# Do you drive an OLD persons car?



## Scott (Apr 17, 2015)

About once a month I get together with “The Guys” at  a sports bar “Mardi Gras” in St Augustine for a couple of beers and conversation.  Dennis who ran a large Hospital for years talks about Medical things and how he keeps his Cancer in check by keeping his body Alkaline and Oxygenated.  Bob talks about investments and “Invest in the content not the delivery”  No Comcast or AT&T U-verse. Jim sells used cars and talks about the best cars that don’t break down… “Don’t buy a VW Beetle or a Mazda or Mini Cooper they all have bad Automatic  transmissions”   Bill retired and  lived in Panama now he has a home in Panajacal Guatemala where he spends the winters … And so it goes… We usually get about 8 guys… 
Well sorry for the long lead in ..point is the last time we went some young guy came up to our table and asked us who was driving the BUICK ? None of us… Well I just figured it was one of you guys cuz..  a Buick is an old persons car.. got us to thinking….My aunt’s retirement community in Lakeland has a lot of 4 door Buick’s and Mercury Marquis … my aunt drove a Saturn after the Mercury got wrecked. Then an Easy-GO ..  Any thoughts on OLD People’s Cars..


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## Pappy (Apr 17, 2015)

Hi Scott. About 7-8 years ago, I bought a Mercury Marquis. It was shortly after I retired and my youngest son was quite upset. He told me that it was an old mans car. After that, I got into mini vans and I guess that could be considered and old persons car too.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 17, 2015)

Not really, the car I drive almost everyday is a 1996 Jeep Cherokee, manual tranny.  My newest car that I don't drive too often yet is an '07 Dodge Nitro.  Never was a fan of driving the older big cars for sure.  Before these we had a Honda Accord, don't think that qualifies as old either.  

NITRO


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## ndynt (Apr 17, 2015)

My last car was a Ford Focus, that belonged to my son that passed away.  So not my choice. From my 60's on... My previous vehicle was a Mitsubisi  pick-up, and previous to that a Ford Pick-up.  When trucks were not what most women drove.  Would love to get a Mini-Cooper now (do not know though after Scott's friend's eval)...so do not think my choice would be a Ole Person's vehicle


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## Scott (Apr 17, 2015)

ndynt said:


> My last car was a Ford Focus, that belonged to my son that passed away.  So not my choice. From my 60's on... My previous vehicle was a Mitsubisi  pick-up, and previous to that a Ford Pick-up.  When trucks were not what most women drove.  Would love to get a Mini-Cooper now (do not know though after Scott's friend's eval)...so do not think my choice would be a Ole Person's vehicle



The Mini Cooper with the stick shift is a fine little car.... If you can drive a standard.


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## ndynt (Apr 17, 2015)

Thanks, Scott.  Love a stick shift.  Ford Focus was my first automatic.


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## QuickSilver (Apr 17, 2015)

SeaBreeze said:


> Not really, the car I drive almost everyday is a 1996 Jeep Cherokee, manual tranny.  My newest car that I don't drive too often yet is an '07 Dodge Nitro.  Never was a fan of driving the older big cars for sure.  Before these we had a Honda Accord, don't think that qualifies as old either.



And here's the 2014...   This is what I drive.   Not sure it's an old lady car though


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## AZ Jim (Apr 17, 2015)

Scott said:


> The Mini Cooper with the stick shift is a fine little car.... If you can drive a standard.



If you can't drive a stick shift you don't belong here, I learned to drive one as a young kid and owned many stick shift cars.  I had my first automatic in '53.


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## QuickSilver (Apr 17, 2015)

I can't... and never wanted to..  WHY?  What is the purpose, when a 9 speed automatic works just fine.


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## AZ Jim (Apr 17, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> I can't... and never wanted to..  WHY?  What is the purpose, when a 9 speed automatic works just fine.



Actually my point was back in most of us old folks day almost all cars were stick shift.  Nothing wrong with your automatic I have one too.  I learned to drive in a 38 buick my Dad had.  On the floor shifter.


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## NancyNGA (Apr 17, 2015)

I found that I pay attention to my driving more with a stick shift, especially in town.  My mind tends to wander with an automatic.


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## QuickSilver (Apr 17, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Actually my point was back in most of us old folks day almost all cars were stick shift.  Nothing wrong with your automatic I have one too.  I learned to drive in a 38 buick my Dad had.  On the floor shifter.



I didn't get my license until 1976 when I was 27.   I was a late bloomer..


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## AZ Jim (Apr 17, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> I didn't get my license until 1976 when I was 27.   I was a late bloomer..



