Emotional attachment to Vehicles

**price26** · 01-29-2009, 09:39 PM

When I got rid of my first car it felt like I was getting rid of some of the things I wanted to put in my past behind me. I liked my car, being it was my first, but I upgraded to my 04 Monte Carlo, I think whenever I have to give that up it might be a little harder than the Intrepid I sold.

**kingcy** · 01-29-2009, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by price26

When I got rid of my first car it felt like I was getting rid of some of the things I wanted to put in my past behind me. I liked my car, being it was my first, but I upgraded to my 04 Monte Carlo, I think whenever I have to give that up it might be a little harder than the Intrepid I sold.

My brother rolled my first car, it still sets in the ditch in one of our pastures. It had a rust spot on it the size of a quarter and to this day that spot has not got bigger and the paint is still good. It has been sitting there for over 10 years now.

**crash_zone** · 01-29-2009, 10:05 PM

lol. my first car was a ford aspire - parents had 4 kids, and they insisted on treating us all equal....so they needed to find a cheap car that they could help each of their kids get. Man could that thing drive forever on a tank of gas and no, i was really happy to move to a different car.

Somewhere I have a pic of my parents driveway with 3 aspires in it. They did rather well for cheap cars, one of them is still in use (littlest brother) and the other 2 met their ends after a combined 4 deer accidents.

**CO4Cy** · 01-29-2009, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by HOTDON

Just traded in a car I had for over 8 years. I travelled over 130,000 miles in the seat. It drove me into Ames when I put my life and my family's life on hold to pursue an engineering degree, and it drove me back out of Ames when I finished school. The interest I had in the engine made me realize I should be an ME.

For me, it was hard to pull away. My wife cried a bit, I just felt like I was leaving a trusty old dog at the pound.

To say I was emotionally attached is an understatement. My new car is vastly superior in every respect, but I still miss the old car. That said, my new tryst is going well!

Same here. 1981 Buick Regal. That car was the reason I went into ME.

**BugDoc** · 01-29-2009, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by bellzisu

I always laughed at people when they say they cried when trading off a vehicle they loved. I never thought you could have that strong of a bond with a vehicle. I have had my share of vehicles that I loved.

Tonight I just traded off my 2003 Chevy Silverado. I bought my truck in 2004 the week of the July 4th. It was my first Chevy. I always wanted a truck. I always wanted a Chevy. Man did I develop alot of stories with that thing. I loved it. It was more then my truck, it was me.

Tonight I bought a Honda Ridgeline. It's not that bad at all. I'm actually suprised how much I like it. But as I was pulling away seeing my truck sitting in the garage at the dealer, I found myself sad, and shedding a tear. It felt like I lost a great friend...

Am I crazy or have others felt this way too???

No actual tears here, but I know exactly what you are talking about. I just sold our car last week and it was tough to see it go. I hope I don't see it on the road in the future. All those good memories will come flooding back.

**HOTDON** · 01-29-2009, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by BugDoc

No actual tears here, but I know exactly what you are talking about. I just sold our car last week and it was tough to see it go. I hope I don't see it on the road in the future. All those good memories will come flooding back.

That was the other part of it. I didn't want to trade it locally for that reason. Ended up trading it at a dealership big enough to pass it off at auction. Mine has probably already been towed behind another car down I-35 toward Mexico.

**Bobber** · 01-29-2009, 10:45 PM

I've gotten attached to most of mine. I spend so much time in them and get used to them like an old pair of jeans.

Never shed a tear, but the dropping off the old pet at the pound analogy someone used worked for me.

**ISUAlum2002** · 01-29-2009, 11:04 PM

Emotional attachment comes quickly when you shed a lot of sweat and blood while working on the vehicle. And a lot of money modifying it to increase power and performance. Obviously I'm not talking about a daily driver, though.

**clones26** · 01-29-2009, 11:05 PM

I totaled my 1st car (Grand Am) and I just traded in my 2nd car ever a year ago. The trade was a 1991 Ford Explorer with 225k+ miles, good riddance. Big Red (red inside & out) was a tank that got 12 MPG, I couldnt get rid of it quick enough. I think I will have more emotion getting rid of my house, started my married life here and all of my daughters 1st's were here.

**Cyclonepride** · 01-29-2009, 11:09 PM

I've never had any kind of attachment to a vehicle really. In fact, I went a couple years without one of my own (I have a company provided vehicle).

**iowaboy** · 01-29-2009, 11:33 PM

Thats a hell of a way to thank your truck and thank General Motors for the memories ..... by buying a "Honda" truck for Gods sake. An American icon, the pick-up truck and you buy a Japanese Full-Size pick-up! Detroit thanks you!! Sayonara!

**HOTDON** · 01-29-2009, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by iowaboy

Thats a hell of a way to thank your truck and thank General Motors for the memories ..... by buying a Honda "truck" for Gods sake. An American icon, the pick-up truck and you but a japanease Full-Size pick-up! Detroit thanks you!!

Seems more appropriate that way.

Seem to be alot of people here that bought or at least considered one. A very high number in fact when comparing the the percentage of car threads where one is mentioned vs. the percentage of road going vehicles they represent. I'll bet I don't see one every three months.

Of you recent consumers, what did you trade away and for?

I made a Pontiac swap; got rid of a Grand Prix GTP and into a G8 GT.

**anticyclonic** · 01-29-2009, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by clones26

I totaled my 1st car (Grand Am) and I just traded in my 2nd car ever a year ago. The trade was a 1991 Ford Explorer with 225k+ miles, good riddance. Big Red (red inside & out) was a tank that got 12 MPG, I couldnt get rid of it quick enough. I think I will have more emotion getting rid of my house, started my married life here and all of my daughters 1st's were here.

12 mpg for a vehicle that small is pretty bad.

I still have my 69' pontiac catalina I bought in 92' for the last year of school, even with its big 400 ci engine and at roughly 4800 lbs, I could get close to 20 mpg on the highway. I might have to get another large power cruiser of that era since gas prices have dropped, those mid 60s to early 70s cars rock!!

**HOTDON** · 01-29-2009, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by anticyclonic

12 mpg for a vehicle that small is pretty bad.

I still have my 69' pontiac catalina I bought in 92' for the last year of school, even with its big 400 ci engine and at roughly 4800 lbs, I could get close to 20 mpg on the highway. I might have to get another large power cruiser of that era since gas prices have dropped, those mid 60s to early 70s cars rock!!

That reminded me of my buddy Neil's fat Caddy.

**Ames** · 01-30-2009, 12:10 AM

I had a GTO I had a lot of trouble selling. I know 20 years from now I'll really think it was a mistake selling it. I wish I could get my first truck back.