How Many Cars..

Ted Calver

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
8,434
Location
Yorktown, Virginia
...and what make and model have you owned? Art Mulder's post in the Favorite Car thread got me thinking on how many cars I have owned so far. Google got me to two different answers for the number of cars the average American owns in a lifetime. One source said 9 and others said 12. Another source suggested the number is going down due to better cars and economic conditions. Here's my list as best I can remember (new ones have an *). What's your list look like?

62 Plymouth (Don't even remember the model, but it had a push button transmission)
65 Mustang*
68 Ford Fairlane*
72 Chevy Silverado 1 ton Pickup*
75 VW Rabbit*
75 VW Scirocco*
80 Ford Econoline van*
Fiat 500
83 Porsche 928s
85 BMW318i
95 Dodge Ram Pickup* (Still have it. Put a new engine in it last year. The old engine blew an oil pump and froze up at around 180K miles)
99 BMW323i (Still have it ..it's at 175K miles)
2010 Buick Enclave* (Still paying on it)
 
Last edited:
I've been in the process of figuring that out. I've been going through pictures on the internet, collecting pictures of makes and models as close as I can find to what I have owned. Going to make a slid show for mi screen saver to have for a while. I always have my screen saver set as a slide show of something like grandkids, family events, etc. I still have some remembering to do.
 
'63 Ford Falcon {first vehicle, bought used while in the Army}
'67 International Scout {3 of them at the same time, 1 driver 2/4 parts}
'78 Chevrolet Scottsdale
'73 Chevy Caprice convertible
'79 Dodge Omni {beater}
'81 Ford Mustang {Bought new}
'85 Mercury Cougar {Bought new a year after the wife & I started dating, took us on our tour of Michigan coastline honeymoon in '87}
'87 Ford Bronco II
'89 F150 pickup
'87 F350 Dually Crew Cab{4 door}
'01 F150 Lariat super crew W/Triton V-8 {Bought new, still have}

That was a fun little brain teaser, feel like I'm missing one or two, but if I am, they must of been awful to not even make the 'beater' list :rofl:
 
Last edited:
1975 Honda CB550 - Yes, a motorcycle, but it was my sole and first owned transportation until my first car. Before then I walked or used public transportation. Bought new.

1977 Honda Accord - First car and the first Accord ever made. The best vehicle I ever owned. I could do all the maintenance on it. I should have never have sold it to buy the next vehicle. Bought new.

1980 Toyota HiLux 4x4 Pickup - A nice pickup but there was no reason for buying this. I had just paid off my Honda Accord and felt I needed a new one. I never made that mistake again. As you can see, from now on I got my worth out of all vehicles I bought after this except for the following. Bought new.

1970 or 71 Chrysler Newport - I decided to quit working and go back to school. I was poor. Had to sell the Toyota and buy my this tank from my girlfriend's mother. I spent most of my time working on this car at the most inopportune times. Think very cold and snow. You don't know fun until you are trying to replace a starter at about 10F. I parked it with one side on a curb so I could crawl under the car. They say you forget really bad times, but I still remember all of that day. Bought used.

1977 Volkswagon Van - A vehicle I have always wanted since I was a kid. I bought it in Florida where I was working at the time. The heater was fine for there. Then I moved to New Jersey. The vehicle quickly lost its charm. I got tired of putting all the clothes I owned on in order to drive any distance. Bought used.

1988 Plymouth Colt Hatchback - I am in New Jersey now and the VW is not a winter car. Handles fine in the snow and ice, but I was afraid I would chip a tooth with my teeth chattering so much. This was a cheap car that I then drove for the next 10 years. It would just not quit and is probably still driving around somewhere. I drove it home to Washington state with a Grizzly jointer and Craftsman saw stuffed into it. Yes, it was crowded. Bought new.

1997 Ford Ranger Extended Cab 2WD - This is my current vehicle and is still running strong. Not so pretty, but I don't care. I actually use it as a truck unlike most people I see driving pickups. If I want some crushed rock or bark I just have them load it up with their front loader. Bought new.
 
Last edited:
Okay, this all I can remember. The ones with an * were purchased new. The rest were use.

