First car? What got you started on this path?

[MichaelJohn]

There is another thread going started by a 16 year-old who is looking to get an M5 at 18. I don't even know what to say about that. However, many responders have talked about their first cars and I found that very entertaining so I thought I'd start a thread about it. Since we are all enthusiasts it is interesting to see how we started off and to find out how early the car passion took hold.

My first car was a 1965 white Mustang fastback with the iconic 289 V8. I bought it in 1970 (I'm old!) with money borrowed from my dad, he was a car guy too. I paid him back $100.00 a month for 13 months and I was very grateful that he lent me the money. There was no question of getting the car as a gift, I had to earn it. I loved that car like I have probably loved no other since. Did all kinds of little custom things to it. The car was fast for its day, but I knew someone who had a GT 350 (he was the envy of all of us gearheads, I sure hope he kept it) and I think riding in that car hooked me forever on the acceleration rush. I have been lusting after and buying powerful cars ever since. I think my overall favorite fun car was my 1993 RX7 twin turbo. Beautiful lines, very fast and it handled like a go-cart (2,800 lbs!) Had to sell it in 1995 because my daughter was getting too big to stuff into the child seat I had crammed into the small space behind the seats. That got me into an E36 M3 and I've been hooked on M's ever since. It's funny, my M5 would obliterate that 1966 GT 350 but in my memory banks it still registers as the fastet car I have ever ridden in.

[greentrbo95gst]

I totally agree you with you on that subject. First of all, nobody in high school can afford an expensive car like that, second, these guys dont have the experience to handle M cars and cars become weapons in their hands.
My parents paid for my education, but my hobbies had to be paid by me.
My first car was a 71 Mach I with 351 cleveland that I really couldn't afford to fix so after a year I had to ditch it and got a 92 Civic hatch.
Went through few civics, then Eclipse, Eclipse AWD Turbo that turned into a race car, couple Integras, couple Infinitis Qx4's and my first BMW was a 2001 540i (my first car loan), 325ci (still have it), X5 4.8is, e90, e39 M5, e60m5 and now F10 M5.

[B-1Pilot]

I learned to drive stick on a chevy S-10 I bought when I was 16...

My first real car was a 325i Convertible in triple black... bought it cash out of my own pocket in 1994, junior year of college (Air Force Academy didn't allow you to even have a car til then!). Car wasn't the best in the snow.... Dumbest mistake I made was selling it about 4 years later, when I was in pilot training, to get a Jeep. I miss this car.

[mwlmd]

My boring car history...

1983 Toyota Celica GT (brown on brown)....totaled.

1984 Honda Prelude (Silver on gray)...sold with 175k mi to HS student

1990 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD Turbo (Red on gray) catless exhaust... blew tranny...sold it on ebay to stoner in N.H.

1998 Honda Accord EX-V6 (Black on gray)...great car...sold

1999 Lexus LX470 (Black on Tan)...great truck...sold to co-worker

2004 Infiniti G35x (Graphite on black)...stock...unloaded early on swap-a-lease with many complications on transaction including me hiring a repo man!!!!!!

2007 BMW E90 335i (silver on black)...JB2, tint...lease returned

2008 BMW E90 M3 (Black on Red)...H&R, spacers, LEDs, clear bra, tint, Dinan exhaust...sold

2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited (Black on gray)...tint...22" KMC black slides... still in service

2013 BMW F10 M5 (White on Orange)...First ED...H&R, tint, Full countermeasures, spacers, Akra Evo, Opti-guard...still in service

2017 BMW F80 M3 LCI....build TBD....ED fall 2016

[E92LNGCGY]

First car which I purchased was 2006 325 (E90)
335 (E92)
X3 35 (F25)

Soon:
M4 & F15

Wish:
991 GT3

[alvinabed]

hello guys..

small introduction to fellow enthusiast here.

i am from Indonesia, and my first car was 2004 Black Honda CRV. I sold it in 2006 and went for my further studies in California. My father bought me 2007 black on tan fully loaded Lexus IS250. The ride is ok, but rather slow.

Since I was not satisfied with the car, I traded in with 2008 black on black e92 335xi. I modded the car with klassen wheels, m performance aero kit, kw v2 coil over suspension, and vorsteiner diffuser. It was my first BMW, and I love the brand since then.

Sold the car, since I had to move to Michigan for my bachelor degree. I traded it with 2009 space grey on brown BMW X5 e70 3.0 xdrive. It's a good car to drive especially the tough winter up there.

In 2010 I went back to Indonesia for good. The next car I bought was 2011 Titanium Silver on black BMW 535i F10. I did quite a lot of mods to this car. I bought M performance aerokit with 3D design front lip and diffuser, eisenmann quad exhaust, KW v3 coil over, brembo brake kits, m performance spoilers and carbon side mirror.