I actually learned to drive BEFORE I had a license in '51 but got a license in '52.  You were a late bloomer but you're just a young thing too....


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## QuickSilver (Apr 17, 2015)

I think rural kids learned to drive earlier than city kids..  They could drive on the family farm without a license and some drove farm machinery.   I also think boys learned long before girls.   Drivers ed wasn't available in my HS... and it wasn't unusual for girls to not drive until their 20's.   My mother NEVER drove.. that was really common in that generation.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 17, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I actually learned to drive BEFORE I had a license in '51 but got a license in '52.  You were a late bloomer but you're just a young thing too....



Geez, Jim.  I was born in 52!  

I've tried to learn to drive a manual but simply can NOT do it!  So in the UK I'm on a restricted licence - automatic only.  Used to be the vast majority of cars here were manual due to the price of petrol.  But you see more and more automatics now.  

Our car is a 2003.  Only 80K miles but it's time to replace it even though we only drive less than 3,000 miles a year.  We prefer to spend on travel instead of cars.  Our car is seen as a family car. Citroen xsara Picasso (French) Looks just like this one:


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 17, 2015)

Learned to drive a 51 Chev PU, flatbed, 4 on the floor, starter next to the gas pedal, former telephone utility at 14 (ok in Utah) passed my test first time, tester told me, 'Son, if you can drive this you can drive anything'.  He couldn't get out it fast enough.  I now prefer auto, the easier the better.  Wife drives a lil black and white '05 Mini with 22K miles on it, Looks like something out of Lego movie.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 17, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> I think rural kids learned to drive earlier than city kids..  They could drive on the family farm without a license and some drove farm machinery.   I also think boys learned long before girls.   Drivers ed wasn't available in my HS... and it wasn't unusual for girls to not drive until their 20's.   My mother NEVER drove.. that was really common in that generation.



My dad taught my mom to drive.  We had driver's ed in my HS and the local Cadillac car dealer donated the cars to use.  So we learned to drive in BIG cars.


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## AZ Jim (Apr 17, 2015)

You CAN drive a stick.  It's only a matter of coordination between clutch and shifter.  I'll tell ya one thing a stick will kick and automatic's ass  at the stop light.


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## QuickSilver (Apr 17, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> You CAN drive a stick.  It's only a matter of coordination between clutch and shifter.  I'll tell ya one thing a stick will kick and automatic's ass  at the stop light.



Well, THAT'S a priority of mine..


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## Ameriscot (Apr 17, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> You CAN drive a stick.  It's only a matter of coordination between clutch and shifter.  I'll tell ya one thing a stick will kick and automatic's ass  at the stop light.



NO way!  I've had my dad, a BF, and my DH try to teach me to drive a stick and me and clutches do NOT get along.  Most of my driving is restricted to two lane roads.  Our nearest town only has one stoplight!  With riding on free buses my driving is now restricted to driving to town to grocery shop, airport runs to pick up relatives or local which is very easy - mini-roundabouts or yield.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Apr 17, 2015)

Our driver's ED  was a 57-58 Dodge, I had only driven my father's PU's with stick since 12 and was nervous first time behind wheel, had no clue how to use the push button panel located left of the steering column, every time the instructor asked me to stop I stomped my left foot onto the floor boards & reached air trying to find the shifter.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 17, 2015)

I could not transfer my US licence to a UK one as the driving is much too different.  So I had to take a written and road test after I'd been driving for 30 years.  On my first test the idiot tester had me do a hill start - I was driving my automatic!!  He wasn't used to people not driving manuals.  Doh!  The tests are very strict here which is why there is about a 50% fail rate on first time testers.  I failed and had to do it again.  Parallel parking - perfect.  Reverse around a corner, perfect.  3 point turn - perfect.


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## Scott (Apr 17, 2015)

I took my drivers test in a "OLD MAN" 1953 Buick Convertible. We were living in Wahiawa Oahu Hawaii and I was 16 

Parallel Parking that beast was hard..  It was the first Automatic Transmission car I drove... 






I currently drive a Cadillac daily driver....


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## Laurie (Apr 17, 2015)

Do I drive an old person's car?

No, it's my own!


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## Louis (Apr 17, 2015)

I drive a '07 Chev. HHR. Before that it was a '93 Geo Metro 5 speed stick. That should answer your question.


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## Josiah (Apr 17, 2015)

Here's a car 2008 Aveo that makes a statement "here to there and back again" and that's what I want in my car.


