Why do you drive what you drive and would you do it all over again?

[shin0bi]

Hey everyone. I was curious to know why you drive what you drive, and If you could go back in time, would you buy that same car again? What factors led you buy that BMW? Did you succumb to peer pressure when you decided to buy a Civic? Are you a student who's too poor to afford anything other than your rusty AMC Gremlin?

What do you drive, what factors played in to your decision to buy it, and would you do it all over again?

I'll start:


I drive a 2001 Saturn SC2 as a daily driver. I bought it when I was a 19 year old student, back before I gave two sh!ts about cars. I bought it because it had a sunroof, leather interior, and the dentproof polymer doors. Factors included... well, I'll be honest. I thought it looked pretty. hehe. Plus, its good to be different. Since it's not a Civic, or Sunfire, its a lot harder to lose in a parking lot!
Would I do it all over again? Yeah, for sure. I love my car. No problems to report,and its a great daily driver, light weight, tossable, good on gas, and doesn't show its age. However I'd definitely get it in a manual transmission and of a different color if I could do it over again.


I also just purchased a Nissan 300zx Fairlady TT.
I bought it out of the desire to have some real performance, since now I'd consider myself to be slightly car obsessed. Can't argue with the classics. Its good looking STILL after 20 years, and its damn fast!
Yeah, I'd do it again, but I'd have not been so impatient, and waited for a specimen in better condition, as now I am finding myself dealing with an electrical gremlin.


*also, in hindsight, I see the potential for this topic to ignite some flaming... Lets all be courteous to eachother!!*

[hypnotoad]

For my first real car, I had the choice between a 1993 Hyundai Elantra and a 1996 Plymouth Neon. Although I loved my Hyundai, it looked pretty funny and had no power or neat features. After I destroyed it, I think I would have been better off and safer in the neon, but no regrets.

[Super_Geo]

E46 325i.

Nice car... got it cause it made sense for the time, I wanted something with 4 doors and handled well. Pretty good on gas too... I'm getting 22MPG in the city, which isn't bad considering I'm sometimes lead footed. Got some Koni FSDs for the car and I couldn't be happier with it... handles great, and the ride almost feels softer than stock.

Would I do it again... probably not, I'd spend the extra money to get a E46 330ci.

[LadyLuck]

I love my Del Sol.
I always wanted to own one.
In the past I owned two Mx3's and had nothing but trouble.
got into a bad accident with my first Mx3 and the second one i passed down to my sister after I bought the Del Sol.

Im happy with it, its excellent on gas and I dont complain about her looks either

Plus I really like 2 seaters.

[HiTempguy1]

My first car was a 1991 Turbo Sprint (good gas mileage, no ricer tax like every single civic has on it). I quickly sold it for one in better shape after 3 months. Most reliable car ever, ended up doing a lot of work to it. Turned out to be a sexy little pocket rocket, currently working on locating a mint one to do up permanently.

Right now I am in a 1994 Honda Civic. It was a screaming deal ($1500, nothing wrong with it). I did a bit of maintainence, it is faster then a stock turbo sprint, and WAYYY more comfortable to drive on the highway. I'd own a EG Civic any day of the week (twice on tuesdays just cause).

[GQBalla]

First car: 04 civic

I love it and im still driving it, sure might not be too damn powerful but thats all i have ever owned. i would like a power powerful car but i can't afford it right now. Ill probably keep it for a winter car anyways.

and i have my bike. different class but i also love her

[VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN]

05 Aveo
Damn thing is a peice of garbage, cheap plastic parts, engine light is on...
Bought it out of conveinince I needed a car, my parents were selling this Aveo, and I inherited the right ammount of money to buy it. After looking at the used car market I could have spent less money and gotten a much better car

[ercchry]

im on my 3rd s13... so yeah can say i have done it again already haha

i also picked up a 91 celsior and im loving it... such contrast compared to the s13. im also loving all the luxury features, and the big v8

[civiclvr]

Currently in a 90 Civic hatch si. I won't bore you with others I've been in.
I'll be honest. I fell in love with this car when I was 8 when it first came out. It has a style that can't be matched elsewhere (IMHO)
Took me a long time to get one though.

Perks I like about it:
SI seats in this gen are some of the best,
power moonroof
cheap to run/fix
taught myself mechanics on it
JDM accessories added to it makes it quite gizmo-y
but really it's barebones, and I relate to that. I don't need much and neither does my car.

I tend to like older cars since individual makers had their own style back then

[Eleanor]

'92 Protege

Still rocking it while the bike sleeps for the winter. Got it cause the 'rents gave it to me when they bought new cars.

Would I get it again? Yes, but I'd get a stick, my only grievance about the car is the transmission. Great on gas, handles awesome and pretty damn reliable too

[bashir26]

1999 Honda Civic

I bought it because being a student and living a longs way from school I needed a car quick. I came to calgary one weekend and saw a civic for sale and bought it over that weekend. Would I do it again? Hell no, I've had so much bad luck with this car its not even funny.

[Xtrema]

03 Altima 3.5SE.

1st horse out of the gate in the horse power race before 250+ HP became the norm.

60K later all I needed for front brake job and 10 oil changes. Very soild car but interior is god awful.

