Show and Tell Time: first AND second cars

"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo) 01/07/2015 at 13:55 • Filed to: None

0

66

There have been plenty of threads and discussions where we share our first cars. Those generally crappy, free (or close to free) old beaters that were typically not your first choice and beaten to hell by you and your friends. But what about the follow up?

Our second cars seem to be the first ones we really love. Sure we all have fond memories of our first beater, but the second was usually more special in its own way. A concious choice, that was well cared for. Let's see the evolution from that first car to the second. I'll go first.

'94 Pontiac Grand Prix. This was given to me by my great aunt, who was incapable of driving it anywhere due to cancer treatments. This poor thing had been borrowed and thrashed by her grandchildren many times, and was in rough shape. It soldiered on surprisingly well for the first year, though. I had to regularly lubricate the door mechanism so it would open for me, and after about a month of storing guitars and sound equipment in it, I discovered that one of the rear doors did not lock. That would have been good to know that one time when I "locked" my keys inside. AC didn't work, and neither of the windows on the driver's side went down. Summer was miserable.

Check out that light bar, though. All Geordi Laforge and stuff.

Up next was the Thunderbird.

Amusingly enough, I was actually looking for something fuel efficient to replace the Pontiac. Then I drove this and said "Nope, V8 it is". The rest is history, as this is the machine that really got me into cars. I learned how to wrench on that beautiful Modular 4.6

Also, both the AC and driver's side window worked.

*Neither of the cars pictured are actually mine, but pretty damn close. I lost the T-bird pics, and I never took any of the Pontiac.*

Michael Maguire > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:00

1

First Car - 2003 Ford Ranger Tremor (Amp and Sub instead of backseat)

1.5 car - Drove dad's 2006 Honda Civic 4 dr no vtec

Second Car (First purchase on my own!) - 2014 Ford Mustang...My Baby! Definitely the best car I have owned so far

505Turbeaux > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:01

2

I had a slew of cars I was running around or fixing before I had my license, but the ones I consider my "first" and "second" were the cars I got when I got legal to drive. I had an 86 16V scirocco in gold with 98K miles on it in 1995. I put 40K on it in short order till I was trying to impress some ladies while dipping across a parking lot, then an island appeared while I was doing 45-50 mph and the front end came unglued. Luckily I saw the end early and had a 57K mile 81 Audi 5000 Turbo waiting in the wings that I ran till about 100K and the tranny fell out of it. Great college car.

Scary__goongala! > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:01

3

1st car on the right, 2nd car to the left. Don't have #1 anymore though:(

Alfalfa > Michael Maguire 01/07/2015 at 14:03

0

How was the Honda? My mom has the same Civic. I kind of hate it. And a Ranger sounds like a great first car. Small, easy, and reliable.

Sn210 > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:05

1

mine wasn't such a good story...

My first was a Jeep Wrangler. Tons of fun but I was spending too much money on gas and maintenance on my after school job. I bought a '99 Saturn SC2 for $3k freshman year of college. It was great on gas, but it was a lot less fun, even with the trick rear door. I soaked just as much money into it as I did the jeep. $1500 transmission repair, $350 for some sensor, $2200 on insurance because 18y/o male + any coupe = high risk, apparently. I traded in on for a Civic a year and a half later.

Nibbles > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:05

2

I don't have pics, so use your imagination.

1st car: 1985 Camaro "Sport Coupe" (base model). Krylon red, faded to pink. Three red Camaro wheels, one bright-fucking-pink wheel of unknown origin. Primer black front fenders. 2.8 MPFI, auto.

2nd car: 1987 Cavalier fleet special. Cream yellow, cream interior. 2.0 MPFI, auto.

Alfalfa > Scary__goongala! 01/07/2015 at 14:07

2

Sad day! I do love me an old Benz.

Justin Hughes > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:08

1

First: 82 Pontiac 6000LE. Hand-me-down from my grandmother. Nothing special, just basic wheels.

Second: 95 Mercury Tracer. I had connections at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer, and they hooked me up with a 17k mile program car for relatively cheap. It was the closest to new car I ever had until I bought my BRZ brand new. I couldn't get rid of this car. When a girlfriend needed a car and I wanted an upgrade I sold it to her. Later on I married her, so it was back in my driveway again!

I also did my first year of autocross in this car. It was terrible, but it got me into it. It's totally NOT an enthusiast's car, but it's the car I had when I became an enthusiast.

Alfalfa > Nibbles 01/07/2015 at 14:09

2

Haha, that Camaro sounds like the textbook definition of "high school car".