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## Pappy (Apr 17, 2015)

Took my drivers Ed test in a 53 Chevy, stick shift. The school would let us use their car to get our drivers permit.


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## oakapple (Apr 17, 2015)

We have never had an automatic car, they are not common here.However, don't think that any car here is an old person's car as such.I drive a plum coloured Ford Fiesta Zetec, it's a good car, we often buy a Ford.We don't even think about changing gear, just do it 'automatically' as we have had so much practise.


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## Lon (Apr 17, 2015)

I dunno-----Is a Toyota Camry XLE an old persons car, cause that's what I drive.


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## Falcon (Apr 17, 2015)

Nowadays, despite the brand, most of the cars look like jelly beans.

Well, except mine. I have a GMC Envoy and love it.


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## Bullie76 (Apr 17, 2015)

I guess mine would be considered a jelly bean. A Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 6 cyl. Drives great and looks sharp imo with good gas mileage. 

I drove a VW Beetle in high school, a Mazda RX7 in the early 80's and an Accord after that. All stick shifts. I enjoyed a stick back in the day. Have no desire to drive one at this point.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 17, 2015)

oakapple said:


> We have never had an automatic car, they are not common here.However, don't think that any car here is an old person's car as such.I drive a plum coloured Ford Fiesta Zetec, it's a good car, we often buy a Ford.We don't even think about changing gear, just do it 'automatically' as we have had so much practise.



They have become much more common though.  We had to hunt to find one for me in 2001, but now they are very easy to find. Still in the minority though.


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## koala (Apr 17, 2015)

Well my new Honda Accord 2009 Auto has been a kind friend and has aged well. Not worth departing just to lay out more money to update.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 17, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> If you can't drive a stick shift you don't belong here, I learned to drive one as a young kid and owned many stick shift cars.  I had my first automatic in '53.



Our first automatic car is our '07 Nitro, all others including our truck is manual.  Better for rocking out of snow and other situations, and you can always pop the clutch if needed to start a car, haven't done that in many, many years, lol.


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## Misty (Apr 17, 2015)

Have always loved Corvette's, and my daily driver is a red corvette convertible


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## Pappy (Apr 17, 2015)

A 2009 Kia Borrago and we love it. It's a good chance this might be our last car. Only got 47,000 on it and has all the bells and whistles.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Apr 17, 2015)

Subaru Forester. It must be an old person's car because I'm old, and it's what I drive.


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## Butterfly (Apr 17, 2015)

My boyfriend taught me to drive his '54 Ford stick in '62.  My dad told him to teach me to drive because trying to teach me to drive it made my dad a nervous wreck.  We didn't have driver's ed back then.  However, after that I've always driven an automatic except while we were stationed in Germany.

I now drive a silver Saturn 4-door.  I bought it new in 2002 -- runs great and is easy on the gas.  My son keeps asking me why I don't get a new car, but the Saturn runs good and I don't want car payments.


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## Grumpy Ol' Man (Apr 17, 2015)

I drive a Ram HEMI 4WD.  This is the ultimate "old folks" vehicle.  Wife says I can't see and I can't hear.  So, I just drive something that will run over most anything that gets in the way!!!

Grew up on a farm.  Drove manual transmission vehicles from the time my legs were long enough to reach the pedals.  Pickups... farm trucks... drump trucks... tractor/trailers... There isn't much I haven't driven with anywhere from "three on the tree" to 18-speed Road Ranger transmissions.  My Ram has an 8-speed automatic.  I love that tranny.  The gas mileage is amazing in this truck, helped significantly by the 8-speed.  I don't miss driving manual transmissions at all!!!


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## koala (Apr 17, 2015)

*Grumpy Ol' Man* what would that cost new today.


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## Grumpy Ol' Man (Apr 18, 2015)

koala said:


> *Grumpy Ol' Man* what would that cost new today.



If you're talking about the Ram, roughly $45,000.  That's a 2014 and I didn't pay anywhere near that much.  I drive my trucks to a little over 150,000 miles, then look for one with 10,000 to 12,000 on them.  I let someone else take the depreciation hit for driving it off the showroom floor.  I've always driven Chevrolet Silverados.  My last one, a 2008, was a gem.  She and I saw snow, ice, heavy rain, mud... we traveled many a mile and had many a conversation along the way.  I've only had this Ram about 90 days.  We're still getting used to each other, but I love the ride and the fuel mileage.  The power of this 5.7 HEMI eclipses the 5.3 Chevrolet engines and gets better mileage.  
I put on a lot of miles for work.  The firm reimburses me substantially above the IRS rate, so I don't mind that.  If I retire at the end of 2015, I should have 40,000 or so miles on the Ram.  That would leave me a great vehicle with relatively low miles to drive until the kids take away my keys!  :>)


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## Laurie (Apr 18, 2015)

"We have never had an automatic car, they are not common here."