Don't find many roads to open it up any more. So next car would probably be less power, more fuel efficient and way better interior (ie. Not a Nissan)

[DannyO]

Current car is a 2004 STi, I got it as my previous car I've had bad luck with and due to that the body is not in very good shape, I could not justify spending the money to get it into the shape I wanted it, so opted to get a new car.

I had a few options to go with but ended up with the STi as I've always loved watching Rallying and always rooted for Subarus, when I had the chance I couldn't really turn it down, I wanted a car with more performance than you'd need for the road and wanted 4 doors, plus I like its obscene look of a family car with a 747 wing on the back and a child eater up on the hood.

Would I do it again? hell yes, got my perfect car for a great price, if I was to change one thing I MAY of gone with the 05.

[Supa Dexta]

...

[topmade]

07 Sienna . I got 2 kids and do a lot of handyman work around the house and for my friends so it's got plenty of room to throw tools in. Other car is a 99 crv that we decided to get because my 94 civic coupe that I had since new was a PITA with kids, so we sold the civic and got the crv, but at least it's a manual so I can at least be a bit spirited sometimes. Do it again? Yes, I like roomy vehicles, so much more you can do with them and stuff more people in.

[hampstor]

Why do I drive what I drive?

I drive an 05 Nissan Titan LE Crew Cab. We were wanting a family, and I had a WRX STI at the time. We did a camping trip with my in laws and I watched my brother in law cram his camping gear into a minivan. I looked at my STI, my wife and I had filled it to the roof by ourselves.

So we needed a vehicle that can accomodate us, our baby, and our gear when we go camping/on trips. Options were: Minivan, SUV, Truck, or a trailer for the STI (being that we only needed the extra room when we went on a trip, not for daily driving).

Minivan/SUV - good for movings lots of people and enclosed cargo.
Truck - seated 5/6 comfortably and lots of cargo room, plus we can get a tent trailer

Traded my STI in, bought the Titan. Now, looking for tent trailer.
At first I was concerned about gas, but after a while, I found that I used less gas than my STI and I could fill up with 87.

Would I do it again? In a hearbeat.

[picmerollin]

current car: 2005 350z
truck: 95 pathfinder (aka powfinder)

I spent many yrs as a broke student with just enough cash for food, rent and snowboarding- always wishing my turbo II rx-7 hadnt been stolen right before getting into university.

Upon graduation and getting hired into a great (paying) job i waited my 3 month probation period and then marched into the bank with my confirmation of employment and got a pre approved car loan.

My first reaction was to relive my rotary dreams and go straight for the rx-8, test drove it/research it/ decided it wasn't as awesome as it should be so i had to check the competition. After driving everything under the sun i decided it was a g35c or a 350z and the CDN $ was at ~ 1.10 compared to the USD.

so a USDM 350z it is, i love it.

but

i may try to sell in the spring get an xterra (therefore retiring the pathy) and getting another flame throwing rx-7.

The Z is awesome but i could have a less expensive summer car and a nicer SUV --> but trying to rationalize this to myself last yr would have failed. Now i feel silly having such a nice car sitting in a warehouse under a car cover half the yr.

[403Gemini]

First car was 1989 integra, bought it for 2g's about 8 years ago. Great car, i learned how to drive standard on it and haven't driven anything since.

Would I do it again? Yes, but I wouldnt pay for all the repairs i put into the car (new clutch.... obviously , new distributor, alternator, brakes etc). I should have just let the car die after i learned how to drive standard.

Next up was a 1997 saturn sc2. Used this car for about 2.5 years when i was going to college. Great car. Great on gas, 0 problems aside from regular maintenance.
Would I do it again? You bet. Albeit i would have prefered to get a 3rd gen integra or a prelude after the first 89 integra, but since i blew so much $$$ on repairs i needed something a bit cheaper that would do the job. So no complains

3rd vehicle 2006 Cobalt SS/SC. Supercharged goodness. My buddy got a new car and I wanted one too :p sort of a compulsive buy.

Would I do it again? Nope. I would have tested the waters a bit more, test drove a few more cars (I test drove the civic si, mazda3) heck even check out a few used cars , which leads me too...

Car #4 (current) 2006 Subaru WRX. AWD, 4 door goodness. It has stage 2, cobb exhaust, cobb bushings in the shifter and its super fun to drive. Haven't had the wheel hop/traction issues the cobalt gave me , offered more power, better handling, didnt feel like a giant bubble in the corners.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely. This is the car I should have bought instead of the cobalt in the first place. I plan on keeping this car for a LONG time. I always look at larger sedans that I do enjoy (Dodge Charger, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac G8 v8, etc) and I can appreciate the roomy interiors, but the WRX does its job and can probably out handle all of those in the corners Not to mention ill be waving at them on the icy hills in the winter when i pass them

[Moe Man]

I first had a 89 mustang and restored the car, then i decided that i dont like roofs, so i got a vert. restored that car, and made it fast. I will never do it again!

then i was watching Casino and Goodfells one day and i seen a bunch of big old Cadillacs so i got a 75 coupe DeVille.

now when people piss me off i threaten to "take the bat out of the trunk of my Cadillac and wack them with it" ( that line is from Be Cool )

[reiRei]

why do I drive what I drive?

... I couldn't buy an evo 2 years ago...