Started driving in '85
'75 Olds Starfire blazing Orange, got for free, needed a tranny that I got from a junk yard for $125, sold it for $900 2 years later.
'84 Mercury Lynx $1500 developed stress cracks all along b-pillar after 13 months, junked
'76 Dodge "Shagging Van" complete with sheepskin bed, liquor cabinet, carpeted ceiling and dash, 'red mood' linterior lights and 1400 watt stereo I got from a hs shop class for $1000, sold it 3 years later for $3000 to a hs kid
'90 Katana 600, still have
'84 Rabbit GTI. $1200 Awesome car,beat the crap out of it for 3 years. Ended up needing too much work to keep on the road, traded for a
'86 Vanagon with a 911 engine and tranny swap. $4000 The best sleeper ever. Regularily beat Camaros and Mustangs, handled like crap. Totaled when a delivery van hit it while it was parked at work. Sold engine and tranny for $2500
'88 Mazda 323, $4000 totaled when I rolled it for the 2nd time.
'92 Jetta, $8000 nothting special, cost too much to maintain, traded for
'97 Pathfinder with offroad package (lower gears). $27,000 ($21,000 after trade) BEAT THE CRAP out of it for 4 years and 64k miles. Never needed anything. Probrably the best vehicle I ever had. Ate gas like crazy, traded for
'02 P5 $15, 890 out the door after trade still owed $13,000 on the Pathfinder
I regret loosing the Vanagon, and getting rid of the Pathfinder(although with recent gas prices, it would be parked most of the time now.