Nibbles > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:10

2

Yup. It was a barely running, ugly piece of shit but god damnit it was my barely running, ugly piece of shit

Paid cash for it. Ended up rebuilding that 2.8 in what was the largest exercise in futility I have experienced to date

Takuro Spirit > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:11

1

First car was a '77 Firebird I bought from my aunt who bought it as HER first car (used) in the early 80's.

It had 90k miles, been crashed a bit, had some rust, ran OK but needed some work. I was 16 and paid $1500 for it, in installments earned while working at Hardee's after school. Fixed up some things while I waited to get my licence.

I hated that car then but miss it now. Having to adjust the carb and having it use oil and foul spark plugs all the time never quite made up for its Cool Factor.

I traded it in on a brand new 1998 Isuzu Hombre and got $1100 for it, after I crashed it, made some questionable modifications, and never really fixed the rust.

I had BIG PLAN$ for the Hombre. I was going to buy an S-10 Xtreme but my parents were against it (too flashy) and after thinking it out, I liked the looks of the Hombre more. Those box flares. That clean front end. That longer warranty.

I was into the lowered truck scene, so I bought a lowering kit for it, the same ZQ8 wheels a S-10 Xtreme came with, and was about to pull the trigger on installing all of it when I hurt my back at work. I was out of commission for 6 months and had to sell all my parts to make my truck payments.

After that, and the loss of my girlfriend at the time, I fell out of love with the truck. It had 50k on it, was making some odd noises in the rear, and I had too many girl related memories in it. I traded it in taking a HUGE hit in depreciation on a '00 Neon that I kept for 5 years. To this day, the longest I've owned a car. THANKS, LEASING!

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:13

1

First:

Second:

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:14

4

Those generally crappy, free (or close to free) old beaters that were typically not your first choice and beaten to hell by you and your friends.

Damn...I might not be fit to tell a story then, oh well.

My first car was a 2008 Twilight Blue Metallic Saturn Astra XR automatic with 38,000 miles on the odometer that my mom had bought me for Christmas senior year of high school:

I drove and loved that car for the year I had it, I drove it for the last half of senior year, and the first and half of my first and second semesters of college respectively. In that time, the trans went out(I could only drive it in reverse) and I crashed into a snow bank via understeer. I put right the damage before we sold her though, I couldn't sell her on looking like a beater.

Second car, well....

Sold the Astra to my mom's assistant manager's husband and it's in good hands; used that money as a down payment on my 2014 Performance Blue FoST(base stripper model-ST1) in March 2014. Still using said car and now has 12,800 miles and an aftermarket exhaust, and it's an excellent fun DD(aside from the FWD part but no matter).

But I don't count them as my first or second cars. Why? Because even though my dad took out the loan on the FoST and I'm paying said loan, it's not a car I bought with MY money, so THIS is what I consider to be my FIRST car, that everyone already knows about:

My 1984 Porsche 944, which I bought in the summer-fall of 2014 for $3000 and with 118k miles on the odometer; with timing belts and water pump replaced by the previous owner.

I'm a lucky fortunate bastard. :p

Alfalfa > Justin Hughes 01/07/2015 at 14:15

0

The Tracers look so much like the Pontiacs of the same era, IMO. I always have to do a double-take.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:16

1

My first car was a 1991 Toyota Celica. Loved that car in high school. Still in my parents' garage, still works, albeit after my brother slid into a parked car due to black ice we replaced one of the red doors with a junkyard silver one.

My second car was a 1997 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi. It hauled, and the seats were fairly comfortable. Other than those two factors the car was an unmitigated piece of crap. I do remember the engine fondly, but the fit and finish was made worse by a salvage reassembly, the switchgear was horrendous, and it wasn't even easy to work on. I literally ran when I traded that car in...in part because the day before I left it the parking lights popped out of their housings, the CEL came back on, the blower motor stopped working (again) and the starter was on the fritz (again).

Alfalfa > Aaron M - MasoFiST 01/07/2015 at 14:17

0

As a fellow former 90's Pontiac owner, I certainly understand your plight. Except mine wasn't even quick.

Alfalfa > ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier 01/07/2015 at 14:20

0

You like to mix it up, I see.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:21

1

I will let you know about the second once I have it. Hopefully not for too long of a while.

Justin Hughes > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:22

0

Yeah, they both looked like the headlights went all the way across the front of the car, even though the Tracer's didn't.