Now I traded in my 535i to 2013 Alpine White on Sakhir Orange BMW M5 F10. It is the best car I have ever owned. I used to want one, dreamed of one, and now I got one.

[N.S.A]

My first car was a 2009 BMW X6 50i at the age of 17. It was senior year in high school when I got it, I still love the X6 and wish I could have it as a daily. I know very young to have such a nice car, but my parents bought it for me, and I work for them and do not collect a paycheck except accepting a car.

[shahano]

My first car was a BMW e30 M3 that I bought 3 years ago. Still isn't running though . She will be done soon.

[py0413]

1999 Acura EL which was actually a Honda civic with leather and sunroof and a different badge. It was a wonderful and reliable car until some auto glass shop decided to ruin the windshield installation that caused a bad leak.

[omegatlc]

1977 Mustang II. Ugly car by all means, but got it for $1,500 (in 1986) and it held up through high school.

My son wanted me to keep my E92 M3 so he could have it as his first car...absolutely not! He'll have to earn his the way I had to earn mine. And with all the distractions these kids have today (text as a first language), I'm not giving him that much power to start off with.

[Stash21]

Completely agree on the 18 year olds driving m5 is insane. Fortunately in the UK insurance costs / availability generally prohibit that here.

1991 ford Orion
1995 audi 80 16v SE
1999 audi a4 2.8 Quattro.
1995 e34 518
2000 e39 540i sport.
2006 750i
2011 audi s4.
2013 M5.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by omegatlc

(text as a first language)

Love it…….

[JS919]

'69 VW bought for $600 cash and I got ripped off.
The only thing my Dad paid for was the boot that kicked me in the ass. He told me that if I wanted a car I better get a job.
My older sister got everything handed to her. Now she is still relying on our parents to pay her bills at 45.
Long story short - Get a job and learn how to work for what you want or you won't have anything that you earned and will expect people to take care of you all your life.

[PatrickC23]

Hand me down 1986 Honda Accord LX (in 1991 when I got my license)

2.) 1993 Chevy Blazer (hand me down)
3.) 1995 Volvo 740 GL (hand me down)
4.) 1998 Nissan Maxima SE (College graduation gift)
5.) 2001 BMW e46 330ci (my first car purchase)
6.) 2002 BMW e46 M3 (first M car, and still my favorite)
7.) 2007 Supercharged Range Rover Sport
8.) 2009 MB C63 AMG
9.) 2013 BMW F10 M5 (my dream car actually)

[patb23]

My 1st car that I got from my parents was a 91' Pontiac Grand Prix SE.
When I graduated college my dad signed over the title to a 1962 corvette convertible
1st car I bought with my own money was a 08' BMW 550i

[AGS]

My first car was the first model year RX-7 (1978). Great little car that I bought from my dad in high school. My full list is in my sig below.

Another car I really loved was the 1990 Eagle Talon TSi AWD. Fun car to toss around - good to see others on this board also enjoyed it (or its sister version).

Originally Posted by greentrbo95gst

Eclipse AWD Turbo that turned into a race car

Originally Posted by mwlmd

1990 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD Turbo (Red on gray) catless exhaust... blew tranny...sold it on ebay to stoner in N.H.

[GoodandEvil]

My first car is an Audi S5, V8 coupe version. I really love this car and sometimes I still dream about driving it. The second car is M5, and the third will be another M5, also ordered the new X5. My dream car is R34 GTR, can't imagine how happy I will be if I could sit in one someday. My wish list includes GT3 and M4, in the future I hope I will get another S5 and BMW 7er just for the purpose of preserving memories of the past. I never think cars are just machines, they are more like partners and friends to me. I always think the car one chooses somehow reflects certain characteristics of it's owner, and I believe the soul of my first lovely s5 still lives in my heart~

[mainly]

2008 e60 m5, after watching jeremy clarksons review of it on Top Gear.

[avi8tir]

Good post!!

My first car that I bought with my own $$ was a 2001 Acura TL Type-S. I was 21.
I obviously had the mod bug early and lowered it on Eibach springs and put an AEM intake on it. Fun!

The rest goes like this:
2004 Acura TL

2006 BMW M3 ZCP
2007 Acura MDX
2007 Porsche 997 Turbo

This was obviously where I started to make real money after college!

2010 997.2 GT3
2011 750Li
2013 BMW X5 M
2013 BMW M5
2009 Scuderia

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by Actor

Love it…….

Yeah no kidding! SMH! Whoops that's text speak too.

