Ever drove that car "a little too long?"

[Supersport350]

My first car was a 1989 Firebird 305 w/5 speed. It's the car that got me into cars, taught me how to wrench, and taught me how to drive (and do donuts, power slides, e-brake slides, etc). It was also the first and only vehicle I ever totaled, after t-boning a driver who ran a stop sign. My grandpa bought me that car, and a few months later he unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack at age 60. I swore I'd buy another just like it some day.

March 2004, I needed a car, and I decided to search nationwide for a 1989 Pontiac Firebird in Maui Blue, only this time, a Formula 350 model...giving up the 5 speed in exchange for more cubes. My search turned up a hit just a few hours away, in the Michigan thumb, with just 70,000 miles, no rust, and never drove in the winter.

I wasted no time, as after I slid behind the wheel, the attraction was too great. While my first one didn't get away, going to it's resting place instead, I wanted that first car feeling once again, promising not to let this one slip away. That was 2004.

I wanted a fun car as a daily driver, and that's the roll my Pontiac served me for the past 8 years. While I wanted to park it a few years ago, either buying another car, or even simply a beater, it never happened. The year round driving continued, the rust got a little worse, and with 153,000 miles, I feel I rode her a little too hard and too long.

Structurally, the car is still in fairly good shape. Aside from needed some new seat covers, and some new carpet (that light gray is hard to keep clean!), the interior looks great! Yet the floor pans will likely need patched, if not replaced. The rear inner wheel wells are gone, literally. The bracket for the rear seat shoulder straps have literally broke free from the wheel well, as it rusted away. The body has a few dings that can be fixed, though the driver side door may need replaced, I won't know until I dig into it later on down the road.

The good news is, I'm buying my dad's 2002 Ford F150 in a month or so. I will FINALLY be able to park my Pontiac. Later on down the road, perhaps in 2-3 years, I will be able to start giving the car the attention it deserved. For me, this car IS my first car. All the memories, hanging with friends, meeting girls, blasting my music, enjoying the sun with the t-tops out, burying the speedometer, they all feel like just yesterday. It still feels like the car my grandpa bought me, months before passing. For that reason, I will never let this one get away.

You can read more about my car and see some pictures here: My 1989 Pontiac Formula

So, tell me about your car that you can't let go, but have drove a little longer than you should have.

[pdub]

Yeah, I can do that, but I'm too embarrassed to do it in detail here on BS.

It was a GEO Prizm. Was interested to see how long it would run, it's paid for, right? Well, one thing you don't figure into that is "Where will you be when it croaks?"

Not a hotrod topic. Back to subject and carry on...

[JOES66FURY]

I had my ram 13 years. The gift I promised myself when I joing the USAF, only took 5 years to get the money together for a down payment. It was my first new car purchase and I loved it dearly but after years of abuse the heads cracked. I redid the top end only to have the trans shit the bed a few months later. I ended up trading it on my Mustang. Not a day goes by that I dont think about that truck. It was a big part of my life for many, many years.

[Supersport350]

The car I had prior to my current Formula was a hand-me-down from my parents, a 1990 Buick Regal (2 door) with the 3800 V6. It was nothing special, but damn was that car dependable! The odometer quit at about 75,000 miles. I estimate that car had 250,000+ miles on it, didn't use a drop of oil, and still got up and moved when you stepped on the gas. It was light blue up top, dark blue down low, and had that 8 inch wide chrome trim along the bottom. It was pretty rusted out when I donated it to a local charity. While nothing special, that car was in my life for many years, and I was still sad to see it go. I often wonder if it's still on the road or not. Part of me wishes I continued to drive it until it broke, except now I got a little one, and as you said, I have to take into consideration where it's gonna give up for the last time. Living in Detroit, that's not a gamble I think I wanna take. LOL

[Barry Donovan]

there is only two things that can go on too long:

ignoring steel and lack of positive airflow.

I come from trucking.

I was a grease monkey on a 2miilion mile direct hit 1981 nuclear international cabover.

Too long is something not enough.

