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Why do you drive the vehicle you do?

MJ5150

MJ5150

Moderator
Staff member
Gold Supporting Member
Apr 12, 2001
17,407
35,710
Edinburg, Texas
#1
As I sit in this parking lot waiting for my wife to come out of Bed, Bath & Beyond, I am having fun people watching. I see some people who don't look to be a good fit at all for the vehicle they are in, others look perfect.

Then it got me to wondering, why do people drive the vehicles they do? So, why do you drive the vehicle you do? A gift? What you could afford? Your dream ride? Most practical for you current lot in life? Something else?

Today, I am driving the vehicle my wife wanted, a Ford Edge. I drive my Ram since it was the nicest truck I could find with the money I had to spend back then.

-Mike
 
#2
I drive an '89 5.0 Mustang. It's a dirtbag car. I drive it because it's:

a) paid for. I don't want another bill.

b) still running, and I'm familiar with what's wrong with it and what's right with it.

c) relatively cheap and easy to work on, with a strong aftermarket available to maintain it or improve on the factory design.

d) relatively cheap in the insurance and registration. I have a clean license, and because of its age and relative lack of value, it's cheaper than any new car would be.

e) something I don't have to worry about it. It's got dents and rust. I don't have to worry about where I park. People know I'm not bluffing when I change lanes.

f) big enough to carry my gear to shows. Hatchback FTW!

g) got enough "guy cred" with the 5.0 to keep my ego from falling too far down.

h) fun enough to keep me wishing I had something more expensive.
 
#4
'96 Chevy C-1500.

I'm a Chevrolet fanatic and it was my dream truck. I just started high school when they stopped making that body style and they were my favorite Chevy trucks, still are. By a stroke of luck, and my S-10 catching on fire, I found my '96 back in '03 and it is/was EXACTLY what I always wanted. Regular cab, short bed, white, split rear window, the Vortec engine, only thing is I wish it had the 350, but the 305 gets the job done. ;)

She's still in great shape, body is clean and the paint polishes out like a brand new truck. I get compliments on it all the time and it makes me very proud.

Don't think it'll ever let it get away from me unless something catastrophic happens. Even when i'm old I won't let my kids drive it. Haha.
 

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#5
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Great mileage, handles like a dream, fairly quick; I love it! I rented a Mitsubishi Gallant, and drove it in an ice storm, and then I knew it was the car for me. When I couldn't find a used one, I did some research on the Lancer, and found it is, in many ways, the same car, and I found this one.
 
#8
We all have our reasons, mine is sentimental. I drive a '95 Eagle Summit, not only because I own it but just as much because it's the last place I have that I shared with Mom & Dad. Odd, I know, but I always feel they're with me when I drive it and that feels good.

iJazz
 
#9
2009 Nissan Xterra off-road
wanted it since X first came out. I do a lot of hunting, offroading, camping in general and towing, it's a perfect fit for me.
On long trips with clean K&N filter i get about 20-22MPG on 33s, last trip i got 24mpg, city about 16mpg. It has enough power and just a great 4x4.
What i like about this thing is fact that it's not too flashy, It's a true 4x4 in sense. It has power windows/power locks/mp3 player and that's it out of luxury. Less stuff to break down. It also came with lockers for rear diff, which helps. It's very conformable ride, and its a body on frame, basically a truck.

Like i said, awesome 4x4 and what i always wanted/needed and that's why i got it.

Oh, also, it's a stick shift. not many 4x4s come in 6speed nowadays. SCORE!

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Only way i am getting a new car is if Xterra comes out with a diesel with 6speed. Otherwise, it just needs a 3"-4" lift with a bit more flex. Also need to install rock sliders i have. i damaged the body enough and a rear tyre mount because 33s don't fit under and its a dumb spot to put a spare.
 
#10
I drive a Silverado 1500. I went with Chevy because an old guitar player of mine sells them. The price was right.

I went with a pickme up truck because my head rubs on the roof of lesser vehicles. That, and with a capper on the back I have lots of space for bass gear, maybe some PA stuff, a drum riser........
 
