Mine was the first new car I ever bought – a little blue 1986 Chevy Sprint I named “the Smurphmobile”. Prior to that, I had always owned cars with over 100,000 miles on the odometer (and one motorcycle).
When I was shopping for this car, I wanted something that got great gas mileage and was fun to drive. Whenever I test-drove a little car (I am over 6 feet tall) I would try to move the seat back, only to discover it was already back as far as it could go. When I got into the Sprint, I actually had to move the seat forward to reach the pedals.
It was the automotive equivalent of a motor scooter. I likened it to driving a go-cart with a windshield, a heater, and air conditioning. You could actually fit four six-footers in it without any fistfights breaking out over who had to sit in the back seat.
In the summer, I could always get a laugh getting on the freeway by punching off the A/C and shouting “TURBO-BOOST!” The A/C compressor drew about 3 hp, and since the tiny 3-cylinder engine only made 48 hamsterpower, you could actually feel the extra thrust.
It was not necessarily a “performance car” in the traditional sense. The only way you could measure it’s performance and feel good was to calculate the gas-mileage when you filled it up. I usually got between 35 and 45 mpg around town, and got 50-55 on the highway. Twice I got 67 mpg which was better than I ever got with my motorcycle. According to Road and Track Magazine, the zero-to-60 time and the ¼-mile acceleration times were almost identical (~20 seconds).
It handled like a go-cart – very quick steering and quite a bit of fun in the twisties. The steering was something like 1½ turns lock-to-lock. You could change lanes on the freeway without perceptibly moving the steering wheel. You could drive it as fast as you could go and never get a ticket, because:[list=A][li]You never really went much faster than the speed limit, and[/li][li]tiny crackerbox cars are invisible to the police.[/list=A]It had a theoretical top speed of a little over 100 mph, but the one time my friend and I tried to see just how fast it was, we decided we didn’t have enough time to wait for it to accelerate to that speed. We topped out at ~95 mph before we decided to knock it off (the faster you go, the less confident you are of your car’s invisibility to the cops). It took about 5 minutes on a level roadwith no wind.[/li]
I once took it from South Carolina to California (3,000 miles each way) to visit my folks. I couldn’t fit my one suitcase into the car unless I lowered the rear seatback (you could only fit 4 grocery bags in back with the seat upright). It was a hoot to drive despite its lack of sex appeal.
I had a 1969 Camaro when I was a junior in high school (88.) That was such a fun car to drive around. It looked like this car, the blue one. All my friends always wanted to ride in my car and the best thing was that it received A LOT of attention from the boys.
We just got a PT Cruiser (I know, I know it looks like a hearse for dwarves) and it is by far the most fun I’ve ever had driving. Stereo is great and it rides soooo nice. I know lots and lots of people don’t like them, so it’s a good thing I do–since I own one.
My favorite car was my '57 Chevy, 2 door hardtop. My second favorite was my '72 Olds. Cutlass 2 dr. HT. They were both very good cars. The one I have now which I hate the most is an '85 Chrysler 5th Ave. It gets about 7 or 8 MPG whether it needs to or not. It’s kind of like, well, the Titanic. BIG boat!!
Did you ever drive a 85 or 86 Sprint that was turbocharged? The horsepower went from around 50 up to 80 HP. Talk about a rice rocket. Actually a little scarry.
For about two years, I owned a '78 VW Campervan…total hippiemobile.
It had:
1 pop-up camper top w/screen windows
2 double beds
sink
stove
fridge
2 standard outlets
1 bookcase
attachable table
1 closet (with a drain–combo closet/urinal?)
and the front passenger seat swivelled to face the back seats (perfect for substance passing)
Dark brown, it was named “Snuffelufabus”
It drove lousy. Steered like a cow.
Fitted with a camaro engine, this baby tore up the streets of suburban New Jersey! OH YEAH BABY!!!
Didn’t last me too long. After quite a bit of racing, partying, and “teenaging” the poor thing just fell apart. Sold for $50 to a junkyard. Ah well. I miss my baby.
Enjoyed getting into small drag races with RX-7 owners down RT.18 South in Jersey. How many times was I pulled over? Don’t want to know.
Oh, man… My favorite car was my first one. A 1976 Ford LTD. Bought it for a dollar. It was a huge piece of Detroit steel, pale yellow in color. We called it “The Banana Boat” My mother bought it thinking that if it ever ran long enough, the gas mileage (probably should have been measured in Feet per gallon) would keep me close to home. She never even knew what kind of engine it had. Well, it had a 400 cubic inch V8 with a four barrel carb. I went to 2 sets of rear tires on that car in the 2 years that I had it.
I could fit up to 7 people and a cooler in the damn thing. And cruise at 100 at the same time. Top speed I got in it was 125 before I chickened out. I did everything in that car, mudding, drag racing, hill climbs, racing 4wd trucks in the river, etc… On the down side, the thing also taught me a few lessons. How to replace alternators (it ate them like candy), how to rebuild a carb, how much rebuilding a transmission costs, and you cannot steer when you are airborne. All sorts of things that a 16 year old needs to know.
I took over the payments for a friend and it was literally during a period that holds the best memories of my life so far. The fact that it was fast as hell was one thing…the fact that it looked it also was even better. The fact that it had a killer custom stereo system just completed the package.
Well I’m currently tripping off my 91’Acura Legend L.
