Your Automotive Family Tree

[ocnblu]

Back in the day, there were "Chevy men", "Dodge men", and "Ford men", with variations on a vast majority domestic theme. How did you become the type of car enthusiast you are today? What cars did you grow up with in your family, and how did they shape your preferences?

I'll list some of my memories, both real and placed in my head by grainy photographs taken before my birth or when I was too young to remember...

Maternal side, grandparents, '39 Mercury coupe, muddy farm car in photographs. Grandfather later turned to Chrysler cars with a smattering of Pontiacs, his last the '73 Cat he handed to me. His last car after his beloved '77 New Yorker was an '89 Caprice Classic Brougham LS, which went against everything I knew about him, carwise. The reasons for that became clear to me after he passed. He remained a loyal Ford pickup owner, though, his last an '80 F250 with 351 and 4 speed manual.

His son, my uncle I grew up closest to, is before and since a diehard Ford man, but he also had a few Pontiacs, (metallic red '56 with Silver Streaks has me standing in front in a photo) the last being a bronze, '74 Grand Ville coupe with a 455. His daughter, my aunt I grew up closest to, married a lifelong Chevy man. She still holds on to her '97 S-10 Blazer, bought new, garage-kept and immaculate green.

Grandfather had a brother, a family maverick, who drove Porsches and VWs. Always used to be a treat to see what he'd show up in at family gatherings, it was usually something interesting, new and different.

My mother's first car was shared by siblings, a '47 Pontiac. She's had several Chevys, but likes "unique" cars as well, evidenced by the '81 Le Car she loved with the wicker headliner, and her current Cube (strangely enough, with its own odd headliner).

Paternal side, grandparents, grandfather owned lots of different makes (Studebaker, Dodge, etc.) before his '57 Chevy wagon. After that, he stuck with Chevrolet midsize wagons. He's still going, at 94, and when he drives, it's his '92 Lumina Euro sedan... no wagon available by that time.

His daughter, my aunt, enjoyed her second-gen Corvair as a first new car, traded it on a '68 Malibu that she kept for decades (honestly more than 20 years as daily driver!), until it would not pass safety inspection. After a detour through Plymouth Sundance territory (her husband liked Mopar, but loves his '01 Yukon XL to pieces) she now has a first-gen CR-V, which she'll probably keep as long as that old Chevy. His son, my uncle, started off in Chevrolet as well, with a yellow '68 Nova 350 4 speed. He defected, first to Audi (no luck), then to Volvo (another lemon), then settled on Toyota, where he sadly remains.

Dad has always had Chevrolets (with one unfortunate 110hp 231/3.8 Cutlass Supreme and one nice last-gen Grand Am coupe thrown in the mix). I believe it was a photo of his '38 2-door I have seen myself in, standing in the back seat as a tiny tot, before he and mom bought their '66 Malibu SS396. He's now in an '07 Impala and '04 Silverado.

SOOO... I get my allegiances honestly... from my mainstream loves, down to my "wild hair" moments.

HOW ABOUT YOU FOLKS?

Edited February 27, 2011 by ocnblu

[G. David Felt]

My Grandpa on my mom's side was a DeSoto man, all the way up till he died a couple years ago. My Grandpa on my dad's side, 93 and still kickin is a Caddy Man.

I own 3 Caddilacs, Escalade ESV, SRX and CTS :smilies-38096:

My parents have a SRX and Colorado

My middle Sister has an older Escalade ESV and Dodge Durango

My oldest Sister has a Denali and a Mazda 6

For the most part, the family Tree of GM is still strong!

Edited February 27, 2011 by dfelt

[GMTruckGuy74]

