We have all owned cars we still wish we had. The ’75 Thunderbird I had is definitely one I wish I had kept, but at the time it only made sense to sell it.
I had purchased it from the original owners in 1993 for the princely sum of $600. It was a Copper Luxury Group car, identical to the one above, except mine had leather seats! I’m not a Brougham fanatic, however I do see the appeal from the comfort angle. This car was as quiet as a church mouse, a real isolation chamber, and was like driving a 5,000 pound La-Z-Boy recliner. It’s 460 had been lovingly massaged and ran fabulous. I loved that car.
So much, in fact, I still have the paperwork from when it was purchased new.
Thinking back, which car do you still wish you had?
Very easy and appropriate question for me today. 1962 Buick Skylark.
For the overall quality and character…my 1972 Super Beetle.
It was not to be, though…it had tinworm cancer.
For the rarity factor…Blazing Saddles, my 1973 Pinto Squire. No rust on that bad-boy; paint was horrifically faded, but not – as later models would – peeling. Woodgrain faded to gray. But it’s the kind of car that’s just not made these days…and as drivers go, there were and are worse.
1990 ASC/Mclaren Pontiac Grand Prix Turbo coupe. Extremely comfortable seats (11 way power), heads up display, plenty of power, flashy looks, good handling, lousy brakes, so-so ride. A great highway cruiser.
1964 Cadillac Coupe de Ville I had in the late 80s. .things changed and I had to let it go.
$2,820 on a 6 year old Cougar was incredible residual when they only sold for $3-3.5K new. Now maybe they “inflated” the trade to made the sale who knows…
That; and there was some incredible inflation going on in those years. It wasn’t unusual in the late 1970s for some cars off-lease, two or three years old, to sell for as much as they had been stickered new, At least that was my family’s experience…with a four-door 1978 Chevette.
From what I can remember being told, the ’69 Cougar was powered by a 390; I simply do not know how many were equipped as such, so that could partially explain the trade-in. I also remember the first owner (the father of a then friend of mine) telling me there were some other details involved in this transaction, but I no longer know what.
I’d wish for my 72 Matador, 62 TR4 or even the 85 RX7 but they were all in terrible shape when I disposed of them, so as much as I might want a nice TR4 I certainly don’t want my old one back.
About the only vehicle I wish I still had the actual vehicle is my 88 Ford Ranger. Other than the fact that it ran poorly it was in fine shape when I sold it, and would be nice for parts chasing and commuting now that I don’t go everywhere with two baby car seats.
Asking me what kind of car I would have kept is like asking a retired doctor which patient he liked best…
Well of the cars that I had owned personally and kept for any length of time, that would probably be my 1991 Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegence. Triple white with red trim, the last evolution of the classic Cadillac design, 5.7 V8 TBI, 700R4, 3.08 with coach builder equipment. Looked everything like a stereotypical Cadillac, drove like a modern car, easy as eating cake to fix (mechanically), holds a good value.
My 1989 trofeo, I only had it 2 months.
At least you got the chance to own one…
they are close to extinct now i reckon.
had my ’90 Trofeo for about two years, but put 60k miles on it
My 70 VW Bus with the camping interior. Didn’t have the pop-up top but did have the fridge, sink, pump water, closet, bed and curtains.
Rust eventually did it in.
Second choice, my 78 Seville. Absolutely loved that car, except for the damn sensor issues.
Learned by lesson though. When my 53 Caddy blew a head gasket in 1985,I kept it and it still sits in the backyard to this day waiting to be brought back to life. Now that my 77 Olds is back on the road, time to get back to the 53.
I had a ’51 60 Special that I never finished restoring. I wish I had completed it. Looking back, I wish I had kept my ’88 Pontiac Fiero. They’re still plenty out there. Just need to cull the herd to have a place to park it.
I also had an ’81 Mercury Capri Black Magic with a 255 V8. Found out during the internet age that it’s now quite collectable. But, I wore that car out before selling to my brother (who also had and traded off his Black Magic). Now, you can’t find them in any decent condition.
I can’t decide between my 1963 Corvair Monza four-speed; 1970 Peugeot 404 wagon, and 1986 MBZ 300E. All three, please?
It would be a toss-up between my ’71 Vega (post V6-ectomy), The Mayfield Belle (’71 VW bus, which had terminal tin worm when it finally died) or Eeyore, my ’64 Beetle. Oh, my ’69 F100, too, but only if someone else has already restored it… And also my ’66 Tempest (post SBC transplant). I better stop now…
I miss Herbie already, too… : (
I would want my ’66 Bonneville convertible, in Martinique Bronze with matching leather-and-vinyl bench seat interior, power windows/doors/locks, and factory air – but in exactly its condition when purchased in December 1974 (with <40K miles), not the poor thing I sold along with pieces of a parts car in 1991. The other contingency, of course, is that it needs a 20-foot-long garage and we don't even have space to erect a carport.