1930 Ford 2 door sedan.
1940 Plymouth Coupe
1946 Ford Convertible
1948 Ford 2 door sedan
1949 Ford 2 door sedan
1949 Chev pick up
1952 Ford 2 door sedan
1952 Chev
1954 Chev 2 door sedan
1957 Chev Pickup
1964 Buick Skylark Wagon
1964 Ford Galaxie 500
1966 Alfa Romeo Spider *
1966 Ford Pick up
1966 Sunbeam Tiger *
1971 Dodge Dart 2 door hardtop *
1976 Mazda 626
1976 Toyota Celica
1978 Chev pickup
1985 Jeep CJ7
1987 Mazada B210 pickup
1978 Chev Suburan
1981 Nissan 280Z
1985 Jeep CJ7
1991 Mazda 626
1993 GMC ¾ Ton Pickup *
1993 Toyota Camry
1993 Nissan Sentra
1996 Ford Ranger
1997 Chev ¾ Ton Pick up
1997 GMC Yukon *
2007 GMC ¾ Ton Pick up
2009 Toyota Camry *

Total 33 !

Had to edit, my son reminded of about 6 more!
 
Last edited:
the current count is at 24 for cars, OK here goes, I will try to keep in order of ownership

1972 VW Super Beatle
1970 Oldsmobile 442
1962 Chevy C10 pickup truck
1975 Pontiac Formula 350 Firebird (1st new car)
1974 Ford Explorer pickup truck
1970 Buick Skylark
1972 Ford Torino
1974 Dodge Dart
1968 Buick LaSabre
1973 Pontiac Firebird
1976 Pontiac Safari Station Wagon (build for the drag strip - street legal grocery getter)
1970 Z28 RS SS Camero
1964 Chevy C10 pick up truck (build for the drag strip - nother street legal grogery getter)
1972 Chevy Nova
1988 Chevy Corsica (2nd new car)
1990 GMC Astro Van AWD
1978 Ford F150 pickup
1994 Chevy Lumina Z34
1997 Chevy Lumina
1986 Chevy Monte Carlo LS
1994 Chevy Silverado K1500
2002 Chevy Monte Carlo SS Dale Earnhardt Signature Edition (3rd new car - still own)
2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS (4th new car - still own)
2007 Chevy HHR (still own)

This has been interesting as I have never had a list of my cars, great thread, lots of memories:)
 
I may have missed 1 or two - but this is my list - best as I can remember

1962 Rambler
1963 Chevrolet Impala
1963 Chevrolet Impala
1965 Ford Fairlane
1965 Ford Econoline
1964 Chevrolet Surburban
1972 Toyota Corona
1974 Toyota Corolla
1980 Oldsmobile Omega
1984 Ford Tempo
19?? Ford Pinto
1978 Mercury Linx
1972 Toyota Hilux
197? Buick Lesabre
197? Pontiac Tempest
197? AMC Hornet
197? Datsun F10
1979 Mercury Marquis
1978 Ford Ranger
197? Chevrolet Turismo
1993 Chevrolet Lumina
1993 Nissan Maxima
198? Oldsmobile Calais Wagon
2000 Nissan Altima
1998 Honda Civic
2000 Chevrolet Astro
2000 Nissan Frontier - current
2003 Honda Civic - current

Some of em were nice cars - some were real junkers

I have never owned a new car.
 
Wow, you guys really like buying and selling cars. If you don't count my motorcycle, I have only had 6 cars/trucks. I guess cars don't mean much to me except as a tool to get me from point A to point B. Well, that is not completely true as I really do appreciate a nice car, but I am not willing to invest too much in one as I have other priorities. Once I get one, I tend to hang on to it. Besides, I hate the whole car buying scene. I really don't have any plans to sell my truck until it becomes unreliable.

Is there anyone out there at my age (60), having bought fewer cars? I am not counting my wife's car which she bought since we were married. Maybe you guys are counting your wife's cars?
 
Wow, you guys really like buying and selling cars. If you don't count my motorcycle, I have only had 6 cars/trucks. I guess cars don't mean much to me except as a tool to get me from point A to point B. Well, that is not completely true as I really do appreciate a nice car, but I am not willing to invest too much in one as I have other priorities. Once I get one, I tend to hang on to it. Besides, I hate the whole car buying scene. I really don't have any plans to sell my truck until it becomes unreliable.

Is there anyone out there at my age (60), having bought fewer cars? I am not counting my wife's car which she bought since we were married. Maybe you guys are counting your wife's cars?

