The only car I had that I would consider embarrassing was my 2002 VW Jetta. At the time, I wanted an Audi S4 in the worst way. Since I was in college, and couldn't afford the S4, I decided that I could compromise with a 1.8T Jetta. And when I couldn't find a 1.8T Jetta with a stick in my price range, I settled on a 2.0 8V Jetta GLS. I don't know why I didn't look at other cars at the time, but I had to have it. It was excruciatingly slow, boring, and unreliable. And the ladies hated it. 
