The Cars You've Driven and How They've Changed Over Time.

[mongers]

What sort of cars have you driven and how has that changed over time?

I'm asking because not having bothered to drive for 20 odd years, I'm out of touch as to what people typically drive, how big they are, what power and performance is like. Front wheel vs Rear vs 4 wheel drive.  Petrol or Diesel?

My outsider's impression is that all cars now weigh close to a couple of tonnes have 200+ hp and are full of useless gadgets.

For comparison, excluding work's vehicles I've only ever driven petrol, non-automatic cars, with it split 60/40% front vs rear wheel drive.
A rough estimate shows all the cars I've owned have been in the 800-1200kg,curb weight range, ignoring a couple of outliers, like a 505 estate.

[Admiral Yi]

Too many variables.  Please simplify your query and try again.

[Barrister]

Meh - I'll bite.

First car: 1985 BMW 535i (bought in 1995) - straight 6 engine, 4 doors, manual transmission, RWD.  Man I loved that car.  Man I hated how often it broke down since I had no money as a university student.  Sold it at a loss a year and a half later.

Second car: 1991 Ford Taurus (bought in 1996)- V6, 4 doors, automatic - I had a job in Flin Flon, MB, so I needed a much more reliable car.  I grew to like that car as it was a reliable highway machine on the roads of northern Manitoba.  Was crushed in a rear end accident in 1997.

Third car: 1997 Ford Escort (2 year lease from new) - 4 cylinders, 4 doors, manual.  It was a screaming good deal on a lease. $199/month for two years.  It was nice having a new car, super reliable for driving back and forth to university.  At the end of the lease I gave up the car, deciding to use the money I was spending to move out of my parents place and live in the fraternity house near campus instead.

Fourth car: 2001 Nissan Sentra SE (bought new in 2000) - 4 cylinders, 4 doors, manual.  I really liked that car.  I had my first law job, so I bought a new car.  It was the sporty version of an otherwise entry-level car - very peppy engine.  Unfortunately not really suited to when I left the city and got a job up north again.

A new truck!: 2005 Toyota Tundra (bought new in 2005) - V6, 4 door mid-size pickup.  Total change for me.  Maybe my most favourite vehicle I've ever owned.  Haul anything, tow anything - I towed a trailer from Whitehorse to Winnipeg and back when Timothy was born.  My longest lasting vehicle ever - only sold it in 2015.

And from now on, vehicles are co-purchased with Tracy...

2011 Toyota Rav4 (bought new in 2011) - V6, 4 door AWD crossover (w/ optional third row seating).  It's a pretty decent vehicle, V6 has lots of pep, but you see so many similar vehicles out there.  There's been more than one time I've walked up to an identical looking silver Rav4 only to realize it's not my vehicle.

2008 Honda Odyssey (bought used in 2015) - V6 minivan, seats 8.  Not as reliable as I would have hoped, but then again it's used.  Had to trade in my truck to buy it.   Wife looks after extra kids before and after school, so we needed a people hauler.  It does the job.

Thinking back - really it just shows that what's changed the most over time is me - the vehicles I've owned reflected what stage of life I'm at.  Peppy manual transmission vehicles are no longer a priority - hauling kids and hockey gear is.

Ideally, I'd like to buy a proper pick-up truck again as our next vehicle.  Problem is our oldest vehicle is the van, and we need a van.  Buying a truck would mean trying to stretch out the Odyssey at least to 15 years old.  Other option is to just go and buy a new, or newer, van.

[Josquius]

I think the car I had 12 years ago was a Fiat Uno. It cost £200 or so. This was the only important point.
Since then I managed to live car free.
My sister is going away in a few weeks and I could take over her car if I wanted... But it isn't worth the money. It would sit outside and only be used every other weekend.
Living somewhere I don't need a car has always been a priority when it comes to finding a place to live

[Richard Hakluyt]

I've never had a car.

But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.

[Zoupa]

I've never had a car.

But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.

Never had a car? Jesus. Never needed one or personal choice?

Got my license at 28. First car was a Dodge Caliber. Then a Nissan Rogue. Then a newer Nissan Rogue and now a Nissan Versa. All 2-3 year leases, all automatics. I don't really like driving and am not a car guy at all.

[Syt]

I've never had a car, either. First I had no money for one, now I don't feel the need for one.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I've never had a car.

But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.

Never had a car? Jesus. Never needed one or personal choice?

Got my license at 28. First car was a Dodge Caliber. Then a Nissan Rogue. Then a newer Nissan Rogue and now a Nissan Versa. All 2-3 year leases, all automatics. I don't really like driving and am not a car guy at all.

I like road trips but day-to-day leaves me cold. If I lived in NA I'd probably drive but in urban Europe its just not worth it.

[dps]

Let's see:

First car:  1970 Dodge Coronet (bought 1980).  4-door sedan, 318 V-8, automatic, rwd.  Didn't originally have air conditioning, but at some point had had an aftermarket a.c. installed.  Surprisingly versatile car, even took it off-road a couple of times, sort of.  Wrecked it after about a month.

