I am officially without vehicle. My 4Runner was sold to a man named Chih a few days ago. He came from Columbus and I stood in my driveway with an odd discomfort as he drove away in my car.
It wasn’t a mistake to sell the car though. People are assuming that we were stuck in a bad spot and that’s why I had to sell it, but to be honest…I just decided to sell it while I could still get good money for it. Getting rid of this car would give us an opportunity to do some other things. Work on the house. Buy a motorcycle. Get a cheap car with better gas mileage…blah, blah, blah.
I’ve never been attached to a car before. My personal automobile history is more numerous than most people my age. I’ve always driven cars that were a bit on the crappy side, so it didn’t really matter when they were gone. That 4Runner though…I think I’ll always miss that one a little. Other cars I’ve owned would include:
85′ Honda Accord (1st car I bought – learned to drive a manual with it – transmission went out at 240k miles)
87′ Ford Taurus (worst car ever – downshifted so hard it felt like you were hitting a brick wall – it did have some nice masking tape racing stripes though)
93′ Toyota Celica (the car I was most excited about getting, with the worst performance – replaced 2 engines in this lemon)
93′ Mitsubishi Eclipse (probably my 2nd favorite car ever – this thing just ran excellent, it was comfortable, fun to drive, and then I gave it to someone who needed a car – and he destroyed it)
85′ BMW 528e (while driving this car on the highway, the driver’s seat broke loose from the mounts and I fell straight backwards – I had to crawl up to my knees and use my right hand to operate the gas/brake to get to safety)
87′ Mercedes-Benz Turbo Diesel Wagon (Gold of course – approximate 0-60mph time…43 seconds – awesome car – terrible to deal with in the winter)
96′ Infinity J30 (beautiful car – bought cheap from an auction – threw a rod and was too expensive to repair)
96′ Toyota Tacoma (The little truck that could – if it had a backseat that would fit kids, I’d still be driving it – this little guy was a champion)
98′ Plymouth Voyager (filled a need for a time – took large groups of friends to random places – I actually like having a van…I’d even like a 15 passenger)
At this point I am borrowing cars until I get my new ride in September. My little sister-in-law Allayna is moving to Redding California to go to the Bethel School of Ministry. She’ll be leaving her car behind and getting something out there – I’ve been promised her current ride and I have to tell you…
…I’m pretty stoked about it:
1990 Honda Civic Wagon
Don’t be jealous. She probably gets around 84mpg and besides that, she’s a real head turner. Except mine will be blue. And rustier. And a little dented. But more awesome.
Who needs a fancy car anyway?
So my question today is this…
…what car have you gotten rid of that you miss, and what do you miss about it?
My first car was a Mercury Cougar. At the time it was so luxurious. Great bucket seats that were so comfy. I loved that car and was sad to see it go. It just became unreliable and I couldn’t afford to keep throwing money at it. I know have a 99 Ford Explorer Sport that I absolutely love. It has 150,000+ miles but still runs great.
{reply}
Lydia says:
August 10th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
@Jennifer, I had a Cougar, too! It was the car that handled best on ice and snow. It was even a rear wheel drive! Loved that car. I think it ended up in a demolition derby, but the guy didn’t win. :{
{reply}
1985 RX7 GSL-SE
why do i miss it? because it was a first generation RX7 with a second generation RX7 motor. i won’t get into details (to prevent eyes from glazing over) but she was a little beauty. she was clean and rust-free, and the apex seals were still good. all the electrics were good, and the interior was still nice. i truly regret letting her go…that was the first car on my bucket list that i’d managed to own and keep running.
1985 Corolla SR5
why? she was a tossable RWD coupe with a bulletproof motor. i picked her up as drifting was starting to get popular; a kid bought her from me for 3x my purchase price. he wouldn’t let me take any less than that. i was pleased with the cash, but i miss the car.
{reply}
’83 Porsche Carerra – white exterior, brown leather interior. Not a good car for an 18 year old to have (25+ years ago) but only got 1 ticket for the time I had it. REALLY miss that car, but not practical now with 2 daughters and 2 basset hounds.
{reply}
I don’t miss any, but we recently got rid of our ‘family-friendly’ 2006 Honda Civic and purchased an ’85 Jeep Wagoneer to go along with our ’99 Jeep Cherokee. I fancy my SUV’s.
Yes, I know, we made our family’s carbon footprint larger. Yes, I also know that they are guzzlers. But you know what? They are paid for. We own them, there is no silly lien against either of them. Our insurance is much cheaper (no lien).
We still park in the ‘Fuel efficient cars only’ parking spots at Best Buy, just because we’re rebels, I suppose.
{reply}
Our 1993 Honda Civic. We got $2K for it and over the last 10 years we would have made up the money in gas savings. It was a sweet little car. I hope it’s still on the road somewhere.
{reply}
My husband’s Chevy Trailblazer – it was a great vehicle and it was paid for. But my husband has this thing for new cars – err… (but I’m erring him out of love – really I am…haha)
{reply}
1988 Volkswagon Jetta.
Powder blue, manual, could a high school ride get any cooler? At a minimum, it would get picked up and moved in the parking lot twice a week. Ahhhh the good old days, when boys who liked you would pick on you.
