All the cars I've loved before...

I sorely miss my nature musings. My days need to slow down and perhaps I'll find some joy this weekend. My camera has been sitting in a corner and feeling lonely lately.

Today is the hottest day of the year as the temperature reached 96 in the shade by noon! That’s why I adore air conditioning and why I’m trying to get this post done early so I can enjoy outdoors late afternoon and early evening.

We’ve been browsing new car dealerships. When we’re visiting these places, I remember all the cars I’ve loved and hated. It seems by the time the windshield wipers need replacing, we trade the car for something new. It’s ridiculous, I know. Luckily, my husband has driven a company vehicle for the past twenty years or we wouldn’t have been so quick to trade. So, I thought I’d take a spin down memory lane tonight. I’ve spent a good portion of my life behind the wheel and each car I’ve driven brings back memories of chapters in my life. Yes, I do like a great car.

(I pulled all of these photos from the internet.)

1956 Buick Roadmaster – Color: Maroon

I didn’t drive the Roadmaster, of course, but it was the first car I remember. We all called it the “Moony Bomber” since it had a habit of breaking down quite frequently. I can still see my Dad laying under that car with tools in his hands and cursing to high heaven. He taught my Mom how to drive in this car and my brother and I were usually frightened when sitting in the back seat. When she was feeling confident enough with her driving skills, she attempted to roll the window up, taking us on a zig-zag ride. There were no seat belts in that car! Eyes wide, we held on tightly.

1964 Chevy Impala – Color: White/teal top

I learned to drive on this Chevy. It was so large that I flunked my driving test twice – once in parallel parking and once in the turnabout. Hey, I’m a hell-of-a-good driver, though! My brother installed an 8-track player in it. I drove around town listening to Motown, Elton John, or Steppenwolf on high volume. During my high school years, I loved the freedom and coolness I felt in my “borrowed” car.

1973 Toyota Corolla – Color: Baby Sh - -

My Dad bought this car for me in my Senior year of high school, just before I graduated. The color surprised me but I didn’t care because it had that brand new car smell. I made the payments of $78.00 a month. Considering I made a whopping, full-time salary of $59.02/week, I felt rich. My car was much nicer looking than this picture shows, but the color...?

1975 Ford Maverick – Color: Gold

I got married in 1975. During the winter months I’d get home from work and thaw my toes in the bathtub. The car never had heat so I didn’t like it. The brakes were noisy, too. I was told by a new car salesman once that people who drive Mavericks are boring :o/ I didn’t appreciate that comment at all.

1980 Toyota Celica – Color: Chocolate Brown (mine was a cream puff compared to this one)

It had a pop-up sunroof! It was also a manual five-speed and I had to learn this new driving technique quickly. Learning from my husband was a disaster since excitable Italian men tend to yell – “YOU’RE LOSING TOO MANY RPMs!!!!”, “GIVE IT SOME GAS AND DON’T LET THAT CLUTCH POP!”, “YOU’RE GONNA STALL!” I quit that lesson and learned by myself. I drove to work two days later, after applying extra amounts of underarm deodorant/antiperspirant and did just fine, thank you. It was always jerky out of first gear – it was the car, not me. It had a cassette tape player.

1982 Pontiac Phoenix Hatchback – Color: Champagne

With Gina on the way, it was time to have four doors and some cargo space. This car was the lemon from hell. It spent a total of three weeks in the shop for dysfunctional windshield wipers. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the time the wheels locked while it was parked on my driveway and the tow truck dragged it away, burning rubber. I remember standing at the top of my driveway saying, “See ya later, piece of crap.”

1985 Honda Accord – Color: White

I quit working after Gina was born. When I returned to work we had enough money to ditch the Phoenix and bought a very reliable Honda. I still remember that the color of her booster car seat matched the upholstery. It was also a nice 5-speed with an electric sunroof!

1989 Honda Prelude – Color: Cool RED

Image has had meaning at some points in my life. This little red car was the apple of my eye. Being the Hottie that I was, the car finished the picture. Belonging in a carpool, I drove Gina and her team mates to swim practice every day for two years but soon the kids grew, as did their bags and parkas. Sadly, I found myself in a dealership to trade. The financial officer and Michael waited for me to emerge from the restroom. I cried. I just couldn’t get a grip. Little Gina visited me in the restroom and said, “Mommy, why are you crying?” I replied, “The Prelude is pretty, isn't it?” I know Michael and the financial officer exchanged glances and thought, “she’s crying over scrap metal and a bucket of nuts and bolts.”

1991 Chevy Blazer – Color: Forest Green

And this is what replaced my little red sportscar. Ho Hum. But the kids were comfortable.

1993 Honda Del Sol – Color: White

So long, Blazer! This little 5-speed was a fun ride. Top down and zipping all over the town, it was fun but severely impractical! Gina loved riding with me but I couldn’t carpool anymore and the “to and from swim practice” every day got old. Eighteen months later…

1994 Toyota Camry – Color: Black

Luxury. Real leather seats, CD player, the works. It was large enough to offer a few swimmers some comfort. Since then, leather seats have been my requirement. The white pines I parked under at work ruined the paint, so we traded it in. The windshield wipers were still OK, though.

1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme – Color: Burgundy

This was another piece of junk. The security system in it locked me out of my car on several occasions and the dealership just scratched their heads in wonder. This car got the boot ASAP.

1999 Mazda 626 – Color: Silver/Green

This was a great car. It took me from Maryland to Wilmington, NC many times to see Gina while she was in college and I rode in comfort. Sadly, I had a crash in it, only one minute from my house. I’ll never forget seeing my front bumper fly off the car and land 25 yards away. I was picking up the pieces of this Mazda in the middle of the road during rush hour and I know the people watching were either feeling sympathetic or laughing their asses off at me.

2002 VW Passat – Color: Silver

The Mazda had a weird thing going on (probably due to my accident). It would alarm at random times. Time to trade! This VW is a well-built and heavy car. In my 8-hour ride to visit Gina in college, I had comfort. Michael complained about the size of it because when he sat in either the driver seat or passenger seat, he felt trapped (like he was stuffed in it?). I don’t know why he insisted on trading it in because he never drove the car. I’d buy another one.

2004 GMC Envoy – White

I drive this now. Hands down, this vehicle is the sweetest of all. It offers a luxurious ride and I’ve been blessed to own it. It took Bella to Carolina Beach on a trip to see Gina. It took me from Delaware to move into our new home in NC while I was on crutches. I can’t say enough good things about this vehicle. But, I don’t need the room anymore or the gas bills. While continuing my search for something new, I will insist on luxurious comfort for my long rides north. We’ll keeping looking.

I wonder if anyone else has had a love or hate relationship with a car. Are there any stories out there?