Over on the main board a thread kinda devolved into a car discussion and someone, I can't remember who, said they were "thinking" about starting a thread over here. I am NOT a car person, but I love looking at them and reading what others have to say about them. For years I used to go to the vintage car races at Laguna Seca (sometimes just walking through the parking lot is as exciting as the race.... well almost).

I am in my 60's and have always driven a stick, first out of financial necessity, now because its what I prefer. Just recently I had to give up my 2000 Honda because the CD player died . Finding another car with both a stick and a CD player was a CHORE (2015 Honda Accord only 26,000 original miles!)- I had no idea cars no longer had CD players.

So come on - lets hear about your cars!

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Finding anything 3 pedal/stick/manual is getting difficult! Also, one of the best theft deterrents there is

If only there was a three pedal diesel 4WD that was easily available

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Drove a stick, all VW/Audi, from 1983 - 2015.

Wanted to drive a CUV or SUV since I was sitting so low in my cars. Wanted to be up higher like everybody else.

Friend that was GM at an Audi dealer when I went there in May 2015 to get something notarized had just received a 2014 Ford Escape Titanium AWD as a trade-in. It had 8 months and 12,000 mile in-service. He gave me a Friends & Family price. So, I'm not driving a stick now.

The Escape is the Ford Kuga in most of the world. They get a stick ... and diesel!

The redesigned Escape (2013+) came out of Ford's Germany design studio, so I'm still sort of driving something from Germany.

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Drove a stick, all VW/Audi, from 1983 - 2015.

Wanted to drive a CUV or SUV since I was sitting so low in my cars. Wanted to be up higher like everybody else.

Friend that was GM at an Audi dealer when I went there in May 2015 to get something notarized had just received a 2014 Ford Escape Titanium AWD as a trade-in. It had 8 months and 12,000 mile in-service. He gave me a Friends & Family price. So, I'm not driving a stick now.

The Escape is the Ford Kuga in most of the world. They get a stick ... and diesel!

The redesigned Escape (2013+) came out of Ford's Germany design studio, so I'm still sort of driving something from Germany.

Didn't the Escape do a 2020 redesign? I really like it, looks very "Macanish" to me.

Not driven one yet (will if they hit the rental fleets) but I really like what Ford did w the redesign.

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Cars I've owned since 1978:
1971 Buick Skylark
1981 Pontiac Phoenix (stick)
1983 Chevy S10 (stick)
1985 Olds Cutlass
1987 Mazda 626GT (stick and turbochargedlot of fun)
1989 Pontiac Grand Prix
1978 GMC 2500 pickup
1991 Mitsubishi Diamante
1995 Chevy Blazer
1996 Chevy Tahoe
2004 GMC Envoy
2004 Chevy Avalanche
2003 Mercury Sable (daughter's car)
1995 Honda Civic (stick and beater car)
1996 Honda Accord (project car)
2004 Hyundai XG350L
2016 Hyundai Elantra

The Mazda was the most fun of any of these rides. Little four cylinder with a turbo basically a sleeper car. It could both scoot and handle well, until I made the mistake of putting all season tires on it instead of summer tires.

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Over on the main board a thread kinda devolved into a car discussion and someone, I can't remember who, said they were "thinking" about starting a thread over here. I am NOT a car person, but I love looking at them and reading what others have to say about them. For years I used to go to the vintage car races at Laguna Seca (sometimes just walking through the parking lot is as exciting as the race.... well almost).

That was me, but it looks like you just started it! Thanks! I'll add some pics tonight or tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing other's past and current cars.

John

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... Didn't the Escape do a 2020 redesign?

Yes. There was a 2017 model year refresh and 2020 redesign. I like it, too.

I'd get the Titanium with no options. There are some colors I really like, too, though I haven't seen them in person. Just would want them to swap the standard Bridgestones out for Continental Crosscontact LX25 tires that are the standard tire on a different trim.

Looking forward to the new Bronco release. I would also check out a 4-door Bronco when it's time for me to get a new car. Probably will be two more years, as my Escape has an extended warranty to September 2022.

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Looking forward to the new Bronco release. I would also check out a 4-door Bronco when it's time for me to get a new car. Probably will be two more years, as my Escape has an extended warranty to September 2022.

I am as well. Looks like they are going all out to take on the Jeep Wrangler. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is supposed to be announced this fall I think. Now with 3 rows of seating.

John

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I've never owned a cool car. I've had...

1986 Nissan Hardbody pickup (parental loaner, great little truck, indestructible)
1991 Buick Regal (kind of peppy, parental loaner)
1992 S-10 Blazer (was good, kind of cool at the time, it eliminated my desire to ever own another suv)
2002 F-150 Super Crew
2004 F-150 Super Crew (my current vehicle, runs like a top, interior basically in like new condition)

My cool car experience was in the form of a loaner. In the summer of 2002 I stayed at a relative's house to watch the place and the pets while he was away on work trips. He left the keys to his 2001 BMW M5 and told me to have at it, which I did, every time he was away. That was a super fun car to drive with a very throaty exhaust, and fast even accelerating from speed already.

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No cool cars here, either. I'm a minivan driving mom.
We currently have:
2015 Toyota Sienna (deterrent for kids wanting to drive my car )
2016 Toyota Camry
2007 Suzuki SX4 (kids drive it)
2001 Ford F-250 Super Crew, 4x4, we'll keep it until it dies

Have previously had:
2004 Toyota Sienna
2002 Honda Accord
1996 Dodge Neon (hubby's work car)
1987 Ford Ranger (hubby's ride after he quit his job, lol)
2000 Jeep Cherokee
2000 Hyundai Elantra
1999 Pontiac Grand Am
1998 Dodge Stratus (hated it, had for like 3 months)
1997 Chevy S10 4x4 extended cab (Hubby's truck)
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT (loved that car, 2-door dark purple and loaded, got it when I was in college)
1994 Dodge Shadow (hubby's when we got married)
1993 Ford Escort GT first car I bought with my own money the summer I graduated from high school

We are starting to think about getting the kids something else because parts are hard to find for the Suzuki, but the thing wasn't expensive when we bought it, is paid for, and two teenage boys drive it. We thought one of them would total it before now, but neither of them have had an accident (thankfully).