Michael Maguire > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:22

0

Ranger was awesome, except for no 4wd. I showed that car off to EVERYONE!

I personally liked the Honda. It was a small, maneuverable car that was reliable as hell. That's what I needed in the high school to college transition time.

What don't you like about it? I'm curious...

GeorgeyBoy > Aaron M - MasoFiST 01/07/2015 at 14:23

0

I had a 94 back in the day. I liked it a lot, in a quirky way. I can attest to the horrible build quality. Lasted to 200k miles only needing a waterpump on top of basic maintenance, it never really got basic maintenance which is why I was impressed.

ranwhenparked > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:23

2

First car: 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle for $5500, owned about a year or so. Had fun with it, realized it wasn't the most practical day-to-day, sold it.

Second car: 1991 Volvo 940 Turbo for $5000 - drove it about 4 years, then bought another car and gave it to my younger brother. He had it another 3 years, then handed it over to my parents so they could trade it in under Cash for Clunkers.

Overall, the VW was probably in slightly better cosmetic & mechanical condition than the Volvo, even though it was 20 years older. They were both pretty decent though.

treesmakewater > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:24

0

my first car was a 2002 Toyota Tacoma preruner (4cylinder model). My dad bought it wrecked and me and my grandfather fixed it up and painted it the dark gray from the 2010 Tacoma's. I physically outgrew the truck within 6 months so I sold it.

My second car is my 2000 Audi a6 quattro 4.2. I bought it from a retired state trooper for a great price. Ihave dumped a lot of hours into this car, but I still love it (except when my coils only lasted 6000 miles)

Jcarr > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:28

0

First: 1991 Isuzu Trooper XS with the GM 2.8l V6. Don't have any pictures of it in digital form, but it was a great big brick of awesomeness.

Second: 1994 Chevy S10 Blazer. Big, powerful V6, 4WD, power everything. It was great in Iowa winters and ran like a top when I traded it in at 150,000 miles.

JGrabowMSt > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:28

2

04 Neon SXT. Picture is not mine, and actually worse shape than mine before it was wrecked.

About to get the wagon back tomorrow or Friday. Feels really good seeing the motor get dropped back in.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:32

1

First:

Awww yeah!

Got it at 145,000km, crashed it at 198,000 :'(

.

.

.

Second:

but in black. learned to wrench a bit on it, but disliked it overall (the floatiness!)

Alfalfa > Michael Maguire 01/07/2015 at 14:33

0

Mostly, the steering feel. The thing pushes so hard to go in a straight line. It also feels completely gutless, which I'm reminded of while I hear the pathetic noise of the tiny 4-banger as it goes into high revs.

I mean, I don't expect a whole lot out of an economy car, but I've driven plenty of econobox that didn't have those qualities.

Alfalfa > JGrabowMSt 01/07/2015 at 14:35

1

Jealous. I've always wanted a hemi wagon.

Michael Maguire > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:36

0

it's probably because the civic was the only small sedan I'd ever driven...I thought the steering was okay, but the power was definitely laughable. I think I miss that car more for the memories I had in it as opposed to the car actually being worth anything...

Alfalfa > Jcarr 01/07/2015 at 14:37

0

Those Troopers are, well, troopers. I wouldn't mind owning one at all. And that Blazer looks perfect!

JGrabowMSt > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:37

0

http://jgrabowmst.kinja.com/tag/hemi-wagon

Aaron M - MasoFiST > GeorgeyBoy 01/07/2015 at 14:37

0

The amount of things I didn't do on that car was impressive, but I only had it for a year in grad school before I graduated and got a job.

But the salvage title issues took a car with bad build quality and really made it so much worse. The parking lights didn't fit in their housings, the hood flutter (which apparently was an issue even on non-crashed cars) was terrifying, the passenger-side front door stopped opening because of interference from the body cladding...it was an even worse example of an already poorly built car.

But the engine was good enough that I still find myself thinking about buying another L67 car. Even though I know better.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Scary__goongala! 01/07/2015 at 14:37

2

How very Jalop of you.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:38

1

These aren't pictures of mine, but my first two were an '88 Tercel and a '93 Del Sol. They were both pieces of shit. The Tercel was the only unreliable Toyota I've ever seen. It was my Dad's and was always breaking down on him. I think that the idea was that I would drive it around until it died completely or I wrecked it. Unfortunately, its death blow came right before I turned 16 in the form of a cracked block. We still have no idea how that happened.

