# The favorite car that you actually owned **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018 "2010-10-04T17:51:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/41 "2010-10-05T13:52:03Z")
My history of ownership is: [ul] [li][1989 Dodge Daytona](http://www.lazyiguana.org/cat/DodgeDaytona1.jpg) (Yup, the crappy, non-turbocharged, no-frills version)[/li][li][1991 Eagle Talon tsi AWD](http://www.picpile.net/ims/pic_265Q8RL/43634.jpg) [/li][li][1994 Ford Windstar](http://www.northcountryauto.ca/Graphics_Pictures/Large%20Vehicle%20Pictures/50%20%2095%20Windstar.JPG)[/li][li][1995 Ford Contour](http://images03.olx.com/ui/6/96/18/1274933954_96128818_1-Pictures-of--1995-Ford-Contour-GL-1274933954.jpg)[/li][li][1998 Ford Taurus](http://www.theautochannel.com/media/photos/ford/1998/98_ford_taurus.jpg)[/li][li][1999 Ford Explorer](http://www.l-n-autosales.com/IM000434.JPG)[/li][li][2005 Ford Mustang Conv.](http://autoconsignmentofsandiego.com/images/mustang_b.jpg)[/li][li][2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac](http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/vehicle-pictures/2004/ford/explorer-sport-trac/2201-037-driver-side-door-open-480.jpg)[/li][li][2009 Volvo C30 R-Design](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4420379088_8ed9b00e2d_z.jpg)[/li][/ul] My favorite is, I think, the Volvo. It’s got more “personality” than any other car I’ve owned. A very, very close second is the Eagle Talon. It really was an excellent car, and back then was about the most bang for your buck you could buy. Mine was bought used, however, and had a few nagging issues that keeps it from being my absolute favorite. The Mustang is fun, but I wish we’d bought the GT. It’s a good car for driving along A1A in Florida, though. The Sport Trac is a great vehicle for divers (which we are); you can throw all your wet, smelly gear in the back, secure under the locking cover and not have it stink up the interior. The '99 Explorer is now in the hands of our daughter, and is going pretty strongly with 180,000 miles or so on it. I was also surprisingly fond of the Contour. My wife hated it; it was too vanilla for her. For what it was (a cheap, smallish sedan) it had pretty good handling, and reasonable comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/42 "2010-10-05T13:56:18Z")
1966 MGB 1977 MGB 1977 MGB 1977-1/2 Porsche 924 1988 Chevy Sprint 1979 Porsche 911SC 1999 Jeep Cherokee 1963 Triumph Herald 1200 Convertible 1966 MGB Favourite: The Porsche 911SC Most useful: The Jeep All of my motorcycles were my favourites, except for the Honda. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/43 "2010-10-05T14:19:10Z")
My first and favorite (and only – for 13 years) was a 64 MGB. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/44 "2010-10-05T14:23:04Z")
Here are my top 3 (out of about 17) 1. 1967 Caprice, 327 powerglide, 4 door hardtop 2. 1963 Studebaker Cruiser, 259 V-8 automatic 3. 1983 Datsun Nissan Sentra Diesel- I bought the car broken. The timing belt had snapped and valves met pistons. I paid $350 for it and spent about $350 in parts and machine shop work to get it running. Over seven years and seven months I went through two sets of tires, replaced two axle shafts, two tie rod ends, and replaced the alternator with a $50 junkyard unit. The car consistently got over 40 mpg in the city and I measured over 50 on the highway several times. The car was slow as a slug but I sometimes forgot when and where I bought fuel the last time since weeks could pass between fill-ups. The car met its death one September afternoon in 1998, accordioned between two Chevy 1/2-ton pickup trucks. After 7 years and 7 months and 80,000 miles, I got $1100 for it. I still miss that car. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/45 "2010-10-05T14:52:05Z")
I miss our '89 Dodge Shadow. Paid about $1000 for it in 2000; all it needed was new CV joints and we drove it until it basically fell apart. It was repairable but would have cost $800 so we ended up donating it. Later on, we got a notice that it had been impounded. Apparently the couple who ended up with it didn’t bother to change the title. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/46 "2010-10-05T14:59:24Z")
I loved my Honda CRX, and drove it until my daughter arrived (well, actually, it was comandeered by the wife before that, but nevermind…). My all-time favorite was my 1973 Porsche 914, with the targa top, it could cruise all day at 80 mph and get over 30 mpg. It didn’t leak much when it rained, really, and leaked oil every day of it’s life, but I loved it. Wish I still had it. My current ride, an Infiniti QX4, is my first SUV, and I do love it too. I’ve loved every car I’ve ever owned, except the ‘out of necessity’ Taurus station wagon I drove for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/47 "2010-10-05T15:15:55Z")