Family was split by GM and Ford. My mother's side almost always had a GM, though my uncle worked as a Ford salesman in the late '60s/early '70s and had a couple Fords. He then came back to GM, leasing a lot of his cars (I remember his '82 Cammaro and his last, '87 Bonneville LE until his death in '93. His daughter, my cousin, had a late '70s Nova (puke green) given by her grandmother, then she bought a new '89 Pontiac LeMans coupe. My aunt had a '65 Impala coupe, something else, then a '73-4-5 Cutlass Supreme for a long time before buying the '89 Ninety-Eight Regency until her death in '04. Another aunt had a late '70s Monte Carlo before getting an early '80s Malibu sedan, then a late '80s Celebrity Eurosport, then a Dodge Monaco sedan (she now has an '09 Impala after some other GM vehicles). My other aunt was the oddball, having owned a lot of used cars of various makes before buying my sister's '93 240SX. My one cousin had a Mercury Tracer for years before buying foreign, while another cousin has had a lot of everything - '84 Regal Limited, '92 Cavalier Z24, '82 Cadillac Seville (bustleback), and various SUVs (Envoy, Durango, etc). My mom had a '79 Ford Granada that I remember as the earliest car, then moving on to her '83 GRand Prix LJ, '93 Plymouth Sundance, '95 Monte Carlo LS, and her '05 Saturn VUE AWD. My dad had a series of used cars when I was little, allowing my mom to always have the new car (he had two Dodges that I remember, one being an early '70s Duster), before he bought a new '88 Ford Ranger XLT 2WD. His next vehicle was a leased 2000 GMC Sonoma Highrider, a 2002 Sunfire SE coupe, and now an '06 G6 V6 Sedan. My sister started with an '84 Ford Mustang LX, then tried to buy a new '89 Firebird Formula but the dealer wouldn't deal her way so it became an '89 Ford Probe LX. That car turned into a '92 Ford Thunderbird and quickly became a '93 Nissan 240SX. Her next vehicles were leased, including a '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, '00 Nissan Pathfinder, a '05 Envoy XL SLT, and then two Honda Pilots (her current is a '10 model). My bro-in-law started with a mid-'80s Dodge Laser, then a '89 Toyota Tacoma 4x4, a '92 Camry XLE, a '98 Nissan Maxima, and he has government vehicles for work (usually SUVs). My wife's mother had a '70s Pontiac Ventura and then Fords & Mercurys - Taurus sedan & wagon, then a Topaz sedan. My wife's first car was a Geo Storm and then she in herited her mom's Topaz.

Dad's side was FOMOCO with GM occasionally and then foreign. My grandfather had a '60s Mercury Monteclair, then an '80s Crown Vic, an '86 Aerostarr van, and ended with an early '90s Lincoln Towncar until his death in 2002. My grandmother never drove and my aunt inherited my grandfather's used vehicles (Crown Vic & Aerostarr). My uncle had '79 Ford F250 and my aunt had a late '70s Caprice station wagon. He had other Ford F250s, an '82, '87, and '92 or '93. My aunt had a series of Lincoln Towncars before moving over to BMWs (my cousins got BMWs for their first cars).

I've owned nothing but GM vehicles - '78 Camaro LT, '92 Cavalier Z24, '95 Trans AM, '99 GRand AM GT1, '00 Grand Prix GT (wife), '01 GMC Sonoma Highrider, '03 REndezvous CX (wife), '04 Malibu LT, '05 Envoy SLT, '07 SKY, '07 AURA XE, '08 G6 V6 (wife), '96 Fleetwood Brougham, '06 Envoy SLT. I don't forsee myself owning anything other than a GM, but I do love Jeep Wranglers and the new Grand Cherokees, so maybe?

[Satty]

I tend to not be a slave to history. My mom had several Saturns and I bought one, but that had a bit to do with the way the car I bought was equipped. My parents had several Volkswagens back in the day, and my dad is restoring a Beetle now, but that didn't play a role in my buying the Jetta. What can I say, I'm my own person.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

What I know and can remember:

My grandfather on my mom's side was quite the car guy. I never met him, but a lot of people say I'm just like him with my taste in cars and interest and jeckyl/hyde disposition. He was an avid Chevrolet man and owned a variety of now classic Chevy models. One of his last cars was a red and black '59 Impala. He also raced on the Grand National circuit against the likes of Buck Baker, Ralph Earnhardt and Junior Johnson. I believe his race car was a 40 Ford. My grandmother on that side usually rocked a VW Beetle and as a result my mom's first car was a vintage Beetle. After my grandfather passed, my grandmother traded her beetle on an AWD Subaru (Probably why I hate the sound of Subarus) then an original Plymouth Voyager (so a bunch of us could road trip on weekends) She presently has a Ford Ranger.