My second car was a '93 Del Sol. I was (naturally) looking at 80's Toyota and Nissan sports cars with a billion miles on them. My parents didn't think that buying a 20 year old car with 200,000 miles on it was a very good idea, and not wanting to have to drive me around once my car breaks down, made a deal with me. They would buy me a "sensible" car, but I had to pay for the insurance and repairs. Seemed to make sense to me, but I would really rather have had a sports car... Also, I didn't end up with a choice in the car and came home one day to find a ten year old Del Sol with 50k miles on it. This ended up being another colossal piece of shit. In the six months I had it, I don't think it went more than two or three weeks without a visit to the shop. Some of them were my fault (jumping a Del Sol is not recommended), but for the most part, the car was just awful. I know now not to buy cars that seem surprisingly low mileage, but had no idea at the time, nor did my parents. Low mileage usually means that the car has either been sitting or has only been used for very short trips and never got up to temperature. Eventually, my parents sold the car, and just in the nick of time. The new owner had a blown head gasket within weeks.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:45

0

Other way around for me. I loved my first truck unconditionally and would buy it back in a heart beat if i found it.

It was given to me when I was 14 with the intention (and we did) of my dad and I building the whole thing. 1988 S10 Blazer 2 door. 4x4, 4.3L TBI (bored 60 over, upgraded valves, ported heads, exhaust)

Second was a 2004 Blazer 4 door 4x4 4.3L. It's the Red one parked behind my Blue one!

The 2nd Blazer was a perfectly fine vehicle and it was a hell of a lot nicer features wise than the 88.

But the hand built nature of the 88 put it at a completely different level of attachment than the 04.

GeorgeyBoy > Aaron M - MasoFiST 01/07/2015 at 14:46

0

I wish I had the supercharged 3800. Even without I always thought it was a cool sounding engine. I miss my brown interior and gold wheels. So 90's.

Alfalfa > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/07/2015 at 14:52

0

Haha, there are always outliers.

My first two years of high school was in a fairly affluent area, about half of the students with cars had new-ish ones that their parents bought. And about half of those were in some sort of accident before graduation.

phenotyp > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:57

1

First car:

(Same color and everything)

Second car, again, same color, including the rust velour interior:

...Sadly I have yet to own a 911, though my third car was a 74 914.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > GeorgeyBoy 01/07/2015 at 14:58

0

Yeah, mine was the more anonymous (though nice looking) Black cherry metallic with split five spokes. This isn't my car, but you get the idea:

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 14:58

1

First car: '86 Camry (with the 5-speed!) - bought from a garage mechanic up the road

Second car: '88 Acura Legend (with the 5-speed!) - was my dad's. LOVED THIS CAR.

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-class…

(not my pictures, by the way)

Alfalfa > phenotyp 01/07/2015 at 15:06

0

Ah, the days of velour interiors. So tacky, yet so comfortable!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:07

1

I was driving past one of the local high schools yesterday, I saw three kids with grey LR Discoverys leave at roughly the same time; talk about parent-bought hehe. :p

TotallyThatStupid > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:09

0

Oooh, I'll play. Technically, this was my first car, a 1972 Datsun 510 wagon my father bought new. It was never as nice as the one in this photo, but the color is the same. In fact, none of these are my car (photos are on the home computer) but are more or less indicative. I only technically drove the 510 once - it never ran right, and was gone before I got my license.

I still really, really want a nice 510 wagon. Next came the Bondo Bunny, my 1980 Rabbit Convertible. My had steel wheels with chrome center caps, not these fancy Scirocco alloys.

Finally, when I got tired of the incessant sogginess associated with old VW convertible ownership, I sold it for a 1985 Prelude DX, just like this one except for the Euro (factory smoked) front corner lenses (I also had the Euro steering wheel "H" badge). Bought it with 80k and sold it 10 years later with 232k to a friend who drove it for at least another two years.

phenotyp > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:14

0

Not half as tacky as the rust-colored plastics that all seemed to have aged at different rates!

Brodieman > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:14

0

First, a 1975 VW Beetle. It was a fuel injected model and not a "Super". Dark blue respray over an originally yellow car, with black vinyl interior. I picked it up from one of my dad's employee's who was moving away for $650. It had no brakes. Well, they were there, they just didn't do anything. A $300 major overhaul on the brakes later and it was pretty sweet. I was happy it was a manual too since it gave me a lot of practice before going to work for an artist taking care of his car collection. I sold it about 6 or 7 months after buying it to a guy for $1500 as the first car for his daughter.