My dad sold it to me for $10,000 (would cost around $18,000 used). It’s in near mint condition and runs like a new car still with 120,00 miles on it. Since my dad takes exhaustive pride in his cars, there are no rattles, the car is soundproofed, airtight, every lil gadget works perfectly, and mechanically speaking the car is very tight and fluid. Every fluid in the car is synthetic (well not the gas). And it gets about 28 mpg on the highway and 22mpg in the city. The thing I really love about it is the acceleration, handling and reliability—awesome!
In Italy, I had a 1982 BMW 320. That little car ran like a scalded dog. The odometer didn’t work, so I have no idea how many miles were on it. I do know that I put several thousand REALLY hard miles on it, and it always delivered.
My most fun car was also my first car; 1972 Olds Cutlass Convertible. Top down cruising is just the absolute best. Plus, it was big and safe, ran like a top, was comfotable, and had a wonderful HTQ (head turning quotient). Red with white top and white interior. What I wouldn’t give to have her back.
My first…1972 AMC Gremlin, stock. I could drop Camaros, TransAms, Corvettes & most other ‘sports’ cars on short drags. Of course, driving styles may have had some effect, there. Speedometer topped out at 120mph - since the needle went past that, I’m not sure how fast we were really going. And I NEVER worried about it getting stolen or banged up - I just left it open & didn’t keep anything worth cash in it. One of my favorite games was to drive through the most upscale neighborhoods I could find. I once kept a Beemer, a Jag & a Benz stalled at a 4-way stopsign for 5 minutes.
But, oh my, Baloo, you do bring back fond memories of The Mighty Blue Cruisemobile, my 1987 blue Sprint. My sewing-machine-on-a-skateboard. Oklahoma to California on $27.30 with gas at $1.15-$1.35 per gallon. My SigO once convinced someone that we had a nitrous tank hooked up to that little button on the A/C. Hee hee hee. But my 6’4" & up friends had to tilt their heads when sitting inside.
My first car: An '81 Camero Berlineta(sp). It only had a 205 V6, but it accellerated plenty fast enough for me. Its speedometer topped out at 100, and I know I took it faster than that one night.
Even cooler than the speed was the way it cornered. Its wide wheel base and height from the ground meant that I could (and did) take a 90 degree corner at 30 or more, no problem.
It hd T-tops, too. Driving to Galveston beach with the tops down…Ooooh, yeah!
Even its death was an adventure. Before I sold that thing, the air conditioner and the speedometer went out. The window controls in the center would shoot sparks occasionally, and near the end, the horn stopped working and the brights indicator would come on at random. I sold it for $400 to someone who planned to restore it. I miss her.
My first will always be my favorite (we’re still talking cars, right?). A spirited little '82 Subaru GLF coupe. Bought it for $1,800 and drove it into the ground. Great gas mileage, sporty (in looks more than performance), sunroof, great stereo. Wow, I’m getting misty for my college days. Many a beer run was made in that little car…
Well, my most fun car I have ever owned, was my second car(I am on my third right now) it was a 1984 Ford Bronco II, I beat that little car up horribly, I hit a 94 Honda Civic, and drove home with only a busted headlight (honda had 3000 damage) It got 10 MPg, offroad in the mud, on the freeway, ac on or off it didnt matter.
I climbed hills, forded small rivers, found out how deep mur had to be before I was worried about getting stuck (never did in fact) and found that yes, Bronco II’s do fly quite well, my record was 20 feed horizontal, and about 7 feet in the air.
I’d have to say my favorite car is the one I have now - a 1992 Toyota Celica hatchback. Great car, and even with a 4-cylinder engine I can get good acceleration with the electronic transmission. I just got it repainted and the dents and nicks taken out, so it looks almost brand new. It only has 32,000 miles on it and drives wonderfully, gets about 22 mpg and that’s how I drive - if a sane person were driving it could probably get 25 or 27! The stereo’s pretty good, too, although the CD player skips if I hit a reflector or a rough patch in the road, which is annoying. Anyone know if someone sells replacements to just the CD part of the stereo? They’re two seperate units in the Celica - the top holds the radio and tape player and the bottom holds the CD player.
I also came way too damn close to getting pulled over yesterday, but that’s a post for the Pit.
My Honda del Sol - 1995. It’s not fast, only 135 hp, but it’s fun. I bought it when I lived in the mountains. After two years I had 48,000 miles on it. I took it in for an oil change and the mechanic said, “Miss Dogzilla, You have to get out of your car once in a while.” I told him I kept leaving the house for paper clips and coming back four hours later with a wind-blown dreadlock from taking the top off.
It’s just a Honda Civic with a pop top. But no more! Honda stopped making them. I actually called my local dealer and asked what the hell am I going to drive when somebody smashes into the Dogzilla Speedster? He laughed… I was serious.
'85 Plymouth Gran Fury police package. Huge tires, button hubcaps, lots of antennae, a PA and alternately flashing headlights at the flick of a switch. Great fun when arriving at high school parties.
Only one so far–'84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer w/AMC 360cid V8. This thing will climb a vertical wall, and tops out at well over 100mph (speedo goes to 85, which is really 95 due to the big tires, and still accelerating when I chickened out). Gas mileage is 9 mpg city, 12 highway–that means just under 3 gallons per day :eek: going to skool and back.