My grandfather on the other side was a Mopar man for a little while, then he started buying Ford trucks. His most recent two trucks were Ford Rangers. His wife (He and my dad's mom divorced after their kids left home) always bought Buicks. Her last car was a '93 Buick Regal. My grandmother on that side married a farmer that bought strictly Ford trucks and as a result she also owned Fords until she passed away. (First: 2 Escorts and then a Tempo)

By the time my parents married my mom had a vintage Beetle and my dad had a '66 Mustang fastback (after owning and trading various muscle cars). He promptly traded title for title on a 60's era Oldsmobile "Mafia Mobile"... "So that he and his friends could go to lunch in comfort". He still kicks himself for letting the Mustang go (and the many other cars that, at the time, no one thought would be worth anything) Eventually, mom and dad started buying and building Jeep CJs. When I came into the picture, they were afraid that I'd fall out of the CJs so they sold their current one and bought a Toyota Starlet (which started my resentment for Toyota) My dad would eventually pick up and older model Ford truck that was a mechanical nightmare. (This started my conditioning to be anti-Ford) Each morning he'd be so pissed at that truck, LOL. Finally he'd had enough and he traded the Ford on a 1976 Chevrolet long wheelbase 4X4. It was two-tone red and white and was affectionately dubbed 'Betsy'. That was one of the best trucks we've ever had. We put that thing through hell (four wheeling into rugged terrain to chop firewood, towing things, etc.) and it came out like a champ everytime. I remember coming up our road and a friend of ours would run up behind us and tage us on the bumper with his truck. I loved it; seemed like a scene from my favorite show at the time (The Dukes of Hazzard) Eventually we bought a boat for weekends at the lake and we needed something a little more trustworthy, so we found an 87 Chevy 4X4 with all the chrome trim, mag wheels, a chrome brush guard and all that fun 70s-80s stuff. It was a beautiful truck (for the time) and was dad's first V6 truck. I had Discovered Winston Cup at this time (circa 88-89) and had become a huge Dale Sr. fan. (Thus further cementing my love of Chevrolet and hatred for Ford) This is also about the time our automotive family started growing to about the size it is today. We had the Starlet (still going strong) and the '87 Chevy 4X4. Then dads job provided him with an '89 Ford 4X4 (This truck is still going strong, pulling duty on a christmas tree farm) and dad found and bought an old primered up (but straight) '67 Chevelle Super Sport. This car began my love with the raw nature of vintage hot rods and muscle cars. 1994 rolls around and we decide that it's time to replace our family car (The Starlet) with something bigger and nicer. After much debate and a lot of talking (unfortunately A LOT of talking to my grandmother's new neighbor: a Toyota salesman) and a few too many Corolla test drives, mom (who has a sweet spot or Toyota in her heart after our excellent experience with the Starlet) and dad decide that a Chevrolet Corsica, though bland, is the way to go. By this time my dad's Ford work truck has been replaced by a much cooler Jeep Cherokee and we had decided to pick up a new hobby: horses. We sold the boat and bought a small camper. Mom and Dad were never really satisfied with the Corsica, so they decided to consolidate our 2 personal vehicles into one and traded the aging '87 Chevy 4X4 and Corsica on a specially ordered 1996 Chevrolet K1500 with all the bells and whistles.

Our vehicle stable now included the camper, horse trailer, the K1500, the Starlet (which was originally to be sold, but due to my mom's attachment to it, was just kind of chillin') the '67 Chevelle SS and dad's Cherokee. 1998 rolls around and I pick up my '73 Camaro one day before I officially get my license. It's bright, sounds mean, looks angry and fits me just perfectly. The neighbors call it a death trap and condemn my parents for allowing me to get it. By 1999 mom and dad have decided that they want a bigger camper and they trade up to a 30 foot fifth wheel. Dad gets a cool new Dodge Durango as his work vehicle but also sells (against my will) the '67 Chevelle SS saying he's just not that motivated to deal with it anymore. The 1996 Silverado has been a quality DISASTER with GM even giving us money back on repairs and mom and dad swearing that they'll NEVER buy another Chevy again. They're looking hard at these 'new fangled' Ford Super Dutys and all they have to offer. While I'm not horribly opposed to the idea, I don't like it. Mom proposes a Toyota Tundra given the Starlets good quality and I get super pissed and shoot that down. Mom and dad eventually trade the '96 on a 1999 Silverado Z71 with all the bells and whistles. 2000 rolls around and I find my '68 Camaro and purchase it (I'm 18). 2001 brings the loss of my dad's job and suddenly the family is in need of a second daily driver. The Starlet is pulled out of mothball to become that vehicle.

