.

[VeloClone]

Folks bought the neighbor's station wagon that had a broken timing chain for $100. It was a Gran Torino wagon - **** brown. We spent $73 on parts and replaced the chain ourselves. Then my sister drove it until she graduated then I finally got to drive it. It was so rusted out that the cabin would fill up with gravel dust whenever I drove it down a gravel road. I got really good at feathering the gas with my left foot on the brake when I was stopped to keep it running.

 

[brokenloginagain]

so many fun memories reading this thread!

we used to take our parents minivans and then "race" to visiting teams' high schools for football games etc.

perfectly normal to pass a football back and forth between vans while going 70mph on I-35.

heck there's no public transportation in iowa - pretty much everyone had their own car or access to a family beater car to get around.

 

[dafarmer]

First car I learned to drive was a 51 chevy 3speed on the column, I was maybe 10. Drove a 66 chevy until I bought my first car, a used 70 Javelin and drove it at ISU.

 

[cymac2408]

Those were both sweet cars.

Thanks! The Charger I gave to my older sister and the Tri Delt house so she could have a car up at college. I wanted to use the Mustang only during Spring Summer and Fall. The Mustang needed a little body work but never got around to it as I lost my license for a sticking problem on my accelerator pedal. Translation I liked to drive fast. I sold the cars and joined the Navy.

 

[StPaulCyclone]

I see lots of people buying cars for their high-school aged kids. Did you have a car? Are you getting your kids a car? If so, why? If not, why?

I never had a car in high school and it wasn't until junior year (age 21) of college when I finally bought a used car.

I bought a used car in HS and my parents paid the title and insuracne, that was the deal.
I bought a third vehicle last year that my oldest uses. He plays sports and has a job. I pay everything, but he knows he has shuttle younger one and self to school and sports and his job, etc. I also travel a lot and hard for us to divide and conquer with me gone.

 

[Macloney]

I had a 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix. It had a digital speedometer and the door handles were on the door pillars like a Beretta.

 

[AdRock4Cy]

1986 Saab 900 Turbo.

 

[mapnerd]

Yes I had a car. I lived on a farm so it was a necessity. Started driving when I was 14. First car was my moms old early 1970s Pontiac lemans.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Yes, I had to. Farm kid here. I had to drive 10 miles to even get to a Casey's

But my parents wouldn't let me drive to school if the bus was driving right by. So I found extra cirriculars so I could drive

 

[cyhiphopp]

I shared a car with my mom in HS. That was fun. Friends would get in my car and ask if I smoked. Fortunately my mom finally quit, but not until after I left for college. When I left for college I got to keep that car and my mom got a new one.

 

[stormchaser2014]

94 S10. Used it to haul the baseball team down to the field for practice. We actually could fit most of the team in/on my friend's Ford Focus too.

 

[cycloner29]

Growing up on farm all I ever drove were tractors and manual drive pickups. When I had to learn to drive an automatic, I didn't know how. My Dad told if I ever braked with my left foot in an automatic, he was going to cut it off. Kinda freaked me out. I learned very quickly how to brake with my right foot. I still wish I had my high school car. Classmate still has his GTO.

 

[MNCYWX]

1989 Chevy S-10
1993 Buick Regal 3800.


Both hand me downs.

 

[motorcy90]

I got the 2000 Chevy Malibu that was originally bought for my older sister (in 08?) she took my moms 2001 PT Cruiser. we had 4 vehicles at the time for 4 drivers anyway. I'm sure my parents would have loved all the 5 am workouts I went to or going straight from track practice home to grab the shotgun back to NE Ankeny for trap shooting.

 

[MeanDean]

My dad was a car guy. Not a performance or classic car guy. Just always had his own car when he was young in the 40's. So he had no problem making sure we had a vehicle at our disposal most of the time.

They weren't 'our' cars but were ours to drive. My oldest brother got the 56 Ford Custom that had been our family car when we got a new 65 Ford. My sister got a 62 Galaxie that he got from a coworker.

When I came of age (16) there was nothing specific for a while. I drove my stepmother's car for a few months (64 Ford Custom 4Door). Then our farm truck (66 F100). Was putting too many miles on that for Dad so I got switched to a 1960 VW Beetle. That was an interesting car. Top speed was about 62, 58 with a head wind. It didn't have a fuel gauge. Just a lever on the firewall that operated like a reserve tank on a motorcycle. You had about a gallon when you got to that point, but it got over 30 MPG so you could make the nearest station. My younger brother then got his license and proceeded to roll that. So then my Dad bought a 63 Beetle from one of my classmates. It had both the reserve tank AND a fuel gauge. Never could figure out why but it had an issue starting with the key/starter. So I always had to find a place with a slope to park on and push it, jump in, jamb it in gear and pop the clutch. It would always start that way. Or if I were with a buddy or two they would push if it was flat. Don't remember ever really NOT being able to get it going.

I worked in HS and had to be there at 5:00AM and worked until 8:00 3 days a week. Got to school at 9:00 (had no early classes). So I had to drive.

 

[motorcy90]

Growing up on farm all I ever drove were tractors and manual drive pickups. When I had to learn to drive an automatic, I didn't know how. My Dad told if I ever braked with my left foot in an automatic, he was going to cut it off. Kinda freaked me out. I learned very quickly how to brake with my right foot. I still wish I had my high school car. Classmate still has his GTO.

hell I can drive left footed better then most people can drive at all

 

[bos]

Had an 87 Plymouth Sundance. That bad boy went 0-60 in 45 minutes.

 

[motorcy90]

94 S10. Used it to haul the baseball team down to the field for practice. We actually could fit most of the team in/on my friend's Ford Focus too.

have you ever seen about 25 people in/on a single cab F-150 short bed? that was a funny one rolling back into the parking lot of a meet down in Indianola.

 

[quasistellar]

Sure I had a car, but I lived on a farm and was in . . . pretty much every extracurricular activity. It was more for my parents' sanity that my convenience.

It was a pretty bitchin' '86 ( I think) Chevy Celebrity. Started driving on my school permit at age 14 and immediately got a job as soon as it was legal to do so.

 

[SCyclone]

Sold my really nice $350 BMX for $200.

Saved up $250 from my hardware store job (that I had just gotten because I was 16 now) and selling some video games.

Bought a 1980 metallic gold Buick in 1995 for $450. I had been 16 a couple months I think.

She was a real beauty with a distinct interior smell

Toward end of senior year had made enough at the hardware store to upgrade to a used Grand Am that I think was $3500.

I'm torn between wanting to know, and not wanting to know.