The Car Thread

[ZenSojourner]

My dream car has always been the Porsche 911. For me, it has everything -- good lucks, fantastic handling, a bit of oomph, and some quirkiness (air cooled rear engine, anyone? )

Oh yeah, I had one of those in college. It was in a '69 VW Fastback.

I loved that car. It was my first car that RAN. We'll ignore the Mercury Comet that never ran, bought on the advice of a bf who of course never fixed it.

And I learned my lesson. I learned to fix things on that car MYSELF.

Ah, the happy memories, me on my back, scrunched up under the car with a half a hacksaw blade, sawing the hose clamps off the fuel lines so I could replace them . . . me on my back, scrunched up under the car with a socket wrench, removing the oil screen so I could change the oil . . . me on my back, scrunched up . . . well, you get the picture.

You know, I haven't owned a car since that I could get under without having it on a lift.

I bought a book, "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". It was spiral bound, in black and white, and it told you EVERYTHING about your VW, up to and including step by step instructions for how to tear down and rebuild the engine. I was chasing the Snap-On man around town, looking for that one elusive specialty tool I needed that nobody else sold (it was some kind of specialty torque wrench) so I could accomplish the engine rebuild, when I opened the trunk one day (which was on the FRONT of the car) and found myself looking at the tire, and I don't mean the spare.

Turns out the only reason the car had held together as long as it had was because the extra heavy duty trunk liner was holding the chunks of rust together.

I loved that car. The owner's manual was in German. It had been bought by a service man or woman IN GERMANY and then shipped back stateside, in fact I found an old driver's license (long expired) when cleaning the car out one day with a picture of a pretty young black woman in uniform. The first thing I found after I bought the car was an ashtray full of illegal drugs - apparently one of the mechanics at the dealership where I bought it had thought it was a safe place to hide his stash. I was about to throw it all out when my older brother offered to do it for me. Well, I'm sure he disposed of them SOME way (I was young and naive and it never occurred to me what he intended or I'd have flushed them myself, but I was honestly afraid to touch them).

That car had a NAME. Oh, I've named cars on occasion since - the Tetanusmobile, the TestosteroneMobile - but not like this. This car had a PERSONAL name.

Lola. Because "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets".

I remember rejoicing when the odometer turned over 100k miles. I remember long drives in the winter - well they SEEMED like long drives - with me wrapped in 2 quilts, bundled up in a heavy parka and mittens, ice scraper in one hand and the window open because the air cooled engine didn't work up enough heat to defrost either the window OR the driver. So I would alternate scraping off the ice forming on the inside of the windshield with scraping off the ice forming on the OUTSIDE of the window. A running joke among my friends was me getting a speeding ticket in winter: "But officer, I'm telling the truth - I HAD to go 60 in that 35 mph zone because the heater won't work if I don't!" The only warm spot in the car in winter was the rear seat, right over the heat exchangers.

I was pissed because JC Whitney cashed the check I sent them for parts AFTER they had gone into bankruptcy (this was 'way back before the internet would warn you about things like that). They were my prime source for parts, I was waiting for some stuff that was supposed to turbo-charge my heat exchangers.

I once snapped off a stud when replacing the oil screen after an oil change and gave myself a huge goose-egg on my forehead, the morning of a family Xmas get together. Boy did my older sister pi ss and moan about how I ruined the family pictures (and that gives you some idea of HER personality, that all she cared about was "ruined" pictures, not that I might have given myself a concussion).

Oh Lola, Lola, Lola! Fond remembrances! It's a lost and lorn woman I am these 29 years since your passing. There'll always be that Lola-shaped hole in my heart where you rested easy while you were with me! Wherever you've gone must be car heaven, for in what universe could justice and mercy exist were it otherwise? You were my chariot of fire, who carried me forth boldly and brought me home safely. You saw me through lean times when selling my plasma for grocery money was the only way to keep from starving. It was in you I learned to drive, and to love driving stick. You were a forgiving teacher and easy on the pocketbook back when gas prices lurched from 35c to over FIFTY CENTS A GALLON (29 mpg, thank the lord!)