{reply}
Also, on your side bar, and I’m sure you know this, but its Moi, not Mwa. Its french. Whew. Glad to get that off my chest.
{reply}
1995 Toyota Corolla – Hand me down from my aunt when I went off to college. It had everything I needed: Four doors, power windows, sun room, manual transmission, great gas mileage, and a tape deck so I could hook up my iPod. I took so many road trips in that car, and it was absolutely faithful to me all through college, never requiring anything more than oil and gas.
Two years ago, I gave the car to my husband’s employee, who desperately needed what he called “a beater,” and I bought something nicer for myself since I was in a position to do so. I got a great deal on a used 2005 L.L. Bean Edition Outback, and it’s been a phenomenal car.
My husband doesn’t have a car. He rides a BMW R1200GS year round, except when it snows, then I drive him to work. He absolutely loves it and we tour all over the place together on it in the summertime. Really, REALLY like that bike.
{reply}
i def miss my camry… it had a v6 in it. it was my baby, but i totaled it last summer
{reply}
I feel your pain. My husband made me trade in my 98 4Runner a couple of years ago. He said he didn’t want me driving a vehicle that old, it made him nervous that I was going to break down somewhere. I loved that car so much, that body style was the best I think. I could take that thing anywhere, it was tough, yet nice. The new 4Runners just look prissy, as well as the new Scion XB I wound up with. While I like my new car, I would take my 4Runner back in a heart beat.
{reply}
Lynn says:
August 10th, 2010 at 9:55 am
@Jolene, We’re still driving a 98! Granted, it’s dying very quickly.
{reply}
Cheri says:
August 11th, 2010 at 6:34 am
@Lynn,
We have an 86 4runner with close to 300K miles on it. It looks like the wrath of God, but runs like a champ.
{reply}
2006 Green Mustang Convertible. The pain is still pretty fresh. Despite the fact that it was frustrating to get it up and running after I bought it and hard to drive in the rain, I loved that car. I cried the day we traded it in, but my wonderful husband bought me a “mommy car” that I adore, so I don’t feel quite so bad.
{reply}
2000 mercury cougar – you know, the cute sporty one. it had seen better days by the winter of 2007, had well over 100k on it. plus my family was growing and it just didn’t work for us any longer. it was my first brand new car – drove it off the lot with 18 miles on it.
seriously, i cried the day i traded it in for a 2006 chevy equinox. i have had this car for 3.5 years, it had a little under 20k miles when i bought it and it now has 121k. love, love, love this vehicle. but still get sentimental when i think about or see a cute lil’ cougar.
{reply}
I’m 38, and I’m only on my third car! The first was an incredibly stylin’ (not!) ’86 Toyota Tercel that I drove and drove until it developed an oil leak I could never quite fix. The second was a ’96 Honda Civic that I drove and drove until it just felt like it was getting tired. I spent 8 to 10 years driving each of those cars, had them around for so many life experiences, that they were both very hard to get rid of. But with the Honda, I donated it to a ministry that refurbishes cars and gives them, at no charge, to people who otherwise couldn’t afford them. I got the most touching note from the woman who got my car, and it made parting with it so worth it!
{reply}
My husband and I sold his ’91 Ford Taurus SHO. SHO as in Super High Output. It was fast. And full of awesome. But it needed a repair that we didn’t feel like doing and we sold it. Now we regret it. A lot. Even with the 4 cars that we have now (’98 4Runner, ’97 Tacoma, and two hot rod Oldsmobiles), we still really miss that car.
{reply}
My first car was a 67 Chevy Impala, leaked more oil than it used. Bought if for $300 and sold it for $475 and I don’t miss it one bit.
The car I do miss is the 2002 Volvo S40 I owned had the sports package, very stylish. That car could go up the canyon at 80 mph without staining a single horse power. Loved driving it, but alas it wasn’t practical with car seats and kids.
{reply}
My first car was a 84 Honda Prelude…it wasn’t the best car ever but it definitely had power. It could handle hills better than my 2000 Ford Focus!
{reply}
My husband and I sold my 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer after our daughter was born to pay off the hospital bills. It was an awesome car. First brand new car I bought, all by myself. I saved up $6000 to put down on it, got a SUPER low payment, and paid it off in two years. Two months after we sold it our Saturn started having major issues, randomly dying for no apparent reason, and after a dozen trips to several different mechanics no one can figure out whats wrong with it. Now the Saturn sits in the garage because it’s not safe for all the freeway driving we do and now we have an 89′, gold, Honda Accord with only 75,000 original miles on it! There’s a snobby part of me that hates the car and wants my Lancer back but I’m just thankful to be driving something that’s safe.
{reply}
kerry says:
August 10th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
@Elizabeth, Slight chance this will help, but I thought it was worth a try. Check your battery terminals. Mine were rusted out at one point and my car stalled when I took sharp turns or stopped fast. Noone could figure it out and of course it never stalled at the mechanics. I used a wire brush to clean the connectors up and all was great again.
