What was your first NEW car?

[DMS42]

1967 Firebird 326 HO with close ratio 4 speed. I used to tow a friends 1956 Corvette to drag races. One time they let tow cars run through the timer. I had never done that before, but I went through in a little less an 15 sec. and a hair over 100 mph. Back then we had lots of two lane roads around here. I could be behind an 18 wheeler doing about 50, pull out into the left lane and punch it. I would be doing 100 by the time I got level with the front wheel.

In 1972 I bought a new Chevy El Camino of the show room floor. I put over 100k on both. Sold the Firebird when I went back to college and the El Camino a few years later when I got married.

I enjoyed driving both but the Firebird was far away the most fun.

[Mark in Ottawa]

1971 Datsun 510 with a 1600 cc engine. Two doors and standard steering but automatic transmission. This car was labelled the world's first biodegradable vehicle. It started to rust withing two months of purchase and a few years later, I had to replace both fenders with after-market ones made of fiberglass. I swear that the following anecdote is true. I stopped taking it for car washes after they stopped giving out free car-wash coupons and used to joke that the dirt was holding it together. One day I made a grievous error. I was holding a rag in my hand and on impulse wiped the dirt off the right front fender. The fender immediately split into to parts across the top. The dirt really was holding it together. On the other hand, it only cost me $2,340 (Canadian) and I kept it for ten years before selling it to someone for $230 to be used as a pizza delivery vehicle. It owed me nothing.

[togor]

1971 Datsun 510 with a 1600 cc engine. Two doors and standard steering but automatic transmission. This car was labelled the world's first biodegradable vehicle. It started to rust withing two months of purchase and a few years later, I had to replace both fenders with after-market ones made of fiberglass. I swear that the following anecdote is true. I stopped taking it for car washes after they stopped giving out free car-wash coupons and used to joke that the dirt was holding it together. One day I made a grievous error. I was holding a rag in my hand and on impulse wiped the dirt off the right front fender. The fender immediately split into to parts across the top. The dirt really was holding it together. On the other hand, it only cost me $2,340 (Canadian) and I kept it for ten years before selling it to someone for $230 to be used as a pizza delivery vehicle. It owed me nothing.

Passed my license exam in a B210. Had to go twice to the DMV because the first time, during the equipment check, the retaining ring for the wiper push/pull knob chose that moment to unthread completely. So no test and the wipers mocking me the whole way home. My dad thought it was funnier than I did, I can tell you that.

Favorite snow car was a Chevette that belonged to a GF's parents. Rear drive, manual. Every snowstorm was a lesson in physics--friction, inertia, momentum, etc. No margin for error!

[bruce]

First new car was a little 85 Madza GLC Custom L two door hatchback w/ five speed. Drove that little thing 280K miles. Replaced one alternator. Finally replaced the 4th and 5th gear b/c they wore out. Grand total ... $200 and back on the road. Paid $7,800 for it new. Sold it for $500 to some who wanted to go to California. I expect it got them there with no problems. Sincerely. bruce.

[RED]

1967 Pontiac Sprint LeMans with cast iron OHC slant 6.

[lyman]

1967 Pontiac Sprint LeMans with cast iron OHC slant 6.

nice car,

my mother had a 68 Lemans, red with black interior,

this was after her second Corvair,

replaced the 68 later with a 73 (that car was ugly)

[Former Cav]

Came home from Vietnam and was on Convalescent leave from the Hospital.
Bought a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner on Dec 18, 1968. It was Seafoam Torqoise in color. Had the functional ram air hood, "road wheels" (Magnum 500 wheels), red stripe wide oval tires. Bench Seat. Automatic, 383 magnum motor, 3.23 sure grip, optional rear seat armrests (about 7 bucks) and optional rear seat speaker for that big bad AM radio. It was carpeted. Black interior.
It cost me $3151 including tax and plates out the door and they gave me two STUDDED snow tires with it. (I lived in St. Paul, MN back then). It snowed about 18 inches the day after I picked it up. It would go through snow!
It was a lemon (or so I thought) and I traded it off. Hindsight being 20-20, I believe they were setting the points wrong.
I traded it on a coronet R/T (another 69) and it was fine until I had it tuned up and I heard the mechanic say set the points at 28-32 (single point distributer as both cars were automatics). Then that car ran like the "road LIMPER". I got ahold of my fathers motor repair manual and stumbled across the distributer spec page and it said set the points at 30-35. So that is 30 vs 32.5 degrees.
that is 5 degrees on the crank!! I'll bet I got rid of a perfectly good car over the points being set wrong. !
Took it in the shorts too on the trade in and new car price!

[remus]

First new car was a 1968 VW forest green VW beetle bought in Murray Ky, when the 63 VW died.

[Darreld Walton]

76 Mustang Mach I, 302 auto. Traded my 72 Bronco against the thing, because I got tired of listening to the wife whine about putting the kids in and out of car seats in the Bronco. Should've traded off the wife....

[Allen]

76 Mustang Mach I, 302 auto. Traded my 72 Bronco against the thing, because I got tired of listening to the wife whine about putting the kids in and out of car seats in the Bronco. Should've traded off the wife....

I see those old Bronco's (in restored condition) bringing $100K on auctions such as Mecum and Barrett Jackson. Of course most all of our old "treasures" we got rid of would bring big bucks these days.