The "Your First Car" Thread

[Laconian]

yeah, Omi, i don't think that particular article is proof of anything other than that a beat up, ratty, old, mistreated, smogger Caddy that's missing a bunch of parts is a rolling pile. It's not really representative of anything factual other than that.

The article and comments are more about the Eldorado's history than they are about that particular specimen. There are more than one anecdotes describing their parents fulfilling their lifelong dreams by buying big Cadillacs only to watch them fall apart mere months later.

[dazzleman]

Only photo I can find, so far, of my first car.

[the Teuton]

The article and comments are more about the Eldorado's history than they are about that particular specimen. There are more than one anecdotes describing their parents fulfilling their lifelong dreams by buying big Cadillacs only to watch them fall apart mere months later.

They weren't terrible cars for what they were. But the way they were built and the people who built them were not up to speed with what was an incredibly reliable kaizen manufacturing process that the Japanese had been using. When people say that cars have been over-restored, that's not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of cars in the Malaise Era were built like shit.

[JWC]

The only thing "quality" about Toyota, Datsun, and Honda back in the seventies and early eighties were the engines and transmissions.  Every thing else rusted or fell off the car.

The interiors were cheap and the seats uncomfortable. 

[2o6]

The only thing "quality" about Toyota, Datsun, and Honda back in the seventies and early eighties were the engines and transmissions.  Every thing else rusted or fell off the car.

The interiors were cheap and the seats uncomfortable. 

+1

[Eye of the Tiger]

The only thing "quality" about Toyota, Datsun, and Honda back in the seventies and early eighties were the engines and transmissions.  Every thing else rusted or fell off the car.

The interiors were cheap and the seats uncomfortable. 

Bullshit. The engines and transmissions were crap.

[the Teuton]

The only thing "quality" about Toyota, Datsun, and Honda back in the seventies and early eighties were the engines and transmissions.  Every thing else rusted or fell off the car.

The interiors were cheap and the seats uncomfortable. 

The materials sucked, but the cars were put together better. One car will rust to dust, but its moving parts will never die; the other will fall apart and stop running, but its parts will last forever.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I hope you guys realize that the only reason the Japs appeared to have made anything better was because they were all given a huge break as far as meeting increasingly tough U.S. emission and fuel economy laws. The U.S. automakers had to do all of the R&D and make all the mistakes while working to meet these new standards, while the Japs just waited so they could copy whatever worked.

[rohan]

1987 Pontiac Perisienne  Not this one I don't have a pic of mine but it was just like it.  POS but it rode nice and got me to and from my job.  Yeah I'ld like to have another one but one that's mint this time would be nice.

[93JC]

They stopped making the Parisienne in '86.

[Eye of the Tiger]

That is clearly a Firebird, anyway.

[the Teuton]

They stopped making the Parisienne in '86.

And the contraction of "I would" is generally the same as "I had," e.g. with no "L" in it. What's your point?

[rohan]

They stopped making the Parisienne in '86.

  Close enough.  LOL  it's not like it really mattered because it was such a fine piece of technology or anything.

[Laconian]

The Parisenne is clearly from an upside-down alternate reality where GM made the Parisenne for an extra year.

[93JC]

See, it would have been cool if he had an '82, because before '83 it was only sold in Canada.

[cawimmer430]

Cefiro? Were you not originally from Germany?

I lived in the Philippines for a couple of years. That's where we drove those cars.

And I still regularly PWN hardcore Nissan fanboys who claim "there was never a 2.0 VQ!!!". 

[cawimmer430]

Maybe if you see them as pieces of rolling sculpture. Taken as cars, they fail miserably.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/curbside-classic-1978-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz-classic-coupe/

Read the article and the many anecdotes in the "comments" section. These land yachts were terrible from day 1.

I read that article yesterday. That Cadillac is a beauty. A shame the owner doesn't take care of it. If I had something like that I wouldn't drive it but store it in my living room - too bad that this Eldorado won't fit into my living room any way you put it! 

I still love American cars from the '70s because of their styling. I mean look at this hotness! 













I could go on, but you get it, right? 

[Laconian]

[cawimmer430]

Not that one. 

Great movie though. I miss the Griswalds! 

[CJ]

Griswold, Wimmer.

[Northlands]

I don't care what anybody says. This car is badass. 

[Speed_Racer]

-What was your first car?
91 Escort GT

-How much did you pay for it/how did you receive it?
$600 from a friend's mother. She had bought an Elantra and wanted to get rid of it.

-How long did you have it?
From when I was 15 until about 17. Rust got the best of the frame, and since I couldn't jack it up anymore, I figured it was time for something a little more solid.

-Would you want it back if you could get it back?
It was a really good first car: quick, the hatchback had lots of space for my stereo stuff, and the engine ran like a top (140,000 miles when I junked it). But I don't think I'd want it back. The MR2 (my second car) is better than it in every way, minus interior/trunk space.

No pics though - I only have one, and it's a film photo that I haven't scanned yet.

[JWC]

Okay, technically, my first car was a fire engine.  My second the trike, then the wagon, then the pedal go-kart.   I'm standing, my cousin Lynda is in my friggin' car!!!!



As a side note...this is a photo I gave my daughter for her photoshop class.  It was originally black and white and she "restored" it to color.

[the Teuton]

Okay, technically, my first car was a fire engine.  My second the trike, then the wagon, then the pedal go-kart.   I'm standing, my cousin Lynda is in my friggin' car!!!!

As a side note...this is a photo I gave my daughter for her photoshop class.  It was originally black and white and she "restored" it to color.

Does she want to go into photography or graphic design, too?

[JWC]

Does she want to go into photography or graphic design, too?

She wants to open her own daycare center.

She is great is her chem classes, but she has this idea now of switching and getting a teaching degree and opening a day care.   I prefer she stay with science, but if she doesn't enjoy it now....there is no need.

[the Teuton]

She wants to open her own daycare center.

Primary Education in college then? Rare choice of job skills for such an entrepreneurship.

[JWC]

I'm hoping she'll stick with chemistry.  I will be thankful if she stays in school.

If she keeps spending anymore time with her boyfriend and his family....I fear she'll drop out. 

[Madman]

I finally found the pictures Wimmer took of a green 1952 Chevrolet Styleline in Germany.



.


This looks EXACTLY like the 1952 Chevy I had!!!  Same green paint, same wheel spats and external visor, too.

If I didn't know for a fact that my car had been crushed into a tiny metal cube, I'd swear this was my car!!!


Madman of the People

[the Teuton]

I'm hoping she'll stick with chemistry.  I will be thankful if she stays in school.

If she keeps spending anymore time with her boyfriend and his family....I fear she'll drop out. 

You might have to be a douchebag about the whole thing, but I'm sure she'll either thank you down the road or completely disown you.

[Raza]

2002 Mercedes Benz E320
Gift
2 years
I have the option to take it back right now, so no, I'd rather be driving what I have now.