# What was your first car



## bill5 (Jan 22, 2021)

71 VW Bug. $650. Not in pristine condition but ran. Lasted about 6 months before an unknown oil leak ran the car dry and that was it. I learned to drive stick on it though.


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## Sunny Schramm (Jan 23, 2021)

Opel Kadett D in red for 3500DM/1750€ in 1991 ❤️


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## cloudbuster (Jan 23, 2021)

Volkswagen Passat in 'Panama Brown', yikes. 
Inherited, didn't like it too much. A couple months later the front part got hit by another car coming from the left at full speed and I was lucky to get out alive, a bit of a miracle.


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## Gerbil (Jan 23, 2021)

An 8 year old rusting Ford Sierra GT. Sky blue. Absolute piece of crap. The tapets went after a month and the engine made a constant metallic banging sound. It was like driving a Soundiron percussion library.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

VW Jetta 1.6 Diesel (1983)
450.000 kilometers when I bought it in 1995 for 500 Dutch guilders (200 Eur)

I remember driving through the Belgian Ardennes, when I had to take the “vehicules lentes” lane and was nearly overtaken by a huge truck who was behind me in the same lane... oh man, the stress...


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## Stillneon (Jan 23, 2021)

A 1968 Riley Elf (donation from my Grandmother). It was so small I had to take the passenger seat out to transport my Juno 6.


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## mallux (Jan 23, 2021)

96 Vauxhall Corsa. Had some nice extras like the bigger engine, tinted glass and a sunroof, and being the 5-door version it was definitely “bigger on the inside”. Brilliant car, kept it for 12 years, and hardly had a day’s trouble.


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 23, 2021)

Renault 5. The doors were made of plastic. Nowadays I wouldn’t let my own kids near the thing. 

Luxury version with 5 speed gearbox. Aftermarket cassette stereo. Oh yeeeah..


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## Germain B (Jan 23, 2021)

A Volkswagen Transporter (T3). I spent my whole springs/summers living in it.



> I had to take the “vehicules lentes” lane and was nearly overtaken by a huge truck who was behind me in the same lane... oh man, the stress...


I can relate. Very stressful indeed...


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)




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## Morning Coffee (Jan 23, 2021)

Early 1980s Mazda 323 panelvan, 4 speed manual. It was a good first car. I used it to lug music and fishing gear around with ease. After I sold it, personalised number plates started becoming popular, I didn't realise that I had a gem of a number plate, with the only letters on the plate being PMS! (Would have been a good plate for a radical feminist!)

But really, I mainly have fond memories of that car, because my grandfather taught me how to drive a manual gearshift in it.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

GV-32-HS (first ever plates)


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## fourier (Jan 23, 2021)

VW e-golf  I didn't really feel the need for a car until my daughter started elementary school.


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## Saxer (Jan 23, 2021)

Simca 1100 
It had a hole in the floor and so it was wet inside with always fogged windows. I had it for a year until the TÜV (German Association for Technical Inspection) divorced us.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

Ha beautiful French brand. What were they called again after their rebranding?


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## Rory (Jan 23, 2021)

Datsun 240Z. Bought it second hand. Selling it was not one of my better decisions. I have a friend who purchased one about ten years ago and paid quite a lot of money for it.

_Car and Driver_'s review from 1970: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143644/datsun-240z-road-test/


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

I still love Datsun-now-Nissan Z series! Gorgeous car


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## d.healey (Jan 23, 2021)

1990s Volkswagen Polo - £300


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## Guffy (Jan 23, 2021)

Golf TSI (mk7)


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## NekujaK (Jan 23, 2021)

A brown 1976 Fiat X-1/9, bought second hand. Fiats of that era had notoriously bad reliability, earning them a humorous acronym of FIAT = Fix It Again Tony. Indeed, the most common sound heard by Fiat owners was "snap".

It was a cool-looking, mid-engine 2-seater with a targa top that actually handled remarkably well, but it was ridiculously underpowered and prone to the usual Fiat breakages.



​
Fast-forward several decades, and I guess I'm still enamored with this overall style, because I recently acquired a 1997 Acura NSX, which pretty much fits the same profile: mid-engine, 2-seater, targa top. But being a Japanese car, reliability is not a problem


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## mallux (Jan 23, 2021)

Rory said:


> Datsun 240Z. Bought it second hand. Selling it was not one of my better decisions. I have a friend who purchased one about ten years ago and paid quite a lot of money for it.
> 
> _Car and Driver_'s review from 1970: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143644/datsun-240z-road-test/


Wow, that’s a cool looking car (let alone first car!)
Don’t ever remember seeing one in the UK.


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## LamaRose (Jan 23, 2021)

Yellow VW Thing w/soft top. Worked at a resort after school to purchase when I was 16. Great car... love to have that air-cooled engine now!