Second, a 1981 BMW 320i. Nothing special about it, and I barely drove it since my dad to a shine to it and ended up driving it a lot more than I did. I had access to a company car from that job working for the artist that didn't really hamper my mobility. It was like 4 different colors of primer from the bodywork it had fixing rust issues but it was straight and had an excellent interior, eventually painted it back to the polaris silver color it was. I also bought this from one if my dad's employee's who moved and he was kind enough to leave for 16yo me his collection of Playboy and Penthouse magazines in the trunk.

(Images are from GIS, I actually don't have any pictures of my first 4 cars I've owned but these images are representative of what I had)

Suby555 > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:31

1

The first car i owned was quite an interesting one.

Bought it back in 2006 at 16 years old. Was great fun. should have never sold it. No idea where it is today.... Learned a lot. And would have ton a LOT of things differently.

But i think i made quite a leap to my next car. (which i still have)

Cé hé sin > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:34

0

One of these:

Followed by one of these:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

jariten1781 > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:38

1

Mine is opposite. Loved the first and had a deplorable second.

First was a hand-me-down-ish (had to pay for it, but it was in family) '88 Suburban. Lots of stuff wrong with it, but overall the perfect high school car. Plus, I was always hauling people and trailers out to the lake for camping or boating in exchange for gas money so I rarely had to pay out of pocket to fill the thirsty beast.

Similar to this except the main color was white and the two tone was blue:

The second came along when my younger brother got his permit. We were going to have to share the car and he was scared of the big truck. I purchased (really, parents purchased and made me pay for half of) a 91 Cavalier. It was a total POS. I have nothing good to say about that car. My brother eventually totaled it by ramming it into the side of a train that was stopped on the tracks.

Mine was maroon though and with the RS package so it had horrible orange stripes in the middle of the plastic cladding. I think the internet has deleted all pictures of that model.

Nobi > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 15:57

1

First "car" was an 1985 GMC High Sierra 2wd short cab longbed with a 4 speed and quadrajet powered 4.3 v6. First carburetor I ever rebuilt, first, second, and third clutch I ever replaced (the transmission itself was junk and I couldn't afford a new one, the thing never engaged gears properly and chewed up clutches), first set of shocks I replaced, first (failed) attempt at applying a roll-on bedliner, first vehicle I ever did a burnout in, first set of drive belts I ever replaced, first vehicle I ever jumped. I beat the hell out of this thing and it never broke on me(except for the clutches). I sold it to a junkyard for use as a yard truck. Last I heard, the owner's son thought it'd be funny to drop a sea container on its bed, squashing it flat. My second car, and first actual car was a 1995 Monte Carlo Z34. (my truck is in the background):

I LOVED THIS THING. My first taste of something resembling speed, first vehicle I drove over 100 mph, first, and second transmission I ever replaced, first timing belt I ever replaced. I had this thing for 4 years and honestly, I'd probably still have it if it weren't wrecked. I was stopped in the road waiting to turn left into a parking lot to go to work, and I was rear ended by this guy. He was going 75:

Look close, you can see the reverse imprint of my license plate on his bumper. Him rear ending me pushed me into oncoming traffic where I was t-boned by this RAV-4:

They found her Toyota emblem sitting on my lap. They thought it was my belt buckle. Anyway, here's what was left of my car:

R.I.P. Old friend.

Alfalfa > Nobi 01/07/2015 at 16:03

1

Yikes! That is quite the wreck. It makes me sad just looking at it.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 16:09

1

Sweet T-Bird! My grandmother used to have a '96 T-Bird too. Same 4.6 and color. She sold it back in 2001, but I still have the keys to it.

First car? My 1986 Z51 Corvette. Bought it in August 2013. Still have it, she is currently in winter storage.

Second car? My 2002 Taurus, which was left to me in grandmother's will. I still have it too. As a matter of fact, I'm DD'ing it right now.

So, in my opinion, that doesn't really fit the bill of crappy beaters :D

Alfalfa > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/07/2015 at 16:15

0

That generation T-bird seems to be almost exclusively owned by AARP members. The 'Vette looks nice!

mazda616 > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 16:18

1

My second car was a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT1 coupe. I bought it in April 2007 with 103,000 mikes and one meticulous prior owner. It had literally every option the Grand Am could have. And I loved it! It was quick, fun, comfortable, and reliable. Pretty much everything Grand Ams aren't supposed to be. I sold it in August 2009 with 131,000 miles and I still see it driving around town.