I’m surprised the Ford dealer that sold that T-Bird was still using the term “Tudor” to describe a two-door body style as late as 1975.
As for my personal favorite ride, I hope I won’t be disqualified for choosing something too modern: I’d take my ’98 SVT Contour back in a minute. I might have found a way to keep it if a now-former-friend hadn’t totaled when it was only three years old.
I also have many fond memories of piloting a ’63 Skylark convertible during my teen years, but it was a rust bucket before it fell into my hands, so there are many things I do not miss about it.
Never lend your Car, your Bicycle or your wife/G/F.
You never get them back the same way
I didn’t notice the use of Tudor, but the price freaked me out. That’s about $43,000 in today’s money for a Thunderbird. The 6 year old Cougar was traded for almost the equivalent of $14K. Could it have cost more than $5K in 1969?
’67 Deluxe Sunroof VW Beetle. Gray market car that I bought from a military guy who imported it. Extra features like front disc brakes made it special. But, over in Hawaii it started to rust, so we didnt ship it back to California when we moved.
The one I wish I still had was in my fingertips ,yet slipped away.
1961 Imperial Lebaron sitting on the local Ford dealers lot in 1972-73.
Gorgeous 95,000 mile car with silvercrest roof inserts .
Green in color with like new leather interior. Could have been mine for the sum of roughly $400 dollars or so IIRC.
A Dads firm “No”! still rings in my ears….
If we’re also including cars that we almost bought, I would have to add a certain 1966 Chrysler New Yorker 4-door hardtop in maroon. I spotted it at the roadside with a for sale sign when my GF (now wife) and I were vacationing out in BC. It had every available option except for A/C. The body was pristine. The owner stored it indoors and only took it out once a week to attend his car club meetings. He was selling it to finance the restoration of a T-bird.
After we got back from vacation, I gave-in and called to make an offer and figure out how to get it home, but it had been sold. Spotted it on ebay a few years later, but I wasn’t in a position to buy another car, and it hadn’t been looked after very well by the next owner so now it needed some attention.
In 1982 I saw a black 64 Galaxy convertible for £450 or nearest offer in the Marton area of Blackpool.I had the money but not the space for a full size car and I knew I’d soon get tired of keeping a big V8 in the hard stuff.Oh well I’m lucky there’s only one car I regret not buying
Thanks enough to make me cry.
My blue 1970 Vauxhall PA Cresta despite it’s manual steering.
1984 GMC fullsize van, 6.2L diesel, full windows and interior with buckets up front and 2 rows of benches in the back. This was not a conversion van but a factory-equipped family hauler. It was fairly gutless, but got great fuel economy for its size, had no problems towing my parents’ boat and occasionally another vehicle with the car dolly. Must have had pretty good weight distribution because it was also very good in snow, unlike my pickup truck which replaced it.
My dad gave the van to me after he bought his Suburban in 1998. I did a bunch of work on it, including replacing all the doors and welding in a new floor, but ultimately gave up after about 3 years. It was generating problems faster than I could fix them and thus becoming unreliable. We parked it and it became a parts vehicle for the Suburban for awhile before being scrapped.
That was a very good set up. Think of it, a full size van was a brick, the axles in vans were usually a bit lower like 3.08 since they usually weren’t used for pulling like the trucks. Such a set up is what I have in mind to put in a Brougham I don’t know if I will go 6.5 w or wo turbo. With 700R4 from later years an a 3.08 with turbo very versatile with very good economy. Plus with the old style DB2 pumps you can tune them to make less noise and smoke and be very reliable.
Any of the minivans I previously owned… Then I’d have something paid for that could pull my little camper.
And the 86 Century GS, because I could afford the time and money to fix it up now.
Oh, damn my impatience for getting rid of any of the decent rides I’ve owned.
There are two former cars that I would like to have back; one was a 1973 Nova coupe with the 350/350 V8 from a late sixties Corvette. It had a four speed and a 3.73 Posi rear end; as you might guess it was a very entertaining (if thirsty) car to drive. About once a month I get the urge to drive a manual transmission and make some passes up thru the gears, the Nova would be perfect for that.
The other car was a 1988 Mustang GT convertible; it was my daily driver for seven years and I still regret trading it away. I wouldn’t want to drive it every day now, for one thing it was extremely difficult to drive in snow, but there isn’t much better than cruising with the top down on a fine day. This is the car from the past that I miss the most.
Like many of us I have a mental wish list of cars to acquire after I win the lottery. The list changes frequently but a late 80’s Mustang is constantly at the top of the list.
Aside from great AC and a MUCH quieter sealed tight ride, I regret Trading a 1989 GT CONV MUSTANG for good AC , The Quiet Cool on a hot travelled day Beats the VROOM VROOM every 15 feet in traffic.
