How Many Cars Have You Owned? (F150, vehicle, joint, 2012)

[Indigo Cardinal]

I'd seen a few articles discussing how many cars the average American will own over their lifetime, and to my amusement, the 'average' seemed to vary from article to article (I'd seen six, eight, and twelve as answers for 'average'.)

Myself, I've owned a total of six in the 30 years of my adulthood. The first one was a junker that I bought when I was 19 and overseas in the Army. One of my neighbors took a slide on black ice and slammed into it, and it wasn't worth it to repair, so I bought a second junker, which I sold to another service member when I left the country. (I sometimes forget to 'count' these cars, since I knew perfectly well I was going to get rid of them as soon as I left.) My third car was used, but a definite step up from the junkers--but it wound up having all sorts of problems, so I traded it in for my first brand-new car when I was 25. I had that car for almost 11 years (and by that time, repairs were costing more than a new car would have). I traded that one in for another new car, which I had for seven years. That one was actually running fine, but it was a Saturn, which had gone out of business by then, and several of my friends who also had Saturns were complaining they were having trouble finding parts....so I took advantage of an opportunity to trade the Saturn in for another new car (which I still have, four years later.)

So in total, I've had six cars over 30 years, three used, three new.

[Tiffer E38]

I've owned over 130 in the last 40 years, most early on, and have had upwards of 10 customs, project, and race cars at a time. Some have only been in my possession for a few months, and many have been in my possession at least a year. VERY few were ever flips unless I got them as partial trade for something else. Most have been at least interesting (like the 30 custom air cooled VWs I built, and many British sports cars over the years) but few have ever been expensive and only about a half dozen were bought new. And usually the sale of one paid for the next one on the list so I don't really have that much money tied up in buying them.

[greatblueheron]

9 since high school

[Tiffer E38]

I've listed them here before.

Current cars: '13 Chevy Volt
'05 BMW 330ci ZHP convertible
'02 Chevy Suburban 2500
'79 Chevy Stepside hotrod

Past Rides:
Cars:

American:


'06 Mustang GT convertible
'63 Mercury Comet S22 hardtop
'63 Mercury Comet Convertible
'02 Chrysler PT Cruiser
'99 Ford SVT Contour
'86 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham (the Battlestar Cadillactica)
'61 Ford Falcon
'62 Ford Falcon 4dr custom
'86 Mazda/Ford RX7 (the Rex)
'62 Mercury Comet 2 dr sedan (my first car)
'72 Ford Pinto (my first autocrosser)
'70 Ford Mustang Sportsroof (autocrosser)
'70 Ford Mustang Mach1 (drag car)
'70 Ford Mustang BOSS 302 (investment car)
'71 Ford Torino GT 429
'73 Euro Capri (road racer)
'50 Ford coupe
'70 Pontiac Ventura (drag car)
'76 Pontiac Grand LeMans (lowrider)
'89 Pontiac Grand Am
'78 Pontiac Trans Am (autocrosser)
'84 Chevy Monte Carlo (lowrider)
'85 Chevy Monte Carlo (lowrider)
'75 Chevy Corvette/ Ferrari Daytona Spyder replica (TV car)
'81 Chevy Citation (323k miles!!!)
'71 Dodge Charger
'84 Dodge Daytona Turbo
'86 Dodge Daytona Turbo
'56 Dodge Hemi Coronet
'56 Rambler Wagon