Danger > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 16:23

1

I was bequeathed a 1999 Plymouth Voyager base model for my first car. I sold it to Carmax to afford a 1987 Buick Grand National.

Alfalfa > Danger 01/07/2015 at 16:46

1

If this were a game for the biggest upgrade, I would say that you just won.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 16:46

0

Yeah, for sure. Lol, I've always had a soft spot for them. I would definitely drive one.

And thank you!

jmart > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 16:55

1

First: Never ending project. Rebuilt the 4 speed, all new suspension, lowered, fixed all electrics. Cheap and cheerful V6. Broke even after driving for 2 years and 20000 kms

Second: Very reliable and excellent 318is. Great 5 speed and even better handling. Little slow but great mileage. Broke even after driving for 2 years and 25000 kms.

Vicente Esteve > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 17:11

0

My first car taught me A LOT that will help in in the future. It broke down from every possible aspect you can think off and I never could rely on it.

But those times I took the roof off and enjoyed its cheeky handling, I was in love. I couldn't though, keep the car running so I had to sell it.

After a couple of months, I was very fortunate to have a dad that wanted to gift me another car. I couldn't leave Volkswagen, so I chose pretty much the best car VW is making right now. Every day I drive it I fall more and more in love and connect to it. Its an excellent machine that, given that its a "common" car, it brings moments where I feel special. Best car my family has ever owned and I have ever driven.

I have to be absolutely clear though, I wouldn't call one better than the other.

Local Miata Bro > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 18:06

1

First car: 2004 Hyundai Accent base. Christine has a 5 speed and miata wheels. I still daily her (excuse instragram photo)

Second car: 1994 Mazda Miata M edition. I want to daily Mia but I don't have a hardtop and I'm still paying off my dad for her.

imadeaburner > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 18:40

1

This was the first and last day I had ownership of my first car.....made it a half hour the big puddle is oil, which exited out of a hole in the block somewhere around the number two piston. Whatever, sold it for 250$

My second car was a 95 Cougar with a lot done.

Mostly a swap from a Terminator Cobra.
5.4 SC Not exactly sure on HP numbers but it was a lot.

I don't have any pics of it anymore since that was about 12 phones ago and I never transfer pics.

Alfalfa > imadeaburner 01/07/2015 at 18:46

0

Well that looks... fun.

And good choice replacing it with the Cougar.

imadeaburner > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 18:48

0

I loved that thing. I wish it never got wrecked......Some asshole t-boned me.....Wrecked the unibody, it was buckled under the passenger floor. Broke a rear body mount too.

No fun.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 19:30

0

first car: 2012 Kia Soul

I had a large sum of money saved up from my Bar Mitzvah 3 years prior, so I started hunting for a car. I ended up at Carmax, where they happened to have 2 Alien Green Kia Souls, one a 2012 with 9,000 miles and the other a 2011 with 45,000 miles. There was barely any difference, so I chose the 2012. I absolutely adored this car and personalized it with a custom Bronze Roadwire leather interior, and K badges which I found on eBay from Korea. Sadly a few days after taking the picture above, I was rear ended while stopping for a school bus by a bright orange Nissan Xterra. Although the car wasn't totalled, the car just didn't feel right, and honestly, it made me really nervous to drive.

I ended up receiving a good chunk of money for depreciated value, so I went car shopping. Initially I wanted a 2014 Subaru Forester, but ended up settling on a 2014 Hyundai Elantra, which proved to be a complete mistake. I experienced constant issues with the transmission, and the car ended up qualifying for the lemon law. While the Elantra was in getting it's transmission replaced in September, the Hyundai dealership, which also sells subarus gave me a 2014 Subaru Outback as a loaner car. I ended up falling in love with the Outback, and nearly traded the Elantra on a used 2012 Outback. Luckily, I decided to wait, because after my Elantra got lemon lawed, I was able to afford a 2015 Subaru Outback. Here is a picture of it that I took this morning in front of Talladega Speedway.

Vimto > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 20:06

0

My first car was a 1999 Suzuki Esteem:

My second car was the 2011 Kia Forte in the background. My parents gave me it to me when the Suzuki started having engine trouble.

My true second car, by which I mean paid for and picked out by myself, was my 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis. Once I bought it, my parents got the Kia back.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 20:23

0

no idea, still on my first.

Nobi > Alfalfa 01/07/2015 at 20:52

0

You and me both. If their transmissions weren't made of glass and their intake and head gaskets made of wet toilet paper, I'd buy another W-body Monte in a heartbeat.