Being only on my 2nd car, I don’t really have an answer. If I could name a car that a close family member owned and that I wish I owned now, it would be my grandfather’s 1992 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency. Blueish-gray with red velour seats. There was a special feel (and definitely a special look) to that Oldsmobile!
1. My dark blue 300L hardtop.
2. My desert tan 1962 Lincoln convertible
3. My blue 1957 3-speed Fury
4. My 1964 230SL
5. Big Red, my 1960 New Yorker 2-door hardtop
I know I’ll think of more….
I want the cars on your list. 🙂
+1 on the 300L only ever seen a red one at a show in the UK in 2000.Have it on good authority there is a gold 300L manual on the south coast
My 2005 Ford Focus. I bought the car used for $8000(plus taxes and all that other happy horse crap) while waiting for Maryland to process my request for forcing GM to buy back a POS vehicle I had bought new in mid 2009. I refused to get back in and drive that POS so I needed something to drive. The Focus was sold by a rental company and had 36,000 miles on it when I bought it. I put another 40,000 miles on the car before trading it in on another car in 2011.
I loved that car and even know GM bought the car back 2 months later and I had cash to buy a newer car, the little Focus was reliable and drove well without needing anything except oil changes and the trans fluid drain and replenish at 60,000 miles(like it said in the manual) in short routine maintaining. It rolled through the snow storm of 12/18/2009 and Snowmageddon of Feb 2010 like a champ.
I foolishly traded it in for a bigger car with a hatch with a nameplate that I expected quality and reliability on: Toyota and bought a 2012 Scion XB. Big Big mistake. Toyota is becoming GM with the arrogant dealer behavior. The XB was not a bad car and I did love the way it drove and the versatility of the thing BUT the few faults the car had(coolant smell, body panel fitment etc) were not covered under warranty, in fact the warranty was pretty worthless. The final straw was the shifter knob was stripped out(had a brittle plastic insert) and Toyota said it was cosmetic so it was not covered. Cosmetic issues would be scratches not a shifter knob for a auto trans stripping out.
I just traded it in for a 2013 Kia Forte with a stick and have not regretted it at all. I think I took a $1000 hit at trade in but The XB was paid off and $1000 loss was not worth the hassle dealing with Toyota. In short it was worth losing $1000 to get rid of the dang thing
Toyota has indeed slipped quite a bit in the last few years. Like you said, they are the next GM. They recently refused to cover a failed engine oil cooler line on my Sienna under the powertrain warranty, the oil line was a rubber hose and when it fail, the engine ran dry with the first warning being a loud knocking sound from the bottom end. They have known about this common problem with the 3.5 L v6 since 2011 but will not advise owners or cover the cost of a replacment (updated, all stainless steel) part, let alone a damaged engine from no oil. The whole episode has left a sour taste in my mouth and I have sworn off ever buying another Toyota.
Back to topic… I would really like to have a truck like the one my father had when I was a kid, 1977 F-150 with the funky f”reewheeling” decal package, 302, factory alloys, push bar and big rig style mirrors very similar to this:
#1. 1970 BMW 2002.
#2. 1965 Mustang Convertible.
#3. 1994 Jeep Cherokee…. would not die, same clutch and lost only 1/3 quart of oil every 3,000 miles at 265,000 miles….. rust did it in.
Easily my ’71 Type 3 Squareback. Had it in high school, so I didn’t have the money or knowledge to do what needed to be done to make it a good daily driver. I ended up selling it for the same $250 I had in it, and bought the other car I still wish I had – my 1985 Subaru GL-10 wagon.
My parents yellow 1969 Country Squire.
91 Sentra Se-R. A blast on a backroad. Who knew FWD could be so much fun?
my 79 fiat spider
The one I miss most would be my 82 Capri RS 5.0. Black T-top with red vinyl, houndstooth inset interior. Bought it well used when it was about ten years old and rebuilt the drivetrain to then-modern specs. Ran mid twelves at about 109. Over the next decade I put multiple hundred thousands of miles on it and it was very tired again. I had neither the funds nor the space for the total restoration it desperately needed so I sold it knowing that I would want it again one day. Now here it is ten years later and I want it back but that is impossible.
Second choice would be the 74 Cougar that mother had when I was a teen. Silver with a silver full vinyl top snd red leather interior. Floor shifted C6 and the 400 it was a muscle car in its time.
’67 VW Beetle bought for $1 in ’86 to save it from the crusher and a father-son resto project that never materialized (I was the son, 12 at the time), stored for three years for free and sold for $25 to someone who planned to make a Baja Bug from it. I still haven’t driven one and it’s still the only car I ever made money on.
A low mileage, completely original 1976 Cadillac Formal Limousine of which I was the third owner. The car had never been in the livery business and I owned it for 11 years. I still cannot figure out what I sold it.
1977 Dodge Royal Monaco Brogham
White ’95 Toyota Corolla wagon. A sensible sized semi-utilty vehicle.