2002 brings major restoration to my '73 and while it and the '68 are still semi-daily driven I am in need of a cheap daily driver to lessen road wear. I buy a 1990 Lumina at auction for $1000. 235,000 miles and it runs like a top but the overall cheapness of the car really makes me hate this era GM. Contrast that to the overall durability of the mechanical bits which makes me really hate the media for talking $h! about GM reliability. 2003 brings the death of the Lumina due to a cracked block (at almost 300.000 miles) I knew this would be the case as I had noticed block sealing chemicals in the A/F long before. 2003 also brings a new $800 beater; the 86(?) Jeep Commanche to the family. It looks like $h!, but runs like hell. (Except for a brace on the front axle that would make the front of the truck vibrate, jump and skip wildly and randomly at 60-70 MPH. The first time this happened, I almost had to clean my pants. But after a while I got used to it and actually became kind of reckless with it. I always had fun 'surprising' un suspecting passengers with it because I had mastered a way to actually make it happen on my own, LOL. At one point, this had been a fleet truck and it was illegal 15 ways from sunday (then again, most of my cars are illegal in one form or another ) but I really miss having a 4X4. 2004 meant that the GF would be going to Charlotte for college. I knew the Jeep wouldn't be a sure bet on making it there, so I started looking for "a car payment". I found the first 2001 Focus; a bare bones LX model and took out a loan. 6 months later it got totaled. The next month (02/2005) I found my beloved Focus ZX3 that I would keep until last year when it was totaled. Why Ford? Simply because they were the ONLY domestic automaker that offered a compact (of the era I wanted to pay for) that was competitive, not a snooze to drive and not a snooze to look at. And by this time I had adopted my domestic verses import philosophy instead of the GM verses Ford philosophy. The GF had a Cavalier and I hated every inch of that car. When that Focus left, I found my current daily driver, the 2001 Mustang GT convertible.

During this time my parents would rotate in, then rotate out the aforesaid '93 Buick Regal from my dads side of the family. (Though reliable and smooth, this car further cemented my/our hatred for 90's era GM cars) Dad would be provided an F150 work truck and now a Ram work truck. And they decided to buy a new small SUV to 'downsize' for fuel costs, LOL.

Our current family fleet includes: my Camaros ('68 & '73) which usually sit in the garage (which sucks) my 'stang (the daily driver) The Silverado Z71 which is used to tow and haul things, the Ram which is dad's daily driver. The Jeep Liberty which is mom's daily driver and the Starlet, which unfortunately, is sitting in the elements again.

Other than my parents, my only other 2 influences were my uncles on my moms side. One was a mechanic that owned a multiple shop business. He was an avid Dale Sr. fan like me and breathed everything Chevrolet. He had quite a few cool projects and usually had some of the latest and greatest bow-tie products sitting in his driveway. The other was an avid Ford truck man that always had really cool Fords and rigs to work on or restore.

(EDIT: It's kind of one big pile of crap... But I don't feel like editing my ramblings, LOL)

Edited February 27, 2011 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[vonVeezelsnider]

My maternal grandmother was born in 1912 and immigrated from Scotland to Canada at age 15. As a consequence she was extremely partial to British cars, which were actually sold in eastern Canada still well into the 1970s. That's all she ever had including a late 50s Vauxhall Cresta, a Vauxhall Victor Estate wagon which almost didn't have the juice to drive the Cabot Trail safely, and some sort of Rootes Arrow Sunbeam as well. Her last car was a mid 70s brown Morris Marina 3dr Hatch (badged as Austin in Canada).

My maternal grandfather was a minister and from what I have gathered, generally rather eccentric. He also worked as a carpenter and blacksmith in the community and had to haul a lot of stuff around, but felt that pickup trucks were not a socially appropriate mode of transportation for a man of the cloth. As a result he almost always had station wagons and these wagons were almost always loaded to the gunnels with odds and ends. I don't know what his favorites were but I know the last car he had was a mid-80s Chevrolet Caprice Estate in plain white sans the "ostentatious" wood paneling. I also have a picture of him where he had been posing with a deer he bagged on a hunt draped over the hood of what appears to be a 1948 Dodge...