Imports:
'01 BMW 740i
'14 MINI Cooper
'11 MINI Cooper
'98 BMW 740iL
'02 Hyundai Accent
'73 Porsche 914
'74 Porsche 914 (autocrosser)
'66 Porsche 912 (autocross and road racer)
'69 Porsche 911T
'74 Porsche 911S (driver and autocrosser)
Custom Bugs too numerous to list individually... (over 30)
'63 Ghia
'71 VW Karmann Ghia
'72 VW Ghia
'69 Squareback VW
'69 Fastback VW
Bradley GT kit car
'77 VW Scirocco
'80 VW Jetta (custom, w/Cabrio grille)
'59 Jaguar Mark IX
'86 Jaguar XJ6 (black)
'86 Jaguar XJ6 (cream)
'71 MG Midget
'76 MGB
'58 MGA
'59 TR3
? TR-7 (with Ford 2.8 V6)
'84 Renault Alliance
'61 Renault 4CV
'72 Audi 100LS
'75 Fiat X-1/9
'78 Fiat X-1/9 (autocrosser)
'81 Fiat 124 Spyder
'72 Fiat 124 Spyder (autocrosser)
'74 Fiat 124 Spyder
'66 Datsun sedan
'72 Datsun 240Z
'73 Datsun 240Z (autocrosser)
'84 Toyota Corolla GTS (autocross and road race)
'74 Subaru Coupe
'82 Subaru 4x4 wagon
'84 Subaru 4x4 wagon
'70 Mazda R100 (autocrosser)
'73 Mazda RX-2 (autocrosser)
'73 Mazda RX-3 (autocrosser)
'75 Mazda RX-3
'79 Mazda RX-7
'86 Honda CRX Si (custom)

Bikes:
'81 Honda CB750-F
'86 Yamaha Radian
'89 Suzuki Katana

Trucks
'94 Chevy 3500 dually
'01 Range Rover 4.6 HSE
'95 Range Rover County LWB
'88 Range Rover
'92 Toyota lowrider pickup
'96 Ford Ranger Splash
'77 Ford Courier
'78 Chevy LUV (lowrider)
'74 Chevy LUV (lowrider)
'71 Datsun
'73 Datsun (lowrider)
'66 VW panel bus
'66 VW 21 Window Deluxe bus
'68 VW Westfalia camper bus
'72 Chevy Suburban (lowrider)
'78 Dodge Chinook Motorhome
'68 GMC intercity bus/motorhome conversion
'72 Winnebago Indian w/Mopar 413


I've got ideas for a million different projects, and can't do them all at once, so I tend to do them sequentially. Unlike with women, I don't see the need to settle down with just one. lol!

[turkey-head]

I counted them up, and I've only had 16 vehicles. But starting in about 2000, I tend to keep vehicles for a LONG time. Had one truck for 12 years. And I've had my current car for almost 13.

[KCZ]

Sixteen in 42 years.

[kevinm]

1970 Pontiac Firebird 350 ( given to me by my mom when I got my license )
1980 Ford Pinto ( my first NEW car )
1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme ( drove during college )
1987 Mazda 626LX ( first NEW car after graduation from college. ** James Garner commercial sold me ** )
1994 Honda Accord LX
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GX-T
1998 Nissan Maxima SE
2003 Nissan Maxima SE
2004 Volkswagon Touareg
2007 BMW 328xi
2012 BMW 328xi
2010 BMW 535i

[goldenlove]

I've had 14 in about 30 years. 5 of them have been Toyota Highlanders, 2 have been Toyota Venzas, one Rav4 and one Camry. I like my Toyotas. The one I have now seems to have pretty much all I need in a vehicle (just got it a few weeks ago). I hope. LOL

Oh, if we are including spouse's vehicles, he's had 9 during our 27 years together. Yikes!

[saibot]

Before I got married, I had owned two cars, both Toyotas.

Since being married--to a BMW mechanic--we have jointly owned more cars than I can recall. At least 13 or 14, but I'm probably forgetting some. One was a Nissan, and all the rest were/are BMWs.

[Cape Cod Todd]

I have always owned 2 cars at once. One a sports car and the other a daily driver.
My first was a MGB and I had a beater van for my everyday vehicle, sold that after a few years and bought a Jeep CJ7, had that for a several years and traded it for a F150 short bed reg cab 4x4. I had that one for nearly 10 years when I bought a new F150 Supercrew that I still have. I sold the MG after owning it for 15 years after I was finished building my 65 Cobra replica that is turning 18 this Summer.



I guess I'm below average in that I have only owned 6 vehicles and it is kind of funny that I have never owned a typical car/ sedan.