My 1978 Alfa Romeo Spyder. I was a bit worried going from a fwd VW GTI 16v to a rear wheel drive car but that Alfa had the slowest, laziest oversteer. It was a blast to drive. For me, it really is more fun to drive fast in a slow car.
My choice would be one of the first “classics” I bought, although at the time it wasn’t quite old enough and I got some strange reactions: my 1979 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. I got in the late ’90s from an old couple who bought it new, with nearly every available option — including a power metal sliding sunroof, cornering lights, fiber optic lamp monitors, and of course that Brougham-tastic pinstriped loose-pillow interior. I sold it for about what I paid for it about 5 years later to a guy who was going to use it as a daily driver. How could I? As a consolation, I saw the car around town a couple of times over the next couple of years, and it looked well maintained. Although not the most exciting color combo (white with black interior), that car was in beautiful shape and was so smooth, quiet, and maneuverable (if slooowwww)…a real sweetheart. Now I have its big brother, a 1979 Toronado. I love it, but it’s not as well preserved as that Cutlass!
my first car… a powder blue 1976 Chevrolet Malibu Classic sedan, 305/TH350, 3.08 axle ratio, AC, cloth seats, base model Classic trim. I came home from the hospital in it when it was 3 months old. I gave it to the wrecking yard in 2000, being in college, with no place to store a project car that was needy in many ways and needed parts that were at the time unobtainium in materials and talent to me.
It was rather difficult to let that car go, since it had been with me my entire life up to that point.
It would have to be a 3 way tie between My ’72 Buick Skylark Coupe, ’86 Mercury Cougar XR7, and ’88 Volvo 240dl wagon. Each car was awesome to me in its own special way.
Toss up between my 1992 Honda Accord LX 2-door – traded in solely because I grew tired of it after two years – and the near-pristine, 245,000 mile 1985 Mercedes 300D I only had for three months, and sold so I could move into a new apartment. Both represent the kind of quiet competence and high build quality that’s hard to find in today’s vehicles.
Wish I kept my 64 corvair. It was a real pain in the ass most of the time, but on the right day with that top down, it was priceless! Someday when I have more time, money, and patience I guess…
+1, except that mine was a ’63.
However, I can rest peacefully in the fact that I made money on the deal.
1996 Subaru SVX. Probably the closest I’ll ever come to owning a Citroen.
Sigh.
Easy, my “57 Chevy Bel Air 2 door hardtop. I owned it while in college and without enough money to maintain it like I should have. I knew I would regret selling it (everyone warned me). Another one was my ’67 Ford Fairlane XL. A sweet ride.
My second car: Golden Olive 1973 Bonneville 2-door hardtop purchased with 29K and sold years later with 85K. Its unique color and option content made it the most attractive ’73 Pontiac I’ve seen to this day with its optional white vinyl top, white Morrokide interior with black accents and white paint stripes.
Exterior options included the deluxe bumper group, front bumper guards, rear bumper guards, door edge guards, body side moldings, sport mirrors (LH remote, RH manual), whitewall tires, and those elegant Custom finned wheel covers.
Inside it was ordered with front & rear mats, tinted glass, deluxe seat belts, power windows, power door locks, map/dome light, door courtesy lamps, manual A/C, RH visor mirror, LH visor mirror (very uncommon), AM/8-track stereo, and rally gauge cluster. The car did not have tilt or cruise and it had the base 400-2bbl engine with single exhaust. The Doraville, GA plant that built it painted its stripes on and installed stainless steel body side moldings: far better than the stupid tape stripes and stick-on rubber moldings applied at the Pontiac plant.
So I tried to fill the void and now have two more oddly-optioned ’73 Bonneville coupes in the collection…but neither of them is as special as “the one” I miss so much. My car looked a lot like this Catalina (minus the wheels & incorrect fender skirts).
My second lost love 🙁 was a triple white 1973 Delta 88 convertible, purchased at a car lot in Forestdale, AL a long time ago with about 130K on it. The car was gorgeous and mechanically worn out. Its single exhaust 455 was weak but super quiet and smooth running.
I drove it for several years when I was in my mid twenties and have many pleasant memories associated with it, most of which involved the female persuasion. Its only options I knew of were the 455, manual A/C, AM/FM 8-track, accessory group (visor mirror, underhood/trunk lights), and remote mirror. No power windows and not even a clock.
I was young and dumb and had no place to put the car so it sat outside where I worked….right next to the above Pontiac. Both got vandalized so I regrettably sold the car for peanuts to some idiot that pestered me about it endlessly. The said idiot broke the top & left it down permanently. A year later, I saw it sitting the weeds on property they owned with the top down and got all emotional — it was heartbreaking to see the car like that…a car that had taken such good care of me.
