My 97 Outback Sport (in avatar). It did everything without complaint - autocross, rallycross, trips to the grocery store, accepted and produced parking lot dents, rusted... and I was just about getting it back to the maintenance condition I thought that it deserved for its plucky can-do attitude when it got t-boned in a parking lot.
It felt great to drive on the street, and it embarrassed significantly more expensive and newer cars in the winter.
I got a super nice insurance payout for it, but it still broke my heart seeing it on Copart (and then being flogged from the yard of some white trash on Kijiji who was not disclosing its salvage status). I'm sure it's been crushed and sent to China by now...
My 73 240z. Went through all the mechanicals, first car with a/m springs (Suspension Techniques - I think they're gone now?). It was lighter than the 280's I've owned, I love carbs to this day, and with just SUs, a 260 head (larger exhaust valves) and a 2.5" exhaust, the thing was just lively and fun.
My 320i is a close second, but I have to get it running again....
BenB
New Reader
3/4/14 2:34 p.m.
I enjoyed my 78 MGB and put 186,000 miles on it. I don't think I'll ever want another one, though. Back in the early 90s, we had an 86 Integra LS 5-door. It wasn't particularly fast, but it was a great car that I enjoyed driving and hated to sell. I loved my 96 MX-6 V6 and regretted trading it for an RSX-S every day until I traded the RSX for 04 Miata. I think the Miata is definitely my favorite of all. So far.
1984 RX7 GSL-SE; retired SSA car made into CS autocrosser.
That's an easy one for me:
We will see how this year goes and if I part out the NA, decide I want to keep doing the track car thing or not. If the 2015's turn out as awesome as it sounds like they will.......
My first miata. A 97. Was the first nice car I owned. Was also the car that got me into autox. Unfortunately, its no longer nice and its now my winter beater. Still fun to drive. It deserves better, but probably won't get the love it needs.
Very difficult to pick just one. I narrowed the list to four: a very modified 74 X1/9,
73 Alfa GTV, 71 240Z,
67 Triumph TR4A. If I had to pick just one, I don't know, maybe the Alfa, or the Triumph, or the Datsun, or the Fiat...I can't pick between them really.
Swank Force One wrote:
In reply to wearymicrobe:
That's really surprising to me because of the other cars i know you've owned. But also... not really surprising to me because of the other cars i know you've owned.
75 Cars and its still my favorite. There is stuff I like more for specific places like rolling up to a restaurant, or the track, but if pushed I would take the S2000 over everything else. They are that good!
Especially in the AP1 00-01. Can you tell I am regretting the mustang at this point.
Jarod
Reader
3/4/14 3:58 p.m.
mad_machine wrote:
as much as I keep trying to resurrect the fun with a string of Fiats.. my old BMW 318ti is the one I look back upon with fondest memories
Same here, 318ti, or maybe if I had kept it longer my e36 m3.
Teh E36 M3 wrote:
the pull from 4k to 7k in second just feels so *good*.
That was an awesome part about the m3. Loved the sound it made while doing it too.
My current car, 2005 Z51. Does everything I want from a sports car; lots of grip, power, sound, comfort, gas mileage, cargo space, curb appeal etc...
Cargo space?? You must mean the skinny super model in the seat next to you...
I have a few that are difficult to choose between
1975 Ford Falcon GT sedan, awesome tourer I owned when Mad Max came to the screens
1973 Mazda RX3 13B bridgeport, first race car I built.
1984 Mazda RX7 5.0 conversion, street car with attitude, I still have it
1986 408 Mustang Challenger, I still have it
oldtin
UltraDork
3/4/14 4:26 p.m.
I have a soft spot for the ac 911s. I had an 86 coupe, but oddly no photos. 2nd spot to the 85 targa.
You all would think that I would say my rx7 but honestly I miss my S13 240sx hatch a lot. It was so damn reliable and practical (at the time) the torque was nice and decent mpg was a bonus.
Right now my mazda6 wagon is creeping to the top of that list. I just wish I had bluetooth the stock radio is pretty much garbage but because of that I feel more educated because now I'm "stuck" listening to a lot of NPR.
Maybe one of the worst cars I've owned, but it was a good one. A beater to end all beaters. I'm a sucker for underdogs. Basically nothing worked. I got it post deer. It had an intercooler rigged up with exhaust pipe and oil cooler mounts made of zip ties. It never didn't start and was fast for a 2 ton brick with a slushbox. I bought back like a year after I sold it. It was full of bad mods and didn't run. In the process of parting it out, I found that one of the rear quarters was 2 inches of bondo. Good times, good times.
My first love was my '86 RX-7 base. Second place goes to my '91 Sentra SE-R. I bought it with ~190K on the clock for $800. It was actually really well maintained and just had a few dents. Best $800 car ever. The only thing to capture the similar feelings I had for those cars is motorcycles. Is winter over yet?
To drive - 88 Yugo GV (demsogged, straight pipe, monster tach, stock everything else)
For value - 99 Chevy Prizm
For sentiment - 98 Mitsubishi Mirage (1.5, manual)
Sonic
SuperDork
3/4/14 5:29 p.m.
Probably my 98 M3/4/5 with Dinan suspension. It just did EVERYTHING well. Commuting? no problem. Track days, hell yea. Comfortable for a long trip, you bet! Nice for a dinner out on the town, no doubt. I even moved with it thanks to the folding rear seat.
Looked just like this, but with 17x8.5 DSIIs instead of BBS RKs
slow
New Reader
3/4/14 5:50 p.m.
03 Ford Expedition. It carried the family on so many cheerful trips.
My favorite is always the last one I bought. It's my favorite until I buy another.
At the moment it's this:
Before that, it was this:
Tomorrow, who knows.
Hard to say. I liked them all. However I had the most emotional attachment to my 1989 240sx.