CARS IN MY LIFE
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| Cranky and Pop in 1963 with my 1958 MGA |
I got nothing, so it's re-run time
Some things in life you just do not forget, your dogs, your cars, your ex-wives. In an older post I have chronicled my dogs http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2013/08/dogs-in-my-life.html, I try to forget my ex-wives. Here is my life as represented in the cars I grew up with or have owned.
1951 Buick - Pop’s- traded in 1959 for the Ford Galaxy. It took us from NY to California in ‘51 and back in ’55. (Summers and salt air at Jersey shore took its toll…traded in ’59.)
1955 VW Bug – Pop’s- It was totaled in an accident 1961 by my oldest brother (It was either brake failure or too much beer.)
1959 Ford Galaxy – Pop’s (Mine for a while in College) Older brother almost totaled running a red light in ‘60. I pretty much just ran into the ground.
1962 Pontiac Tempest – Mom’s - Broke down on a ski trip to NE 1967 with my older brother, had to replace the fuel pump, don’t remember what happened to it after that.
1958 MGA Bought used in ’63 – Broke down 1967…scrapped (Still makes me cry thinking about it)
1964 VW Bug – Pop’s – Stolen 1968
1964 VW Bug – Pop’s – Stolen 1968
1959 Volvo – Not mine, my friend Charley’s, but we spent a few summers in it not picking up chicks. The engine caught fire on a test run when Charley was trying to sell it. He told the prospective buyer, “It’s never done that before!”
1968 VW Bug – Sold for $50 in 1994 (it was still running great)
1972 AMC Hornet Station Wagon – Traded in 1981. (It was a dog, but all I could afford. Four years at $30 a month.)
1981 Honda Accord – The engine ran great, the body and chassis dissolved 1994.
1976 Cadillac Seville- (bought from mom in 1986)-Sold 1988 for $300. (A little beat up, but my first taste of luxury.)
1988 Mercury Sable station Wagon – Son took to Colorado 1993 and ran it into the ground...karma for me and the '59 Ford.
1990 Jeep Wrangler – Traded in 2007 (Ex-wife ruined clutch…did not believe in neutral at stop lights. Also major rear end dents…see 2006 Sequoia.)
198? Saab - Came with second wife, clutch turned to mush (see 1990 Jeep Wrangler...riding the clutch not good), gave to charity for tax break.
1993 Saab – Bought used in ’97 Traded in 2000 (Stalled all the time, would not idle…best mechanics could not fix. A cousin suggested the gas pedal cable connection had stretched; shortened the connection and it never stalled again.)
198? Saab - Came with second wife, clutch turned to mush (see 1990 Jeep Wrangler...riding the clutch not good), gave to charity for tax break.
1993 Saab – Bought used in ’97 Traded in 2000 (Stalled all the time, would not idle…best mechanics could not fix. A cousin suggested the gas pedal cable connection had stretched; shortened the connection and it never stalled again.)
1998 Jeep Cherokee – Traded in 2006 (Do not miss it, it stalled going around sharp turns periodically…not good.)
2006 Toyota Sequoia – Lost in divorce, Son drives today. (Can be recognized by matching huge dents on rear bumper…reverse is not ex-wife’s strong suit.)
2007 Jeep Wrangler - Still running…love, love.
2004 Toyota Sequoia - Came with my third wife, traded in '12 for a Forerunner (The car; wife still runs good.)
2004 Toyota Sequoia - Came with my third wife, traded in '12 for a Forerunner (The car; wife still runs good.)
2012 Toyota Forerunner- Still like new. (Wife will not let me drive it.)
My next and last car (unless my wife lets me drive longer) a new Cadillac CTS Sedan…Year yet to be determined.
2018 Honda HR-V...I was too cheap to pull the trigger on a Cadillac. Lease is due up soon.
Car histories are always an interesting read, at least to me. Thanks for sharing yours.
ReplyDeleteI can remember some of the cars I've had over my lifetime, but not all of them.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day and week, Joe. ☺
I’m only on my 6th car, Chevy, Mazda, Toyota and now my 3rd Honda in a row.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite car was my '71 MGB, but I only had it for about a year. Then my 1986-1/2 VW Quantum station wagon that took me to Mexico and back. When driving it at over 100 MPH on a very long and straight Mexican highway, I'd always look at my wife and say "German engineering!" My next favorite, my 2013 Nissan Altima - 8+ years we've had it and finally topped 40K miles on the odometer. It may last longer than me.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite car is the one that is currently running, whichever that happens to be. Sad, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteWhat, no BEAMER? (Not that I think you're the kind of person who would drive a BEAMER...)
ReplyDeleteCars in my life=0
ReplyDeleteCars in first ex-hubs life, several that either got repossesed because he "forgot" to make the payments, or he somehow always managed to burn out the gear box.
I can't believe a $30 car payment! Too lazy to count the number of cars we've had over the years but I have decided if hubby dies before me I'm selling both cars and leasing something.
ReplyDeleteSon had a 1993 Cadillac Deville. Got it when he was a senior in high school (2007). He loved that car. It finally became too expensive to fix in 2017 so he parked it hoping to have money to fix it sometime down the road. It was still in our name for registration. One day about 6 weeks ago he told hubby he was ready to get rid of the Cadi. Before he changed his mind, I contacted Kars for Kids and got it towed away the next day. What a great ride it was though! What a money pit too.
betty
$30/month for 4 years does seem low, even in '72...that's the number I remember. Must have put a few dollars down. Don't remember.
DeleteI had a lovely Volvo. Great cars.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Think I would keep your brother and that ex wife away from your cars. I tend to keep cars forever and when I do trade them in, I demand they go to a good home. My favorite was a 74 VW that I got when I turned 60. Had wanted one most of my life. It was a cutie and fun. My current one is a 2003 Toyota Tacoma I bought new and it now has 179,000 miles. Never been in the shop.
ReplyDeleteMy first car I bought was a brand new 1975 Chevrolet Vega - Spirit of America. I was 21 - I had a $77 monthly payment over 3 years. Engine blew just after 50,000 miles.
ReplyDeleteThe 70's, the crappy age of American cars!
DeleteWow, kudos on recalling each and every one! My least favorite car was driving around my Mom's Pontiac Executive. What a beast. My fav car was a Volkswagen Bug my husband (then my boyfriend) gave me, I think it was a 1970 model. Quirky and fun...if I forgot to turn off the radio, it would play even when I removed the key, then the battery would be dead the next morning.
ReplyDelete