I could never get ahold of the owners to try & buy it back. I assume it’s been destroyed or scrapped by now. It looked a lot like this car:
Beautiful car, I’m a sucker for white on white, sorry to hear the story of it’s fate. I usually assume with cars that age when I sell that the next owner will have to take care of it just because, but I guess that’s not always the case.
1967 Fleetwood Brougham, triple black. The only two options missing were heated seats and AM/FM Stereo. Wonderful car.
My 1991 Isuzu Impulse XS. Great handling and 8000 RPM little screamer, with the tall gearing I fitted to get it running it only needed a turbo to have some more oomph below 4K.
Maybe dad’s 81 305 Caprice and 75 Range Rover
This one.
I had a ’70!
This was a ’73 with overdrive. Ironically, about 15 years ago the guy who I sold it to (in ’81) called me and asked if I wanted to buy it back. He had just had a cosmetic restoration done on it, and it looked like a new car. Unfortunately he wanted big money for it, and the thought of paying about 3 times what I paid for it the first time just didn’t seem like a good idea at the time.
Sometimes the memories are better than the object of them.
My 1959 Plymouth Fury sedan. The car fit me like a glove. Also the 29 Model A rumble seat coupe. A growing family forced that sale.
In truth, if I had the room and the money, I think I would have every single one back.
Easy! My first car, a 1991 Volvo 940SE turbo, in black with saddle tan leather. Never should have sold it, but I bought a ’99 S70AWD as the new daily driver in Jan. 2004 and had only a one-car garage (and still do).
Here it is, parked at my dad’s office (where I worked from 1995-2004), circa 2000:
I don’t miss any of my prior cars all that much; the one I’d like back the most would have to be my 1980 Volvo 242DL 2-door sedan. I had it for 21 years, 1982-2003, and by the end, the tinworm and electrical issues were taking their toll.
Now going farther back in time to cars owned by family members, these are the ones I’d like, in order:
1955 Chevy 210 Delray club coupe
1961 Olds Dynamic 88 2-door hardtop
1961 Chevy Bel Air 2-door sedan
1967 Chevy Bel Air 2-door sedan
1973 Chevy Monte Carlo S
I’d love to have a ’67 Bel Air & ’73 Monte Carlo.
1. My 1962 Porsche 356B, in black. Paid $2000 for it in early 1968, sold it six months later (moving) for $2000. (You know what they go for today!) It was wrecked about 3 months later . . . . .
2. My Ford Econoline Pickup which I bought new in 1961. Made two transcontinental trips with it. A tad slow (144 ci six) but that huge windshield provided panoramic views of the Rockies. With an early camper top installed on the back, I had a rolling motel room to boot.
3. My 1964 Valiant that I bought for $200 while hitching through Mississippi in 1975. I followed the tracks of that car for years after. It would NOT DIE. I would not be surprised if it was still ticking over today. Although that car slipped through my fingers, there is another ’64 (same color even) currently parked in my driveway.
(There is a moral to this story: If you want to remember a car fondly, Keep It Simple Stupid. Even the Porsche was dead simple).
This morning, while getting my ’86 Nissan Pickup inspected. I noticed a ’41 Chevy 2 door sedan in the shop for steering box repair. Original owner, 53,000 miles. Never restored or even repainted. All original. That guy must have bought into the KISS ethic as well!
I miss my 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS the most.
My long gone 1979 Datsun 280ZX I miss second most.
black 71 GTX with an Air Grabber. Had to sell it when I went to boot camp and I heard it was wrecked and parted out shortly after.
Then several years later I had a 68 Dart GTS 340 4 speed with air conditioning and disc brakes and a Petty Blue 72 Cuda 340 that I had to sell when I PCS’d from New York to Texas.
3 rare desirable Mopars that I wish I was able to hold on to but military duty calls.
I applaud your self-discipline & service… I have pretty much no control over my automotive impulsiveness… At least my stepson has figured it out — visiting him at MacDill AFB last year was a real eye-opener. If I had gone into the military out of high school, I could retire in a year or two. Oh well. I digress…
I miss pretty much every car I owned in the previous millennium. In the order they passed through my hands:
1971 Cougar convertible
1972 Toronado
1968 Mustang convertible (289, Pony interior)
1971 Datsun 240Z (the only car I’ve ever modded)
1972 Fiat Spyder (1600cc)
1979 Fiat Spyder (2000cc)
1981 Corolla SR5 hatch
1984 Cressida
I’d guess that, with the possible exception of the hot-rod 240Z, every one of them was long ago turned into soup cans.
1. Simply because of its options, my ’80 Mercury Monarch Ghia. Specially ordered in lipstick red with a white half vinyl top, its options list saw: power windows, power drivers, deluxe vinyl bench seat, power locks, light group (cornering lights, lighted vanity mirror), manual control a/c, tilt wheel, cruise control, am/fm with 8 track quadrasonic sound and all digital radio controls, TRX aluminum road wheels, deck lid luggage rack. All of this luxury was powered by the 250 CID six backed up by a Select Shift Cruise-o-Matic. Quite a bit of dash, little on the flash.
