These are what you wanted as the first cars (and what you have instead)

We all have automotive dreams and for some of us those dreams start before we can even drive. As soon as we received that license in our hot little hands, we would pick up a dream machine that would make the world our easily accessible oyster.

That did not happen for many of us. Myself? As a girl who listened to indifference and read too much, I thought I would get a quirky classic Volkswagen as a first car. My father and I placed $ 700 on a rusted bag with German bolts in the form of an unloved, Rusty Karmann Ghia. As soon as the flatbed arrived in our driveway, my of course nervous mother said no. Absolutely not.

Looking back it was a completely honest call. After having driven a Ghia, I can say that I would have gotten into trouble with coincidence in that little coke of a car fairly quickly. Instead, I received the hand-me-down 1995 Dodge Avenger from my mother. And do you know what? It was the right choice. Good call Patricia Marquis. If you ignore the whole teenager who tries to pay insurance in Pricy Michigan about what was laughing a “sports car” from State Farm, it was the perfect teenage car: low, slow and no rear seat for Shenanigans. It was just right. Sometimes Mama knows best, it seems. We asked you about your delayed dreams and received many responses. Here are a few of our favorites.

’89 Dodge Caravan. At first this seemed Cataclysmically terrible and I felt that I had been sent a path to become a basement.

But it eventually became the gift that kept giving. Specifics are about parties and life and road trips. When all the cool girls wanted to go to road striping with a safe driver, who did they call? Or nerdmeisjes that I liked. But the point is: me. They all called me. Clubs, Tijuana. Camping trips to the mountains or desert. You name it.

This was well before the age of Uber and the like. A minibus in high school and the university are the keys to a rich social life.

And the icing on top is that this had a manual transmission. Always a conversation in a minibus.

Van Greg

Really really a 2nd gene prelude, Talon or CRX. Actually found a CRX from 1990 for $ 500 in the advertisements (do you remember?) And called them immediately, and the phone was busy and I had to go to school.

Shouted the second I came home and it was sold. Still painful about that.

Anyway, my father’s hand finished 89 ranger, had a 5 speed and it was brown and had a 302 with a ridge in it, so it was not a total loss.

From Jaredoflondon

I just got my first car, it is a Mazda 3 -Sedan 2014. However, I wanted this beautiful Buick Electra from 1977 that was beige, everything inside and outside was beige, and it had the 3 -speed automatic slush box peak 70s imo. that or a bug from ’71 who was melon green and the 4-speed manual had that mother also said no 🙁

From Daci

I wanted to buy my friends Grand National in 1995. He only wanted $ 3,000 for it. It was a high mileage, but my father (who is a mechanic) said no. Instead, he gave me a Camaro from 1984 …… with 145,000 miles on it. Everyone in my family of 3 brothers and sisters had it possessed at some point. My friends bleed 5 days after I left it and that Camaro lasted 3 years and 45,000 kilometers.

From J Hendrix

I started driving in ~ 1995. For the record, I should state that I am a late-gene X-child with decided Boomer flavors. I don’t know why, I can’t do anything about it, and you don’t.

Anyway, I really loved the appearance of the C3 Corvette. I know it’s a bad opinion, but I won’t lie to you. I desperately wanted a C3 Corvette.

What I actually got was a Honda Accord Coupe from 1985 in the Hatchback configuration. It was painted a color that was probably invoiced as “Champagne” with a red -brown interior and a slushbox. It went for years, all the way to 250,000 miles.

It looked like this, only … considerably worse. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-hondaaccord/

From give me tacos or give me death

What I wanted: the Mustang -hard top of my aunt in 1967, baby blue with a black vinyl roof and wire wheel coverings. It looked like a secretary’s car, but it had a 390 under the hood and was a real sleeper.

The owner asked $ 1800 for the car in 1981, but I was immediately from HS and did not have the money for the car nor the insurance.

