First car...

[a440]

Memories

My first car was a graduation gift in 1984 from High School.
1983 Audi 5000 S. Fantastic car! Never had any issues what so ever. Great on gas, comfortable and safe. I planned to keep this car forever as a "weekend" car.
Sadly in 2003, at the age of 20 years old it was totaled when a drunk driver hit me head on! I had just left from home to go and visit friends. (about 2 miles from home) Heidi (her name) did what she was designed to do and I was able to walk away without a scratch.
Brent

 

[a440]

The Wreck...

Heidi was 58,000 miles young. I was determined to keep the mileage low for all of her life. I guess I succeeded....
All of my cars have always been Audi's and VW's. Great safe cars. Have had several wrecks over the years (none my fault) and I always always walked away without any injuries.
Brent

 

[rp2813]

'83 5000

The last model year before the major makeover.  Too bad about the drunk.

 

We had an '84 wagon.  It got totaled from the other direction.  Hit so hard the roof buckled.  The guy wasn't drunk, just not paying attention, and this was before cell phones and texting.

 

Replaced it with an '85 wagon and put over 160K on that before trading it in.

 

Currently driving a 2005 AllRoad.  Great car, but a serious gas hog.  We are considering unloading it for something more fuel efficient.  My partner had to have it, and traded in the '97 Passat, which was paid for, had a new clutch and some front end work, 140K miles and was driving and handling like a dream.  I really wish he hadn't done that.

 

[a440]

Hi Ralph,
My mom had a 84' redesigned 5000s. She traded a 1979 5000s for it.
I wanted a 83' because I loved the style.
I love the AllRoad! Any quattro loves gas! I hear the Diesels are very good on gas.
Brent

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Got my first car, a 1968 Rambler American in 1979 for $200. It had 68,000 miles, I ran it to 240,000.

Ken D.

 

[bugsyjones]

Way back in the year 2000, I got my first car.

A 1989 Jeep Wagoneer Limited.

Essentially a 4x4 Cherokee with an upgraded interior and woodgrain trim.

Burgundy paint with burgundy interior. Seats were half leather half cloth. With the 'LIMITED' script stitched into the backrests. Leather-wrapped steering wheel with NO airbags. With all it's 'upgraded' trim, it didn't even have any cup holders and a Pioneer radio with no cassette player (just radio). I fixed that later.

I LOVE LOVE LOVED this car. I think it's an attachment to our first cars.

It wasn't without it's faults though, it's 4.0 Liter In-line 6 sucked up gas like no other. The catalytic converter rattled (I later replaced the holey muffler), the clear coat was peeling off in places, and it had a broken transmission mount.

It later developed a knock and I sold it to be replaced by a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. I'd like to have another Wagoneer Limited. I currently have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Not my car, but a similar Wagoneer Limited.

~Tim

 

[twintubdexter]

Boulevard Barge or Land Yacht...

oh how I loved my first car, a 1962 Buick Wildcat in Fawn Beige Metallic with a white roof...I paid $795, borrowed half from my dad, then later he said I didn't have to pay him back, I had great parents...the Wildcat was a deluxe ride with twin-turbine Dynaflow and a Wildcat 445 engine...the speedometer needle really moved across that dash...unfortunately the gas guage needle moved with equal speed towards "E"...so many cool memories of cruising Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose...love reading about everyone's fun cars

photo is exact same car 4 sale on eBay

 

[112561]

Beach Avenue, River Park

The Buick Man, had a yard full of early '50s through early '60s Buicks in front of and next to his late '50s house. I never met him, but he had at least one 1962 Buick Electra 225 in the yard. After code enforcement and heirs to the estate, hard to say where they went. I had a scale model of the 62 Electra, and wish I still did. I love the '61 through '65s of all the Buicks the most. I love the rear shot of your Wildcat.

