Austin America
1969, bought 1972, $200, hunter green (I guess that means British racing green, though that's incongruous)
Sold it for $75 with no first or second gear, buyer got second gear going by adding a quart of oil! Tiny and cute.
Volkswagen Beetle
1969, bought 1973, $800, red, "Automatic stick shift"
I remember thinking I was lucky to get a late enough model that it had the more modern chunky bumpers instead of the pipe-like bumpers of earlier model years
Buick Skylark
1970, bought in 1975, Gold with white top, 350cc, 2-door
Best air conditioning ever, needed in St. Louis! Perfect highway car. Don't remember what I paid; around $1,100 I think, bought it from my Aunt Fanny.
Audi Fox
1974, bought in 1977, maroon.
I felt good in that car, it seemed just right for me. An eery thing happened. The woman I sold it to was killed in it, in a head-on collision on M-20 between Mt. Pleasant and Midland, MI, a 2-lane highway that seems to have more than its share of similar accidents. Passing on a 2-lane has always scared me; I almost never do it.
Plymouth Champ
1979, bought in 1979, white
My first new car, Japanese made, comparable to the better-known Dodge Colt. It has this very odd transmission. Can't remember what it was called, but there were two modes, separate from the gears, which made something like half-steps.
Audi 4000
1980 bought in 1984. 24,000 miles. Diesel engine. Light metallic blue. 4-door.
Best deal ever. $10k in perfect shape. Very comfortable ride. Quiet on the inside. Noisy as hell with the window open.
Volkswagen Fox
Bought new in 1987. Maroon.
Stupid idea: 2-door station wagon
Audi 5000 Wagon
1987 bought in 1991. Dark blue.
In Indiana people thought it was a Taurus.
Mazda Miata
1992, bought in 1992, blue with black top
Loved that car. It was my car, but my ex got it because I only needed one car and I had the kids. He did let me drive it to Boston from Indiana after we split up, which was pretty cool of him. It was tiny. Once I was driving alone on the freeway when it started to rain. Traffic was stopped up so I was only going about 20 MPH and was able to reach back while driving to grab the top with one hand and haul it up over my head.
Mercury [can't think of the model, just like a Ford Escort]
1991 bought in 1994, $3,700
Totalled it while in a daydream. It was a lot like my Kia Wagon.
Jeep Wrangler
1997 bought new, bright red, tan top
Often fun, but a pain to zip up when it started to rain.
Kia Rio Wagon
2002 new, my current ride, metallic gold
Woefully underpowered, that's why I got manual transmission, otherwise I'd never get up to speed on an onramp. When I tested the automatic it was 0-60 in 5 minutes. It uninspiring, but I have never had a bit of trouble with it, and Kia service is really good.
