What was your first car? And what made you a car person?

**Turbowned** · 01-05-2012, 09:07 AM

Car was the third word I learned to say, after "Dad" and "No"

My Dad got me into cars, but I don't think he could've anticipated just how car-crazed I'd get! It started with a couple scale models of the Ferrari Testarossa and the Lamborghini Countach; you know, every little boy's dream cars. Then I got a computer game called "Test Drive 2: The Duel": check out this video of it! Test Drive 2 - The Duel - YouTube

I loved the go-karts at the mini-golf place near me, and my neighborhood friends and I would always race whatever wheeled vehicles we could find downhill. I had a pedal-powered go-kart known as the Kettcar and it was a blast:

After my mid-teens of being into bicycles and dirt bikes, I saved up and bought my first car before I even got my license: a 1986 Chevy Camaro. Two years and four American cars later I went to the dark side and bought a 1987 Toyota MR2. Then a 1990 RX-7 Turbo II. Then a 1989 MR2 Supercharged. Then a 1994 MR2 Turbo. 15 or so cars later, I ended up with my current cars: 1987 MR2, 1985 Corolla GT-S, and a 1973 Datsun 240Z, and soon a 2012 S4 on company lease for being an Audi sales rep. Such an expensive hobby!!!

Originally Posted by aerobert

Remember that I loved Porsche but they don't appeal to me now. Even if could afford one. lol

I always liked Porsches but now that I work next to a Porsche dealer I have grown obsessed. The cars are absolutely phenomenal machines and I can only hope to own one someday! The amount of performance that they offer while being fairly simple and reliable is worth the price to me. The same applies to Audi: 5 years ago I barely gave them a second glance; now after driving them every day I'm convinced they make the best cars on the planet! Sorry BMW, I don't love you like I used to...

**Genki** · 01-13-2012, 08:36 PM

81 Corolla SR5 5spd hatch. My dads been a mechanic and car guy his whole life so naturally it rubbed off on me. Unfortunatly after being a mechanic for 30 years he's no longer interested in cars like he used to be. He told not to do your hobby for a living or you might not like it any more.

**civicdrivr** · 01-13-2012, 09:28 PM

88 Civic hatch. It was slow. It was rusty. It was loud. But it was fun.

I dont even remember what got me into cars. Ive just always been fascinated by them. A few people in my family like cars, but aren't anywhere near the level of gearhead that I am today. I love working on them and the satisfaction you get from stepping back and looking at something you built. Ive been like that since day one.

**joannaP** · 01-16-2012, 12:38 AM

Actually the first car I owned was a Toyota Prius and until now, I'm still keeping my Prius and in a good working condition.

I really love this car, very much my style. But just recently, I heard the news that Audi A8 is now available in market so I was thinking of buying one. What do you think guys??

**civicdrivr** · 01-16-2012, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by joannaP

Actually the first car I owned was a Toyota Prius and until now, I'm still keeping my Prius and in a good working condition.

I really love this car, very much my style. But just recently, I heard the news that Audi A8 is now available in market so I was thinking of buying one. What do you think guys??

Audi makes some nice cars, but cross shopping the FRS/BRZ and an A8 is a bit odd.

**Turbowned** · 01-17-2012, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by joannaP

Actually the first car I owned was a Toyota Prius and until now, I'm still keeping my Prius and in a good working condition.

I really love this car, very much my style. But just recently, I heard the news that Audi A8 is now available in market so I was thinking of buying one. What do you think guys??

I haven't heard anything about a 6-cylinder A8. What country are you in? Maybe for European or Asian markets, but not in the U.S.

There's a big difference between a Prius, a Toyota 86 and an Audi A8. They're practically stark opposites! I feel like you might be happier with an Audi A3 TDI. Similar mileage to the Prius but much better overall quality, and it's compact and fun to drive!

**passons** · 02-10-2012, 08:17 AM

Toyota corolla it was bought about five years ago

**Will69** · 02-12-2012, 08:53 PM

Toyota Corolla liftback.

And what made me more of a car guy was my test drive (and eventual purchase ) of a BMW 3- series.

**Cal** · 02-13-2012, 11:08 PM

^You keep it stock or mod it?

**michiosuperevo** · 03-04-2012, 09:53 AM

my first car was an 86 mazda 323 gt 1.6L B6 non turbo . i bought it at about 125k and drove it till it had 308ish k on the dial.. had a k&N air filter, engine mounts cork sport i believe.., custom exhaust with no cat from carline muffler. would max out at about 215-220km/hr. it was fairly quick.. but not fast by any means.. in the corners the back end would hop abit.. (kinda scary) in the end.. a moving truck backed in to it.. and wrote the car off.. This was the car that got me in to cars. I badly and still would love to have an 86-88ish GT turbo or GTX 4wd. They were a limited production homologation rally spec car.
This car is what got me in to Rally.. This was back when the Quatro s and the fords rs 200 were ripping up the rally scene!.
also cars like the pulssar gti-r, dodge omni GLHS, as well as the toyota first gen gt4

In my opinion.. tuning is what it is today.. because of cars like these!

**5hairpins** · 03-05-2012, 12:34 PM

First Car = early 80's Pontiac J2000 Sunbird Automatic (hand me down)
First Car I chose = 89 LX 5.0 Mustang, 5 speed manual (totaled, hit on driver side door by 10 wheel truck, don't remember the crash)
Second Car I chose = 95 5.0 GT Mustang, 5 speed manual (totalled into a fire truck, my fault and still embarrised about it)
Next Car = 1990 Escort (Ex-Wifes car, she got a beetle)
Third Veichle I chose = 2002 Xterra, Manual transmission (traded in through Cash for Clunkers for the next one)
Current Car = 2010 Scion xB, 5 speed manual (bought for my dog, 15 year old lab mix that could not jump into Xterra anymore)

I can't move to the FR-S/BRX until my dog passes. She is now 17 and can hardly stand up. There is no way she will be able to get in to the back seat on her own and no way for me to pick her up and put her in. Heck it is tough to get her in the xB. I am in no hurry for her to pass on, I am not sure how I will cope after her being at my side for 17 years. But there is the silver lining once she does.