{reply}
my cars have always been hand-me-downs. although i am only 25 so i suppose i can’t really say “all my cars”. there have been only two. such a long, illustrious driving history.
but, side note, am i the only person completely horrified and freaked out that the SEAT BROKE LOOSE while you were driving?! WHAT!
{reply}
I miss my 1976 Chevy Nova. It was my first car (circa 1994) and hoo boy, was she a looker. Granny Smith apple green (metallic, natch) with no radio, no interior door handle on the driver’s side, but with a straight-6 engine that positively FLEW. Good thing gas was cheap back then, because my Nova got about 10 mpg. I would have loved to keep the Nova and fix it up a little – it was so much fun to tool around out in the country where I grew up.
{reply}
I just sold my 2003 Toyota Tacoma. We’re expecting a baby any day now and I needed to sell my truck to buy something that holds a carseat. I miss my “Toy Truck”. She was my baby. I really hope her new owner will take care of her.
{reply}
I have always gotten rid of a car because it was no longer working for me, I really can’t say I miss anything about my old cars.
BUT, in the late 70s, I can remember my parents selling a minty green Mercury Land Boat (I have no idea the real model name). It had cream vinyl interior and a bench seat. We saw Star Wars at the drive-in in it. I can still see it parked in the driveway at the old house and my mom leaning on the car crying. It broke her heart to get rid of that one.
{reply}
I honestly don’t miss any of my old cars. For me, a car is simply a way to get from one place to another. Nothing more.
My hubby and I always buy used cars… ones that are an especially good deal. My current ride is a 1990 GMC Suburban with 65k miles on it. We paid $4500. I think I love it even more because it was was such a good deal.
{reply}
I cried when the truck came to pick up my dead 1980 BMW 320I.
I had that car for 15 years and it was the BEST car ever!
I think that car had about 150K on it and the day it died was a very sad day.
{reply}
My husband got an ’88 Honda Accord, brand new, when he got his first real job and when we were first dating. It was a stick-shift, and he tried to teach me to drive it. The clutch was so smooth I couldn’t feel when to give it gas, but once I got the hang of it, I adored that car. And we might have done a little smooching in it, too.
{reply}
Red, extended length aerostar. traveled yearly from south florida to ohio and all over the east coast with 2 small babies and all their gear. When we traded it in on another van it was stolen off the lot and stopped dead barely a few miles away! I miss that girl-she had cold ac and never let me down.
{reply}
2005 jeep grand cherokee. I LOVED that thing. it would tow anything. comfy, and a beautiful brilliant black color. only problem was, it did NOT have a manual transfer case and would shift into 4WD when it felt like it needed to. I ended up in the ditch because of that shifting, so away it went.
Also a 2001 dodge ram. I let it go because I was afraid of the tranny going out on it. (automatic).
now I have a 99 wrangler that I love. sure its a gas pig but I can get into or out of any terrain and have pulled out more then 1 vehicle that went where it shouldnt have.
{reply}
I recently got rid of my 2003 Honda Pilot – I loved that truck! It could carry anything (including 8 people) and it drove like a dream. Unfortunately, due to a change in personal circumstances (divorce) I could not afford the payment and maintenance anymore. I have a 2009 Accord lease now, maybe not the best decision for the long term, but for 2 more years of transition, it is great for me
{reply}
Awww…That’s such a sad image of you watching your car drive away. But it sounds like you made a good choice in deciding to sell. Dave Ramsey would be proud. I have only had 3 cars so far…A Chevy Celebrity that was my dad’s that I called “Nicodemus” was my first one. Hardest to part with was my second car, a green Saturn I named “Nicodemus”…He just got too old and rickety. I sat in it and cried a little before driving home in my current Saturn that I named “Esther”
{reply}
1963 Ford Maverick, named the Blue Goose. And I miss it because I could fix anything on it all by myself. And it had character – two tone blue, with zebra striped seat covers. It was such an awesome car, even though it didn’t have air conditioning.
{reply}
1994 Dodge Grand Caravan.
I remember when my mother picked me up from french lessons in the new car – she had dropped me off in a silver peugeot station wagon and then – cambe back with a brand spankin’ new Dodge Grand Caravan, what was it – emerald green? The new car smell! the stylish minivan shape! it was all too good to be true.
And then… when I was seventeen, it became my first car. I’ll admit, I was a little mortified. And then I figured out that I could pile about 11 of my best friends into this vehicle and still have room for skis, bikes, and whatever I needed. So, pretty much the perfect car for a teenager. By the time the old bird passed away, she was 13 years old, pushing past 250k, no working heat, and had no hubcaps. I remember it with horror, we decided to give it away to charity, and they towed it out of the driveway. I made them stop half way out so I could run up and pry the leopard driving grip off the steering wheel and for one last goodbye. It was an emotional moment.
And then I got a cute little used volvo from my grandfather who was horrified that his only granddaughter had been driving what he thought of as a deathmobile. I got over it all pretty quickly. (Aside from the ever lingering smell of wet dog that I couldn’t get out of the car…) Now I just use public transport in S.F…..
{reply}
2001 Passat. I loved that car. We paid cash for it when my husband got a good bonus that year.
Then he started a business and we needed to get some of the cash from the Passat to live until the business made some money.