Second car:  1975 Chevy Chevelle Laguna SS (bought 1984).  2-door coupe, 350 V-8, automatic, rwd.  Ran it until it started burning oil real bad.  Not as powerful as you might think, given the engine, because it was built right when emission controls were coming in, and they hadn't figured out how to do that without sucking the power out.  Literally gave it away to one of my brother's friends.

Third car:  1986 Olds Cutlass Ciera (bought new).  4-door sedan, 3.8 V-6, automatic, fwd.  Nice car, plenty of features.  Totaled after a couple of years when some idiot rearended ime while I was stopped at a red light.

Fourth car:  1975 Olds Cutlass Supreme (bought 1988).  2-door coupe, 305 V-8, automatic, rwd.  Not in good shape when I got it, but I needed a stop-gap after the Ciera was totaled.  Engine caught fire late in the year;  it still ran some, but just enough to get to work and back, and then it would stall.  Just left it in the parking lot of my apartment when I moved in 1989.

Fifth car:  1979 Olds Delta 88 (bought 1988).  4-door sedan, automatic, rwd.  Originally had had a diesel V-6, but at some point someone had replaced the diesel with a big-block, I think it was a 419 out of a 1971 Pontiac.  Had a lot of problems, but more reliable than the Cutlass after the engine fire.  Huge car--I could lie completely prone in the back seat.  Still kept driving it some for about a year after I bought my 6th car (see below) but then it sat in my mom's garage for about a year until I finally sold it.

Sixth car:  1976 Plymouth Volare (bought 1989).  2-door coupe, 360 V-8 automatic, rwd.  Had a beefed up suspension and cooling system as part of a towing package.  Got surprisingly good gas mileage considering the engine.  Broke down while I was in Tennessee on my way back from vacation, and I sold it there because it would have cost too much to have it towed home.

Seventh car:  1993 Chevy Lumina (bought new).  4-door sedan, 3.1 V-6, automatic, fwd.  Probably my favorite of all my cars.  Had a lot of neat options.  More power than some of the V-8s I've owned.  Kept it longer than any other car I've owned, finally totaled it after spinning on black ice.  Had 380,000 miles on it;  I had hoped to keep it till it got to half a million.

Eighth car:  2000 Chrysler Concorde (bought 2003).  4-door sedan, 3.5 V-6, automatic, fwd.  Engine blew after a month.  Not much to say about this one.

Ninth car:  2002 Kia Optima (technically given to me by my mom in 2006, but I'd had use of it since the Concorde died;  she bought it in 2003).  4-door sedan, 2.3 I-4, automatic, fwd.  Just basic transportation, but it gave us a lot of service;  we put a lot of miles per year on it.  Sold it in 2009 after it started needing repairs too frequently.

Tenth car:  2007 Ford Focus (bought 2008).  4-door sedan, 2.3 I-4, automatic, fwd.  Bought for my wife, but titled in my name.  Top trim package, some very nice touches, and I got a great deal on it.  Unfortunately, my wife totaled it after about 3 months.

Eleventh car:  1996 Buick Century (bought 2009).  4-door sedan, 3.1 V-6, automatic, fwd.  Bought for my wife, but titled in my name.  I bought it without her having looked at it, and she hated it (I think not because of anything about the car itself, but just because I made the decision without her input), and I sold it after a week.

Twelfth car:  2005 Ford Focus (bought 2009).  4-door sedan, 2,3 I-4, automatic, fwd.  Bought for my wife, but titled in my name.  Starting in 2011, I was the primary driver.  Not nearly as nicely appointed as the Focus we had previously.  Sold in 2013 after it started having problems with the cooling system that couldn't be tracked down.

Thirteenth car:  2005 Hyundai Accent (given to me by my mom in 2011; she had bought it in 2006 after giving us the Kia).  4-door sedan, 1.6 I-4, automatic, fwd.  Though a bit nicer than the Kia feature-wise, I still never regarded it as anything but basic transportation, and I hated driving it because the position of the steering wheel didn't suit me at all.  I quickly traded with my wife for the Focus, though technically both cars were titled in my name until mid-2012. when I signed the Hyundai over to my wife.  The transmission went out just before Christmas last year, and she traded it in right after New Year's Day.

Technically, I haven't owned a car since I sold the Focus in 2013, but I have the use of my mom's car.  Cars I haven't owned, but have been own by a family member and I've had use of:

1975 Chevy Malibu (bought new by my parent).  4-door sedan, 350 V-6, automatic, rwd.  Basically a land yacht.  Might have actually been bigger overall than the Delta 88, but not quite as big on the interior.  Got my driver's license in it, and drove it a few times before I got the Coronet, but after I graduated high school and went to college, I never drove it, even though my mom kept it until 1993.

1991 Geo Prism (bought by my mom in 1993).  4-door sedan, 1.6 I-4, automatic, fwd.  Only drove it a couple of times in 2002 when the Lumina was in the shop, so I don't have much to say about it.