**Moshpit37** · 03-06-2012, 12:56 AM

My first car was the old family car, a 1985 Chevy Caprice. 2-tone blue with the 305 V8. I grew up in Upper Michigan, and in the winter my Junior and Senior year I would go out in the -20° weather, pump the gas a couple times, turn the key and pray. Good times.

But my dad got me into cars from day one. The first thing I ever "watched" on tv was a NASCAR race while sitting on my dad's lap in the hospital a few days after being born. I grew up going to the drag strip to watch him and my godfather race. He had a 1968 Camaro drag car, all fiberglass and tube frame which he sold about 8 years ago, but he still has the 1969 Camaro that he's had since before I was born, and brings it to the local car show every spring. He also has a 1971 Malibu, recently acquired.

My other cars:
1994 Pontiac Grand Am
1984 Olds Delta 88 2-door
1990 Dodge Caravan
2001 Honda Prelude
2008 Chevy HHR (current ride)

**Cal** · 03-08-2012, 10:08 PM

Nice to see old school muscle guys and tuners coming together.

**neveronlinefrs** · 03-13-2012, 02:17 PM

Lol, a 1976 AMC Pacer, but it was often broke down so I drove an 82 Chevy sprint most of the time.

My Dad and TV shows like the Dukes of Hazard, Magnum PI, and Knight Rider.

**Beesh3000** · 03-13-2012, 11:09 PM

Believe it or not, my very first car as a 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL. At 16 years old. I was a lucky SoB for sure. Growing up I played tons of racing video games and I was just a huge fan of cars in general. However, the first time I ever saw a 3000GT, it instantly became my favorite car and I only dreamed of ever driving one, let alone OWNING one. And at 16 years old I got one as my first car.

Being a car fanatic I was always thinking about saving up for something nice by the time I was 16. I had $6000 saved up at the age of 16 and I looked at countless cars but refused to buy anything that was on my list of cars I was hunting for. It took 8 months of shopping before I stumbled across a GORGEOUS red 94 3000GT, for sale by a private owner for $5600. My dad was extremely uncomfortable with me having a car with as much power as that 3000GT as a 16 year old, and fought him constantly about getting that car but it seemed hopeless, but one day after a long night of work I came home and found that 3000GT parked IN MY GARAGE. I almost dropped dead. My dad walked out and told me he paid for half of it. I will never forget that day, I've never been happier.

It was everything I wanted except for automatic. Unfortunately it was the only one in my area I could find, so I didn't have much choice between manual and automatic. Still, it was spotlessly clean, the thing looked brand new, flawless exterior condition, custom 17 inch Motegi rims, aftermarket intake upgrade, loud and beautiful-sounding exhaust with fat chrome tips, premium infinity sound system. and being a 1994 it still had only 101K miles.

Unfortunately the dream wasn't so dream-like once I discovered the faulty Mitsubishi transmission and the failing valve stem seals result in clouds of burnt oil smoke. Most of this was because the previous owner let the car sit still for so long without even being started while he was away for college. If I had the money, time, and know-how, I would have rebuilt the engine and trans myself, but after 3 years I had to sell it for something more practical for college (the 3000GT would never handle the Michigan winters we deal with, and I would never leave that car parked outside in a college parking lot).

I planned on buying another one, a VR-4 version, after college as a project car to rebuild. But now the FR-S has stolen my heart and I have a tough decision to make. I can't afford both, and the longer I wait on buying another 3000GT, the more rare/expensive they get.

**two40silvia** · 03-13-2012, 11:16 PM

My first car was a 91 crx I got on my 16th birthday. The same day I got my license. My brother gave it to me. I crashed it then my brother let me use his 1975 corolla. That's where my love for cars really started. I was into cars when I was like 15 because of the fast and the furious and things like that. But after I got that 75 corolla, I was in love. I still have it, although it's torn apart and been through a lot. Then I turned 18 and bought a 94 supra. Twin turbo, targa top six speed. about a year later, I got rear ended. I ended up in a terrible shop who kept my car for a year (for some body work). I ended up trading it for a s13 with sr and a 94 rx7. I started working on the 240 and bought a 1980 corolla. I got rid of the 240 and bought a real silvia. Now I'm selling the Silvia and buying a BRZ.

**two40silvia** · 03-13-2012, 11:18 PM

I forgot the 91 Integra and 94 Integra I bought as daily drivers while I owned my Supra. haha.

**Turbowned** · 03-14-2012, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Beesh3000

I planned on buying another one, a VR-4 version, after college as a project car to rebuild. But now the FR-S has stolen my heart and I have a tough decision to make. I can't afford both, and the longer I wait on buying another 3000GT, the more rare/expensive they get.

Don't waste your time with a VR-4, they're painfully overcomplicated and $$$ to repair, which you'll be doing all the time if you get one. Plus they get like 16mpg. Oh, and they weigh more than a house.

**Beesh3000** · 03-14-2012, 08:50 PM

here it is:

**milwsteve** · 03-17-2012, 01:05 AM

First car was a Dodge Dart Sport. First bike was a Honda 350. Then got a Yamaha RD400 Daytona. That put the spirit of performance in me. Now I have an S4, a Miata, a Boxster S, and soon an FR-S or BRZ!