Wherever you are, may God hold you in the palm of his hand, but never clench his fist too tight!

[Mr. Bloom]

And I learned my lesson. I learned to fix things on that car MYSELF.

Good for you ZenSo!

So, in 1986, Silver and a couple of women from work took AUTO MECHANICS

Although she bought all the stuff to change her own oil, she only did that once (and I think I just saw the filter wrench in the garage...20 years later)

But, where it served us well was when we bought a 1987 Mazda 626. It totally disarmed the saleman that:

• While Mr. Silver is sitting in the front seat playing with the stereo,
• Silver is under the hood talking with him about "rack and pinion" this and "fuel injected" that

I realized that we were on to something, so we decided (over HER objections) that SHE needed to negotiate the price!

Well, we knew this was good when she laid out a price...and the salesman said "SHOULDN'T I BE TALKING WITH YOUR HUSBAND?" and she said "Nope, this is the deal..."

To this day, I'm absolutely convinced that we got the car for less than invoice (because she got twice as much on our trade as it was worth...)

But, that was a different day...

[reddDesign]

Mazda 626 Was it the older two door one?

I have a soft spot for Mazdas...clearly...

Oh and Zen...my car's name is Macy

[mayanorange]

I too had to buy my first car- my 78 Scirocco cost $380 and I spent a year and a half bringing her back to life (replacing shocks, spring, brakes....). Then he died about 2 weeks into being on the road- apparently there was more rust under there than we realized. I was on my way to take my SATs and hit a larger bump and there was this weird rubbing noise- turns out the only thing hold the left rear wheel onto the car anymore was the wheelwell. Poor Hobbes.

Then I found my little red 1987 16V. She was called the Millenium Falcon because she had electrical issues and didn't reliably start. Just like Han trying to kick in the hyperdrive! 16V was only made for 5 yrs and was rather rare, so parts got expensive and she started hitting the wall after 130k miles.

Then I found a 1985 silver 8V in really good shape. She was named Spoons and had hardly a problem. Had to sell her when I needed a bigger car to move to CA.

Maybe someday I'll get another 16V and get into SCCA racing like my bro... As much as I'm excited to see the 2009, I need more than 2 doors these days.

[redrhodie]

haha what kinda car?

It's a Nissan. It's not fun to drive, but it's not not fun, either. It's the car equivalent of mashed potatoes.

I've never had a car I cared about. I don't want worry about scratches and dings, or the chain lube on the upholstery. All I ask of my car is that I not be left by the wayside. I'd prefer to be car-less, but that's not feasible in my current locale. I've got to have someway to transport the bikes!

[Crankin]

I've never cared about cars, per se, although I've had some nice ones. But they were all bought for some type of practical purpose (the 82 Volvo 240 wagon , because all "moms" had one, a Mazda mini van with AWD, so I could get up the hill and take my kids and their friends places), except for for my current car, a 2003 BMW 325xi.
I bought it because the promotional literature/brochure featured the Milan-San Remo bike race in the background, on all of the pages.

[tulip]

Crankin, that's the best reason for buying a car!

I'm partial to VWs in particular, and German cars in general. My first car was a 1973 VW Superbeetle with a Porsche interior. It was screaming yellow. It was 10 years old when I got it and after I went to college, my younger brother took it over. Then he went to college and it was sold. I had a series of Hondas ('79 Civic wagon--great car! that a boyfriend totaled, '93 Civic hatch that I bought new but sold a few years later to go to grad school, an '88 Accord, followed by a '92 accord). I also drove a 1984 Chevy Cavalier that was one of the best cars ever. It wasn't fun to drive, but it was soooo reliable. It was about 15 years old when I drove it.

My current car is a 2007 VW Rabbit that I adore. I can fit anything into it, it gets 34 mpg, 5-speed stick, and plenty of Farfugnugen! I expect to keep it for a long time.