My paternal grandmother really only drove what my grandfather had although she tells me that she had a 1976 or 77 Monte Carlo and of course a 1969 Acadian Canso (Rebadged Canadian Nova 4door) in Seafoam Green. My dad later drove this car as well (more or less into the ground).

My paternal grandfather had a LOT of cars in his life and was generally a staunch Ford and Chrysler man (with notable exception of his last car, a 2007 Impala that we talked him into buying, a 1981 Electra Coupe, and a 1956 white Coupe de Ville). This was something that the two of us usually playfully debated from a very early age, back and forth over Saturday lunch, at Autoshows and Dealer Showrooms, and everywhere else inbetween. He really was an enthusiast and I will always cherish being able to share that with him. Despite his allegiance to Ford and Mopar, Cadillac was King in his mind. It's a shame he was never really able to afford one and only owned one once. Outside of what was already mentioned I can recollect him mentioning a red Lincoln Mark IV, three Country Squire wagons, a 1965 Newport Sedan in Copper (which had a similar comical propensity for being hit as my current Impala seems to have), a 1955 Ford with a two-speed automatic (his friend had an identical 1955 Ford with the three speed manual and they once drag raced down Whyte Avenue in Edmonton at the crack of dawn to settle the debate between them of which transmission was superior- he was way quicker off the line but his buddy had the extra gear and won in the end). He also had a 1989 Tempo that was dreadful (He bought it from my great-grandmother when she hung up the keys not long after she bought it new), a 1994 Dodge Neon Sport, loaded (one of the first Neons on the road in town), a mid 1980s white Grand Marquis with blue velour interior, a 1996 Ford Windstar and a 2001 Dodge Caravan Sport. Not in any particular order, of course.

[balthazar]

While my grandfather & father both had strings of Pontiacs over multiple decades, as did I, it was not direct influence there because the Pontiacs they had that I remember were from the mid '70s, and I generally abhor '70s vehicles (not all of them). They also weren't what I'd call 'car guys'.

I spent a number of years voraciously reading about cars before I got my first one. Initially it was Cadillacs that I was understandably attracted to (still am), but once it came time to buy & work on something, the cost of Cadillacs & restoration work was too much for my pocket.

So in a way by default (and with the typical car guy's attraction to performance), it was Pontiac's Golden Era (the '60s) that caught my eye, even tho those cars were before my time. So I've had 7 Ponchos. Will always greatly appreciate & have a soft spot for this period Pontiacs ('55-67, basically), so I consider myself a Pontiac man. If the situation presents itself again, I will pick up another period PMD.

GF : '55, '57, '63, '66, '69, '72, '75

F : '63, '70, '77

me : '64, '64, '64, '65, '65, '65, '66

[Turbojett]

My dad raised me as a Vette nut. I'll never forget the print he always had hanging in the hallway of a '63 Stingray SWC. That is what made me fall in love with Corvettes, and cars in general. We'd always been a GM Family, I was brought home from the hospital in a '72 (I think?) Chevelle, and we owned several Chevys since (and pseudo-Chevys, in the case of the '86 Nova we had). On my mom's side, my Grandpa was a dyed-in-the-wool Cadillac man. On my dad's side, my grandparents were all Pontiac people; My father's stepdad, the one I grew up knowing as "grandpa" on that side had a '69 Grand Prix that he doted over. The only time he ever used it was on special occasions, ad to tow his boat to and from the marina. His oldest son from another marriage got it after he passed away. That grandma eventually got a Cadillac as well, a pastel yellow Eldorado, that to my knowledge she still has, along with an '03 Grand Am.

Now I own two Chevrolets (wanting a third! )

But mom doesn't really drive anymore, and Dad swears by the Ford Taurus.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Turbojett

[Dsuupr]

Family was split by GM and Ford. My mother's side almost always had a GM . . . she in herited her mom's Topaz.

Dad's side was FOMOCO with GM . . . over to BMWs (my cousins got BMWs for their first cars).