Sold my Passat. Purchased a 95 Taurus and peace of mind.
{reply}
1978 Chevy Nova…my first car. Got it when I was 16 and it was black with red interior. Classic. Took me through my high school years and was a great runner; never had any worries. Then handed it down to my little sister who destroyed it slowly over her high school years. So sad. I’ve spent the last 20 years trying to find another one that was in decent shape. And finally — finally — my husband brought one home to me. Same color scheme but just one year newer and with some upgrades. But you know what? It even smells just like I remember it. All kinds of awesome.
{reply}
It’s a tie between the 1983 Honda Accord I had in high school and the 1995 Honda Civic (3 door hatchback). I learned to drive stick on the Accord…I just LOVED that car. The Civic I got rid of when my son (now 2 1/2) was 6 months old. Climbing in and out of that back seat to put Liam in/get him out was a nightmare. My husband can’t drive stick (and won’t learn for that matter) so I was the only one who could drive it. I’m babbling…I miss that darn car…..
{reply}
I think the car that I actually feel a twinge when I think about, is my first one. It was an ’88 Honda Accord. No a/c of course, because they were notorious for breaking. Such a great little car otherwise, though. I can’t remember how many miles were on it, I think we had topped 200K, and it was still running strong. One night though, an 18 year old kid fell asleep at the wheel, and crossed into oncoming traffic and hit my husband who was driving it at the time.
Completely totaled the car. Another testament to how great the car was though: It was a pretty horrific wreck and my husband walked away with only scratches and bruises.
Going to the junk yard the next day to get our personal belongings out of the car was a sad event. It was like we were saying goodbye to an old friend.
{reply}
Ahhh…makes me think of my silver Saturn SC1 with the sunroof, suicide door and five speed standard transmission. She was my baby…Catalina and called her Cat for short. She was with me for seven years and moved with me from Colorado to Texas. We had been together through ups and downs…good and bad…and many a road trips. After a year and half I still have feelings at times of sellers remorse. But now I see her parked at the house I sold her too, not running with a flat tire. Poor thing – but it was for the best. My Nissan has taken her place, though will never hold the same place in my heart as her.
{reply}
A late 80s Dodge Shadow in Black Cherry. I loved the color, the size, the handling, everything. There were so many memories of driving around aimlessly in high school, happy to be with my friends and happy to be free. Man, i loved that car.
I decided to trade it in and get something new when i thought i was moving cross-country. Then i didn’t move and i was without my beloved car and stuck with a car that i thnk might have been possessed by a demon it was so evil.
sigh… i wish they still made that car…
{reply}
still laughing about your drivers seat coming off and crawling up to steer to safety. i mean i’m sure it was scary at the time but is now HILARIOUS. i’d have to say i miss my old black dodge shadow from high school the most. mostly just for the memories though. as a car it kind of sucked.
{reply}
I got rid of a 1984 Cutlass Supreme that I absolutely loved but my boyfriend totally ruined by replacing the smooth as silk 3.8 l V8 with a way too big 454 and the hub caps with some really crappy looking rims that didnt match the car, let alone each other. I can’t even remember who I sold it to or for how much. I got rid of it 19 years ago but I can still remember how the steering whell felt in my hand and how the velour seats felt when you were wearing shorts.
In 2008 I totalled a 2004 Chevy Aveo that I called “Chuck Taylor” because it looked like a black converse. I crashed head first into a guardrail at 65 miles per hour at 3 in the morning on Memorial Day while I was wearing pajamas. I swerved to miss three large deer and lost control. The cop asked me if I was sure I was OK becuase most women would have been hysterical and I was as calm as could be. Then he asked if I was drunk- I wasn’t. I loved everything about that car and I still miss it today.
{reply}
Ryan- I sincerely laughed out loud and nearly choked on Diet Coke when I read about the seat falling backwards. I’m glad you’re OK but good grief that was funny.
{reply}
I’ve only had three cars, but I will always, always miss my first car – a 1990 Ford Probe. It had no air conditioning, but that thing was such a trooper. I got hit by a semi – A SEMI – in that car, and I walked away. And then drove the car for two more years. It had flip-up headlights, which made me feel like batman. And it was a manual transmission, which, let me tell you, garnered an unprecedented amount of cool points. (I was a 16-year old girl who could drive a stick; for some reason boys thought that was AH-MAZING.) I managed to give that car away twice before it finally got scrapped. If you ever need to get a loser boyfriend away from your daughter one of these days, giving them a car to drive is my suggested method. It worked. Twice.
{reply}
There are 3 actually. 1968 Volkswagon squareback with sun roof, 1977 Chevy Camaro, and 1966 Ford Mustang with pony interior. The Volkswagon and Mustang were already considered classics, the Camaro would be considered a classic now (although anything prior to 1970 were really the “great” ones).
{reply}
A 1969 Camaro SuperSport 396 convertible. My second car and I can’t believe how much it would be worth today!!!