I really would like an old Nissan or Toyota pickup for under $2k for chores, but that'll have to wait.

[Aggie_Ama]

I really like my 2007 Dodge Caliber I have named Gretchen. I have had for three years, it was inexpensive and has these red seat inserts that look wicked cool. The sunroof is fun, the steering wheel radio controls are nice to use and the car is practical.

But through college I leased a 2001 VW Beetle in bright yellow I called her Venus. It was a 5 speed and was so much fun to drive! I told my husband now that he has a quad cab truck when my Caliber bites the dust (I plan on having it awhile) I am getting another Beetle.

[sundial]

I was way more into my New Beetle than the Element. The Element doesn't require any extra knowledge because it's a Honda, but the Beetle...you HAVE to know how to change your own headlights, or pay the dealer $100, and it's NOT easy!

I drove a 1984 Volkswagon Thing. The engine was in the rear and the front was the trunk so to speak. Our family piled into that car and drove 1000's of miles on a vacation. And dad always had his repair manual ready. Of the cars we owned in the 80's, the VW was the easiest to repair. I wanted to take auto mechanics in high school but my parents wouldn't have any of that!

[Karma007]

I drive a 13 year old beater that I feel safe in, but my bikes are hot!

That's funny! When I moved back to CA, I didn't want a car at all, but bf thought it was a good idea. I have a 1998 Mustang, in black. It looks really sharp, especially w/ the bike rack and my red/white/black bike on the back. It's just too big for me. I have a hard time seeing out the window and parking.

[TsPoet]

I just traded my MINI (Cooper) in on a...
MINI (Clubman)
I can't imagine every driving anything else. Once you go MINI, you never go back.

I tried to detail it myself this weekend. Took me about 10 hr (I kid you not) and I did a terrible job! Guess it's worth the $150 they charge to get it done right.
Hydro is the best car product ever, for those between detailing times.
I'm in a random mood today, obviously.

[TsPoet]

Although I'm not going to sell my MINI, I think I'm going to get one of these (with an electric assist) to be as car free as possible next year

http://www.greenspeed.com.au/Glyde.htm
if I could only get over the price and the sex toy looks of the thing.

[andtckrtoo]

I just traded my MINI (Cooper) in on a...
MINI (Clubman)
I can't imagine every driving anything else. Once you go MINI, you never go back.

I tried to detail it myself this weekend. Took me about 10 hr (I kid you not) and I did a terrible job! Guess it's worth the $150 they charge to get it done right.
Hydro is the best car product ever, for those between detailing times.
I'm in a random mood today, obviously.

My Mini - he out handles anything out there, including my step son's Boxter. Now, my step son can beat me on the straightaways, but I kill him on the curves.

[Adventure Girl]

This is Bethy. She's a 1971 Super Beetle. I have had her since 1976. Originally she belonged to my Uncle when he lived in Germany. I drove her through high school and college. When Robert and I got married, we left our wedding in Bethy with "Just Married" on the windows! Robert hates working on her, but he does it because it makes me happy.



This is my every-day car. It's a 2001 New Beetle. The trunk is full of bike stuff. And there is at least one bike on top about 75% of the time the car is on the road! The license plate says I (heart) MY VWS.



And this is Robert's hot rod truck. It's a 1965 GMC with a 427 small block. It consumes lots of fossil fuel! It's a perfect "date night" truck. Robert has done EVERYTHING on this truck and it has been on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine. He's very proud of it!

[mayanorange]

I drove a 1984 Volkswagon Thing. The engine was in the rear and the front was the trunk so to speak. Our family piled into that car and drove 1000's of miles on a vacation. And dad always had his repair manual ready. Of the cars we owned in the 80's, the VW was the easiest to repair. I wanted to take auto mechanics in high school but my parents wouldn't have any of that!

So jealous you had a Thing! I had the opportunity to buy one a long time ago and it was too much for a HS student, but a steal because it had 12000 original miles.