Calling all car buffs...

[TransWarpDrive]

This thread is for anyone who likes cars. It doesn't matter whether you're old enough to drive; I was a car buff back in grade school (and we're talkin' some 40-odd years ago, folks), and had my favorites even then. Growing up, my favorite car makes were Ford and Volkswagen, mainly because those were the brands my parents owned. I still favor those two, although the only Ford model I currently like is the Mustang - very nice design, reminiscent of the Mustangs built between 1964 and 1968 (the best years, design-wise, for that car, IMHO). I also liked the Mercury Cougar, especially the ones built between 1967 and 1968 (Mercury's other cars back then weren't bad, either).
During the 70's, I came to like cars by Buick and Oldsmobile (my dad owned a '73 Buick Century that I eventually got); their early- to mid-70's designs I found very stylish.
Other brands I currently like: Audi (a division of VW), and Mercedes-Benz.
So, what are your favorite cars? I'd like to know.

(Ladies and gentlemen, start your keyboards!)

[canuck31003]

Let's see, I was first interested in cars as a child -- Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari, Lamborghini, et cetera. This tailed off about the time I had a realistic appreciation of the concept of money.

I didn't renew my interest until 5 or 6 years ago. I was strongly influenced by my brother who is also a big fan of cars, and who only sold his beloved Passat due to family considerations. That's probably why my first new car was a Volkswagen, a 1.8T GTI. I was happy with it, but one weekend I was bored and decided to test drive a VW R32. Big difference. I traded my GTI in for a R32 and that's what I'm driving now, after a few modifications along the way.

Whimsically thinking, my future vehicle will be a BMW 3-series, or Infiniti G35. And perhaps Audi if they ever get around to putting their nav on *top* of the dashboard, and not down low where it's difficult to see the road even with peripheral vision.

I like a lot of different makes, but my knowledge about them is pretty restricted to VW, and the R32 in particular.

[campy]

Vehicles I've owned include an AMC Pacer, VW Dasher, International Scout (a surplus USPS truck with right hand drive), Mazda pickup truck, 2 Honda Civics, and Pontiac minivan.

I like luxury cars now. I could never see myself trying to squeeze into a little sports car, even when I was young enough for one. (If I ever was. )

I came close to buying a used Cadillac DeVille last year before I bought my current Toyota Avalon. I was looking at one with almost all the luxury options, including heated rear seats and power sunshades. It didn't have a moonroof, though, which I really like in my Avalon.

If I had unlimited fundage, I'd probably be driving an S-Class Mercedes or a Lexus LS, or maybe a Bentley.

[TransWarpDrive]

I still have the brochure from when my dad bought the 1973 Buick (he got a Century 4-door sedan, BTW). Every now and then, I pull it out and look through it. It's interesting to look back now and see how many different models, and how many variations of said models, one car maker offered back then.
That brochure also brings back a lot of memories for me - I was in junior high school (8th grade) when Dad bought that car. Good times; good times....

[campy]

I still have the brochure from when my dad bought the 1973 Buick (he got a Century 4-door sedan, BTW). Every now and then, I pull it out and look through it.

That's quite a collector's item. I still have a few of my brochures. I have my '79 Dasher one, the '83 Mazda, the '85 and '97 Civics, and the '04 Corolla.

I wish I had one for the Pacer. That would be a real classic. Like the car itself.

All I remember about that car was that the parking break cable snapped twice while we were getting our state inspections, causing us to fail. And we practically never used the brake otherwise.

[TransWarpDrive]

I still have the brochure from when my dad bought the 1973 Buick (he got a Century 4-door sedan, BTW). Every now and then, I pull it out and look through it.

That's quite a collector's item. I still have a few of my brochures. I have my '79 Dasher one, the '83 Mazda, the '85 and '97 Civics, and the '04 Corolla.

I wish I had one for the Pacer. That would be a real classic. Like the car itself.

All I remember about that car was that the parking break cable snapped twice while we were getting our state inspections, causing us to fail. And we practically never used the brake otherwise.

Parking "break?" Did you mean to spell it that way, or was it accidental? Either way, it's ironically fitting... :P
....I also have the brochures for my '98 Bug, and my '05 Passat.

[Muzzlehatch]

Back in 1952 my father traded our 1933 Ford coupe in for a 1947 Studebaker Commander sedan (I was 5) and that made me a Stude man for the rest of my life (I didn't remember much about the Ford except that it had a rumble seat and Dad wouldn't allow me in it when the car was moving). Since then I've owned a '49 Commander Starlight Coupe and a '64 Commander V8 sedan. Don't have the money or space to indulge in the old car hobby at present, but I do plan to go to the Studebaker Driver's Club International Meet in Providence, RI this June.