{reply}
When I was growing up, my dad owned a ’71 Volkswagen Beetle named Puppy. He was orange with a powder blue driver-side door that had been replaced when my mom and dad drove it from Ohio to California. I distinctly remember being around 8 or 9 and sitting in my dad’s lap as he let me steer Puppy down the road. For years, Puppy’s glovebox bore my mark, in the form of bright orange circular stickers (like the pricing kind), one with a frowny face scratched into it. My dad said I had a bad day when I did that.
After my dad taught me how to drive when I was 18, he let me have Puppy. I was SO excited. I loved that little bug. He was a real trooper. I drove him every day on my long commute, almost 100 miles a day both ways, and never faltered.
When I joined the military in ’96, I sadly had to give Puppy up. The last I heard he was sold to a mechanic in my hometown of Isla Vista. I would love SO much to get my hands on Puppy again, even though I know by now he has probably been turned to scrap. There are so many memories I have associated with that car.
{reply}
my 1979 Saab 900 EMS….oh lord that was a great car. I drove it for 11 years, starting at age 17 and I ended up selling it for $800 bucks to a guy who saw it sitting my driveway! It had 423,000 miles on it. Worst car for repairs and parts, but it was a dream to drive.
*sigh*
Now I am the worst kind of liberal democrat…I am a single woman who wants a BIGGER SUV…my carbon footprint will be so big, I will have to live in a teepee just to offset it. we shall see, I guess
{reply}
I’ve had more cars than I could possibly remember… and just sold one yesterday and I still have one for sale. The one we just sold, a ’94 Geo Prizm I all ready miss dearly… I bought it when I was 19, and have had it for 12 years. It’s been through a lot with me and I still remember how excited I was when I first drove it home. I hope the teenager who receives it will appreciate it as much as I did. The one for sale, well… it will be bittersweet… It’s a 1999 Saab 9-5 and when I bought it 3 years ago I swore I’d be buried in that car… it’s so posh and luxurious. I love the turbo pick up and the heated leather seats… but geez… after 3 years worth of repairs it occurred to me that I could have bought a couple of cars with what I’ve put into it. Plus, the nearest dealer is 160 miles away so you can’t ever get parts… and we had 3 cars (one of them a “spare”) just so I could order parts and have something to drive while we waited to fix the Saab… Stupidly ridiculous… I wish I’d parted ways sooner and I could have a new car half paid for by now… I did just buy a Prius and I’m loving the 46 mpg!!
{reply}
My first car was a VWBug..was happy to replace that…followed by a VWJetta…loved this car…biggest trunk space EVER…it’s what sold me on it after the bug’s trunk space! LOL
Currently own a ’99 Toyota 4-Runner…love it love it love it..never selling it. (Sorry)
{reply}
First off, kudos to you for keeping your wits about you when YOUR FRICKIN’ SEAT BROKE ON THE HIGHWAY!!! Holy crap, that must have raised the old heartrate a bit!
The car I miss the most was my 1998 Honda accord. I got it used in 1994 from someone that my Mom worked with. It was a beautiful bronze/gold color, had flip up headlights, and was a manual (I LOVE driving stickshift vehicles!).
That wonderful car got me through almost all of college, and even kept working after I rear-ended someone (totally that guy’s fault, even if I did rear-end him). When I traded it in for another used Honda in 2001, it had well over 220,000 miles and still ran like a top. I bet that car is still going!
{reply}
Two – although the one car was never mine.
1937 Chevy that was owned by my late father. He restored it, cherished it, took the family to car shows, used it in all family/friend weddings. My father died when I was 15. My mother kept it for a long time after he passed, but ended up selling it so she could pay off her house. She sold it a year before I became engaged to my husband, so I didn’t get to have my father’s car take me to the alter.
2000 Mercury Cougar. The only brand new car I will ever own. I learned to drive stick on this car after buying it. It was a gamble, but it was worth it. I loved driving it, but in the end it was a lemon and cost too much to keep tires on it.
{reply}
I was 18… it was a 68 Mustang, two tone blue w/baby blue on top. A sunroof and wire wheel caps. I paid $700 for it at the time and it didn’t last long.. but I loved that little car
) It was def a girly girls car and cool all at the same time 
{reply}
Oh, gosh, this opens up fresh bad memories. The car I miss that we don’t have anymore is our 2000 Neon. I loved that little car, we bought it new. (It went through both of my sons learning how to drive). We lost the Neon down your way, Ryan. It died on I-70, in Florence KY, in December 2008. We were on our way to Alabama for my mother-in-law’s funeral. The water pump went out and ruined the engine. Longer story short, we were towed to a hotel, along with the car, but waited 11 hours for a ride to Alabama. Ended up flying home after the funeral, spending $600 more than we expected. But at least we were safe. What I miss about that Neon is that it was always dependable. It started all the time in the bad Michigan winters. Up to the point where the water pump went out, we didn’t have major repairs. It now sits in a scrap heap in a junkyard in Alabama. RIP, little Neon. I hope someone got the Kenwood stereo we put in it.
{reply}
1967 Fastback Barracuda! My dad bought it new and held onto it all those many years until I was ready to drive. Needless to say, I was the envy of my guy-friends and BLEW them off the road when opened ‘em up! Ever since then, I’ve been a bit of a speed-junkie.