[dhirm5]

My car log:

1985 Jeep CJ-7

1993 Volvo 940 Turbo - first car bought after my wife and I got married. Wife's DD, primary family car. Great car. We loved it.

1997 Volvo 850 T-5 - traded the 940 Turbo in for this one. Another fantastic car.

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee - new baby, her new daily. Jeep CJ sold some months back. 850 becomes my daily.

2000 Lexus GS400 - my new daily - semi-dream car - hated it by the time ownership was over. Hard to explain why. Just hated it. Never bought another Lexus.

2001 Honda Odyssey - second kid on the way - replaced her Jeep Grand Cherokee

2001 BMW 740i Sport - my new daily - replaced the Lexus with it in 2003. Loved this thing with all my heart. I'd still have it if I had more garage slots.

2006 Jeep Commander Hemi - her new daily - replaced the Odyssey - kids getting bigger, don't need minivan automatic doors anymore

2011 BMW X5d - her daily - replaced the Commander

2009 BMW E60 M5 - replaced my e38 with this. Loved it until late last year when I traded it for the F10. First car I ever got to modding. It's a disease and I blame it on m5board.

2014 BMW F10 M5 - <3

[RPiM5]

Yeah I was going to post over in that other thread but decided not to as almost everything I started to type out sounded condescending to that kid. Lol!

First car? 1986 Ford Mustang LX with a 4sp MT and could barely get up to 85mph. Lol! I bought it without even knowing how to drive stick and I taught myself along with my Dad's help from time to time. My Dad helped me negotiate the deal with the seller but I was the one who paid for it. A whole whopping $1,200 bucks, which I worked for over a year as a busser at our local restaurant to pay for.

My love of BMW's came from being a student and lover of history. History was what I got my Undergrad Degree in too. I specialized in WWII history and I got really interested in BMW once I learned about how they made fighter engines during the war. In 2004, I saved up about $10,000 dollars while I was in college (worked 3 jobs and went to school full time) and went on a 3 month backpacking trip to Europe visiting over 17 countries. During that trip I took with me a blue BMW hat with the BMW roundel in the center of it. Everywhere I went people would ask me if I owned a BMW and I told them no, but I will one day. In the middle of the trip I stayed in Munich to go visit the BMW factory and the BMW Museum. In 2004, the Welt wasn't even near completion yet, and at that time the Museum was in a different location than where it is today, but the Headquarters building was still there. I walked through the factory and museum in utter excitement and from that moment on I knew that I would own one, one day.

Just about 2 years later when I was in Flight School for the Navy, I went to my local BMW dealership and put down a deposit on a brand new BMW. It was to be only my 3rd car I had ever owned. Looking back at it now, it was funny because I knew nothing about U.S. MSRP, U.S. Invoice, negotiating an interest rate, none of that. I paid MSRP on a brand new Monaco Blue 330i which was delivered to me in October 2005. I was the first one in the entire state with a new E90 3-Series. Coming from the car I had been driving for the last 8 years, which was a 1997 Chevy Cavalier, the new E90 3-Series was like a spaceship to me. There was new technologies I had never seen before like Comfort Access, the iDrive system, and the TPMS to name a few that just blew me away. I had ordered it with the Sports Package as well, and to me, I had no idea that a car could be that fast and handle that well. It felt like I was driving a piece of the future. I loved that first BMW of mine and to this day I still hate myself for getting rid of it. It NEVER broke, not a single problem with it, I just had to change the tires and oil changes. It treated me so well.

Fast forward 8 years later and several BMW's and ///M cars later and here I am still driving and owning a 2013 F10 M5 after 16 months of ownership. As of right now I don't have plans to get rid of it anytime soon. Sure, I wish it had better steering feel, and the Comp Package, and the Carbon Ceramic Brakes, and the Adjustable Side Bolsters (which even my 2006 330i had!), but it has satisfied me for this long and has not broken down on me, so I'm thinking why get rid of it? Kind of like Monogamy. Lol!

Honestly to me, owning any BMW is a lucky experience. I've been to places in the world where people can barely afford to eat (and I've experienced that too), and it makes me wonder where 16 year old kids get off wanting a $100,000 BMW with over 600hp without working for it.

Having lived in Southern California the past 7 years, I've definitely met my fair share of 18 year olds with Ferrari's, Lamborghini's and such and I always never respected them in my head, but showed them dignity and respect as a fellow human being. Secretly I want any 18 year old with a $100,000 car to crash it and survive so they can learn some sort of lesson, but the virus of affluenza probably will not allow them to learn a lesson.

Anyways, my love of BMW goes pretty deep and although I find myself wanting that 14' 911 GT3 or that Audi R8 V10 from time to time, I know that when the time is right I'll get one of those too and park it right next to my M5.

Drive hard friends.