Your first car

[wmw999 2,114]

Might not be as significant to the NYC and some other folks, but for those of us who live in US suburbs, it's pretty noticeable.

Mine was a 1963 Ford Falcon station wagon, bought in 1974. It cost $150 (secured by me and my roommate using check cashing privileges at 3 separate grocery stores). It was a complete toad, but it did go both forward and backwards.

Holes in the roof, holes in the floor, holes in the seats. The paint was bad enough that the one time I tried washing it (ha!) the water flowed off white. No more washing. I think the only shiny parts on it were the pieces of chrome that weren't rusted yet .

The best part was that it had no radio; I hung a wind chime off the dome light to provide some audio entertainment. I can assure you that was a really bad idea. Quiet is infinitely better than a wind chime . But I learned how to drive a standard in it, and many other lessons (of the do it wrong, so that you figure out that it was wrong, variety). Cheap tuition.

And no car note
Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[nitrochute 2]

my first car was a 1960 ford falcon 4 door.that thing burned a quart of oil between home and para flite. it looked like james bonds smokescreen. paid $100 bucks for it( earned by packing student rigs -1973)

[NWFlyer 2]

In high school, I had access to my family's cars, but the one I drove most frequently was the 1982 Chevy Chevette. I used to joke that I drove a 'Vette.

First one I bought for myself was at the beginning of my second year of college, in August 1989. It was a 1980 Toyota Tercel hatchback, 5-speed. I found this link to some photos of one that looks very similar (except for color) to mine. That weird almost Pacer-esque hatchback is what I remember most (my best hippie stoner girlfriend called it "Bulbous").

http://www.oldparkedcars.com/2010/02/1979-toyota-tercel-sr5-hatchback.html

So imagine this car, but brown. And lacking the rear windshield wiper.

I think it cost me just north of $1,000, maybe $1300. Most was saved from my summer job that first summer after I started college; I think my folks may have chipped in a bit as well. I drove it for the next three years till I finished college. Owning that car taught me valuable lessons about routine maintenance (in that, if you ignore it, bad things happen!). But since I worked as a driver for campus transit, I knew all the mechanics and the purchasing guy, so I eventually had 1) someone who could buy parts for me at cost, and 2) guys who were used to wrenching on buses who appreciated the variety of wrenching on cars in their down time (but using the school's garage, of course ).

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[peanut_gallery 0]

I grew up in the country so I learned how to drive a standard when I was 9 or 10 and didn't experience a automatic till I was 13.

I bought my first car when I was 15, an 1986 Audi 4000 S for $175. It had power everything and the real reason I bought it was because of the power sunroof. Also had leather seats and a leather wrapped dash and all of it was in pretty good condition cept for a small tear in the drivers seat. I put close to 60k miles on it before I sold it for $800.

It burned about as much oil as gas and I only changed the filter once on it and never really changed the oil. But it was the best winter car I have ever owned. Started no matter how cold it got and South Dakota can get pretty freakin cold. And you had to actually try to make it slide on ice, if you drove normally, it would turn and stop almost like it was on dry pavement. I was a great car for the year or two that I owned it.

I have a friend in NYC that doesn't even have a real drivers license. She just has an ID card that the state can issue.

[gemini 0]

In 1965 my Dad bought me a 1961 Triumph TR-3 hard-top convertible. I had it painted metalflake dark red with a new black interior. Learned really fast that black seats were a no no in South Texas during the summer. Dad sold it while I was in basic training with the Army in 1967.

Blue skies,

Jim

[peanut_gallery 0]

Quote

First one I bought for myself was at the beginning of my second year of college, in August 1989. It was a 1980 Toyota Tercel hatchback, 5-speed.

Thats the same car I learned how to drive with. I think it was an '84 though.

[dthames 0]

My first car was in 1974 when I was given the 1964 Chrysler Newport that my grandfather had purchased new. It had a 361 big block V-8 two barrel, with the push button automatic. It was largely indestructible. One of my favorite stunts was to lock it in 1st gear and hit 60 MPH before I pushed the button for second gear.

Dan

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[nanook 1]

My first car was a 1984 mustang L. Took as much transmission fluid as it did gas. It could go 0 to 60 in about 60 minutes (bad compression), but provided you had enough fluids, never quit on you. In the late ninties, the transmission's main seal finally gave out. It cost more to fix it than it's value.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[d_squared431 0]

My first car my uncle gave me. It was an 1976 cutlass supreme Oldsmobile. The transmission was so bad that to get it to work in reverse I kid you not, i had to stick my foot out the door and push as as i slammed the accelerator down to get it to move backwards. It only had AM and an 8 track so i was forced to listen to "oldies cruising 1470" which was the only station that came in.

The first car I bought myself was an Red-ish/orange 4 speed Chevy chevette. No power steering or brakes. It was a work out to turn the car let alone stop it...lol

TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly

[1969912 0]

'56 Chevy 210 2 door. Paid $250 for it. 265 V8, 3 on the tree. Later had mildly built 327 with turbo 400. Pic is not of mine, but ~same color.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[Squeak 17]

I didn't get my 1st car until I was 30. It was a 1986 Mitsubishi, SWB 4x4 Pajero. I could not drive a car until then.
My first motorbike however, wasa A LOT earlier. a 1976 RM125. First road bike was a Honda CB250.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[RevvyAiny 0]

My very first car was a Chrystler Newport. Circa 1963. Useless. Couldn't park it anywhere in downtown Providence, RI, where I was living, so I wound up taking the bus more often than not anyway.