I've owned . . . new Grand Cherokees, so maybe?

I'm impressed that you know what your family drives so well.

My Opa (Mother's father), died owning a Chevrolet Nova and in his later years swore by Chevrolet. My Oma (80 years old) has owned multiple brands including a few Chevrolets and two Oldsmobiles (Aleros), but now drives a scion xa (true "old" person car). The scion was not the first choice, but at the time GM, Ford nor Chrysler really offered a similar product worth considering (Aveo was just to cheap).

Grandpa Ferguson was a Buick and Ford truck fan. His last vehicle was a 1998 LeSabre. His Ford F250 was sold a few years prior. Over his life time he owned a little bit of everything including a couple of hondas, nissans, Chevrolets and Fords. Though they had the money for a Cadillac in his later years, my Grandmother would never let him spend that kind of money on a car.

My parents have a 2008 Malibu and co-own the scion with my Grandmother. They have owned many makes over the years but have settled on Buick as being their favorites. To be honest, they have been disappointed with their Malibu because they don't believe it offers the same level of luxury as their previous Buicks. They look to retire in the next few years and since they won't have much (both being educators for a public school district), they are most likely to stick with Chevrolets.

My brother drives whatever his father-in-law gives him or what he can get cheap. Him and his wife currently own a 2006 toyota sienna (given to the them by her parents) and a 1994 (?) Ford F150, which is in near perfect condition which they bought themselves. He doesn't like the sienna much and would rather they traded it in on a Regal, but being they are teachers and have three kids there is no money for options like that.

Anyone that knows me, knows I only buy GM now days. Over the years I have had 1 VW (college), 3 Ford/Chryslers (cheap temp cars), 14 Volvos (early 20's phase) and 31 GM products. Now I own the best of them all and the one I dreamed of owning when I was in middle school (though not in wagon form); Marie, my 1984 266k mile Celebrity.

Everyone on both sides of the family own(s) at least one GM, Ford or Chrysler product and most of us are pro-union (lots of teachers in the family), pro-American owned, pro-American made people.

[Lamar]

I've seen a little of everything.

In order, my dad during my lifetime has had an '84 Subaru GL, an '87 BMW 735i, an '88 Chevy C1500 Silverado, and currently drives an '06 STS.

My mom has had a Datsun 200SX, an '85 Subaru GL, a '90 Acura Legend, and currently (but not for long) drives a '94 MB E320.

The family hauler is a '96 Econoline conversion van.

My maternal grandparents have always had an F150 and a Crown Victoria in the stable.

My paternal grandparents have had an LTD Crown Victoria, an F100 Ranger, a Mitsubishi Mirage, and currently a Nissan Quest and our old Silverado.

Interesting story though... when my grandfather found out I had bought the Bonneville, he told me that he had had a Pontiac Chieftain back in the day. I'd love to see pictures of it if he has any.

[pow]

My family tends to keep our cars for a while, so there's not much to list.

My parents bought Volvos in the '80s (760 Diesel, which was totaled, and a 740 Turbo and 240 GL), and then bought the Bimmer, Volkswagen, and Honda in the 2000s. I recall lots of relatives had Volvos, too -- 740, 940, 960 -- back in the day when they were safer than most other reasonably-priced cars. Prior to marriage, my mom had some two-door Mazda, and my dad had a Ford LTD.

My maternal grandfather's first car was a Mercedes diesel taxi in HK; then in the US, he got a Datsun pick-up (stolen) then a Toyota Truck dually. Paternal grandparents had a 1980s Mercedes 300SD and a 1990s C-Class.

US branded cars are getting a lot better now than they were the last 30 years, and I wouldn't be surprised if my parents' next car were a Focus Electric or second-gen Volt. I've inherited the VW, which should be fine for another 5 years, but I'm open to any brand of car as long as it appeals to me.

Edited March 1, 2011 by pow

[Paolino]

Okay, long story short:

All the American cars my family owned were complete and utter POS'. My best friend's parents down the block had a 1982 Olds 98, and a 1983 Olds 98, and his oldest sister had a 197x Regal. Loved all their cars. Loved the smoothness, the power, the comfort, the size. For some reason their cars never broke down like ours. Then again, we had some "special" luck when it came to car ownership until we started buying Buicks.