1967 Impala 1967 Camaro 1971 240-Z (three of them, at different times) 1983 Camaro 1994 Mustang 2001 Ford Windstar 2003 Ford Escape 2005 Saab 92-x (Subaru WRX clone) Most fun vehicle: The 240-Z. Those things were pure sports car. Unfortunately, they all rusted away. Most memorable: The 1967 Camaro. I had an engine from a 375 HP Corvette dropped in it and stroked to over 400 HP, and it was a hoot. Most Reliable: The Saab. Also crazy fun. The Escape is a close second. The Saab has required no maintenance other than service intervals, the Escape ate a power steering pump about five years ago, and other than that has been maintenance free. Worst vehicle: The Windstar. Total piece of junk. It was in the shop five times before I had it a full year. It had a complete transmission failure in its first year. There was always something broken on it. Guh. ---
**Author:** ![pyromyte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pyromyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pyromyte)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/48 "2010-10-05T16:00:05Z")
1980 Chevrolet Citation (2.8L V6) 1990 Ford Aerostar (3.0L V6) 1992 GMC Sonoma (4.3L V6) 1988 Chevy S10 Blazer 4x4 (4.3L V6) 1995 Mercury Mystique (2.0L I4) 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse (2.0L I4) 2002 Dodge Dakota (4.7L V8) 2007 Dodge Charger (5.7L V8) Favorite: 1988 Chevy S10 Blazer, It’s only got 165,000, but its 22 yrs old and every single thing on this vehicle still works, its easy to get parts for it, easy to repair it, can pull my dad’s bayliner…I’ve used it off road, pulled small stumps, and I don’t care if it gets dings and scratches… its just fun and goes anywhere. Although the Charger is plenty fun to drive and has modern conveniences that I love. Sucks: 1995 Mercury Mystique (Mistake, as I call it). Everything broke on that car. The interior was cheap plastic and cup holders broke, knobs broke, A/C quit working, Springs on the suspension broke, wiring harness rotted (bare wires everywhere), the trunk leaked when it rained, water pump went bad at 50,000 miles, electric radiator fan quit, the heater blower resistor melted in the dashboard. It was extremely tight under the hood and was very difficult to work on… And I hated that it had a timing belt and ‘permanently sealed’ ball joints. I sold it for $500, and I was glad to get it. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/49 "2010-10-05T16:57:52Z")
1973 (?) Opel. My first car. Dad helped me pick it out. 4-cyl but usually ran on 2. :rolleyes: 1981 Toyota Celica GT - gorgeous, all mine. 1991 Geo Prizm - first new car ever! 1997 Toyota RAV4 L- best little SUV ever 2001 Toyota 4Runner - current! 2004 Toyota Corolla LE - replaced the Prizm. current I totaled the RAV4 earlier this year. We were SO sad to see it go. It served us well, helped us move house not once but twice, and buy new furniture, but with just a fender-bender it wasn’t worth saving. Poor little guy. ☹ Saving up for a new RAV4, but they’re bigger and not as cute. Maybe they’ll have a hybrid or all-electric model by the time we’re ready! ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/50 "2010-10-05T18:17:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > 1966 MGB > 1977 MGB > 1977 MGB > 1977-1/2 Porsche 924 > 1988 Chevy Sprint > 1979 Porsche 911SC > 1999 Jeep Cherokee > 1963 Triumph Herald 1200 Convertible > 1966 MGB > Favourite: The Porsche 911SC > > Most useful: The Jeep > > All of my motorcycles were my favourites, except for the Honda. One of these things is not like the others. 😃 So, what was it that you liked about the Chevy that put it in the same class as the rest (not knocking Chevys…I’ve owned a number of them and still do…and loved them, but frankly, even I’ll tell you that they’re not in the same class as a Porsche. 😛 ). ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/51 "2010-10-05T18:35:04Z")
I had a 1985 Nissan 200SX - looked exactly like this one, right down to the color - [http://www.thesportycoupe.com/1985nissan200sx.html](http://www.thesportycoupe.com/1985nissan200sx.html) I bought it used and as my husband and I were driving it home from the dealer, I stopped briefly at a corner so he could jump out and throw a letter into a mailbox. As he left the car, I suddenly heard a pleasant, disembodied female voice say, “Door is ajar”. :eek: The car talked! I was amazed and delighted! I don’t think the salesman who sold me the car even realized it had this feature, since no mention had been made of it. As the years went by, she never failed to remind me when ‘fuel level is low’ and ‘lights are on’. What a great car, when things were bad and no friends to be had - at least my car always talked to me! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/52 "2010-10-05T18:39:08Z")