[JohnnyMarko 1]

Got a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 to fix up for my 14th birthday. Was totally done by 16. Did everything myself but the paint job. Fucker got 7 miles to the gallon so I upgraded to the Jeep in the background that gets 14mpg

[oldwomanc6 38]

She's Beautyfulllll!

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[Shell666 0]

1977 Honda Civic Hatchback - purchased from my brother in 1985. For $250. It had an AM radio (with beer caps on the dials) and burned more oil than gas. The wipers would go back and forth when you were doing more than about 60k. And the windows would vibrate down at about 70k.

Then there was the day the stick shift vibrated it's way out of the car and I had to try and shift AND hold it up to get home!

It was a cute blue car. His name was Wembly.

I sold him for $250 about 4 years later.

I do miss that little car.

But I LOVE my Grand Cherokee Overland WAY more!!!

'Shell

[AggieDave 6]

Mine was a '73 VW Superbeetle that ran just well enough to make it to the house. I was 15 and spent the next year learning how to turn a wrench and rebuilding the car on a high school kid's budget.

I drove it that way until my sophomore year in college.

A couple of months ago I finished a 4-year rebuild of that same car and built it the way I had always dreamed of building it with an adult budget.

Here it is: http://f8industries.net/photoblog/wp-content/gallery/cars/sb-side-paintmarked.jpg

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[councilman24 36]

Never had a car other than the family car until sophomore year in college 1977. Then my family passed down to me the only new car my father had ever bought (with small inheritance from my grandfather), a 1972 Mercury Montego. It drove.

But the best thing was it was wide enough that I could sleep in the back seat at the DZ! When I got rid of it and got a 76 Camero I quickly found out that didn't work anymore. Next day went out and bought a tent.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Amazon 7]

Quote

In 1965 my Dad bought me a 1961 Triumph TR-3 hard-top convertible. I had it painted metalflake dark red with a new black interior. Learned really fast that black seats were a no no in South Texas during the summer. Dad sold it while I was in basic training with the Army in 1967.

That was my second car, a 1959 TR-3A.. bought in October of 1968... which was a horrible choice in Wisconsin for exactly the opposite reason...
The first snow storm in November had snow flakes blowing around inside the car I ended up buying a beater with a heater a few days later to get me thru the winter

My first car was a 1963 Impala SS that I got for my birthday in 1968

[airtwardo 6]

As a 16 year old junior in high school I rolled my dad's pride & joy '65 Olds 442 ragtop...never drove a 'family' car again until I was in my 30's!

MY 1st car I bought at 17...it was a 1970 Pontiac LeMans Sport...1300.00 bucks of hard earned gas pump jockey money!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Coreece 189]

Quote

Your first car

A two tone horizon...once fit 10 people in that little motherfucker.

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[Krip 2]

hI 99

Grew up in the hood etc, didn't learn how to drive and didn'get a drivers liscense until I turned 23 just before I got out of the service in 1970. Perfect timing.

Paid cash for a brand new 1970 VW stick shift beetle made in Germany.That started a long list of VW's type 1, 2, etc. that were very used and rusted out and disposable. Duct tape can fix almost anything

First car with AC and a water heater was in 1985. When we left Missouri It gets really cold and hot in Missouri

During the winters in Mo they use mass qty's of salt on the roads having a disposable car is a good thing

R.

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Hi Wendy,

My first car was a 1947 Chevy Fleetline.

I had it before I got a driver's license, my junior year in high school.

JerryBaumchen

[kd5xb 1]

Quote

My first car was in 1974 when I was given the 1964 Chrysler Newport that my grandfather had purchased new. It had a 361 big block V-8 two barrel, with the push button automatic. It was largely indestructible. One of my favorite stunts was to lock it in 1st gear and hit 60 MPH before I pushed the button for second gear.

Dan

+!

My first car was a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500. 352 engine (yes, a 352 -- FE engine, like a 390), automatic, 4-bbl & dual exhaust.

Floored, if I didn't drop the lever into "low", it would shift from first to second at 45, and from second to third at about 80. If I dropped it into "low", the valves would float at 55 in first and at 95 in second!

I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper.

[nanook 1]

Hell. . .yeah!!!

that's a car to be jealous about. And I am not ashamed to admit it.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[hcsvader 1]

My first car was also a Toyota tercel, 1988 I think. It was the 2 door hatch. I don't know how mAny times I destroyed and rebuilt that car.ni could never afford to pay a mechanic to fix it so I learned myself how to fix it. I learned a great deal about fixing rusty body work on that car and had to do it at least 4 times to get it right. Spray painted it a gun metal blue lol. I had that car for 3 years I think. The transmission imploded on it and I wasn't working at the time and just about to start college so I couldn't afford to fix it.
In the time I had that car I learned how to service a vehicle. Install stereos, tint windows, replace broken glass, exhaust work. Change small parts like alternators and radiators. I had to replace the whole front clip after crashing it into a guard rail.

I've pretty much always had POS cars so I've had to learn how to fix them. I bought one new vehicle off the lot in 2005, a GMC jimmy ZR2 which I rolled about a year later.

Pretty much every vehicle I have owned has ended up in the junk yard or sold at auction for a couple hundred dollars.

I currently drive a 1980 Toyota hiace, another in my long line of POS cars. Second gear doesn't work and last week I reattached the starter motor that fell off with cable ties. Oh and the side window is a piece of plexie glass that a previous owned siliconed into place.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)