[Thumpin455]

I still own them, and have been going through them lately. The one I should have never started is the 71 Mustang, the 65 GTO is debatable. I didnt drive them to the condition they were in when I started on them, and almost everything I have had has been rough to begin its time with me. I am taking care of the 98 Formula as best I can, despite it being the summer long distance driver and having to sleep outside all winter.

[BangShift McT]

I haven't had a car long enough.

[Bamfster]

I still have my 1st and I drive it every day .... is that too long?

[dulcich]

My first car was a 1989 Firebird 305 w/5 speed. It's the car that got me into cars, taught me how to wrench, and taught me how to drive (and do donuts, power slides, e-brake slides, etc). It was also the first and only vehicle I ever totaled, after t-boning a driver who ran a stop sign. My grandpa bought me that car, and a few months later he unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack at age 60. I swore I'd buy another just like it some day.

March 2004, I needed a car, and I decided to search nationwide for a 1989 Pontiac Firebird in Maui Blue, only this time, a Formula 350 model...giving up the 5 speed in exchange for more cubes. My search turned up a hit just a few hours away, in the Michigan thumb, with just 70,000 miles, no rust, and never drove in the winter.

I wasted no time, as after I slid behind the wheel, the attraction was too great. While my first one didn't get away, going to it's resting place instead, I wanted that first car feeling once again, promising not to let this one slip away. That was 2004.

I wanted a fun car as a daily driver, and that's the roll my Pontiac served me for the past 8 years. While I wanted to park it a few years ago, either buying another car, or even simply a beater, it never happened. The year round driving continued, the rust got a little worse, and with 153,000 miles, I feel I rode her a little too hard and too long.

Structurally, the car is still in fairly good shape. Aside from needed some new seat covers, and some new carpet (that light gray is hard to keep clean!), the interior looks great! Yet the floor pans will likely need patched, if not replaced. The rear inner wheel wells are gone, literally. The bracket for the rear seat shoulder straps have literally broke free from the wheel well, as it rusted away. The body has a few dings that can be fixed, though the driver side door may need replaced, I won't know until I dig into it later on down the road.

The good news is, I'm buying my dad's 2002 Ford F150 in a month or so. I will FINALLY be able to park my Pontiac. Later on down the road, perhaps in 2-3 years, I will be able to start giving the car the attention it deserved. For me, this car IS my first car. All the memories, hanging with friends, meeting girls, blasting my music, enjoying the sun with the t-tops out, burying the speedometer, they all feel like just yesterday. It still feels like the car my grandpa bought me, months before passing. For that reason, I will never let this one get away.

You can read more about my car and see some pictures here: My 1989 Pontiac Formula

So, tell me about your car that you can't let go, but have drove a little longer than you should have.

THAT - Supersport350, is one heck of a cool story.
-dulcich

[HillbillySailor2]

My first car is long gone, and I'm not in a place right now to where I could get another one like it if I could (just retired from the Navy, getting ready to move, and looking for a job). The one vehicle I've wanted since I was little was the 1980 Ford F-150 my mother and step-dad purchased not long after they got married in 1982. The truck is still in our family and in really good shape. The truck has been rebuilt 3 times since they've owned it. I thought my step-dad would get rid of the truck after my mother passed away and he purchased a 67 GTO to help him pass the time...and he's going to...he's giving it to me when he gets the GTO back on its wheels and running (which he's almost there). That will be a truck that I'll keep too long. It will also get upgraded. Since the body, paint, and interior are in such good shape, I'm going to focus on the drivetrain. The 400/4 speed combo drinks gas like there's no tomorrow. I'm going to upgrade the heads with some Aussie units, and I'm putting a ZF-5 in the place of the Borg-Warner. I may even upgrade to EFI. I'm still thinking on that one.

[Gary 351C]

I keep cars until they're dead and not worth fixing anymore. I've never owned a daily driver that I was so passionate about that I kept throwing money at it to keep it going. The Crown Vic would probably last forever if I keep it up but after two years I'm already getting bored with it. I'll probably keep it another 2 or 3 years then find something else that gets better milage since pumping 75 bucks worth of gas every 10 days is getting old.