As I look back over my life and count up the cars I've owned in the 40+ years of driving I really have a hard time remembering them all. Not that there were so many, but some were very non-impressive and I didn't keep them long and don't remember them.

Of the ones that I do remember, I've counted up 21 total. 12 cars, 4 trucks and 5 motorcycles. I tend to keep vehicles a long time if they don't start giving me trouble, so the count isn't real high.

Of those 20, I'd say that I've had only a handful that I REALLY liked, and only 1 that I hated.

It's tough to pick a favorite, but right up there at the top would be my 97 Explorer. I still have it, it's only got about 85K miles on it, and I still enjoy it. I had a bright orange 280Z that I also liked a lot, and of course, my BMW and GW's 08 Infiniti.

The only car I really learned to hate was an 85 Audi 100. It not only had the problem with unintended acceleration, but the computer crapped out about once a month. It happened so often I gave the wrecker driver (a friend of mine) a key and would just call and tell him where it was. He'd take his key, pick up the car and fix it and call me when it was done. My insurance company HATED that car almost as much as I did because of the tow bills. I did have an extended warranty on the car and only had to pay the $50 deductible, and my friend often buried the deductible amount in the tow bill.

So if you looked back on your life, how many vehicles have you owned, which were your favorites, and which one (or two) did you learn to hate.

Owned 8

My absolute favorite was my 1990 Cavalier Z-24.

I hated none. I wasn't crazy about I the look of my 1987 Chevy Van, and it made me sleepy when driving it, but it was a good vehicle for what I needed and it performed every task I ever asked of it.

Not to rub it in but you have been driving longer than I have been alive.


(A little payback for aal those comments about not having to winterize)

That explains a lot.

I've owned a '97 Saturn SL, a '99 Saturn SC2, a 2001 TJ Wrangler, a 2002 Cavalier, 2003 Saturn VUE, 2004 Nissan Titan, and a 2006 Nissan Quest.

I really liked the SC2 and the TJ, and I love my Titan. I bought my first car when I was 18 and completely adrift in life. I didn't like it very much, and the '99 SC2 was the car I wanted, but couldn't afford, when I bought the SL. So in that sense, it was a triumph for me, at the time. It was loaded and had a 5-speed and I thought it was really cool. It wasn't fast or anything, but it represented my personal success at the time. I thought, anyway.

CJSAdmiral brought the Cav into my life, and I hated every second behind the wheel of that car. I was strapped for cash and would still drive the TJ, which got a whopping 9mpg, the 34-mile one-way trip to work because the Cav was such a piece of crap. It couldn't even get out of its own way. Not that the TJ could, either, but when I made a left turn under hard acceleration in the TJ, I could at least make the driver side front tire lift off the pavement, which, despite being unsafe, was cool and scared other drivers, which made me happy.

I sold the TJ and traded the Cav for the Titan.

The VUE was the shittiest car I ever owned, though. It was a rolling time bomb and we didn't unload it until we got the Quest for CJSA. The VUE had a crap interior, a crap exterior, the AWD system was faulty, the brakes sucked, and the thing had a penchant for gnawing on computers. Every 90 days, it was in the shop for a new one. The one redeeming quality it had was the V6 in it was very strong. It handled like a lawn tractor, and sounded like one, too.

My Titan is now an "old" car, coming up on her 4th birthday... She's getting a new exhaust system next week, which sucks from the aspect of expense on a still somewhat new truck, but the steering is sporty, the stereo is awesome, and the V8 is a friggin' fire-breathing dragon. I will have this truck for several more years.

The Quest is outta here in June of 2009. Lease. The electronics are not great in that car. I would not recommend to anyone. Though, like the VUE, the V6 in it is very nice.

My favorite is one of my current cars:



Fantastic car. Runs 11.90s at the dragstrip, is fast and a lot of fun to drive on a racetrack and it never breaks. It is the cheapest car that I've ever owned. Repair costs have been non-existent, and it is worth at least as much as I paid for it in 1999. It is probably going to be replaced with something with a real backseat relatively soon though. I don't do track events anymore and even my six-year-old has outgrown the backseat.

The worst car I've owned was a 96 Olds Aurora I bought from my dad when my mom passed away. It wasn't an awful car (more like mediocre), but it constantly broke. Replacing the alternator was one of the hardest repair jobs I've ever done on a car. It has held on by 5 bolts, and 3 of them come off an 1/8th of a turn at a time. One of them was impossible to replace, so it went back on with 4 bolts. The guy at the parts counter said the techs drop the subframe, motor and tranny when they replace them because access is so bad.