 

[norgeway]

69 Bel Air Chevrolet...

I HATED it, had a few more GM products then I got a 68 Fury 3 Plymouth , I drove Chrysler and Fords mostly from then on, The very thing I love about Chrysler products..is what most people dont like, the power steering, and the brakes, you can turn the wheel with one finger sitting still and stop it with the tip of your toe, most people who are used to these miserable vehicles now, would never adjust to driving full time power steering, but once you are used to it, anything else is like a tractor.

 

[iheartmaytag]

My first car was the biggest mistake GM ever made--The Vega. The car got excellent mileage, since it was behind a tow truck most of the time. I traded it on a Mercury Monteray 2 dr 400CID, white leather. I loved that car. Had to get rid of it after a flood that caused water up over the seats. (White leather+flood water=Not pretty)

After that I got the second worst mistake GM ever made--Monte Carlo. Learned my lesson and never bought another GM car. Went to Chrysler, and bought a Dodge Shadow which I drove for 10 years and 106,000 miles. Then bought my first Grand Chrerokee which by the way died in a head on collision with a drunk seven years ago today with only 65,000miles on it. I now am driving it's replacement a 2004 Grand Cherokee with 33,000 on it.

Here is what my 1998 GC looked like after the drunk in the F-150 got through with it.

 

[westie2]

My first car was a 1965 Oldmobile 98 LS I got in 1966 that was my grandmothers car. She died in Marck on '66 and my folks gave it to me with only 2500 miles on it. Used this car until August 1969 when traded it for a new VW. Loved the ride but we were drive 180 miles a day going to college. The VW sure saved us gas money.

The picture is one I found. Mune was the Gold with the Black padded top.

 

[spankomatic]

Iheartmaytag<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">  I can relate to the Vega. Mine always ran, but was always broken. This made it one of the most frustrating cars I have ever owned. The car would go but there was always a muffler falling off or a wheel that would wobble. I can go on and on....</span>

<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"> </span>

Westie2<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">  That photo of the 65 Olds is awesom!  What a boat....</span>

<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"> </span>

<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Jim</span>

 

[whirlcool]

Most Vegas had engines that melted.  Great concept of a car, horribly executed. It could have been so much more!

 

A friend of mine had a 70' Monte Carlo, midnight blue with a navy blue interior. One of the most beautiful and classiest cars out there.  I don't think that GM could make a decent car after 1976. Maybe Buick and Cadillacs after then were OK, but the styling went to the crapper.

 

And let's not forget the GM X-Cars like the Citation and all.  Those were also some of the worst cars made!

 

Link: The Chevy Vega, the car that nearly destroyed GM

The Car That Nearly Destroyed GM

The Chevrolet Vega turns 40 this year, and it's a car worth rememberingfor all the wrong reasons.

www.popularmechanics.com

 

[norgeway]

65 Olds

I had one of these too, it would fly!!! and not too terrible on gas, about 17 or 18 on a long trip.

 

[philcobendixduo]

1974 Honda Civic

This was my first car - got in Summer before my Senior year of high school.
$2800 out the door.
I added the stripes and wheels to "spiff it up".
At this time in California, Hondas were so rare than when you saw another Civic driver, you honked and waved!
I drove it for 6 years and 60,000 miles before moving on to a 1980 Accord.

 

[ronhic]

I'm not a fan...

...generally of American cars, but that '65 Oldsmobile is beautiful....

 

[akronman]

1969 Ford Galaxie 500

This picture is NOT my car. Mine was a rustbucket I bought about a week after high school graduation, summer of 77, and it ran almost a year and I was very very proud of that $300 car, so important at the time.
The radio was left of the driver, my passenger couldn't switch the stations---and only AM radio, of course.

 

[akronman]

1969 chevy Bel Air

that Ford above got replaced with a 1969 Chevrolet Bel Air 4door, I drove it from 97,000 to 164,000, and learned everything about the 350 engine. It had the old Powerglide transmission, 2 speed automatic, and when it had a fresh tune-up and oil change, I'd drop down to 15 miles or so on the freeway then step on the gas, to the floor, and it held first gear to 52 miles per hour!
It was one of my all-time favorite cars, fond memories.