So, car history for just my parents and myself, from when I was a baby til today:

19xx Dodge Palara**

19xx Plymouth Valiant**

1982 Malibu Classic**

1983 Plymouth Reliant

1987 Plymouth Sundance**

1990 Plymouth Acclaim

1992 Plymouth Sundance**

1992 Buick Century

1992 Buick LeSabre Limited

1993 Mercury Tracer

1994 Buick Century

2006 Hyundai Sonata

2006 Buick Lucerne CXL

** Denotes super-mega-craptacular vehicles, with the Malibu just being an all-out lemon. From 6 months in til the day she was put down in her 7th year, she was complete and utter junk.

I woulda been an OldsmoPaulie, but GM killed the division so since I love me some large/quiet/premium cars, Buick was the next logical step while staying American.

[knightfan26917]

My story is rather boring, comparatively.

My Dad was a Chevy guy. When I was born, he and Mom owned a 1968 Impala SS. In 1976, they traded that in for a 1976 Monte Carlo. About 5 years later, they bought a 1981 Monte Carlo (now mine).

The rest, as they say, is history.

More, though, is here:

http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/mcstory.html'>http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/mcstory.html

Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * meet_07.30.11_Cold.Treat *

MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Time slips away" __ Bruce Springsteen __ 'Glory Days'

[§carlet §wordfish]

My grandpa liked European cars. He owned at least two MGs and a Triumph TR6. My dad has owned several Beetles, but also a Camaro and a Civic CVCC wagon in which he smugly recounts smoking V8 muscle cars between traffic lights. My mom says her family's first new car was a Gremlin, and she's notably owned a Nova, a Fiero and an Audi 5000. During my childhood we had a VW Vanagon, a couple of Golfs and an Audi, but lately we've been sticking to GM cars. My grandpa and uncle both worked for GM, so I think that's where the loyalty mostly comes from.

I have yet to buy a car of my own and I probably won't for a long time. I've always felt the closest identification with GM cars, but if I were shopping I'd be open to pretty much anything.

[Drew Dowdell]

Dad has been a Ford Truck Man for nearly his entire driving life.

Up until I was in high school, Mom had an affinity for obscure imported wagons. There was a Fiat, a VW Type 3 or 4 (not sure), a Subaru GL wagon... in '82, a Dodge Colt Vista wagon in '86.

Once the Vista wagon was done, mom switched to large domestic sedans. Bonneville in '94 and Aurora in '01. She still has the Aurora even though it's been wrecked, they still drive it around. It's got 180k miles on it and is a basket case because they never took care of it. She has an F-150 King Ranch now as her daily.

[ocnblu]

I never knew this until a couple of months ago, but my mom's yellow '69 Corvette she traded her '69 Charger on wasn't really hers. It had been stolen from a soldier somewhere down south and sold to her through a used car dealer in 1969. There is a picture of my kindergarten self standing in front of it. After that was discovered and she lost the car and her investment into it, there was a parade of older used cars for a while... '61 Valiant (white or beige, it's fuzzy)... '64 Bonneville coupe in aqua, and a '66 Mercury Monterrey 4-door hardtop in maroon, which was traded on her '72 Malibu, a brown coupe with black vinyl buckets, a basket handle automatic, psychedelic rubber mushroom decals on the decklid (you had to be there, early 70's) and a 307. She eventually hit a deer with the Malibu, and the bondo fell out (horrible bodywork done by a "reputable" local bodyshop), all the way down the right side of the car there were rusty tumahs about 6 inches across. That car was traded on a '77 Charger SE, dark blue/light blue landau top and white vinyl 60/40 interior with blue carpet. That was in turn traded for her white LeCar in 1981, to a silver V6 Camaro in '86, a light blue Beretta GT in '88, a dark blue Saturn SC2 in '92, which she kept for 3 days and returned it for a white SL2, loaded. Then it was a '98 gold SL2, and I think she kept that until she got the gold Corolla, which she could not afford from the high-pressure Toyota dealer... they traded her into a used Echo, which she loved, but using the clutch hurt her leg... so she got herself a Cobalt, which she never cared for... now it's green Cube, and she's content once again.

Maybe it is my mother I get my schizophrenic automotive tastes from...

Edited March 12, 2011 by ocnblu