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## LamaRose (Jan 23, 2021)

NekujaK said:


> A brown 1976 Fiat X-1/9, bought second hand. Fiats of that era had notoriously bad reliability, earning them a humorous acronym of FIAT = Fix It Again Tony. Indeed, the most common sound heard by Fiat owners was "snap".
> 
> It was a cool-looking, mid-engine 2-seater with a targa top that actually handled remarkably well, but it was ridiculously underpowered and prone to the usual Fiat breakages.
> 
> ...


A good friend had one in HS... yeah, was common to see those on the side of road, lol.


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## Loïc D (Jan 23, 2021)

Renault Super 5 (early 90’s), 4 gears + rear.
Mine was a “company” car with only 2 seats. Ignition was black magic.


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## Cinebient (Jan 23, 2021)

Opel Corsa A.


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## Loïc D (Jan 23, 2021)

doctoremmet said:


> Ha beautiful French brand. What were they called again after their rebranding?


They once joined with Matra (a big French engineering company operating in Defense, IT, etc. and endorsing the now defunct Matra Racing Paris football club).
Then they stopped making cars in late 70s.


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## sostenuto (Jan 23, 2021)

Chopped, channeled, 1941 Ford convertible _ Carson top _ Columbia 2-speed rear-end, pleated leather upholstery ( _Tijuana-crafted_ ).

Amazing for teenage me _..... sad for San Diego USN seaman shipped out for lengthy ship assignment. _


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## Polkasound (Jan 23, 2021)

1975 Chrysler Cordoba


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## Michael Antrum (Jan 23, 2021)

Rory said:


> Datsun 240Z. Bought it second hand. Selling it was not one of my better decisions. I have a friend who purchased one about ten years ago and paid quite a lot of money for it.
> 
> _Car and Driver_'s review from 1970: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143644/datsun-240z-road-test/




I had one - it was my third car I think, and a complete rot box. It went really fast, drank lots of petrol and bits regularly fell off it

It was black and had tinted windows. My girlfriend affectionally called it the batmobile.......



NekujaK said:


> A brown 1976 Fiat X-1/9, bought second hand. Fiats of that era had notoriously bad reliability, earning them a humorous acronym of FIAT = Fix It Again Tony. Indeed, the most common sound heard by Fiat owners was "snap".
> 
> It was a cool-looking, mid-engine 2-seater with a targa top that actually handled remarkably well, but it was ridiculously underpowered and prone to the usual Fiat breakages.
> 
> ...


A mate of mine had a Fiat X1/9. I'm 6'2" and played rugby at the time and couldn't actually fit inside it.....he was a skinny hooker so managed to fit in it just fine....


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## Technostica (Jan 23, 2021)

VW Scirocco GLi


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

Loïc D said:


> They once joined with Matra (a big French engineering company operating in Defense, IT, etc. and endorsing the now defunct Matra Racing Paris football club).
> Then they stopped making cars in late 70s.


In 1980 they rebranded to Talbot


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## JT (Jan 23, 2021)

1976 AMC Gremlin. What was I thinking???


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## Serge Pavkin (Jan 23, 2021)

VAZ 2106 )) this car was also called "bucket of bolts"


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## nolotrippen (Jan 23, 2021)

bill5 said:


> 71 VW Bug. $650. Not in pristine condition but ran. Lasted about 6 months before an unknown oil leak ran the car dry and that was it. I learned to drive stick on it though.


1963 Buick Special. It was…old when I got it and threw off parts in a tight turn. But fun.


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## nolotrippen (Jan 23, 2021)

Serge Pavkin said:


> VAZ 2106 )) this car was also called "bucket of bolts"



I forgot that one. Thanks for sharing.


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## nolotrippen (Jan 23, 2021)

JT said:


> 1976 AMC Gremlin. What was I thinking???


Getting to be quite a deal on the used market (check Barn Finds).


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## nolotrippen (Jan 23, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> Renault 5. The doors were made of plastic. Nowadays I wouldn’t let my own kids near the thing.
> 
> Luxury version with 5 speed gearbox. Aftermarket cassette stereo. Oh yeeeah..


I assume it wasn't the Turbo.


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## nolotrippen (Jan 23, 2021)

Polkasound said:


> 1975 Chrysler Cordoba


The handsomeest of the Cordobas.


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## tebling (Jan 23, 2021)

1964 Volkswagen Notchback. A remarkable car given that it was never sold in the US - they were all individually imported.

It made a cool surfmobile in the 80s


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

tebling said:


> 1964 Volkswagen Notchback. A remarkable car given that it was never sold in the US - they were all individually imported.
> 
> It made a cool surfmobile in the 80s


Is this one of those Karmann Ghia’s, as they were called in Europe? Or am I mixing stuff up now?


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## tebling (Jan 23, 2021)

doctoremmet said:


> Is this one of those Karmann Ghia’s, as they were called in Europe? Or am I mixing stuff up now?


The Ghia is a different. The Notchback's closest relative (which WAS sold in the US) is the Squareback. They're both considered a "Type III" along with the Fastback.


