"My First Car" Stories

[SCompRacer]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Verstraete J:
(I wonder if anybody can beat that car story ?)</font>

Not out the door like that, but over time maybe.

Got a new 4 door 1995 GMC "Jimmy," Sport Utility (like the Chevy Blazer) for the wife in July of '96. Life was good for a couple of months when many electrical malfunctions started to plague the thing. ABS computer failed twice, cruise control modules failed, alternator failed resulting in a tow to dealer, raido/CD player failed, etc. Had about 15 visits back to the dealer for various problems up to September of '97. Seemed nothing would fail three times for a lemon law to kick in.

I had a mobile fleet repair business at the time and was very busy, so shame on me I relied on the very reputable dealer to fix it and never looked at it myself. One day, she called from the store as it wouldn't start. I removed the battery terminals even though nothing was growing from around them to find acid had been leaking from the positive side terminal. Not only did it corrode the connection but it had also seeped into the sealed cable going to the starter. No wonder it was plagued with electrical problems. Thing has been fine since the battery problem was corrected.

We had written letters and spoke with GM for some time on this and finally on November of 1997 they gave us a zero deductible 3 year, 30,000 mile extension to our original warranty.

[RedRed]

First car -
Renault 18 circa 1982, got it in 1986.... a 1600 tank, if ever there was one....
could only get 30 mpg on a good run....

A perfect passion wagon (plenty of space, easy access front seat adjusters... , great car - never serviced for 120K until head gasket went....

while the R18 was dieing I got a mini 1100 for £150 and an 1967 Mk 1 Triumph 2000 (the one in the live twisted ads) for an Atari ST!

Spent my unemplayed time (after school/ before Nursing college) under the Mini and re built her from scratch! new fron end, front wings, bonnet, valance , sills, door skins, rear valance, subframe, boot lid, and resprayed her myself (from cream (the roof and frames!!!) to matt black). got her running really well.... until....
I picked up a crack in the exhaust.... it improved the tone of the engine, but was slowly killing me.... I was running a girlfriend home from nursing digs (mine, not hers!) when I fell asleep at the wheel.... no more mini..............

I used the learning from the mini to rebuid the Triumph, which I used for a year with no major incident (apart form cluch slave cylander and low hot oil pressure - a common problem in Triumph over 200K miles . I still have her, but she will need a lot of work again (I havent driven her for a couple of years). Babies and stuff keep me out of the worksshed, and I use a Pug these days (for reliability (and with the big T only doing about 25 MPH of 4 Star!!!!! I can tun her)

reminising at home
Red

[Pace]

I'm too tired to type a story just now...read the 'Top Speed' thread to see 2 of them though (as I'm still driving that very 'first' car )

Anyway, one thing I do disagree with is this being wrong:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Flash your headlights during the day to fool oncoming vehicles into thinking a police radar trap is ahead.</font>

If people would drive like there was police around at all times...the roads might just be a little safer.

Damn, I need to stop campaigning in the MURC and get out there Watch for Pace (the) Murcer, PM soon

P.

(btw, PM = Prime Minister here of course...)