After two years and a lot of repairs, I gave up, sold it and bought another first generation Q45, which would go on my list at #2 of favorite cars. I owned two of them and loved them. Fantastic build quality, a great motor and a perfect ride/handling balance for a big sedan.

Edit: I've owned a total of 8 vehicles:

Past:
82 Honda Civic
88 Mazda 323GT
90 Eagle Talon TSi AWD
93 Infiniti Q45
96 Olds Aurora
95 Infiniti Q45

Current:
95 Toyota Supra Turbo
04 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD

Past
'72 Chevelle Malibu (Good Car, my 1st)
'71 240Z (Favorite and Most Fun)
Hyundai Excel (From dad, when he passed. was what is was)
'89 Honda Accord (Dependable - What else...)
'94 Toyota 4 Runner (P.O.S., was a wreck, had been in a wreck)
'91 Isuzu Trooper (Good truck)

Current
'91 Jaguar XJ6 (Best Ride)
'99 GMC Suburban (Good truck. Serves the purpose kenhdog sleigh, and tow vehicle)
'74 Triumph TR6 (Current fun car)

Omigod. Just for fun, I'm going to answer this post!

In order (I think!)

1964 Ford Galaxie four door (352 v-8)


1961 GMC 1/2 ton (305 v6)
1971 Ford Torino GT (302 v8)
1971 MGB Roadster (1600 cc IL4)
1975 Cadillac El Dorado (500 v8)
1959 Chevy long stepside PU (235 IL6)
1975 Chevy Malibu 2-door (350 v8)
1965 Pontiac 2+2 (421 tri-power)
1965 Oldsmobile 442 (330 v8)
1981 Volkswagon Rabbit (?)
1982 Honda Accord (?)
1955 Chev 1T PU (235 IL6)
1989 Pontiac Bonneville (3.8 v6)
1995 Cadillac Seville STS (4.6 v-8)
2000 Chevy Tahoe 1/2 T 4x4 (350 v8)
2001 Cadillac Deville DHS (4.6l v8)

All enjoyed, all long gone. The 2001 Deville was easily the favorite. Very high quality transportation. Hardly worth the cost, though...

(Gotta say that '65 Pontiac was a kick, though! and the MGB roadster was fun when it ran...)

Currently owned and operated:

1995 F250 PU (460 v8)
1984 Mercedes 300 SDL (5cyl inline diesel)
1999 F450 Dump (428 v-10)
1984 International (Cummins L10)
1989 E350 dually Van (5.8 v-8)
1966 F250 Flatbed (300 IL6)

I drive the '95 F250 every day, and like the lurking power under its well-used hood. But I recently bought a '77 F250 with the Lincoln 460 and an ABSURD Rochester 4-barrel Carb that absolutely puts Big Blue to shame. Heading down the freeway at 65, I goosed it and broke 'em loose! No kidding, I'd be surprised if it was putting out less than 400 bhp. Of course, it likes fuel...

Cars (and TRUCKS!) are fun, aren't they???

1st car 1976 Oldsmobile 98 - hated at the time but later realized it was a really good car. Bought for $1200 sold 12 months later for $1600.
2nd car 1976 Cadillac Seville only had 60k on it. Total piece of junk. Broke down at least 2 times a month. Kept 9 months.
3rd car - 1977 Trans Am - first car I really wanted. 400 a 4 speed. Had it for all 4 years of college. Should have kept.
4th Car 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis got it right after college from a family member with 19k on it for next to nothing.
5th car 1990 Ford Ranger V6 4 x 4. Great truck had it 4 years and sold it for 2k less than I bought it for.
6th Car - company ride 1990 Ford E150 Passenger van - total piece of junk - straight 6 with an automatic. Couldn't get out of its own way. Rusted out like no tomorrow. Hated everything about it except the fact that it was free to drive. Drank gas like no tomorrow.
7th Car company car #2 1995 Dodge Conversion van - short wheelbase with V6. Great van had it for 7 years and 140k with no problems. Towed 21' Rinker great.
8th car - company car 2002 Dodge Ram quad cab pickup. Great truck - has never had any problems. Currently has 85k on it.
9th car - my toy - 2008 Mustang Gt - only has 1000 miles on it & it is a blast to drive. Averages 20 mpg.