2. My ’93 Regal Gran Sport 4 door – a lovely car all around.
3. Again, simply for its options, my dad’s ’68 Buick Skylark two door hardtop – every option block checked – another lovely car.
That was one loaded Monarch.. I’m a sucker for the ’68 Skylark & Special…one heavily optioned would be quite a peach.
Sorry for all these comments…feeling quite chatty today.
1987 Toyota Cressida. I would kill for another one with everything and a cloth interior. Toyota’s leather at the time would split on a sunny day. Bonus points for wagon with a twin turbo swap.
A little undecided. Either my first car a 68 Plymouth Sport Satellite white with burgundy interior or my 1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car in the same color scheme as the Plymouth. However, as I think it through from a practical standpoint my 98 S-10 V-6 Xtended cab. Traded it for a new 2008 GMC Sierra 4×4 xtended cab with the Pro Grade package. The S-10 suited my pick up needs much better, used alot less gas and was oh so much easier to park and move about in and was really better trimmed on the inside. Hence the GMC only has 24000 miles after nearly 5 years.
The original owner apparently traded in a ’69 Cougar on this luxo-barge? Shame on him! I’ve said it before, of all the cars I’ve owned, I still wish I could have my 1970 Mercury Cougar XR-7. Dark ivy green metallic with matching leather interior, Cleveland V-8, power windows, A/C, sunroof, yet! I’d give anything to get that car back. Powerful, luxurious, it was my mini-Mark III. Oh, what could have been!
1961 Ambassador. Repainted in Stingray silver with a red racing stripe, mag wheels, Recaro bucket seats, 401 ci engine and four-speed manual from an AMX, and — best of all — dual hidden flame throwers. Great good fun.
The one I should have kept was my 1978 Buick Lesabre Custom, which I did a COAL on last year. It was a Buick block 350, THM350 and all HD options. In red with white vinyl roof, along with Buick rallye wheels, it looked great. Inside it was white vinyl, with 60/40 seat and it was loaded with everything but sunroof.
I converted it to LPG and cut out the cat and it ran just great. I was paying 23 cents a litre for the stuff so running my big sled was costing me Chevy Sprint money and I only had like $5500 into it. I could have driven the thing for twenty years as it only had 73,000 km on it. And like a complete idiot, I sold it and bought a 1986 Jetta which was a complete POS.
1984 Nissan Pulsar NX. Not a popular choice, but for me it was modestly fun, very reliable, and highly frugal. KISS indeed, right down to the sunroof panel that had to be removed by hand, but that car was right for me. Great memories.
1974 Innocenti 1300 Cooper.
An Italian built Mini Cooper S, but a better car then the British Mini’s
– Carello Halogen headlights
– Brembo front disc brakes and Brembo servo unit.
– Wider rear track through wider drums
– Veglia dash with gauges running from left to right.
And in red with a black top.
All standard the above.
Came with Mille-Miglia rims
Scared the shit out of local BMW’s
Especially in the cornering department.
Wish I still had my 97 Honda Civic. Had it for almost two years and it was a great car. Never gave me any trouble except for a starter needing to be replaced at 110k miles. It was totaled after I was rear ended at a stop light and the guy didnt have any insurance. Even though it had some serious damage, it still ran. Honda makes some rock solid vehicles!
My 1993 B-13 SE-R. Sold it and then i felt like i just lost my dog. Replaced it with a 1994 Taurus SHO. Great engine although would have liked a little more torque and it handled like a wounded rhino. Finally replaced it with SR20VE powered Infinti G20. Finally solved my dilemma.
Cars I wish I still had…
1969 Mercedes 280SE
1979 Mustang 5.0L Ghia notch
1978 VW Scirocco 4-speed
1980 Ford Fiesta S
1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R
Cars I was glad to get rid of…
1978 Datsun 280Z 4-speed — Steering was way too heavy. Engine was very rough and used oil like crazy.
1986 Audi 5000S 5-speed — Gearing was way too low. FWD feel to the overall handling, more luxury sedan than sport sedan. Great seats.
Some other cars I was sorry to see go were my MK 4 Cortina 1.6 GL that was stolen from the war zone town I was living in after 18 months loyal sevice and my Zephyr 6 MK 4,68 AMC Javelin SS(Secretary’s Special 6 pot) Mk2 Granada(Dagenham made not Detroit) and my 64 Comet another sedan another Secretary’s Special.I’m a 6 maniac both straight and bent! 2 I wasn’t sorry to see the back of were my first car a 71 Vauxhall Victor that rusted away and my 75 Sunbeam Rapier which as well as mechanical and electrical problems rusted away.
