Tell us about your first car

Colin
By Colin Wood
Dec 27, 2022 | First car, Discussion

Photograph Courtesy Acura

Do you remember your first car? What was it like?

Do you look back fondly on your first set of wheels, or are you glad it’s out of your life?

As always, bonus points if you have pictures to share.

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Comments
RevRico
RevRico GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
12/27/22 10:00 a.m.

98 GMC Sonoma, single cab, regular bed, 4wd.

Biggest piece of E36 M3 ever, and I still question anyone that buys a Sonoma or S10 because of it. It's only redeeming qualities were coming with a toolbox and square tube tailgate. 

It ate tie rods and ends, got 12mpg, couldn't get out of its own way, had no seating room. 

Bought it for $5k, put 50k miles on it in 18 months, and had $6500 in repair bills during that time. 

RyanGreener (Forum Supporter)
RyanGreener (Forum Supporter) Reader
12/27/22 10:19 a.m.

1987 Toyota Supra. Loved the car but it had too much rusty so I had to get rid of it. I miss that car to this day!

bmw88rider
bmw88rider GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/27/22 10:38 a.m.

1965 Mustang. The car that I learned to wrench on. 

Nothing fancy. The only option was AC. It was a 200-6 w/ a 3 speed manual. 

I worked with my uncle to repaint it, fix the rust on it. Did the head rebuild on it. Redid the entire interior on it. It was a great introduction to wrenching. I still have the original pony from the grill. I replaced it with one out of the junk yard. 

gonk741
gonk741
12/27/22 10:48 a.m.

98 Nissan Maxima 3.5 liter v6, black exterior and tan interior.

Bought it for 800 bucks in 2012 with the rear quarter panel ripped off. My neighbor welded on some sheet metal for me and painted it black to match the car.

Another neighbor gave me 18" chrome wheels that, at the time, I thought were SICK.


I replaced the EGR and belt tensioner assembly  and a couple other minor things that I was able to buy for cheap from the auto parts store I worked at and had that thing running like a dream! Surprisingly fast for a four-door sedan. 


Everything a 17 year old could need. 

nlevine
nlevine GRM+ Memberand Reader
12/27/22 10:57 a.m.

The first car I bought for myself was a '75 BMW 2002 (bought in '87) - Malaga with a sunroof. If I knew then what I know now about these cars, I would have turned and run, but such is the arrogance of youth...

Rusty shock towers, a cooling system that imploded on its first long road trip, and just before I was going to take it in for an engine rebuild as it was consuming more oil than gas, the transmission lunched itself a block from home (reverse still sort of worked, so I made it back into the driveway). 
 

Made a half-hearted attempt to resurrect it, but eventually sold it off to somebody who literally dragged it away with a rope tied to his buddy's pickup truck (in Boston, no less)...

Iusedtobefast
Iusedtobefast Reader
12/27/22 11:04 a.m.

1974 Chevy Nova, in-line 6, auto, drum brakes all around. Came with. Buick hubcaps. It was that 70's gold color. Put in an Audiovox stereo with cassette, glued the headliner back up, new exhaust. Drove the hell out of it til the trans started slipping. My parents bought it for me for $300. Sold it for $350. I miss that car...

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/27/22 11:16 a.m.

1982 Accord sedan, blue over blue with a five-speed. (Bonus points for those who know where the image was taken.)

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy MegaDork
12/27/22 11:17 a.m.

My name above - bought new the summer after high school.  Put 100,000 miles on it in 5 years of going to college. 

L5wolvesf
L5wolvesf Dork
12/27/22 11:20 a.m.

1964 white Chevy Impala SS which had been my grandfather's. Got my first speeding ticket within 30 minutes of getting the keys. Put some big tires on the rear and cruised Van Nuys Blvd for years. Then watched 'submarine races' up on Mulholland.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/27/22 11:24 a.m.

And while in high school, for a little while my parents had three cars so I got to drive their 1978 Malibu Classic. It was also blue over blue. 

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