I've been something of a car-slut over the years. Here's my rundown:
69 VW Beetle -- was what it was, but worn out when I got it.
79 Pontiac Astre (Vega clone) - there aren't words to describe how awful this car really was. . .
83 Pontiac Trans AM - Gak, awful, awful, awful...
84 Pontiac Trans Am - Don't ask why this one's on the list. Almost as bad as the 83, but at least it had 50 more hp...
82 VW Jetta - A great car until it was nearly totalled, then fixed, but inadequately. Lesson: always find a reason to be rid of a near-totalled car...
86 Dodge Aries - Until recently, I wouldn't have actually admitted I owned this car, but alas, I did. It was actually OK, considering it was THE cheapest new car I could find when I wanted a cheap car. Yes, I admit it -- I actually bought a K-car -- and nobody was pointing a gun at my head when I bought it.
88 Honda Civic -- my second-best car ever. Owned for ten years and over 150k miles. Almost flawless, and served me well when I needed a cheap and reliable ride.
98 Regal GS (the Supercharged one). The white one. So horribly defective, the dealer took it back after six months and 10k miles and gave me another one, brand new, even trade.
98 Regal GS (same SC car). The blue one. Better but still not a car I'd send my wife out on a road trip with.
01 Highlander. Very good, but I made the horrible mistake of leasing it, and driving it so much that if I'd kept it until lease conclusion, I'd have paid dearly. My mistake on that one.
02 Camry (two of those too). The first had a bad trans (a manual of all things...), the second, swapped for the first, was perfect -- until it was totalled in a crash in 3/03. Were it not for the side-curtain airbags, I'd have been dead along with the car.
03 V-6 Camry. A great car, but very thirsty for the engine and car. I loved it, and probably should still be driving it, but was seduced by a friend who was working at the Infiniti dealer in New Orleans.
04 G35. Another good one, no flaws I can really complain about, except that it was a very, very basic mode. No options at all, cloth seats, low grade stereo, etc. Would have kept driving it, except my wife HATED it (why, I still really don't understand) and one day, I stumbled upon a very nice used Prius...
04 Prius. Bought used in 06 with only 15k miles on it, and Toyota Certified used. Excellent car in many ways.
09 Hybrid Camry. THIS ONE IS THE BEST OF ALL. Bought used in 8/08 with only 5k on the odo. Driven it since. It's supremely comfortable, peppy, and economical. I love this one, and will probably have it for a long, long time (unless seduced by something clearly better...).
