.

the car junkie daily magazine.

.

Question Of The Day: How Many Vehicle Models Have You Driven In Your Lifetime?


Question Of The Day: How Many Vehicle Models Have You Driven In Your Lifetime?

Think about it for a second: we can usually figure out how many cars we’ve owned on the drop of a hat. But how many kinds of cars have you driven? Think back to every car you’ve ever had to borrow, every test drive car that didn’t pan out, every rental? That number can grow exponentially, yet if you think about all of the cars you have driven, they make up the background upon which your current view on vehicles is biased. I recently wrote up a list of every vehicle I’ve operated that was not a dirt bike, ATV, or aircraft, because I wanted to see just how many vehicle types I’ve driven ever since my first time behind the wheel twenty-seven years ago. It’s an interesting breakdown…out of the 113 vehicles that I can remember driving:

19 vehicles are cars that I owned. I did not count cars that didn’t run the whole time I owned them, like my first car (1975 Camaro) or either of the Oldsmobile Cutlasses I’ve owned.

Caprice

27 are front-wheel-drive cars, and range from a 1979 Ford Festiva to a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS V8, the pinnacle of understeer.

Ford Fiesta

50 are V8-powered, six are diesels (12-valve Cummins Dodge, 24-valve Cummins Dodge, LMTV, FMTV, HMMWV, and 923-series five ton trucks).

LMTV and HMMWV

Three are not available in the U.S. market: Toyota Prado Land Cruiser, Nissan truck (Middle East market) and 2002 Chevrolet Caprice (the Middle East version of the Holden WH).

1999_Holden_Statesman_(WH)_sedan_(2015-06-25)_01

And the most embarrassing car I have on the list? A 1990 Hyundai S’coupe. Don’t ask. Just don’t. It was a test drive, okay?

 

 

 

Scoupe

That list started in 1988 and is continuing on, and I’m only getting started. But I’m a young gun compared to some of you readers, so take a wild shot: how many vehicles have you had the privilege of wheeling around? Is it deep in the hundreds? Can you claim a thousand vehicles? Or is it a short list that you enjoy instead of trying everything under the sun? Let us know below!

 


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0

10 thoughts on “Question Of The Day: How Many Vehicle Models Have You Driven In Your Lifetime?

  1. tyler Garrett

    I have been driving for 38 years. There is no way i can count all the cars I have ever driven, it’s an impossible number. I’m sure a lot of people here are in the same situation. 113 cars? what were you in jail for most of that time? I have to be close to 3,000? maybe more? Yeah, a lot more……

  2. weasel1

    been driving for 45 years. from 15 to 19, 33 cars trucks bikes including my first car a 64 Falcon that i bought for 50 bucks on my 16th birthday. military time 153 first in a infantry motor pool then assigned to a vehicle proving ground. since then family, kids, etc. only have had 72. currently a Ford King Ranch. thinking about another Falcon as a retirement project. not even near 1000 but i remember every one and wish i had kept a few

  3. jerry z

    I’ve been driving for 36 years ( and few years before that but I won’t go there), it may take a few hours to figure that amount.

  4. V12 guy

    This will take me a while,I have been associated with the Museum since 1978 and have driven many amazing cars during that time. Not counting the every day Chevy’s,Pontiac,Ford’s,etc I have driven (obviously) Auburn,Cord,Duesenberg marques. Ruxton (1 of 18 extant) jaguar,Bentley,Rolls-Royce,Packard,Locomobile,Pierce Arrow,a REAL 427 Cobra, Apperson,Mercedes (360K) Ferrari (Mexico 250) Desoto,Studebaker,Citroen (SM)Essex,the sad thing is that before cell phones I really have no visual proof, so I can only “talk ” trash here on the net. I have pics of the early years usually driving some one in a parade,or to a Wedding. I hate to say “trust me”,but I’ve wheeled some iron!

  5. keezling

    Working at Ford dealerships twisting wrenches over 40 years it’s safe to say I drove and worked everything Ford put out with few exceptions. Lots of brand x stuff too.

    1. Bob

      Same here. Work in Ford dealership. Couldn’t begin to count the different kinds of cards I’ve driven. Not even an estimate

  6. Brett

    I feel like such an amateur! With only 13 years driving, my list is pretty short. I am very proud of the number of alpha-numeric titles.
    ’78 Buick Estate Wagon,’85 Chev Nova, ’91 Nissan Pick-Em-Up, ’99 Buick Regal GS, ‘8? Plymouth Turismo, ’94 Saturn SL1, ’79 G10, ’95 G30, ’97 C2500 Pick-Em-Up, ’99 Acura Integra, ’02 P71, ’00 Buick LeSabre, ’03 B2500, ’07 G2500, ’83 K10, ’99 C2500 Suburban, ’98 Dodge Neon, ’09 Dodge Caravan, ’13 BMW, ’81 E100, ’87 B250, ’06 Mitsubishi, ’02 Toyota Tacoma. I’m sure there are more, but my lunch break is almost over…

  7. 1badmonkey

    lets see, its a thursday.
    today I have driven;
    a kia, tahoe, ranger, mercedes, 3 uhaul trucks, an oldsmobile, a grand prix, a dodge pick up, and my own chevy pick up on my way to my shop this AM.

    Ive driven LOTS of cars/trucks

  8. Lon

    83 Honda Civic, 80 Ford Fiesta (not Festiva), 86 Ford F150, 86 GMC truck, 90? Chrysler Imperial, Mazda pickup, Nissan pickup, S10 trucks and suvs, Astro vans, Suzuki hatchback, Isuzu NPR, Isuzu Trooper, Chevy Nova, Camaro, Audi Quattro, Audi TT, International 4600, Hino flatbed, Ford F700 , 80s Honda CB900, Yamaha XS 650, Yamaha CT1, Kawasaki KE 100, Suzuki DS80 with a go cart engine, 84 GMC truck, 90 and 88 Chevy C1500, 90? MazdaRanger,Dodge Neon, Toyota Camry, Pontiac G6. Plus gocarts a minibike and various forklifts.

  9. oldguy

    Not to be a dick , but the question was :

    ” But how many kinds of cars have you driven? ”

    Not brands + models ….I’m also equating ‘ cars ‘ as vehicle types

    IE a 4 door 1968 Peugeot is the same as a 84 Crown Vic = a 4 dr sedan

    I’ve driven a crap load of 2 dr pickups but that = 1 ‘ type ‘ . right ?

    Including trucks + motorcycles I’m up to 22 ‘ types ‘

Comments are closed.