What I got: In 1983 I bought a Pontiac Ventura from 1973 with a 250ci straight six and a two-speed breeet. I bought the car in the parking lot of an ACME supermarket in South Philly from a man who never confirmed that he was the actual owner of the car. I drove the car a year before the engine blocked when the temperature dropped below zero and stayed there for almost a week.

Of earth -bound Miscest I.

I was lucky. I didn’t know what I wanted and I got a Rambler Classic 4-door from ’63.

Mitt Romney might have seen his as a penalty box, but I considered mine as an empty canvas. Which, since the broken white was with a Tan interior, was not far from the goal. I started working on it and it led me on the road of innocent cars in serious hot rods. I still enjoy that trip.

From Jrhmobile

I received my license in 2007 and wanted an RSX-S. I thought it was once the coolest car when it came out a few years earlier, but instead ended up with my grandmothers VW Cabrio from 1998. I later bought an RSX once I was from the university and it was just as great as I thought it would be.

From Bigred91

In 1971 I turned 16 and I received a Valiant Cabriolet from 1963. It has served a lot of pleasure for years. I wanted a BMW 1600 that was available, but I didn’t know I could afford it. I probably avoided a bullet.

From XL500

I loved cars with fins, so I really wanted a ’59 Cadillac Cabriolet. That or a ’66 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet with suicide door.

However, I did get a car with fins. My first car was a Chevy El Camino from ’60 that my father dragged home from behind a bowling alley. He and I guarantee it together, and I drove it all through high school and part of the university.

I eventually exchanged it for a “69 Lincoln Continental Hardtop, so I got the suicide doors that I longed for.

Still not the Caddy of ’59, but Hope jumps forever.

From Stillnotatony

I’m not sure what I wanted me to be honest. My family had had different corvettes over the years (73, 77 and an 84, the 73 before I was even born), and I was a fanboy for the 63 split window, although I knew we would probably never get one. I had chased them for a while about getting a Chrome Bumpered C3 as the next fat for the household. We went and watched an Orange 71 when I was 14 and my parents crossed the tractor. Eventually I made the part of the road home on my student’s permit with my mother and called the rights of squelt on it effectively and from that moment it was “unofficially” my car. Admittedly, I did a lot of work with my father. It was probably more “officially” the family “nice” car, because we almost always had at least one nice vehicle growing up in the garage, but I drove it to high school and university and still have it almost 25 years later to this day.

From Moparmap

Unrealistic I wanted a Mustang GT from 2005. I turned 16 in 2008, so these were three years out and sold hot. I didn’t have the money to buy a New-like Mustang.

Realistically I had my eyes focused on a chevy hhr. I liked the retro wagon -look! Unfortunately, the interior is deceptively tight for such a large greenhouse. Could also not find it in an above average stands for the price range

What I finally got

Greaset tank

I wanted a 65 Mustang, Coupé or Cabriolet. I ended with my mother’s 76 Mustang II.

That to me an 80 Mustang coupé, then an 85 Mustang Coupe, then an 89 convertible (still) and a 96 convertible (also) (also) (also) (also).

… not 65.

From Fivititers1

Wanted a ’65 Mustang Coupe or Late 80s Camaro Iroc-Z. What I received was a hand-me-down 1985 Chevrolet Cavalier with a leaking sunroof. It was still decent achievements for a Cavalier because it was a Z24 with the 2.8L V6 and wider tires. Then, as an adult, I looked at how much horsepower it actually had and was surprised that it was hardly more than 100.

By Michael Tonelli

I wanted an SN95 ERA Mustang Cobra in that green blue/blue/purple iridescent paint schedule. I wanted that Mustang until I was 20 and I got a job where one colleague had an early Aughts GT and another got a new C6. Although that may not be a fair comparison, my first ride in that C6 effectively killed my love for the Mustang.

What I got was a brown Taurus wagon. Given my lack of coolness and social circle at that moment, I certainly think I got more Shenanigans because of the car capacity than I would have in a fast car that would probably have just crashed or a license was quickly suspended.

Van Engineerthefuture