2012 Nissan Altima (bought by my mom in 2012, but not new).  4-door sedan, 3.5 V-6, CVT, fwd.  In practice, this is my car, though it's in my mom's name (she quit driving in 2011).  A nice enough car, but fairly bland, though the V-6 feels more powerful than its rating.

2017 Hyundai Elantra GT (bought by my wife this January).  5-door hatchback, 2.0 I-4, automatic, fwd.  I've driven this one a couple of times.  Nice little car, much nicer than the Accent.

[Grinning_Colossus]

First car: 1997 Chevy Camaro Convertible, V6, silver: Fun car with some real zoom to it. Decent mileage. Survived for a surprisingly long time with 0 maintenance after I gave it to my mother.

Second car: 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible, V6, red: Not quite as fun as the Camaro (and with slightly worse mileage). Frequent engine problems, including one blowup. Didn't survive as long with 0 maintenance after I gave it to my mother.

Third car: Dunno yet--don't need one where I'm living and working. It will probably be a used Tesla (if all goes well) or a used Prius (if I'm down and out).

[The Larch]

I got my licence at 18, even missed part of my first day in university to take the test.  In my life I've basically driven 4 cars (hell if I know their technical details):

- My first car (1997), in which I learned to drive, was my family's 2nd car, a really old Renault 5 that we must have had since the late 80s or so. It had no assisted direction (is that the name in English?) and handling the wheel was like a gym session. Only got to drive it for a summer doing practice in fields and dirt roads around our village. It was going to be my car once I got my licence, as a hand-me-down, but...

- My second car (1998-2003), and the one in which I really started to drive around, was an Opel Vectra, a far more luxurious car than I had any right to drive. It used to be my mom's company car and my family's main one, and she just got it updated when I got my licence, so instead of getting the old Renault I was handed down the Vectra, which was quite the whoah moment. I drove that almost every day for 3 years while I was in university, and then my brother drove it for a few more years, after which it was replaced by...

- My third car (2003-2010), a Volkswagen Polo. I didn't get to drive this one for several years, as it was bought while I was living away, so my brother was its main driver for its first few years. After I got back to my hometown in late 2005, it was the car I used for several years for work. It was great for urban driving, and really easy to park as it was quite compact, but it lacked power and was not really suitable for longer trips (for instance its gas capacity was not large enough to go from my hometown to Madrid on one tank, I always had to refuel at some point, which really annoyed me). At some point I decided that it just didn't cut it for me, sold it to a coworker and updated to...

- My fourth and current car (2010-now), and the first that is properly mine and not from my family, a Volkswagen Golf, which I got on a sweetheart deal from our usual dealership. It used to belong to a fleet of replacement cars from an insurance company, and after one year the company renewed its whole fleet and the dealership got to re-sell them, so I got a pretty nice discount for a car that was barely 1 year old and with very little mileage. Next year it'll turn 10, and the thought of changing it has crossed my mind already, but it works perfectly fine, it completely suits my needs and hasn't really showed any signs of aging. Besides, in the last few years I haven't really used it that much, it spends way more time in the garage than on the road, so sometimes I even wonder if I actually need it (mostly when I get the city taxes or the insurance payment), but I want to have the possibility of just taking it whenever I want, rather than do something more convoluted.

I've ocasionally driven my parents' car during all these years for family trips and so, which were mostly my mom's company cars that she got to buyat a reduced price when the lease finished. They were mostly Audis, A4s I believe. I remember a couple of them, mostly the one she kept when she retired that was my parents' car for several years.

At some point in the near future (say 2-5 years or so), what I've talked with my parents is that they might either quit or severely cut down on driving themselves, as they're putting on the years and their reflexes and reactions at the wheel are not what they used to be (mostly my mum, who turns 72 later this year and is the main driver of them, as my dad was never much of a driver, took ages to get his licence and never drove unless he really needed to), so they might give me their current car (another VW Golf, but a rather new model that they were convinced to get to replace the old Audi they drove from my mum's company car days) and just ask me to drive them around when they need to go anywhere.

[celedhring]

Never had either license or car.

[Maladict]

Never had either license or car.

Same.

[Tamas]

Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.


To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.

[The Larch]

Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.


To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.

It totally depends on where you live. In many big cities with a decent public transportation network there's no real need to own a car. It's also expensive as hell to cover all its costs and if it's not worth it then it's not worth it.

I get what you mean about freedom, don't get me wrong. For my mom, who grew up in a small village in the middle of nowhere, getting her driving licence and a car meant the world to her, and she has admitted that it'll be really hard for her to eventually stop driving when she's not able to do it anymore, both of the implicit admittance of her decaying capabilities, but also for the loss of independence when moving around.

As for the improvement in cars, it's been massive in the last 5-10 years or so IMO, they're so much easier to drive nowadays. When my parents changed their car last year I insisted that they got one with assisted parking gizmos, and now they can't imagine doing it any other way.