1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille…midnight blue with matching leather interior…the best riding and engineered GM product I ever owned..it truly was the “Standard of the World”….
80 Ford Fiesta Mk1
82 Ford Capri Mk3
90 Ford Sierra
92 Citroen XM
My 1989 Subaru GL-10 Turbo.
Such an uncommon, if not rare car around here and in general. Power suspension, locks, windows, moonroof, decent am/fm stereo, power steering, cruise, the works. Sure, it was a slushbox but I didn’t care.
My father somehow knew exactly what kind of car I’d want to drive (it was an unexpected gift to replace my first car ever, a 1985 VW Golf) and so he gave me the Subaru and my brother a red 1993 Mustang.
Neither car lasted too long but at least the Subaru was complete when it went to the junkyard. The Mustang was a mess due to a botched stereo installation.
My ’73 AMC Hornet hatchback, which handled quite well for the day (it got totalled in an accident), or my ’79 Audi 5000….I only had it a year before the infamous overheating problems forced a trade-in….
Not my car, but my parents bought a red ’86 Nissan Maxima wagon new and kept it for 15 years. I took my driver license test in that car. It was the family hauler, smooth, quick for its time, and a complete revelation compared to the Buicks we had. It was cool and it was a wagon, what else does one need?
Every dat I drive long distances I miss my ’88 Mercedes 200TD diesel station wagon, and every vacation trip my ’88 VW Caravelle (Bus) with the 2l Wasserboxer…
None.
I always enjoy taking a trip down Memory Lane. But I’ll let somebody else pay for the expense of living there.
Well…. I do have a weakness for certain classic Detroit muscle cars. Also, there’s that old 74 Chevy C10 I sold for $3000 a couple of weeks ago that had only 96k miles.
My wife and I wouldn’t have minded keeping that truck along with the old Mercedes turbodiesel for those numerous times when a movie company needed some old classic vehicles along with a few extras. Heck, we got paid over $300 a day plus free food for little more than watching people make movies. Not a bad way to spend a retirement if you ask me.
But as the late George Harrison was fond of saying, “All things shall pass”. I would rather see the thousands of vehicles I have bought and sold pass on to someone else who will love keeping them far more than yours truly.
Don’t get me wrong. I love cars. But part of loving inanimate objects involves understanding that there is a time when you should just let them go if the need is no longer there.
’91 Alfa Romeo 164L
This is tough for me to pick one. My 1995 Thunderbird was one that I regretted the second that I sold it; so it would have to be my first choice. This is especially true looking back because it’s a personal luxury coupe, which doesn’t really exist anymore from anyone. My 82 Honda Civic was also a car that missed when it was gone. Not because it was a great driver, but just because it was my first car, and because of how none are left around here. Number 3 is our 2001 Mustang. It was only a 3.8, but was in great shape, trouble free, and was paid for. The moment I sold it, and bought a new car marked the end of a debt-free period of my life.
Still wish I had my 95 Plymouth Voyager, but in reality it was falling apart from 15+ years in New York and there are more solid examples out there if I wanted another.
A kissing cousin to your t-bird: 1976 Mercury Cougar XR7. The color can best be described as chartreuse, with olive interior and landau roof. Beautiful, in an unconventional sense. Car really did have great lines, a more masculine take on the Ford Elite. I owned her from ’97 to ’99, traded her in on my first new car – a ’00 Jetta VR6. If I had a garage large enough to house the beast, I’d track her down.
My ’74 Capri 2.8 V6 with a manual. Seemed like a very troublesome car at the time, so I ditched it, but I wish now I’d been patient and just kept after the issues and kept the car.
my 1977 Peugeot 504(petrol/manual).beautifull&perfect machine.
Yep
From an era that the French looked at themselves and did not try to copy German cars.
Great ride, great roadholding and great engine.
All dipped in a Pininfarina sauce…………………….
yeah,i have kept that 504 for 25 years&ended up putting 500 thousand kilometers on it with just normal wear&tear that you can expect from any car.sold it with still stock engine only bkz I was moving out of country.i wish I could say the same about 504s in states but apparently that reliability did not exist in us models.?
I still have it I just wish I had a new engine for it, or it had 100k less miles, my 1987 Caprice Landau. I followed it up with three other similar cars and nothing compares in the long run, there is always something that it does better. The most laid back, comfortable car I ever drove.
That’s a pretty rare car. I find the halo vinyl top treatment very attractive on these.
My 1993 Honda Accord EX 5-speed wagon. Bought it from the original owners in 2001 with 101,000 miles and sold it in 2011 with 256,000. Loved that car until rust took over the subframe and I had to sell it. It still ran and drove like it was brand new, Plus a 5-speed Accord EX wagon was a pretty rare beast too…….man do I miss that burgundy cloth interior!!