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Since 1972 and sometimes owned multiple cars at once:
1960 AMC Rambler-front seats folded back, so you could sleep inside
1963 Ford Fairlane Sports Coupe-stick
1967 Pontiac Firebird convertible, stick
1962 Willys Station Wagon-had the power of a Mack truck-stick, 4wd
1978 AMC CJ-7 Jeep convertible, stick, 4wd
1980 Dodge Colt, stick, work commuter car, nothing more than a tin can but got 40-45 mpg at any speed. Put 40,000 miles on it in one year
1980 Dodge Dakota, stick, 4wd
1988 Chevy Silverado 4wd
2008 GMC Sierra 4wd
2016 Chevy Silverado 4wd
Most fun to drive was the Firebird and the CJ-7 Jeep. The Girls LOVED them too!

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I haven't owned a lot of cars/trucks because I tend drive them for a long time. I've never traded in a car/truck that hasn't had well over 100k on it. Here's my cars from the 90's.

Top left: 1990 Pontiac Grand Am. My first car. I bought it new after I got a decent job at a local manufacturing plant. I had a hitch put on it and towed my quad (1986 Honda TRX250R). You couldn't use the back seats because it was all speakers.

Top right: 1992 Ford Explorer Sport. Bought it used in 95. That truck spent a lot of time on the Carolina beaches. Didn't have great ground clearance, but it never failed me. It also pulled my bass boat to the lakes, bays, and rivers.

Lower left: Getting a little dirty.

Lower right: 1988 BWM 325i Conv. I had this car for a summer as a company car. I had moved up to PA, but needed to do some work in NC and SC, so I flew into Charlotte where this was in a long term lot for people to use. I spent many a day and night cruising Carolina and Wrightsville Beaches on the weekend.

John

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1967 Pontiac Firebird convertible, stick
1962 Willys Station Wagon-had the power of a Mack truck-stick, 4wd

Double mic drop

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In 2000, when my daughter was born, I traded in the Explorer for a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT+. Needed the 4 doors and the 3rd row seating came in handy. Loved that truck. It also has seen a good deal of time on Carolina beaches.

In 2003, when my son was born, we traded in my wife's 1996 Dodge Avenger (looked fast, but was a dog) for a 2004 Lexus RX330. We still have it. 155k+ miles on it. My daughter drives it now.

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My current ride is a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Pretty much loaded and a big step up in luxury from the Durango that I traded in. 5.7 Hemi, air suspension, auto everything. The only thing I don't care for is the 20" rims. Not the best for off roading, but I'm pretty much past those days now anyways. It does fine in the Carolina sand.

My wife has a 2017 Mazda CX-5. It's loaded with all the new fancy gadgets (HUD, lane keep, auto break, auto cruise, etc). Strangely, I don't have a picture of it. Going to have to fix that.

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And here's my fun car. A 1996 Porsche 911 C4 Cabriolet. I've wanted a Porsche 911 since I was a kid. Had posters all over my room. When I got into my 20's, I started a savings account just for that car. The goal was to get one when I turned 40. Well, as forty started to approach, my wife told me to start looking. She had been putting in a little extra into that account over the years and with a sale of some stock, I had enough to get one.

The 993 style is my favorite, so that's the years I targeted. Last model of the air cooled and last of the hand built. It's a 6 speed with the lower ROW 030 suspension. It's no show queen, but it's in good shape and runs great.

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911

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This is the day I drove it home. My son and I went out for a quick spin in the neighborhood.

John

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Nice!

Really like that it's the last of the air-cooled.

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Nan had a Renault Fuego when we started dating in 1988.

I still married her.

Saw a Colt mentioned. My sister had a 1975 (?) Dodge Colt denim edition. They were white with blue and a denim-like light blue roof.

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What's the first car you remember your parents had? My dad had a 1955 Desoto Fireflite.

Then a tan 1964 Dodge Dart with the push button transmission.

Mom had a blue 1965 Plymouth Satellite V8.

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My boss in the early 1990s had a friend that had a Mercedes Gullwing. Sold it before they became one of the most desired cars.

Every time I wish I never sold my 1966 Austin Mini Cooper 970S that is worth 10x what I sold it for in 1995, I think of him.

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What's the first car you remember your parents had? My dad had a 1955 Desoto Fireflite.

The first car I remember was my Dad's '71 Plymouth Road Runner. Probably because of the horn (beep beep). He also restored MG Midget's, so we usually had one or two around. Fun little cars.

My favorite parent car was a 78 Chevy Blazer. It had a removable hard top and we'd take it to the beach just about every weekend during the summer.

John

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SIL has her MG Midget from college under bunch of boxes in her garage last I saw. Probably been there for 25-plus years.

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What's the first car you remember your parents had? My dad had a 1955 Desoto Fireflite.

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My favorite story of parental vehicles is.... we had a land rover at the beach house. My mother, a big fan of musicals painted the rover "shocking" pink and made pink and white striped cover for it after the "pink surrey with fringe on top" from Oklahoma!. My father was NOT pleased. The next year, when we arrived at the beach to spend the summer he had painted the house "shocking" pink" . Ironically, soon after this our family financial situation reversed and the ability to wipe out this family prank was gone and both the jeep and the house remained "shocking pink" for many years. Land Rovers, being the great vehicles they are did not go quietly into the sun.

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