#11
I drive a 2001 Toyota Tacoma that I bought new for the following reasons:

- dependability of Toyota trucks

- perfect blend of off road capability and highway manners

- big enough to haul gear while being small enough to fit in garages/drive throughs

- it gets decent MPG for a 4x4 (4 cylinder)

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- Most importantly, it bears a passing resemblance to Michael J. Fox's truck in Back to the Future...I guess you could say it was my dream vehicle.

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It's been my daily driver since I got it and I never plan on getting rid of it. I eventually plan on getting a small commuter car and saving the truck for when I need/want it.
 
#13
I've shared this theory befoer - I learned it while selling cars:

No one drives the car they need - they drive the car they want.

Many guys are stuck in mini-vans, but that's what their wife wants - and she wins. People who drive fancy cars obviously don't need them, and people who drive econo-boxes are usually making a value statement. People driving hybrids are definitely telling us that's what they want to drive.

Me? A 1983 Datsun 280ZX Turbo and a 2007 Nissan Morano. My wife - a 1994 BMW 325i with 155K miles on it, running like a watch.

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Neither my wife nor I would own a mini-van if you gave it to us. I drive the 280ZX because it's my fourth Datsun Z-car and nothing else talks to me like they do. I drive the Murano because it's the closest thing I can find to sports car handling in a crossover SUV.
 
#14
Why do I drive the vehicle I do? Because I can't afford anything else. It's a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero with 178000 miles on it, it needs a power steering pump, the tires are starting to show their age, it failed inspection for an emission problem (evap leak), it's dirty, it smells, and the only reason we have it at all is because my in laws gave it to us because of my father-in-law's dementia. But it doesn't burn any oil, I do my oil changes regularly, the brakes are good, and the radio works. The rear window defrost has never worked, and the AC needs recharging. It's a road warrior! ;)
 
#15
I drive my 1997 Ford Taurus GL because it was cheap enough for me to get after my van's engine went. It is pretty comfy and doesn't kill me on gas like the van did so it'll stay till it dies. The guy who got it new went for most of the options so it has a bunch of nice little things about it.
 
#16
I drive my 2002 Mazda Protege because the price was right when I was looking for a car. I still drive it because the price is still right. If I had to choose, I would likely buy another VW, I loved my 1997 Golf and I really want another. I don't plan on buying a new car until mine dies, which is hopefully a few years into the future.

lowsound
 
#17
I drive my 81 Camaro because I've owned it for 27 years and it was what I wanted when I was 18. Not practical for daily driver status anymore thanks to 700 horses under the hood, it still puts a grin on my face when I step on it.

I drive my lifted Blazer because I like lifted trucks and have had this one for 20 years. Daily drove this with 44" Super Swampers for years before gas hit $4 per gallon.

I drive my 93 Grand Cherokee in the winter because for $200 I couldn't say no to it.

I drive my 00 Saturn SL back and forth to work because for $300 it has ice cold air and gets 35 mpg.

Neither the Jeep or the Saturn were what I was looking for in a beater type of car, price was the deciding factor. I've owned more free, $50, $100, $200 cars than I care to remember. Again, price was the factor in owning any of them.

I don't drive my 68 SS396 El Camino. Why? Good question. I've owned it for 20 years and have ignored it for close to 17 of them. One of 5208 SS Elky's built in 1968, one day it will get it's turn. For now it sits in a dry barn appreciating in value every day.
 
#18
2012 Audi A4 Quattro. We drove everything else in that price range (BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Inifiniti) and we thought the Audi blew them all away. Really a great blend of comfort, power and handling, and their multi-media interface is by far the best we tried.

We also still have our 2004 Mazda 3, because it is paid off and still runs great with only 94k miles on it.
 
#19
'99 Subaru Outback, I bought it used for 5K, so it was affordable - It's paid off.
It loads easily and holds a lot gear.
AWD is very good in snow and wet streets
It's reasonably good on gas.
It's very sturdy, with a simple robust interior
At 200k plus miles is still working great

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