Have you ever owned a "dream" car you really wanted?

[GR_CoB]

My dream cars are weird, simple, but they make me happy. Hint: I like square stuff.
- I always liked Scion xB. Always said I'll own one someday. Eventually "met my hero" in the form of 2009 Scion xB. Loved it, got good memories with it, deer killed it, I'd get another one without a doubt.
- Ever since I saw 2nd gen Honda Pilot, I told myself I'll own one someday. Currently got one in the stable, a 2009 Honda Pilot. Love it, making good memories with it, wife loves it too. Another successful case of meeting my hero.
- GMT400 platform has a been my dream platform. Owned 2 vehicles in that platform (1995 Tahoe and 1990 Sierra), extremely satisfied with both, unfortunately it's getting hard to find a good GMT400 example these days. Either overpriced and dead, or well kept and extremely overpriced.

Dream cars that I have yet to own:
- A nice Honda Fit (2nd gen) is still on my dream list. Has to be a 5-speed, and the goal is to make it a really well handling daily driver through suspension&tires.
- Another one on my dream list is a 1987-1991 Suburban, with the SBC 350 TBI. Saving up for that one someday...
- A Honda Element with a J37 swap, added 6th gear to its 5-speed RealTime AWD transmission. That is one vehicle I would love to have, if cost wasn't a concern.

As for GT-R, Ferrari, Lamborghini, or any other cars like that - for some reason I never wish to own one. Fun stuff for car shows, but owning one is likely an expensive PITA, which I see no value or need in. I'm a simple man.

Complete unobtanium dream car: Toyota Probox with AWD and manual transmission.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

My E39 M5 that I stupidly got rid of

View attachment 145390

True but by now you would've paid for the car twice after factoring in all the parts you would've had to replace.

 

[blueglide88]

My dream car that I will never own..... 1971 Buick GSX....my first car however,
was a plain old 1972 Buick Skylark. Wish I still had it.

 

[Passport1]

Dream cars are the province of the young. When you get older and can afford (maybe not afford/family responsibilities) you don't want them so much.

When I was in high school my dream car was a '65 Corvair Corsa Turbo. Very much like this one. While it was a nice car, what transformed it to a dream car was the overheated bodacious blonde cheerleader that liked to ride shotgun.

 

[Shel_B]

When I was quite a bit younger, I wanted a 1972 Mercedes 280SE 4.5. I couldn't afford it then, but some years later I purchased a nice used one. I kept it for a few years and enjoyed driving it quite a bit. It was a great highway car, and very comfortable.

 

[jeepman3071]

On the list:
Jeep Cherokee XJ 4.0L (I've owned 3 of them)
Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0L with the Manual (currently have one)
Jeep Comanche 4.0L 4x4 5-speed with the short bed
Ford F-250/350 with the 7.3L diesel
BMW E46 or E90 M3 6MT
BMW E60 M5


Most of these are vehicles from my childhood that I thought were cool and always wanted.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Yes back in 1969 when dream cars were still affordable!

 

[dishdude]

I had this sweet, sweet Challenger SRT with a 392 I sold during covid for unknown reasons telling myself I'd buy a Hellcat...not one of my better life decisions.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Had a Landcruiser FJ40. Didn't have the chance to build it into my dream machine. It was still fun. Sold it when we moved into our house. Now they are too expensive but so are houses so it was a good financial move but still a bummer.

 

[drtyler]

Yes my Beetle. Thanks to my automotive teacher who decided to part with one of his for me haha. Love my car. Would never trade it for anything. I want another one too lol but for right now one will have to do as I need a new daily driver which is my main focus right now. I’m eventually going to fully restore it when money and time allows. When I was growing up all i would ever talk about is classic beetles lol. Every time we’d see one I’d tell my parents to stop because we have to look at it. I wanted every single one haha. I don’t know how my obsession became with them but it did somehow lol. Ever since I was about 5 I said I want one of those when I grow up. Was glad when I finally could make it happen. October 12th 2019 to be exact on the purchase date.

Here are some of the first pictures I took of it when it arrived to my house on a tow truck. Best $1600 I ever spent. View attachment 145382
View attachment 145380View attachment 145381

But does it run yet, or is it still yard art? They are not difficult to get running, assuming the engine isn't seized.

 

[Malo83]

Not a dream car per se, , but always liked the Regal GS body style, 2017 was the last year when they went with the new body style in 2018, wife and I retired in 2019, local GMC/Buick dealer had 2 left in their back lot, needless to say this is our retirement car, our last new car purchase, she's a garage queen and only driven on long trips out of town/vacations.

 

[AutoMechanic]

But does it run yet, or is it still yard art? They are not difficult to get running, assuming the engine isn't seized.

Not running. When I get time to trace the rest of the ignition wires I’m going to. That’s all it should need then once I get it running I’ll go from there.

 

[Nick1994]

2021 Tesla Model 3. Sold it 6 weeks later. Wasn’t all that.

 

[MRC01]

I've owned 2 "dream cars".

The first was a '95 RX-7 (twin turbo). I always wanted a Wankel powered car that this was one of the best. It was a fantastic car and I had a blast racing it in SCCA events for several years. After that car came out, it was so light and well balanced, it dominated SCCA autocross national championships for several years.

The next was a '99 Panoz Roadster. I was thinking about a Lotus/Caterham 7 but when I learned about the Panoz that became a no-brainer. It was even more fun than the RX-7. It's hard to describe a car that weighs 2500 lbs. with a 330 HP V-8, open wheels and perfect 4-corner balancing.

BTW, both cars were reliable and relatively easy & inexpensive to maintain. The expensive part was tires. I ran DOT "R" compound street legal tires and you burn them up quickly in SCCA. But once you experience cornering at 1.3+ G there is no going back to street tires.

After that, I discovered that slow airplanes are even more fun than fast cars

 

[Ursatdx]

While it's not a car I always wanted a bobbed deuce.
1993 M5A3. Cat 3116. Allison 4 speed auto (15w40 as ATF)
48" tires (tire and wheel weighed 400 lbs. CTIS(google). Dual circuit air/hydraulic brakes.
Air assist steering/cold weather package. Rockwell topover diffs.
Air operated wipers. 12 ton hydraulic winch(15w40 as fluid).
Blast to drive. Real head turner.
Bought with 5 k miles sold with 10.

 

[zray1]

Yes, several times. Here is the first one, a 1970 Jaguar e-type. I had a ‘67 some time later.

Another contender would be my ‘66 GT-350

Z

 

[Vil_Riker]

I was very close to buying a dream car of mine - a Duesenberg some 15 years ago. The wife didn't allow such a major expenditure.

Now the prices are through the roof

 

[Cujet]

If so, what was the vehicle?

The car in my avatar. Jag F-Type, S.

It is not a let down in any way.

It needs no excuses. It is an absolute blast to drive. Put the top down, ECU in track mode and go rip around town, or blast down the highway.

 

[ZZman]

I am surprised there aren't more exotics or old restored muscle cars mentioned

 

[walterjay]

I was once the owner of a 64-1/2 Mustang convertible. It was actually my first car as a teenager. I should have never sold it.