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## Paul Grymaud (Jan 23, 2021)

Citroën 2CV from Dinky toys. I Loved it.


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## Rory (Jan 23, 2021)

Paul Grymaud said:


> Citroën 2CV from Dinky toys. I Loved it.


I've admired, but regrettably never owned, a Citröen DS:


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## Rory (Jan 23, 2021)

Rory said:


> Datsun 240Z. Bought it second hand. Selling it was not one of my better decisions. I have a friend who purchased one about ten years ago and paid quite a lot of money for it.
> 
> _Car and Driver_'s review from 1970: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15143644/datsun-240z-road-test/



Here's Petrolicious on the Datsun 240Z...





Jay Leno did a segment on a modified 240Z owned by Sung "Fast and Furious" Kang...


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## doctoremmet (Jan 23, 2021)

Rory said:


> I've admired, but regrettably never owned, the Citröen DS:



Were these around at all in the US Rory? Apart from those modified flying cabs in 2015 Back To The Future-universe?

I remember family holidays to France when these were still everywhere you looked... great great design indeed...


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## Rory (Jan 23, 2021)

doctoremmet said:


> Were these around at all in the US Rory?


Both the U.S. and Canada. Leno begins his video by saying that it's still the most innovative car ever designed.


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## wst3 (Jan 23, 2021)

Against advice from my Dad, and my mechanic, in 1978 I purchased a 1970 Datsun 510 Wagon with a little over 100,000 miles on it. It lasted about three weeks before blowing the head gasket (first of many). By the time I graduated from college four years later I could replace the head gasket in about 90 minutes. A little quicker if I had a helper.

The last replacement used a copper gasket, guaranteed to last for the life of the car. Sadly, for me, that was about four months, because as soon as I had a job offer I went out and bought a 1977 VW Rabbit, can't remember the mileage, for $3500. It was totaled six weeks later when I was t-boned two blocks from my dorm.

That was followed by another 1977 Rabbit (an ugly orange, but beggers can't be choosy), not is quite as good shape as the first, but it lasted forever. Two years later I bought a 1984 GTI, which I accidentally wrapped around a tree (and walked away). When I bought the GTI the orange Rabbit became my Rally car. I had a lot of fun "fixing" it up and racing it.

That was followed by a 1984 Sirocco, which made it to 210k miles with no major repairs. It was finally benched when a rock flew up and cracked the transmission. I couldn't justify the cost to replace the transmission for a car with over 200k miles and ten years on it.

I have owned only two cars that weren't VWs - that awful Datsun, and a very old Subaru Outback that I bought from my Dad when he lost his license. I was unemployed at the time and could not be too picky, and besides, Subaru's last forever.


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## PaulieDC (Jan 23, 2021)

Hess Oil Truck when I was 7, for Christmas. Then a spring-loaded Batmobile you could sit in, and someone had to push you backwards and let you rip. Hey, it was the 60s.

In ‘82 I inherited my parents’ 1970 Thunderbird with 130K miles, rust everywhere and a suspension like Campfire marshmallows. BUT—off the line, it was killer. 429 in.³ thunderjet engine with four barrel carburetor and posi-rear. The power in the family luxury cars before everything got declawed in 1974 because of the gas crisis was just amazing. My friends dad had a Chrysler Newport with a 440 in.³ engine. These were cars made the ride smooth so the suspension was horrendous, but off the line, wow. You could almost see the needle in the fuel gauge slide towards E as you accelerated, LOL.


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## cuttime (Jan 23, 2021)

Thanks, everyone, for sharing the security question answers to your login queries!


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## tebling (Jan 23, 2021)

Technostica said:


> VW Scirocco GLi


Love this! I used to be a Scirocco nut. I've owned four mk2 Sciroccos, including one that had a 1.8T transplant, a Peloquin diff and measured 200hp at the wheels. Good times.


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 23, 2021)

nolotrippen said:


> I assume it wasn't the Turbo.


God no. They were lethal, by all accounts..


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## artomatic (Jan 23, 2021)

Datsun 210!


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## kgdrum (Jan 23, 2021)

A 7 or 8 year old Mercury Comet or in another word a hunk of junk.
My next car was actually pretty good but a total gas guzzler from the 70’s -
a 71 Chevy Nova 350,it was a beast but unfortunately it drank gas like a relative of mine drinks gin :


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## BassClef (Jan 23, 2021)

1955 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe... purchased upon HS graduation in 1969.


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## Kevinside (Jan 23, 2021)

my first car was a used BMW


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## nolotrippen (Jan 25, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> God no. They were lethal, by all accounts..


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## Akat1 (Feb 11, 2021)

1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo Pace Car with the mirrored T-Tops. Blew the transmission showing off, let it sit for 2 years than sold it for $400. But at 18 I knew everything, so I dont know what went wrong.


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## MauroPantin (Feb 11, 2021)

A '96 Renault Clio with a 1.4L energy engine. Had it for like 10 years, actually. It was nice at the time.


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