automobiles

[smithers joe]

can you remember ever car you've ever owned ( year make and nodel?

i've owned at least 12 cars. i've identified 7 of the 12 but can't figure out if i owned a 1963 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl.

i only know that other than my newyorker my galaxie was the best car i ever owned.

[gwarrior]

I'm actually still on my first car. It's a 2002 Toyota Corolla. I got it used in 2010, and it only had something like 48,000 km on it. Now it's got 242,000,km on it. And its only let me down twice, both times were a dead battery, and both times it was in my driveway.

[Bob Long]

8 so far, most of them manual transmission until the current one which is a PHEV. Darn environment.

 

I'd love to go back to driving a stick but it's really hard to find them now, options are really limited.

[Joe King]

No way I don't even have a number in mind. But I do remember my favourite ones.

Starting with a 1963 Ford Econo line van. First standard I drove at just 16 years of age.

I also had a 1969 BSA 441 Shooting Star motor cycle at the sametime.  

Years later I had a 1965 Laurentian.

A few years after that a 1970 Delta 88 with a 454 rocket engine.

To many more to mention but these were my favourites

 

 

[Slegr]

First vehicle I owned was a hand-me-down 1986 Chevy Nova. I’ve probably had about 5 or 6 cars in between, but not sure I could name them all.

I’ve currently got 3 cars on the go, because my daughter is now driving. Two are electric, more because I hate spending money on gas as opposed to  trying to save the environment.

I wonder what the split between buying a new gas vs electric is these days. On lower Van island, where gas prices are crazy, you see lots of electric.

[I.Am.Ironman]

4 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

8 so far, most of them manual transmission until the current one which is a PHEV. Darn environment.

 

I'd love to go back to driving a stick but it's really hard to find them now, options are really limited.

Subaru WRX is a current MT option. But yes, fewer and farther between.

 

We are actually in the process of looking for a 2nd vehicle. Thinking a small suv, I'd like to go hybrid but for a 2nd vehicle the hybrid premium is harder to justify.

[I.Am.Ironman]

1 minute ago, Slegr said:

First vehicle I owned was a hand-me-down 1986 Chevy Nova. I’ve probably had about 5 or 6 cars in between, but not sure I could name them all.

I’ve currently got 3 cars on the go, because my daughter is now driving. Two are electric, more because I hate spending money on gas as opposed to  trying to save the environment.

I wonder what the split between buying a new gas vs electric is these days. On lower Van island, where gas prices are crazy, you see lots of electric.

You can do the math but I believe you make up the difference in about 5-6 years depending on how much you drive (for all electric). We have one and I don't miss gas stations one bit.

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, I.Am.Ironman said:

Subaru WRX is a current MT option. But yes, fewer and farther between.

 

We are actually in the process of looking for a 2nd vehicle. Thinking a small suv, I'd like to go hybrid but for a 2nd vehicle the hybrid premium is harder to justify.

 

It really is, prices are way too high right now for hybrid suvs. 

 

 

[coho8888]

Back in the early 90’s I bought a VW Corrado with the VR 6 engine.  It was my 2nd car and was my favorite.  Only made with a stick.  It had only 180 HP but was an absolute rocket because it was really light.  It’s unique feature was a spoiler that would engage at certain speeds.  Sadly had to let it go a few years later because I started to fish a lot more and in places that required going off road.

[Reg]

So just for clarity what you guys saying? Electric vehicles are a better deal than gas or hybrid vehicles in terms of purchase price and maintenance costs?

[Ghostsof1915]

1976 Mazda 808 (Stick), 1978 Oldsmobile Omega (The bondomobile), 1980 Chevy Camaro, 1988 Honda Accord (Stick), 1992 VW Golf (Stick), 1999 VW Golf, 2015 VW Jetta.

(And I still own the Jetta). I also owned a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250. Until some bastard stole it in 2018? I love motorcycle transmissions. For some reason I find it a lot easier than a manual in a car. I've lived in Vancouver for 20 years now, and a manual in a car just gets to be a pain in the city. I do admit I'd like to get a Mazda MX-5 just for weekends, and because I only work in the office two days out of the week. Basically all the vehicles I owned were cheap hand me downs that people didn't want up until I started buying the VW's. My Brother owned a 1971 MG Midget. I wanted that car so badly. But he sold it when I was 15. I was so crushed.

 

@Joe King A BSA ...sigh.

 

My Dad had a 1957 Triumph TR3. I wish he didn't sell be before I was around. That car looked so damn cool.

