What's the one car you regret not buying?
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I should have bought a black '04 Mazda3. I bought a gray one instead, but it looks like it has a little bit of purple in the color, especially under artificial light. My previous Grand Am was gray, so maybe I was under the influence of sentimentality when I bought the 3. Oh well; I guess I refer to the car as a female, so maybe it makes sense that it looks a little feminine!
Funny how 66 Chevelles are being referenced here. My second high school car was one. However, it had a rear valence panel that needed replacing, and the rear window area under the trim had the famous GM rust-through problem, so I pulled the drive train and gave the body to the circle track racer I worked for to replace his aging Camaro. At that time it was cheaper just to buy another body then to fix that one - I bought a clean Skylark GS with a non-running 401 for $200.
Cars I missed - An orginal owner '73 Type LT Camaro in 1983. Car was cherry, but asking price was $3600. Seemed too high, and owner wouldn't budge, so we very regretfully walked away from it.
However, it showed up about 3 weeks later for less, and has been in our possession ever since.
A couple of years later went looking for a late-seventies/early eighties two wheel drive Blazer. Passed on a nice one which was $3-400 too steep. That one didn't come back around, and the one in my range I ended up with turned out to be a real junker.
Cars I missed - An orginal owner '73 Type LT Camaro in 1983. Car was cherry, but asking price was $3600. Seemed too high, and owner wouldn't budge, so we very regretfully walked away from it.
However, it showed up about 3 weeks later for less, and has been in our possession ever since.
A couple of years later went looking for a late-seventies/early eighties two wheel drive Blazer. Passed on a nice one which was $3-400 too steep. That one didn't come back around, and the one in my range I ended up with turned out to be a real junker.
A left over 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T, a bright red, 4 door, 5 speed, twin turbo. It lacked antilock brakes. Just as well. The last 2 times I looked at cars, I walked away from a deal on a Dodge because it didn't have antilock. Perhaps just as well, likely it would have been a Botch.
I did buy a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am GT, a bright whitem 4 door, 5 speed, HO Quad 4. In my old age, I have an 02 Caivilier LM, silver, 2 door, 5 speed, Ecotec.
I did buy a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am GT, a bright whitem 4 door, 5 speed, HO Quad 4. In my old age, I have an 02 Caivilier LM, silver, 2 door, 5 speed, Ecotec.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Regret not getting a stick shift car instead of automatic when I got my Integra. Actually, my dad paid for it back then and he say no to stick, so not really my choice.
Now the car I got later for my wife, she wants and automatic, so I miss my chance again.
The way I keep driving all my car and haven't retired even the 14 year old one yet, I'll probably never have a chance to own a stick shift until I'm too old to drive.
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
Regret not getting a stick shift car instead of automatic when I got my Integra. Actually, my dad paid for it back then and he say no to stick, so not really my choice.
Now the car I got later for my wife, she wants and automatic, so I miss my chance again.
The way I keep driving all my car and haven't retired even the 14 year old one yet, I'll probably never have a chance to own a stick shift until I'm too old to drive.
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, could have bought for $1,800 back in 1980. These are among the most collectible Chrysler products ever made. Man, hindsight is 20/20. At the time the car wasn't really anything special. High gas prices depreciated the value of the muscle cars and it was common to see nice Chevelles for 1500.
'88-'89 Acura Integra LS. I really liked that car, but the dealer insisted on charging $299 for $30 worth of mud guards. I tried to talk him down, but no dice.
In the mid-70's I had a chance to buy a Sunbeam Tiger for $1700. Black, decent body condition with no mechanical problems. It was a lot of money for me at the time and I needed a car to drive not collect. So I passed it up.
Dumb.
Dumb.
The curb-stoner down the street had a mid '90s Bronco for $800 a couple of years ago. I never took a test drive but the body was sound and it had a stick, so it probably had an I6 and manual tcase, too. I'm still kicking myself for not even taking it for a spin. I think he eventually gave up and took it back to the auction.