{reply}
I’ve driven a few cars over the years, but never had much of an attachment to them until my current car. Before, I drove the car that my parents picked out for me, or the best beater I could afford. My current car, a 2005 Toyota Matrix is the first car that I picked out , saved up for and bought new on my own. I love it. I love the mileage that I get with it, I love the way it handles, and I love that it’s a little car that holds a tonne of stuff or people.
{reply}
no car! I have never gotten rid of a car, I am still driving my first car. I am 32, got the bean when I was 18 and had just gotten my license and though I’ve come far career wise and economically and my friends are all over me to get something newer I will drive this thing until the day it is proclaimed DOA. Then I will get a 2nd opinion, and possibly a 3rd. It’s just the right size, I know the clutch action, the stain from the first time my dog puked 12 years ago is still in there (there’s got to be a french fry from that same time period in there as well). When I decided I needed a change and moved from the northeast to the southwest, this was my whip. There are almost 200K miles on this beast and I have put all but the first 4 there. Every ding, noise, scratch and weirdness is a story and a memory for me and I have no desire to be rid of them. Me, this car and my dog have some history and I intend to keep making it!
{reply}
’93 Nissan Maxima – now that was a good car. Traded it around 2002 back when I had the mindset that I shouldn’t keep a car with more than 100k miles on it. The car had SPUNK and terrific pick-up. Most importantly it held up well in a hit and run and kept me safe. Handled like a dream. Miss that car.
{reply}
I’ve never technically gotten rid of a car on purpose. I drove two until the transmissions went out and the third one I spun out, did a 360 and in the most dramatic fashion possible, tore two of the wheels straight off of their axle. I then proceeded to hitchhike to church and teach Sunday School ha ha. That one was my favorite though. It was a Mazda MX3.
{reply}
Hey Ryan, I live in Redding. If there’s anything I can do to help your sister in her relocation shoot me an email. Might be nice to have a contact who is already here
Oh, and my best car was my first, a ’67 Mustang – best car ever !
{reply}
The rusty blue Chevy S-10 that now rests in peace in our driveway will someday be at the junkyard. That makes me weepy. We bought it on our first anniversary when having babies was the farthest thing from our minds. Of course, we got pregnant a few months later because apparently we are very fertile people. Yet, we continued to drive that pick-up truck until a couple of years ago. Jon would have already sold/trashed it, but I can’t let it go yet. We always thought we would let Jonah drive it, but since the doors fly open when we go around a corner, there is no air or heat, you can see the road through the holes in the floor when you drive, and the seatbelts no longer work, I guess it is not safe for my son anymore. Sniff.
{reply}
A Mitsubishi Eclipse. I learned to drive a stick in that car, and I loved driving it. We had to trade it and our four-door car at the time in for a van.
{reply}
My 1996 Nissan Maxima SE was one of the best cars I ever owned and I bought brand new. It is also the one I will miss the most. I’m trying to sell it right now. I miss it even though I still have it. It was my first “real” car and I also have some sentimental attachments to it as well. It’s really fun to drive. I also currently own a 2007 4-Runner which I like really well, but I’m not as attached to it as the Nissan.
{reply}
my first car was not really a “car” persay but an absolute BEAST – 1998 dodge ram 1500 pickup truck. she was huge and guzzled gas and had a custom sound system with the bumpin-est subs i’ve ever heard. i drove for the first time with my license in that truck, took my first cross-state road trip and kissed many a boy in the huge front seat. lots of sing alongs and tears in that truck. i loved her and called her big red.
then my dad sold it and gave me a 1994 pontiac bonneville that has leaky windows and a broken stereo. boo. a car is simply to get you from point a to point b, right? right.
{reply}
I have had two that I absolutely miss.
1. ’92 Ford Crown Vic – looked like an undercover cop car for our town… the only bad thing was that people thought I was a cop, so they would slow down whenever I drop up behind them.
2. ’03 VW Jetta – loved that car… but it was too small for my husband.
{reply}
The car I learned to drive on was a 52 Ford. It was the good until I drove it into a ditch. My favorite was the 65 white Mustang with red interior that we got after we married. Then we had a baby and babies and those cars didn’t go together. Then there was the Infiniti G20. nice car caused my arms to go to sleep. Now we drive a van. it’s our third. Good for traveling with granchildren or friends.
{reply}
I’ve only had two cars.
My first was a ’96 2 door stick shift Honda Accord. I loved this little car, but driving in Dallas traffic with a manual car was a PAIN. My little brother got it when I got my new car, and he had a wreck with a semi and practically totaled it. Even though I hated it sometimes, I miss driving stick shift every once in a while.
My second (and current) car is an ’03 4 door automatic Honda Accord. I absolutely love it. I’m pretty sure I’ll cry when it dies (and we’re planning on keeping it until then).
Oh–and my husband has an ’03 Dodge Intrepid. I HATE THAT CAR. We both do, actually. We should have sold it last fall before we had to put 2 new batteries and an alternator in it.
{reply}
I am so jealous! I love 4-runners!!