 

My favourite so far was the Ninja 250. Great on gas, peppy, not so fast that I could kill myself. I do love my Jetta because it does what I want it to do.

 

My next bike (If I find a place) will probably be a Triumph Speed 900, formally known as the Speed Twin 900. Maybe just a Kawasaki 650 Ninja or Vulcan S.

[Bob Long]

5 minutes ago, Reg said:

So just for clarity what you guys saying? Electric vehicles are a better deal than gas or hybrid vehicles in terms of purchase price and maintenance costs?

 

Depends on what you are looking for. There are some electric options in the 40k range, but if you want a hybrid SUV with AWD eg, that's likely going to cost more depending on dealer inventory.

 

I happen to like Mitsubishi which has a great warranty but they don't seem to be that popular in Canada. Not sure why.

[-dlc-]

Chevy Acadian, Dodge Shadow, Volvo, 4Runner, Jeep. My ex and I had a Chevy van, a Datsun 240Z, and motorcycles (he rode, me on the back): Honda V65 Magna, Yamaha FJ1100. He had a lime green Dodge Dart Swinger (he used to race it a lot).

 

We also had a Sidewinder ski boat that was tons of fun. I've had a good life.

[Ghostsof1915]

4 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Depends on what you are looking for. There are some electric options in the 40k range, but if you want a hybrid SUV with AWD eg, that's likely going to cost more depending on dealer inventory.

 

I happen to like Mitsubishi which has a great warranty but they don't seem to be that popular in Canada. Not sure why.

In Canada at least Mistubishi is one of the smallest manufacturers. My friend had a Mitsubishi Eclipse ragtop, which he enjoyed. Right now Mitsubishi has only 4 models for sale.

[Ghostsof1915]

20 minutes ago, coho8888 said:

Back in the early 90’s I bought a VW Corrado with the VR 6 engine.  It was my 2nd car and was my favorite.  Only made with a stick.  It had only 180 HP but was an absolute rocket because it was really light.  It’s unique feature was a spoiler that would engage at certain speeds.  Sadly had to let it go a few years later because I started to fish a lot more and in places that required going off road.

I loved Corrados and Sciroccos.

[smithers joe]

of the seven i remember, i've owned a 49 plymouth. 53 chev coupe, 68 comet caliente, either a 63 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl,1973 dodge charger, 1975 dodge diplomat, 1992 newyorker and 2004 chev malibu.

of those i can't remember, there was a ford pickup, a van? k-car, a little station wagon and one more i can't remember at all.

some of those car, if restored would be worth a mint.

[smithers joe]

1 minute ago, smithers joe said:

of the seven i remember, i've owned a 49 plymouth. 53 chev coupe, 68 comet caliente, either a 63 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl,1973 dodge charger, 1975 dodge diplomat, 1992 newyorker and 2004 chev malibu.

of those i can't remember, there was a ford pickup, a van? k-car, a little station wagon and one more i can't remember at all.

some of those car, if restored would be worth a mint.

my little station wagon was a datsun

[DrJockitch]

Oh man. 
started with a 1981 shit brown Honda civic wagon, used to get the entire basketball team in that thing. 
‘then had a 1973 Audi fox that the floor almost rusted out of.  When. That died I was given BMW 5 series that was fairly old but really only had it briefly as was off to UBC and couldn’t afford it. 
‘Then we got a Jetta when in grad school, can’t remember the year it was Orange and when we took it to BC the catalytic converter disintegrated clogging the exhaust which was great trying to climb the Coquihala.  Someone tried to break into it Vegas and broke the locks. 
We got our first new car after that, again a Jetta but a 1998. And a few years later we became a two car family and I had an Isuzu Rodeo through med school, can’t remember the year but replaced it with a fantastic 2005 Subaru Impreza. 
Every one of them until here we’re stick. 
Let me see we then had a Infiniti G35, Q60 and a couple q50s over the next number of years and my wife had assorted SUVs. 
Now have a model Y which is a fantastic car and a Nissan Pathfinder is the wife’s but that will be up for sale soon as housing prices when we move back to Vancouver will force us back down to a 1 car household. I usually bike commute in Van anyhow. 
 

oh yeah and a Yamaha V-Star for about 5 years.  Not a car but fun. 

