said (except the intake manifold gasket of course). I'm also considering the Beretta GTU (.92 g on the skipad!) and I've always had a thing for the Fiero, but unmolested '88s seem to be increasingly rare and I would never feel safe around texting drivers in Tahoes. I guess I'm really most interested in the Cosworth Vega though. Would it be easy to get more power out of that engine? Because that's really the only thing it's lacking for my taste (5-speed, light weight, RWD, clean styling, obscurity). I'd also want to swap out the front/rear fascias for the '71 style and autocross the shit out of it.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/03/2014 at 01:52

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You couldn't scare me away if you tried, but it's a stretch for my budget anyway and my dad gets the final say. The Saturn dealer has told him they're expensive to fix so he's pretty against it. I don't get how parts are hard to find though, weren't they the best selling car in Europe for several years?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/03/2014 at 02:24

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Good thing I can't because I've loved mine the year I've driven it. I didn't know there were any Saturn dealers left? I take mine to a Cadillac dealer.

Yes this specific Astra model was one of the best selling cars in Europe during its tenure, but as you know, it's an Opel; and with basically any German car, or European car, there's gonna be what I call the "Euro-premium"; you instantly have to pay more for your car and the parts because it's of European decent. I think that parts may be a little scarce here as it was only a one year vehicle here. But in other places parts must be more abundant so mechanics and dealers have to pay extra for shipping or something like that. So I don't think it's finding the parts all the time, it could be just getting them to where they're needed or both.

If I may ask, what kind of car are you looking for? Besides the Astra; preferences, certain features, tranny? And what's your current first car?

Edit: to be honest, there isn't a really good reason that we're getting rid of my Astra(besides the fact that I'm getting a focus st) it's just that maintenance costs were more than we expected for the car and things went downhill all at once; the $2700 used tranny, $200 to repair the bumper after I lost control of it this winter, and $850 for a new bumper cover. I'd love to keep my Astra but the parents gotta make the final decision in the end as you know. Hey maybe if we decide to trade it in rather than sell it to my moms friend, it'd be fun and cool to keep track of my Astra on here. So long as you don't crash it. :P

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/03/2014 at 03:00

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Well, what used to be the Saturn dealer, now it's Buick/GMC. My dad bought his Aura there.

I'm kind of all over the place on what I want. To me, it doesn't matter as long as I can fit a guitar and amp in it, it's a stick and it's under $5-6k (light weight is a plus). I'm searching CL all the time for everything from an '06 Focus ST to a Probe or Mustang SVO, to even a Cosworth Vega if I could really get what I want. But my dad pays the insurance and has my car fund savings so realistically it has to be economical, reasonably reliable and newer than my current car ('96 Grand Am). I think an old car like the Cossie would be a good thing because it's easy to work on and has less to go wrong. But he's a tough one to convince.

I would love to buy a car from another Jalop. But I wouldn't want to low ball you and I may just end up driving the Pontiac until it blows the intake manifold gasket. It also takes my dad forever to actually make any kind of financial decision.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/03/2014 at 10:57

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These are the sites I love to look at when looking for cars:

http://www.cargurus.com/

http://www.cars.com/

Have a go at this sites if you have time, I always find something good here! :P

RacinBob > evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) 03/03/2014 at 12:52

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The GLH has the bad boy cool thing going for it, but they were cheap. You don't see any Omni's around. The GM stuff was well engineered, just not exciting. I allways said they were indifferently assembled, and inspected, but once you got the bugs out, they were pretty good.

My X-11 got to 140,000 miles, probably with 30,000 miles towing a 3900 pound trailer with either a X-11 or a Si on it. I replaced the X-11 in '99 with a 114k mile '94 Transport as a tow vehicle. I put 60,000 miles on, with the only replacement being a fuel pump and 2 sets of crank sensors. At 175,000 miles, it still shifted, and ran great and did not burn oil. My current tow vehicle is a '07 Uplander. Same story.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/03/2014 at 14:18

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Thanks!

RacinBob > RacinBob 03/06/2014 at 20:43

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Cosworth Vega is a cool project and can make good HP, if you can resolve/avoid problems with the block.

RacinBob > RacinBob 03/09/2014 at 15:15

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Here's some of my cars

RacinBob > ozkar0rtiz 03/09/2014 at 20:34

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Here's the tow car and race car that replaced the X-11

ozkar0rtiz > RacinBob 03/10/2014 at 11:24

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Cool!!

Nice van.

Right now I am removing the engine out of the w126 and its time to look for a nice low miles 5.3 Ls and 6 spd trans.