I don't think they;re that uncommon.  I bought my first, a Rover 3 litre coupé, in 1973 and I ordered my 15th, a Citroen C4 Oicasso, on Thursday!

While I passed my test with a stick shift, I wouldn't go back to a damned podding stirrer now!

Talking of stick shifts, anyone remember the old column shifts?

The linkage got so sloppy after a year or so that gear selection became a matter for discussion between you and the Almighty!


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## Kadee (Apr 18, 2015)

My car is a 2003 Toyota Corolla , Automatic, about 130.000 kms happy with it I have no intention  of changing it for a newer model it reliable , easy on the the petrol so it gets used for most trips we make . Hubby has a Holden Rodeo we keep for pulling the caravan , it never gets used much In between going away with van as its really heavy on fuel Petrol)


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## Debby (Apr 18, 2015)

Right now we're driving a Ford Flex because we needed something big enough to pull a loaded trailer, but after we move into an apartment, my husband is leaning towards a Mustang convertible.  He likes to pretend he's young  and figures that if this is going to be close to the last or maybe his last car, he wants it to be fun to drive.


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## Pappy (Apr 18, 2015)

Tell him to go for it, Debby. My all time favorite car. Second favorite the defunct Thunderbird.


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## Davey Jones (Apr 18, 2015)

Stick shift were great back in the days but not good for dating especially at the drive in movies.(g)


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## Misty (Apr 18, 2015)

Misty said:


> Have always loved Corvette's, and my daily driver is a red corvette convertible



And here I am driving it.
View attachment 17155


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## AZ Jim (Apr 18, 2015)

This is my 2008 Malibu.  I bought in new and today it has 32k miles on it.  It probably is my last car.



BTW Since that Pic was made I have put a Limousine tint on all windows except windshields.  Arizona ya know....


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## Louis (Apr 18, 2015)

Laurie said:


> Talking of stick shifts, anyone remember the old column shifts?
> 
> The linkage got so sloppy after a year or so that gear selection became a matter for discussion between you and the Almighty!



Yes, very much so. My first cars '53 Ford, '53, Chevy, '57 Chevy, '63 Chevy were all column shift 3 speed so I know just what you mean about the sloppy linkage. Going from 1st to 2nd gear was usually a crap-shoot.


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## Shalimar (Apr 18, 2015)

Love, love, love the corvette, want one for my birthday, would even be good....


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## ndynt (Apr 18, 2015)

Oh yes, I remember fighting with it, trying to get it into gear.  Especially downshifting..going down steep New England hills.


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## drifter (Apr 18, 2015)

I don't know what you'd call my car. It's a VW bug and I've had about eight of them over the years along with a camper van and a hippy window van. The one I've got now is a hot little number. Going down the road at say 55MPH and you tromp on it, it won't spin its wheels like some of the Z-cars would but it's got enough get up and go to get your attention. The only people I see driving these bugs are young school girls, so you tell me.


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## Shalimar (Apr 18, 2015)

You are driving a young person's car Drifter. Back in the day, we had an old hippy window van we named Bessie. She had a top speed of forty- five miles per hour, and no heat. Travelling could be an adventure, travelling the hill country during black ice season.


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## merlin (Apr 18, 2015)

> Originally Posted by *oakapple*
> 
> 
> _We have never had an automatic car, they are not common here.However, don't think that any car here is an old person's car as such.I drive a plum coloured Ford Fiesta Zetec, it's a good car, we often buy a Ford.We don't even think about changing gear, just do it 'automatically' as we have had so much practise._





Ameriscot said:


> They have become much more common though.  We had to hunt to find one for me in 2001, but now they are very easy to find. Still in the minority though.



I have never had an automatic, but when touring California some years ago, the hire car was automatic with cruise control which I quite liked. My car is a Skoda Fabia, which I bought in 2002 when it was two years old, its done 140K miles now, but still drives like new, apart from the electrics which do odd things from time to time.   ...... its built in the Czech Republic, and is basically a VW but much cheaper. I don't use it so much these days and spend all my money on travel, so don't intend to replace it until I have to.


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## Misty (Apr 18, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Love, love, love the corvette, want one for my birthday, would even be good....



You must really love the corvette, Shalimar, if you are even going to be good. Lol Hope you get one for your birthday...they are really alot of fun to drive.