1977 Buick Riviera. I used it as a daily driver from 2005-2007. Then I sold it and replaced it with a 2001 Tahoe.
The Buick was reliable, very quiet, very smooth and had a very smooth ride. I actually think that this B-body 77 Buick was both more quiet and had a smoother ride than my 1977 Coupe DeVille that I use as my daily driver now. Not sure if that’s correct. But the Cadillac does’nt absorb the small bumps and potholes very good.
As usual, late to the party. I think I miss a couple of cars greatly. One would be my 1987 Dodge Lancer ES Turbo. It had the turbo motor and the level 2 (the Mopar equivalent to FE3) suspension. It also had the awesome sport seats out of the Daytonas from that time period. Being a 5 door hatchback, it was an incredibly versatile car. Good power from the turbo with premium fuel, and excellent handling. Could have used rear discs, but I was happy with the car the way it was.
The other car I should have hung on to was our 2006 Malibu Maxx, which coincidentally is another mid sized hatchback. The ancient design pushrod V6 was stout, the bodystyle was incredibly versatile and ours being a gray metallic was virtually invisible to law enforcement. We leased one for three years, no major issues other than the intermediate steering shaft (which was resolved under warranty) and the usual Epsilon interior squeaks. Due to the way the old GM Smartleases were structured, it only made sense to give it back to GM when it was up…
The one car I did give up but got back was my 2004 Aztek Rally. We’d had a regular 2001 Aztek, which my wife chose and truly loved. I wasn’t crazy about them at first, but it eventually grew on me. When the 2004 Rally edition was announced, we were at the Pontiac dealer putting money down on one; we ended up with a Fusion Orange one. It was a POS. The 2001 had a few issues, but all resolved in the warranty period; the orange 04 cost GM money. Presciently, I bought a GMPP warranty on the car, I was glad; I used it a LOT!
This spring my 1995 Pontiac Sunfire GT developed a problem with it’s Isuzu transmission, I decided to bite the bullet and replace it with… a 2004 Rally! This one is in Liquid Silver, which was the color I wanted. It’s loaded with almost everything in the book, but the troublesome rear air suspension. If you can imagine a SUV version of the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE, that’s this version of the Aztek. It has a few quirks for a car with 158,000 miles, but nothing I reckon I can’t figure out.
Of course, in a few months, I may be nostalgic for the Sunfire…
A man diving in for his third Aztec deserves a salute! Seriously, it is a great thing when a guy finds the car that makes him happy. Mopar C bodies made me happy, and I had several, and still want more. I wish you mega-success and happiness with your latest Aztec.
It would have to be the ’66 Alfa Giulia Sprint GT. Miss that car.
If Paul can have three, I want at least two – a silver ’73 BMW 2002 and a red ’65 Volvo 544. If I had to narrow it down to one it might have to be the Volvo, restored 2002’s being a little passe these days.
Both were bought second hand in student days, and succumbed after 2 or 3 years to east coast salt. I did manage to get about 30 000 miles out of each of them, and eventually drove the 2002 across Canada and south to California. The Volvo laboured through several Nova Scotia winters, and managed road trips to Quebec and Boston and one suspension-pounding dirt road rally.
The BMW was arguably closer to the ultimate driving experience (rolling two lane Prairie highways at 80 mph are a memory to be cherished), but it still can’t quite measure up in my affection to the growl of the B1800 coming out of a corner and the weirdly homely but unapologetic style of the 544. You couldn’t help but love it. In the language of sport, the BMW was possibly akin to a top-seeded tennis player. The Volvo was without a doubt a hockey player, and probably a dirty one at that.
The upside of the rapidly-dissolving-car phenomenon of the 1970’s was that it put mechanically sound and relatively exotic cars within the reach of your average university student of the day. Just don’t put anything heavy in the trunk, OK?
A few-
1990 Mercedes 250D- the best car I have ever owned, hands down. I got rid of it when diesel went from 90p per litre to nearly £1.50 and seemed to only keep climbing. I was doing a 120 mile commute to London. I liked it so much that now I drive a 1990 190E. 1988-1993 were the best years for Mercedes, from that brief window when they didn’t rust like mad, and were built like no other car in the world.
My first car- ’65 Corvair. I wish I still had it. I paid $1432.00 from a sleazy used car dealer, it was a back row car but only had 40K one-owner miles on it, and looked as-new. I swapped it on a ’78 Eldorado, probably the worst of many bad vehicle transactions I’ve ever made.
The car that would have made me rich was a 100% rust free ’74 Duster from Colorado I owned in 1995. I paid $400 for it and sold it a year later for $800 thinking I made a good deal. I could add another 0 if I held off a bit longer. The interior was toasted (literally) thanks to Chrysler’s EZ-split vinyl, and it had a few mechanical issues that now I know I could have sorted easily, but at 18, I just didn’t know what I was doing and it seemed the end of the world.
Here is my dream C Body.
Very nice.
That is a really cool car, not often you see one customized like that. I love it!