Edited August 4 by DrJockitch

[Ghostsof1915]

1 minute ago, smithers joe said:

of the seven i remember, i've owned a 49 plymouth. 53 chev coupe, 68 comet caliente, either a 63 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl,1973 dodge charger, 1975 dodge diplomat, 1992 newyorker and 2004 chev malibu.

of those i can't remember, there was a ford pickup, a van? k-car, a little station wagon and one more i can't remember at all.

some of those car, if restored would be worth a mint.

That looooooooong nose 1973 Charger? Even the 1949 Plymouth would be amazing. Do you remember the engine you had in the Charger? I think they stopped putting Hemi's in starting in 1973. Yes a well preserved Charger would be worth quite a lot.

[smithers joe]

2 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

That looooooooong nose 1973 Charger? Even the 1949 Plymouth would be amazing. Do you remember the engine you had in the Charger? I think they stopped putting Hemi's in starting in 1973. Yes a well preserved Charger would be worth quite a lot.

don't remember that. trouble enough remember years and makes.

[Ghostsof1915]

4 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

Oh man. 
started with a 1981 shit brown Honda civic wagon, used to get the entire basketball team in that thing. 
‘then had a 1973 Audi fox that the floor almost rusted out of.  When. That died I was given BMW 5 series that was fairly old but really only had it briefly as was off to UBC and couldn’t afford it. 
‘Then we got a Jetta when in grad school, can’t remember the year it was Orange and when we took it to BC the catalytic converter disintegrated clogging the exhaust which was great trying to climb the Coquihala.  Someone tried to break into it Vegas and broke the locks. 
We got our first new car after that, again a Jetta but a 1998. And a few years later we became a two car family and I had an Isuzu Rodeo through med school, can’t remember the year but replaced it with a fantastic 2005 Subaru Impreza. 
Every one of them until here we’re stick. 
Let me see we then had a Infiniti G35, Q60 and a couple q50s over the next number of years and my wife had assorted SUVs. 
Now have a model Y which is a fantastic car and a Nissan Pathfinder is the wife’s but that will be up for sale soon as housing prices when we move back to Vancouver will force us back down to a 1 car household. I usually bike commute in Van anyhow. 
 

oh yeah and a Yamaha V-Star for about 5 years.  Not a car but fun. 

Catalytic converters can disintegrate? That's crazy!

[Ghostsof1915]

That's why I love that old Molson commercial.

 

"You've been on a road trip, with a car that had shouldn't be going on a road trip!"

 

 

[Jess]

Amazes me we didn't have a thread on this until now!

 

My car history:

 

- 1996 Toyota Camry - Crashed after about 6 months - 125 hp,4 speed auto, FWD

- 1997 Toyota Tercel - Great reliable car even at about 280,000kms when I donated it - 92 hp, 4 speed auto, FWD, ~2200 lbs

- 2007 Toyota Yaris - Boring and ugly car, but reliable. Tried to sell it, but wasn't successful, so I donated it - 106 hp, 4 speed auto, FWD, ~2200 lbs

- 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT - My first car that was even slightly fun. Consumed a lot of oil, but was otherwise super reliable up to about 100,000 kms when I traded it in. - 173hp, 154 ft-lbs torque, 6 speed auto, FWD, ~3000 lbs

- 2024 Hyundai Elantra N - My "realistic" dream car, just purchased about two months ago! Incredibly fun to drive. About 1800 kms on it so far. - 276 hp, 289 ft-lbs torque, 8 speed DCT, FWD, ~3300 lbs

 

I've become more and more of a car enthusiast over the years until I got to the point where I new I would need a fun car at some point and I'm in love with my Elantra N <3. I also like my small cars because they handle so much better and also maintain a semblance of economic reasonability

 

My '24 Elantra N:

 

[bishopshodan]

'78 Datsun 510

'74 Jeep CJ3

'89 Ford Probe

'66 Dodge Fargo Van ( band toured western Canada in this old beauty, lucky to be alive. Wish I never sold it...such an awesome vehicle)

'75 Vespa 150 Super Sport

'76 Dodge Dart Swinger

'07 Audi A4 3.2 Cab

'07 Dodge Ram 4x4

'84 VW Vanagon GL

 

Still own the bolded. Wish I had all of them ( except the Probe...dont know what I was thinking)

All in great shape. I have a stable of mediocre rides. 

 

I dont like new vehicles.

 

In the future I have my eyes set on a square body Truck, maybe a C10 ( might sell the Ram if I do)

I also plan to buy a dream hotrod one day...'68 Firebird...or similar.

Edited August 4 by bishopshodan

[smithers joe]

the car i forgot, was a ford bronco from the 80's