{reply}
Okay, I had to post on this because my husband stills laughs at me over the experience. When we were first married and living in California, my hubby bought a little Isuzu pickup. It was blue. No, it was neon, plug-it-in-and-charge-it-up-each-night blue. It was bright. It was our first truck. We used to haul all sorts of crap, and go camping, in it.
Then we had our first son. We still threw his carseat in the front of the truck and road around like two carefree teenagers.
Then we moved back to Cincinnati and had our second son. Suddenly, we found ourselves on the horns of a dilemna. We couldn’t fit two adults and two car seats in the truck. We also owned a Honda civic 4-door, which WOULD hold four people comfortably.
So we decided we needed to buy something that our entire family could ride in without drawing straws to see who rode in the back. We bought a van, but that meant that we needed to sell the truck (since our son wouldn’t have need of it for at least another 14 years).
The day the man came to take the truck home, he handed my hubby the cash and went to get in the cab. I broke down in sobs and ran in the house. I literally could not watch him drive it away. I think it had very little to do with the physical vehicle…it was more the memories of our early days together that were tangled up in that ugly paint job.
Let me just say…to this day, whenever I see that truck around town, I am tempted to offer the guy whatever he wants to buy it back…but I’m pretty sure youth doesn’t come cheaply!
{reply}
I miss my 1990 Toyota Corolla. I bought it 12 years ago for $3500 cash. I saved up for two years to buy that car. LOTS and LOTS of babysitting jobs! That car was with me through college, boyfriends, marriage, and 3 kids. We sold it a few months ago and I miss it terribly.
{reply}
I miss my 1994 (or 95-not sure) Dodge Dakota Sport and the little Geo Metro I had back in 1992. Both were red like my hair even though red is not my favorite color. They were the best running vehicles I’ve ever had, and I never had an accident in either of them, which is something worth saying since I’ve had quite a few. Dodge is my all time favorite auto maker, and I would love to have a Dodge Ram or Charger! Chevy would be my second favorite. I grew up with Chevy, and that Geo got me from NC to MO, then from MO to MN through a snow storm/blizzard. Laugh if you like, but that little car was something special.
Blessings & God-speed
http://www.coralorchid.webs.com
{reply}
1960, 3 on the tree, Chevy Panel Truck- Blue and White and Beautiful! First car and we had to sell it to make our house payments several years back. Still miss it!
{reply}
I miss my purple GMC Jimmy. Why? I truly don’t know. It was always easy to spot in a parking lot. Never had any problems with it. It was a fun car and my first and only SUV. Much better than a van.
{reply}
I’ve only had 3 cars in my 43 years. I keep each one till it falls apart! My current car is an 11-year-old Chevy Caviler. I really never missed any of them because by the time I get a new one, they have cost me so much to keep them running I’m glad to move on! It could also be that I’m a girl and don’t really care that much about cars! Just to stereotype myself LOL
{reply}
I drove a ’91 Jeep Cherokee (named Lou) for … wow, 9 years off and on. No power locks, no power windows, no carpet — just a bare bones little SUV. Learned how to drive in it, and then ended up taking it to college. LOTS of memories, lots of near-disasters, terrible mileage … and I could fit everything I owned into it at the time.
When I graduated and left town, it refused to go with me. While my car now is nicer (and gets waaaay better mileage … and doesn’t start shaking if I go over 70mph) I still miss Lou sometimes. He was a good one.
{reply}
’84 Honda Prelude. It was my first car and I loved everything about it.
{reply}
That is so cool that your sister is moving to Redding! I live just 1 1/2 hours north of that in a little tiny town that most people have never heard of… Yreka, CA. We just held our second “Ride in the Light” Rally, which is a Christian Biker Rally. We are trying to spread God’s word and his love throughout the biker community. Hey, maybe next year you can ride your bike over to visit your sister and come up for the rally!
I am hoping to get my motorcycle license in the next year and start saving for a bike of my own. There really is nothing like it!
~Amber
{reply}
MY first car was a 1987 Maxima. I drove it until it would drive no more – nine years I had and loved that car. We (use the term loosely here – my parents) put a lot of money in it getting different things repaired. I was so tough on that car. It was known as the Maroon Blood Clot and it was awesome!
{reply}
I miss our 1982 VW Scirocco, manual transmission and skylight. We bought new in 1982..one of only 3 cars that we actually bought new in our 30 years of marriage. It was totaled in 1983 while I was driving it….someone hit me head on going through a red light.
Sad day …. my body healed — the car, not so much.
{reply}
Oh man. My first car: a red Pontiac Fiero. I freaking LOVED that car. I looked hot in it. My brother loved driving it more than I did. He said he used to do neutral drops in it. Totally ok for the car right? I actually teared up when I had to trade it in for a stupid minivan because I was preggers. Also, I miss my Toyota Echo. At the time, gas was cheap when we had it. Little did we know how gas prices would spiral out of control. I miss the 40 mpg for sure. And also I had a red VW Bug I loved. Again, got rid of it to get another minivan. I need to stop having kids and start keeping my fun cars. My next car will be a Smart car. Mark my words.
{reply}
I’ve had two cars that I miss. The first one was a 1999 Mustang convertible. I traded it in for a 4 door explorer. Before I had kids! The second car was Black BMW Z3 with tan leather interior. A surprise from my hubby. We sold it, sadly, to a college guy when we found out we were having twins.