Favorite (not best by far) would be either the Fiat 124 Spider I had during high school and first few years of college. I believe it was a '71 or '72 model. I did learn FIAT stands for "fix it again Tony!" Or, my current Chevy 2500HD. The Fiat was my first convertible and I really like them.

The Fiat had an electric fan and thermostat was bad so I had to turn it on/off with a toggle switch by watching the temp gauge. I replaced transmission 3 times (with junkyard replacements). A head gasket every 6 months or so was routine. The convertible top had a few blue jean iron-on patches to stop leaks. Don't recall exact details, but their was something weird about the windshield wiper switch/motor. For a long time I'd have to park with front end pointing downhill because starter was bad.

To list my cars...
1968 VW Bug
1971 Fiat 124 Spider
1976 Oldes Cutless Supreme
1969 VW Bug
1981 Chevy Luv
1981 VW Jetta
1985 Mercury Grand Marquis
1985 Ford F150
1988 Ford Escort
1992 Ford Mustang Conv (only 4-banger, not a GT)
1996 Dodge Caravan
1976 Ford F100 Ranger
1998 Dodge Durango (Currently have)
1981 Ford F150 w/hydraulic dump bed (that was COOL!!!)
1996 Dodge Caravan (a different one)
2005 Chevy 2500HD (Currently have)
2007 VW New Beetle Conv (Currently have)

Sometime around 1986 I also had a Yamaha 750 but don't remember at all the year model...maybe 1982.

You all are old, exception CJS and jtheile.

Still on my first car, been driving it 4 years and around 70,000 miles so far. It gets 2 new tires tomorrow morning. 1995 Camry. Very few problems. A couple of random $100 repairs, radiator, and CV joints. Outside of that, basic maintenance. Dad purchased the car new back in late 1994. $9k wreck happened in 1998 on an icey highway coming home from Kansas City. I was in the backseat.

Looking at another 12-18 months, maybe 24 out of it. I don't know if I will actually be able to part with the car. It has been a large part of my life. I remember as young as 6 years old and riding in the car to Lake of the Ozarks....

Started driving it solo when I was 15 (legal age in Kansas). I took my first highway trip in it when I was 14 to Wichita, the second day I had my instructional permit. First trip was home in a Taurus loaner vehicle while the transmission was being replaced on parent's 1998 Ram. A few minutes later, drove the 1997 Suburban with a 16' tri-hull in tow to local lake.

Of course, that was back in the day when we had access to 40 acres. Drove around on the property and on country roads a lot before I was 14. Lots of 4-wheeler driving too. Driving starts early in Kansas.

Not sure what my next vehicle will be. It will get at least 30mpg highway, be used, and practical. Preferrably have something a bit nicer/sporty, such as a usedA6 or A4 with a turbo 4. But, reality is, the practical side of me will probably speak up and i'll get another used Camry/Accord or Civic. Whatever the car, I expect it to last until I marry and maybe then beyond. Still plenty of time away to decide on that!

It'll be tough to not forget some. In order, best I recall--

1961 Ford Fairlane 500, 2-door post, the inherited 'family car'.

1967 Dodge Coronet R/T, 440 magnum, auto, not many cars ever beat me in a street race.

1970 Dodge Coronet R/T, this would be my all-time favorite. Only pic I can find of it...

440 Six-pac, true ram air, slapstick 4 speed, 4:10 gears, I put 2-1/4" Casler headers on it, cut 2 Cherry Bombs down to 6" long and welded drivelines to what was left of 'em, talk about yer LOUD! Back in them days "up" was cool--was easy, just fill up the hi-jackers and crank up the torsion bars! Funnest car I ever drove. Couldn't win a street race, it would never hook up. If I could have any car back...

1963 Dodge Lancer, slant 6, 3 in the tree, paid $50 for it--it was transportation after blowing up the engine in the R/T. By far the UGLIEST car I ever owned...

1970 Mustang Mach I-- I'd love to own a GOOD one, mine was a [censored] rattletrap. Fun to drive, but nothing like the R/T...

1963 Nova SS, bought it from the last boss I ever had. It was near perfect condition, but "SS" meant "super slow", straight 6 and a 2-speed powerglide, took a full 24 seconds to get from a dead stop to 50...

