Your First Car

[Lihu]

A yellow 1967 VW Bug with a crank turn sunroof that was rebuilt in shop class.

[Yukari]

Used 1974 Toyota long-bed truck for $1,000.  Loved the ease of throwing things in the back for fishing (my prior passion before taking up golf), biking, camping, etc.

I was always into pickup trucks and SUVs. 

[jamo]

2000 VW Jetta in forest green. It was a hand-me-down from my parents. It was a tiny little car but the trunk was surprisingly big. I've always liked the feeling of driving tiny cars like that. 

Eventually the transmission went. I got it replaced but it was never quite right after that. I handed it down to my sister, and upgraded to a 2001 VW Passat, V6 AWD, another hand-me-down. That car was amazing. Heated (real) leather seats, sunroof, great engine. It almost made it to 230k miles. 

And now I've got a 2015 VW Golf that I also love. No real reason for the three VWs in a row - this time it came down to the Golf, a Subaru Impreza, a Mazda3, and a Ford Focus, and the Golf just had the best engine by far.

[billchao]

1996 VW Jetta. My mother gave it to me in 2003 when she bought a Passat. The transmission died within a year, likely due to the fact that she used to drive it 150 miles a day in stop and go traffic. I remember it used to slip out of gear when I made a right-hand turn and it would roll backwards at a traffic light if I was on an upslope.

The first car I bought was a 2004 Nissan Sentra with a 6-speed manual transmission to replace the Jetta and I really liked that car, but I haven't had a need for it in about four years (plus no good place to park it) so now it sits on my father-in-law's lot at his shop.

[Mr. Desmond]

'66 Mustang 3 spd stick, in 1971

[Strandly]

1981 silver 2-door Dodge Champ hatchback.  Grandparent's car but he never drove it so it was a loaner for my last couple years of highschool.  Chick repellent car.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Strandly

[chezlorenze]

I still have my 2003 Ford F-150 Regular Cab that I use occasionally. Had mud tires and fuel wheels installed together with 3" lift so I could use it during unfavorable weather. 

Edited August 7, 2018 by chezlorenze

[Zeph]

1998 red Nissan Primera hatchback. Bought it in 2005 and I'm still using it, still the only car I've owned. The years are starting to take its toll, so I'm not sure if I'll keep it more than a year or two more.

[DrMJG]

White VW 69 Beetle. Many road trips.  First car during college 1957 Chevy Bel Air.  Sold it later at a profit.

[Eric C]

First car I actually bought for myself was a '76 MGB, candy apple red that I bought from a shiester outside the gate of MCB Camp Lejeune in 1985.  Loved that car, despite the fact that it took most of my pay to keep her running.  Even had to get a part for the carburetor manufactured once.  I do have to say, however, that the chicks dug the MGB.

[GolfLug]

1993 Nissan 240SX. Beautiful pearl white hatchback. Bought it used in 1999 from a fellow up in New England who used it gently as his Sunday car for years. Both wife and I have lots of memories with it.

[Fourputt]

Joining the conversation late, and apparently with the oldest first car of the lot.  Mine was 1959 Chevy Biscayne 4-door sedan, 3 on the tree behind a 235 c.i. straight 6.  This was the absolute basest of base models, but it got me around Montana for a year an a half. 

I traded it in 1967 for a '63 Impala 4-door hardtop, 327 c.i. w/300hp and 2 speed Powerglide automatic.  This one was still one of the best cars I've owned, considering available equipment at the time.  In Montana in the 60's and 70's there were no posted daytime speed limits on the highways (night limit was 65 on 4 lane and 55 on 2 lane), so I have a pretty good idea how fast that car would go.  I got popped by the State Patrol one night at 135 mph, and I still had another 400 rpm until it tached out (speedometer pegged at 120) - would have put me at about 140-145.  Such things weren't taken too seriously in Montana back then - he wrote me up for doing 80 in a 65 night zone, cost me a $15 fine.

[Pendragon]

I graduated from college in 1967, then went into the Air Force, and wound up as a Missile Launch Officer at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, SD. I'd never had a car though high school and college (I hitchhiked everywhere back then), so I needed one. I bought a new 1968 Pontiac LeMans 2-door Navy Blue. I knew nothing about cars then, and still know nothing now, but that car lasted a long time.

This was just over 50 years ago and the strange thing is that I still remember the name of that car salesman...Dick Cordes. Weird, huh?

 

[CaptainsChoice]

1996 Ford Mustang. V6. Green

[p1n9183]

Never had one. I´m a motorcycle man, my first was an Econo Guerrero G90.

[Vinny Cap]

Good thread!

Mine was a dark Blue 68 Camaro!

283 V8, Powerglide 2 speed. Nice fat 50's in the back with Cragar SS mags!

My Dad gave my brother and I an ole Vega to split.... that lasted a half day and I was out looking for a car later that afternoon.

[Papa Steve 55]

66 Mustang, this color....

 

[Aflighter]

1987 black firebird just like knight rider.Awesome car especially as it got older.You didn't even need a key to turn it on.Just turn the key cylinder and it cranked.Tell me what other car can do that.Haa