silver 1981 pontiac firebird. ::sniff:: i still miss that car. cried when i sold it. first and only time i ever did that over A Car… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/53 "2010-10-05T18:51:55Z")
> [@missred](#): > > One of these things is not like the others. 😃 > > So, what was it that you liked about the Chevy that put it in the same class as the rest (not knocking Chevys…I’ve owned a number of them and still do…and loved them, but frankly, even I’ll tell you that they’re not in the same class as a Porsche. 😛 ). The 924 was getting a bit worn out, and gas prices were climbing. My dad had an '85 Sprint, and he found an '88 with 12,000 miles on it that served my purposes. Good little car, actually. But I liked it’s replacement better. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/54 "2010-10-05T19:32:47Z")
Most of the cars I’ve owned have been absolute clunkers. Then I got my 2003 Alfa156. That was an incredibly fun car to drive. Sadly the severe floods in my area in 2007 killed it stone dead. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/55 "2010-10-05T23:03:15Z")
I’ve got a 2010 [Jaguar XFR](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JsHCCice04). It’s definitely my favourite. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/56 "2010-10-05T23:41:02Z")
> [@missred](#): > > So, what was it that you liked about the Chevy that put it in the same class as the rest (not knocking Chevys…I’ve owned a number of them and still do…and loved them, but frankly, even I’ll tell you that they’re not in the same class as a Porsche. 😛 ). You did notice it was a Porsche 924, right? 🙂 No offense, Johnny. But really, was the Chevy sprint faster? 😃 The 1977 Porsche 924 in US trim made a whopping 110 hp. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/57 "2010-10-05T23:46:08Z")
1979 Honda Civic - mine was a total piece of crap. 1982 Ford Tempo 1987 Mazda 323 1992 Ford Tempo 2001 Saturn SL - this was a great car 2005 Ford Taurus ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/58 "2010-10-06T01:45:42Z")
I’m a vehicle nut. Since getting a license in '73… (\* indicates still owned.) Listing only the cars/pickups (I’ll leave out RVs, boats, and airplanes) 67 International Harvester (pickup) 69 Camaro 71 Olds Delta 88 73 Buick Electra 225 75 VW Rabbit 78 Cutlass 79 K-Car (My 1 and only Chrysler product) 81 Ford F-250 (pickup) 85 Olds Delta 88 90 Ford F-250 (pickup) 97 Ford Aerostar 00\* Chevy C-3500 (pickup) 01 Lincoln Continental 05\* Toyota Camry 07\* Toyota Corolla 10\* Toyota Corolla (yes we have two Corollas) All time favorite? The Camaro. I had it in high school, and learned a lot of valuable things in it. (Thanks Debbie, if you happen to be reading this!) Second place? The F250 pickup truck. It was a stretched-cab, long-bed Diesel monster that I spent many happy hours off-road, hunting, fishing, and traveling pretty much coast-to-coast (with 2 big fuel tanks, it had a lot of range). It towed boats and campers all over the US (sometimes towing both at the same time, like a road train). ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/59 "2010-10-06T02:07:43Z")
1963 Jag XKE bright red roadster. [http://www.sportscarcompany.com/detail-1963-jaguar-xke-roadster-3047083.html](http://www.sportscarcompany.com/detail-1963-jaguar-xke-roadster-3047083.html) Like this one. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmundex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sigmundex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmundex)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018/60 "2010-10-06T02:23:22Z")
Easy. Most of them. 🙂 My first car was a black '72 MG Midget I bought for $700. It blew black smoke so thick you couldn’t see through it all the way home. My older brother who is a mechanical/engine genius tore the engine apart with me, showed me what was wrong with everything inside, and showed me what to do to fix it. The smoke problem was a set of very bad rings. We tore the engine down, had it ported and polished, and put it all back together good as new. Hell of a car, and hellaciously loud for an MG. Probably had something to do with the complete lack of anything attached to the back side of the headers it had. My second car was a '68 Chevelle Malibu, also black. Incredibly sweet American muscle car supreme. A beauty. I replaced the Powerglide transmission with a Muncie 4-speed, almost entirely by myself. And then my true love, the '72 Alfa Romeo Spyder in Tomato Red. Sheer perfection… well, except for the fact that it never wanted to slip easily into 2nd gear, but that’s a well-known issue with the synchro. Beauties, all of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-favorite-car-that-you-actually-owned/556018.md?page=2)