1965 Ford Galaxie, just a 'tweener' car I bought from an ex bro in law...

1961 Chev 1/2 ton shortbed pickup, bought it from my friend for $20, it was an oil burnin' [censored], and was so slow my daughter was almost born in it...

1966 Licoln Continental, suicide doors, my first luxo-cruiser. I loved that car, but the electrical system didn't love NOBODY...

1979 Thunderbird, my first 'new' car--almost. It was a factory exec car, had 14k miles on it but I was the first owner. The dealer had these really cool aftermarket T-tops put in it. Was a nice car for a barge. That car went with everything else in the first divorce...

1956 F-250 pickup, had it for quite awhile, someone put 390 SCJ in it, was pretty fast. Terrible to drive with the stock steering, but it actually steered pretty good with a boat behind it! Got as far as a really nice paint job and interior, but never got it finished...

1982 Plymouth TC3, was $5300 out the door brand new, no options other than hubcaps! Was a ball to drive, and never gave me a minute's problem. Sold it to a friend after a couple of years...

1991 Nissan Pulsar, another 'tweener' car. Got it just because it caught my eye. It was a gutless wonder, but other than that it was okay, never had a problem with it. Sold it to a friend of a friend who took over my payments --for awhile. That's another story...

1976 Firebird Formula, bought it from my cousin. Never lit my fire, I ended up trading it for a--

1953 Ford Victoria. Pretty cool car, wish I had the money to fix and keep it, it had ford's first in-head valve V8, 253 I think(?), the 'Y' block which later became the 312 and 292...had factory power windows and the goofy ford-o-matic trans that leaked like a sieve. But, I ended up selling it.

1984 Buick Regal T-type, the "Buick From Hell"...Bought it brand new, December 2nd 1983, it was the first SFI turbo buick sold in Utah. I still own the [censored] thing. My kid has it, and if ever pays me for it, I guess it'll be his. Absolute worst car on the planet. It's NEVER went more than 2 months without needing something done to it...

1984 Chrysler LeBaron, 4-speed, turbo...It was an okay car, I just bought it to help out a relative, I took over their lease payments and drove it for a year and half or so. First car I owned with an instant-gas-mileage readout. I remember coming home from Nevada one night, at 128 mph it was getting 16 mpg! Relative bought it back...

1977 Lincoln Mark V, the absolute nicest riding boat I've ever owned. Paid $600 for it, drove it for quite awhile as the tranny and turbo both went in the Buick and I had didn't have $2000 to fix it. Never had a problem with it. Was in good shape but it was house painters 'work car', so it had a few 'cosmetic issues'. I loved that car. I sold it (actually, I should say I GAVE it) to one of my Harley mechanics just because after I got the Buick fixed I didn't have room for it.

1989 Mazda 323, the admirals first car. Another car that was okay, and never gave us a problem at all. We traded it in on...

1989 Mustang GT convertible, the admiral's 40th birthday present. We still have it 14 years later, it's still like new, and less than 100k miles. In all that time I've put a fuel pump and an alternator in it. However, because it gets used so much, the rear main seal is leaking, which requires pulling the engine to fix. It's still leaking...


and finally, my 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII, which I bought almost exactly 5 years ago. I've had to change a front air bag in the thing.

Notice I've never owned a car built in the 21st century? Well, I DO have the 2002 Pickup, but the business is buying it. But I guess it's "mine". Another no-hassle vehicle. Still has the original everything in it, including the battery!

(and "knock on my head" for all of the above)

Hey, just because I had to have the windows down all the time doesn't mean it was a bad vehicle. It just had holes rusted through the floor in the back!

I assure you, I never posted drowsy!

One of these would be pretty high on the list...



I don't have any picutres of my 67 SS 396 Chevelle but I think that would top the list

If the 2010 Camaro looks anything like the pictures I have seen it will be my new favorite car that I've owned.....
Got to love the 300 HP DOHC V6 with 26 MPG .... That car might just be a hit as long as they make the back seat big enough to sit in (like the 68 in the picture above).

I've previously owned 10 cars and my favorite was probably the Volkswagen Corrado. I was a real fun/good looking car to drive.


Least favorite was the Renault Laguna. It was a nice car inside and out but it had been lowered and also had very low profile tires on it making it a pain in the butt whenever you hit a pothole, encountered a speed bump and parking ramps were out of the question.