Originally Posted By: crinkles
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Regret not getting a stick shift car instead of automatic when I got my Integra. Actually, my dad paid for it back then and he say no to stick, so not really my choice.
Now the car I got later for my wife, she wants and automatic, so I miss my chance again.
The way I keep driving all my car and haven't retired even the 14 year old one yet, I'll probably never have a chance to own a stick shift until I'm too old to drive.
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
1. It's more fun
2. I was (am still am) young
3. You don't learn to properly drive and appreciate a nice car until you drive stick shift.
4. I hate the car automatically up shift on me right before I am slowing down to a stop due to traffic. Some smooth shifting cars like Toyota is OK, but some gear slammer like Integra or Taurus is horrible.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Regret not getting a stick shift car instead of automatic when I got my Integra. Actually, my dad paid for it back then and he say no to stick, so not really my choice.
Now the car I got later for my wife, she wants and automatic, so I miss my chance again.
The way I keep driving all my car and haven't retired even the 14 year old one yet, I'll probably never have a chance to own a stick shift until I'm too old to drive.
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
1. It's more fun
2. I was (am still am) young
3. You don't learn to properly drive and appreciate a nice car until you drive stick shift.
4. I hate the car automatically up shift on me right before I am slowing down to a stop due to traffic. Some smooth shifting cars like Toyota is OK, but some gear slammer like Integra or Taurus is horrible.
Originally Posted By: labman
A left over 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T, a bright red, 4 door, 5 speed, twin turbo. It lacked antilock brakes.
those weren't twin turbo, just one turbo, DOHC, 224hp.
antilocks are overrated, IMO. in 5 yrs of driving my 5 speed VUE w/o antilocks, I've never been in a situation where I wish I had them. the brakes modulate just fine w/o big brother interference.
A left over 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T, a bright red, 4 door, 5 speed, twin turbo. It lacked antilock brakes.
those weren't twin turbo, just one turbo, DOHC, 224hp.
antilocks are overrated, IMO. in 5 yrs of driving my 5 speed VUE w/o antilocks, I've never been in a situation where I wish I had them. the brakes modulate just fine w/o big brother interference.
Originally Posted By: crinkles
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
Yeah, my dad says the same thing, despite owning manual transmission muscle cars and sports cars before I was born. I suppose anything physical begins to seem like work as a person gets old!
listen - stick shift gets really old, fast. I learnt this week driving a work car with 5 spd. my usuakl car is an auto. why do the work yourself when the car does it for you?
Yeah, my dad says the same thing, despite owning manual transmission muscle cars and sports cars before I was born. I suppose anything physical begins to seem like work as a person gets old!
'86 Lebaron turbo convertible. It was only 1000 bucks. Instead, I bought my 92 diesel VW Golf for 650 and had it break down exactly one month later. That was a stupid decision.
In '75, I looked at a '72 Road Runner. It was white with the black strobe stripes, 340 4 speed. It even had a cassette player, which was hot shinola at the time. It was beautiful and I wanted it bad. But it was $2,000 and for a poor college student living at home working a part time job for mininum wage, it could just as well have been a million.
So really, I regret not being able to afford it. I still love those late sixties/early seventies MOPAR muscle cars.
So really, I regret not being able to afford it. I still love those late sixties/early seventies MOPAR muscle cars.
1969 Ford Mustang fastback..427ci 4 speed pos track. I almost reenlisted for the bonus money to buy one. But, then again, it would have killed me and I would have missed all this fun..
Great grandma's 72 Gran Torino.. I know where it's at someday I may try to buy it back. Another was a 88 or 89 Dodge Spirit turbo. Found it and told the dealer we'd be right back had to get my dad. By the time we got back they sold it only 1 hour. Guess it was fate I'd probably not be here to much car to unresponsible.
2003 Toyota Echo.
It wouldn't have been as troublesome as my ION.
It wouldn't have been as troublesome as my ION.
1968 Didge Charger with a 440. For around 700 bucks more I could have got the Hemi...with heavy duty everything.
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