Just for fun, what cars have you owned in the past?

[Jay2TheRescue]

Janet, what's with all the car fires?

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by Janet H

1999 Ford explorer (farmers special, v 6, stick, rubber floors, manual crank windows)

I am very surprised to hear that as recently as 1999 you could get an Explorer like that.

[91CavGT]

I can't believe I never replied to this thread!!


1979 VW Rabbit
1973 F-100
1975 Dodge D-100
1991 Chevy Cavalier 115 mph top speed
1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo
1979 Datsun 280ZX 125 mph top speed
1978 Datsun 280Z
1976 Datsun 280Z
1985 F-150 105 mph top speed
2002 Hyundai Accent GS 120 mph top speed
1989 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo 125 mph top speed hitting the rev limiter!
2003 Dodge SRT-4 155 mph top speed
1996 Geo Metro 96 mph top speed after motor work, 75 mph prior
1991 Geo Metro
2006 Chevy Colorado 97 mph speed limiter
1991 Chevy Cavalier Wagon Turbo FUN car!!!!
1998 Saturn SC-1
1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2010 Nissan Frontier
1993 Chevy Cavalier
1994 Chevy S-10
2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
2012 Kymco Like 200i 70 mph top speed, downhill, with a tail wind
1994 F-150



Here's my list of cars that I have owned over the years. So far, I am averaging just over a car a year. The most suprising car that I have owned was the SRT-4. Of course, it was modified and put down 279 hp and 311 ft lbs to the wheels at it's peak. The best gas mileage I ever got with it was 36 mpg and the worst was 6 mpg while racing on a road course called No Problem Raceway in Louisiana. I had it up to an indicated 155 mph going north on I-45. It was a really fun car all around.

As one can probably see, I have a soft spot in my heart for GM J-Body cars (Cavalier, Sunbirds, Sunfires). I have owned 5 of them, and it looks like I am about to get a new one, but it will never be driven on the street. It will just be raced on a circle dirt track.

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Janet, what's with all the car fires?

I'm not sure - maybe has to do with driving old beaters and cheap imports?


1977 Renault le car - burned in dealership fire (in for repairs, again.... )

This one I bought new (seriously lapse of judgement on my part but it was CUTE and cheap) and after a series of ridiculous failures it was incinerated at the dealership. The dealership sold renault, yugo and Cadillac. The fire was judged to be arson and insurance related. Since there was a crime involved, there was no insurance payout.

1974 Thunderbird - burned on the side of the garden state parkway

I got this one very used and the electric seat motor evidently set the seat insulation on fire - while I was sitting in it! There was no way to get off the road and I had no fire extinguisher on board - lesson learned there...

1971 VW 411 (my favorite - burned on the side of the PA turnpike)

This one had fuel injection and the injectors (all 8 of them) had little rubber bushings that dried out and cracked over time. Then they leaked under pressure spraying a fine mist of gas all through the engine compartment. Funny thing was I had replaced several of these but not all. Still, I loved this car. It was a mechanical nightmare, prone to failures where parts had to be shipped from germany but it was fast, comfortable, highly cool and felt fundamentally sporty.

Originally Posted by theholycow

I am very surprised to hear that as recently as 1999 you could get an Explorer like that.

Me too. When I was shopping, the dealer wouldn't even show it to me - I had to ask. It was awesomely cheap and actually quite reliable. I like the stick and loved the price.. Shortly after I got it, I beefed up the sway control, added a radio and had to replace the tires (firestone recall).

[alvaro84]

Hm, I can't nominate here with a long list - in the last 5 years we only acquired two first bikes (Teresa - 2004 BMW F650CS, Ciliegia - 2005 Hyosung GV250) and a first car (The YARDIS - 1999 Toyota Yaris 1.0). That's all so far. We don't plan on frequently replacing them.

[AbsolutelyRedHot]

1970 Chevy Chevelle
1952 Chevrolet Deluxe cab Pickup

1985 Volvo 240
2006 Honda Ridgeline
2012 Toyota Pruis C

[bates]

1980 VW Dasher Wagon, diesel, 50 mpg no matter how I drove it. Great surf wagon for trips 500 plus miles down into Baja California Mexico.
1988 Acura Integra, died at 195,000 miles, full engine rebuild, lasted another 50,000 or so before the distributor seized and lunched the cams and crashed valves.
2000 Acura Integra, swapped a used Japanese engine at 190,000 miles, now has 283,000 on it and while it is far from going strong, it is still running so I'll drive it until it dies.
those are and were my daily drivers, other cars I've owned:
1967 VW Beatle, commute car for about a year in the late 90's
1998 Chevy S-10 Blazer, LS 2 WD, sold it because it didn't fit my 3 kids in the back seat.
2005 Mazda MPV, my wife's minivan / daily driver / family truckster. Replaced the Blazer with this, seats 7.
1999 GMC Jimmy, 4 WD, bought for my son, he drives it.

[jstapel]

1979 Chevy Impala - I was given this when my grandfather passed away.
1989 Buick Century
2000 Chevy Cavalier - First new car
2005 Nissan Altima
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
2013 Nissan Altima - currently own, but don't track
2013 Toyota Prius - a week old today.

[IIbulletcatcher]

1963 Impala


1996 Grand Marquis



1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegeance




1977 Mercury Cougar

[IIbulletcatcher]

I'm not sure where the edit button is, but:

1963 Impala: First car, sometimes ran amazing, other times like a turd, but always a handful. It taught me how to drive safely, how to work on and maintain an engine, and just how much sentimental value a car can really have. I just sold it, sadly.

1996 Grand Marquis: Impala broke down after a long road trip to Florida from Louisiana, so when I went back I bought this sight-unseen for 1200 bucks. And I'm glad I did, it was an excellent car, a lot of fun, and super reliable. I sold it to my brother when I got out of the Army, and within a few months he wrapped it around a light pole and totaled it, where it proved it's 5-star crash rating. R.I.P. Pimpolicious

1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham: I used the money from the Grand Marquis to buy this, and while it was the single slowest car I have ever driven, the velour seats, shag carpet, surround sound and climate control made it all bearable. Averaging 18 MPG wasn't too bad either, considering the massive weight of this car. I think it must have been around 5,000 lbs, or thereabouts. Sold it after I fixed the Impala.

1977 Mercury Cougar: This is my new DD and I have plans for it. Road Trip plans.