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## Shalimar (Apr 18, 2015)

Why, Misty, are you casting aspersions on my innate 'goodness'? Lol.


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## Misty (Apr 18, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Why, Misty, are you casting aspersions on my innate 'goodness'? Lol.



ops1:    :lol: :yougogirl:


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## Kathy G in MI (Apr 18, 2015)

I used to love to drive my stick shift, on the floor Corvair!
But these days my last 4 cars have been a minivan, a Jeep, a minivan and now another minivan! They work the best when in Florida and have to pick up the kids and grands from the airport! Plus, I can do a lot of shopping and drag it all home!
Would love a mini Cooper, but wouldn't be able to climb out of it!!!


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## John C (Apr 18, 2015)

My car is definitely an old person's car. A 1998 Buick Park Avenue Ultra.  I love it dearly and have the same bond with it as I do with my 7 year old Beagle, Pikey.  I will never, never let it go even if it stops running.


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## tnthomas (Apr 18, 2015)

I drive an old(1999) Ford truck but I don't think of it as an 'old' persons...


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## Scott (Apr 19, 2015)

drifter said:


> I don't know what you'd call my car. It's a VW bug and I've had about eight of them over the years along with a camper van and a hippy window van. The one I've got now is a hot little number. Going down the road at say 55MPH and you tromp on it, it won't spin its wheels like some of the Z-cars would but it's got enough get up and go to get your attention. The only people I see driving these bugs are young school girls, so you tell me.


Thanks Drifter you brought back a memory...and you definitely are  a "Hippie"   I ran a BP Service station years ago and we had a young woman working for me opening the station in the morning and pumping gas.
She rebuilt the engine in her VW Bus and painted it ..Pink and Yellow with little flowers on the fan shroud..My first .."You can't do that ! it's so non Mechanical looking..."  two seconds later..WOW how Cool..


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## oldman (Apr 19, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Love, love, love the corvette, want one for my birthday, would even be good....



My weekend Car in the summer and fall.


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## Shalimar (Apr 19, 2015)

O.M. That car! Beyond words!!!


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## hollydolly (Apr 19, 2015)

Yes and No...we own 3 vehicles... a sporty model, a Mini MPV..and a Vintage VW Camper which o/h has built from almost scratch... 

My o/h's sporty model is this one...he's done it all out inside with beautiful leather interior, but the bucket seats are sooo low I find it too painful to get in and out of..so I've only ever been in it twice in all the years he's owned it..but he drives it every day




This one is our Vintage camper which is 44 years old this year, and still going strong my o/h has spent a lot of money renovating it over the years from the heap of junk it was when he bought it in '88 , but it's   rarely driven anywhere  these days ..








and last but not least is my car a Ford Fusion Mini MPV which I bought last year after selling a   Blue skoda exactly the same as yours merlin, (which I hated with a passion)..and bought this one   because it has a higher viewing position and because of my back problem it's easier to get in and out . It's the car I use every day...and also the workhorse because it holds so much with the seats down.


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## oldman (Apr 19, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> O.M. That car! Beyond words!!!



Thank you. It is a cream puff and flies like the wind.


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## Shalimar (Apr 19, 2015)

O.M. I am green, green, green! Almost willing to initiate cross-border hostilities in order to jack your fabulous car! Sigh. Lol.


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## Misty (Apr 19, 2015)

View attachment 17231
Your vette is a beauty, Oldman.  I don't drive mine in the winter either. Here is mine at my son's home, after he did a good job of washing and shining it for me.


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## Robusta (Apr 19, 2015)

I have a 5.7 Ram 1500. It is the symbol of retired old man in these parts. My wife has a Nissan Juke. Thing is incredibly fun to drive.


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## DoItMyself (Apr 22, 2015)

The car that I usually drive is a Buick.  When my mother passed away I bought her car from my dad.  It's a 2002 with only 38,000 miles on it.  It was as close as possible to a brand new car.  It's solid, easy to work on, is easy to work on and is cheap.  I really don't care what I drive on a daily basis as long as it's safe, cheap and reliable.
I also have a 1999 Dodge 4X4 pickup for pulling my trailer, going to Lowes, getting through snow in the winter, etc.
My wife drives a 2006 Subaru Outback with a manual transmission.  She can't imagine not knowing how to drive a manual, and likes her Subie.  It's completely reliable, easy to work on and very inexpensive to maintain.
We also have a 2006 Durango that is our travel vehicle.  It's big and roomy, comfortable on the highway, and hauls plenty of stuff if we go to the lake house, including the dogs.


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