{reply}
I drive a ’90 Honda Accord…only has 33K miles on it! Love it!I went 7 +1/2 years without a car…so this car is reallyyyyyyyyy important to me.I have had many people offer to buy the car from me…new car isnt always the best fit…what fits your life and wallet makes more sense to me…wtg on the car sale and good luck with the SIL’s Honda
p.s. I enjoy your site very much!
{reply}
1995 Ford Escort- it was my first car, got it while in college, and traded it in in Feb. for a lease on a 2010 Corolla, which I was able to get because the payments were ridiculously cheap. It needed a LOT of work to make it safe, and I couldn’t justify shelling out the money that could be going towards payments on a safe, reliable car (losing heat during the winter in Ohio sucks, but not as much as when you realize you also can’t use the defrost.) I miss it when people do stupid things, and you get frustrated to the point of “fine, you want to cut into my lane?/You want to come left of center? OK, Go ahead, hit me!” Can’t do that with the new one! Miss it then, and when I was driving down to Columbus, and took a route I used to take to get to night class in grad school- got a little nostalgic then
.
{reply}
Hey Ryan! I found you through PW….
My third car…my beautiful black Saturn Ion, the only one that was NEW when I bought it. The one that mom didnt pay 2 grand for. The one that was MINE,all mine. My husband and I had to sell. Cause that is what poor newlyweds do. They sacrafice and sell a car or something like that. But Im getting over it. The bus rides arent too bad…
And wow you’ve owned a ton of cars!!
{reply}
Hi;
I am also from Cincy — followed your site for several years. Our 2nd car, a light blue 93 corolla — bought brand new w/o a single electric thing on it — seriously the cheapest, most plain Corolla on the lot. Carted 1, them eventually 3 kids around in it. Traded it in for a 2001 Jetta — biggest automotive mistake of my life!
{reply}
Had a 69 Toyota that ran like a top, but in the mid-70s, it needed brakes and I couldn’t afford them. I sold it for $75 and immediately regretted it. The man I sold it to fixed the brakes and sold it to someone else who fixed the starter. A year later, I bought it back for $50 — with everything fixed. Not bad, huh?
{reply}
I turned in my leased Dodge Grand Caravan. I miss everything about it but mostly the sunroof. I know, it’s sad to miss a minivan. I have a similar one now (but much older, more dented, no sunroof and PAID OFF). Every time I get into my van now…I think…no car payment, no car payment, no car payment.
{reply}
I had a 1974 Cutlass Supreme that I loved. I also had a Toronado. Loved it but it was a gas hog. It was about a 1974 too.
More recently I had a 2001 Jetta 5 speed manual. I LOVED that car. Traded it for a Honda Pilot after we had my little guy.
When we first got married my hubby had a 1992 Ford Ranger 4X4 5 speed manual and I loved loved loved that truck. Our neighbors have one that they might sell and we might buy it!! It’s a dark purple!
{reply}
I had a 2005 Envoy. that thing was loaded to the gills! I loved that car! I’m not a big car person, but when i saw the Envoys I really like them and finally got one. Just wish the gas mileage on them were better. We traded the Envoy for a Yukon, cause they got the same gas mileage but much bigger vehicle. then gas prices went sky high and we went to a Toyota Camry, talk about culture shock!
{reply}
In 2006 we were about to welcome our third baby to the family. We traded in my Toyota Camry for a Toyota Sienna. While I love the van, and realize it’s almost a neccesity for our family of five, I still miss my Camry. It was silver, smooth, and sweet. It was my favorite car….oh well, wouldn’t trade it to go back to a family of four!
{reply}
I would say my blue 2 door Geo Metro. We even put another used engine in it. It just went and went until it would not go anymore. No really everything gave out. We got like 200 bucks from the dealership and when they came to tow it away I was sad.
The daddy person misses his FIT. But we had went to one car to save/pay off bills since we both work from home.
{reply}
I miss the two convertibles I had…nothing like riding the open road with an open car.
{reply}
Oh man, I still miss our ’98 Ford Explorer. We got rid of it because with a 70 mile round-trip commute six days a week (work and church) gas was just too expensive.
That thing was awesome, though. We never had to do any major work to it–even at over 200,000 miles–it was four wheel-drive, the dogs could ride with us easily, and you could haul some serious stuff. Before kids we even hauled a couch in it.
{reply}
[...] might remember me mentioning the sale of my car a little while back…many of you commented on that post with great stories of your favorite cars over the years. One of the things that appealed to me [...]
Looking for the best Automobile insurance rates? The most affordable car insurance rates are likely if you’re ready do some work to learn about your insurance plan and then deal with many different insurance companies to get estimates that can lead to the lowest car insurance rates. Click below to view a simple Ten Point checklist to Find the Best Available Wisconsin Vehicle Insurance Rates!
{reply}
Is there any way for visitors to follow this site through different ways beside using RSS? I never load it on my readers though it is possible to view it on browser.
{reply}
Thank you for the post. I will be visiting your blog soon! Cheers!
{reply}