Oh Oh Oh - I forgot to add the motorcycles
 
Well then, I must confess, the 64 Galaxie 500 was my wife's car when we got married, but she always found an excuse why she needed to drive the Tiger and I always seemed to end up with the Galaxie. Women....
 
lets see here is the list and * means got it new
64 ford f100
68 chevelle
45? ford f1
62 international pick up
62 chevy stepside
76 chevy monza
73 GMC 3/4 ton
79 ford f250
73 gran torino
early 80's subaru brat
early 80's brat
early 80's brat
early 80's subaru wagon
early 80's subaru wagon
early 80's subaru wagon
70 dodge dart
84 chevy short bed
89 dodge 1/2 ton
98 chevy 1/2 ton*
89 chevy 1/2 ton
98 chevy lumina
90's dodge K car
90's chevy cavalier
2000 mercedes clk 400
2001 chevy crew* Sold to a kid in town and now has 500K on it
2001 GMC 3/4 ton
82 mazda truck
2004 toyota sequoia*
2014 toyota tundra*
2001 hyundai elantra
94 jeep wrangler
Might be some I missed
 
Last edited:
'74 Chevy Suburban 2WD (with a huge hole in the gas tank that looked remarkably like a 454 w/ a 4-barrel)
'80 Chevy 1/2 ton cargo van
'84 Ford Bronco II
'78? Mercury station wagon (retired fleet vehicle bought for $1.00 from my dad)
'84 Chevy 4x4 K10 diesel (with the James Bond-like smoke screen feature)
'87 Jeep Wrangler ragtop
'90 Ford Bronco
'92? Mazda Navajo
'01 Lexus RX300 - current car
'97? Ford Ranger 4x4 (another bargain from my dad that had something like 220K miles on it when I got it) - current truck

As a kid, I also had use of a '59 Ford T-Bird and then later a '67 Ford Mustang as "my" car. And one or two Ford or Mercury station wagons from time to time, too.
 
Man it hurts getting old...Vaughn's list reminded me I forgot to list my '97 Jeep Wrangler rag top :doh::eek:...I knew I felt like I was missing 1 or 2.
Oh, and my wife's car when we married was a '85 Cutlass supreme....What was the question again? :D



Edit: It's all coming back to me now LOL

'83 Sportster 883 {Harley}

and this Toyota dump, can't recall year or model as I only kept it about 4 months, it was too weak for real work. Did haul a load of carrots back to camp before 'dumping' it :D
mini-Toyota dump.jpg


And...:rofl: there was a Honda 50 minibike along with a 125 {IIRC} Yamaha dirt bike, but that was back before I had a license.
 
Last edited:
Oh geeze...I forgot the Honda 50cc mini-bike I bought in Thailand. That thing darn near killed me. I kept riding it into the klongs (ditches) and the snakes lived there.
 
58 Chevrolet 348
60 Pontiac Bonneville Tri-Power
65 Rambler
64 Honda 305 Super Hawk (motorcycle)
65 MGB
69 Toyota Crown
66 VW Camper Van
67 Jeep Gladiator 4WD Pickup
53 M38A1 Jeep – heavily modified
74 Chevy Nova “Heavy Chevy”
69 Toyota Corona
76 Toyota Corolla
76 Toyota long bed Pickup
69 Honda Oil Cooled 'Supercoupe' (Bought in Okinawa while stationed there.) Real Junker
76 Fiat 124 Spyder
81 Toyota Cressida
82 Nissan Skyline (Bought in Okinawa while stationed there.)
85 Mazda RX7
89 Volvo 740*
92 Mazda MX3 V6*
94 Volvo 960*
97 Toyota Pickup* (Bought in 1996. Kept it for 17 years)
2001 Toyota Solara*
2004 Subaru Outback*
2010 Subaru Outback*
2010 Ford Ranger XLT Pickup #
2011 Subaru Outback* #

* - Bought New
# - Still Have
 
Last edited:
Okay since I "inspired" it....

1- 1980/81 (forget which) Pontiac Acadian (Canadian/Pontiac version of a Chevy Chevette) -- Kept it 5 years
2- 1989 Toyota Corolla -- bought new, kept it 10 years and only sold it because I had to (kids) Still miss having a stick at times.
3- 1997 Pontiac Montana -- great for 1 year, then progressively annoying for 2 until we got rid of it.
4- 2004 Toyota Sienna -- kept it 5 years until it's untimely death
5- 2010 Toyota Sienna -- 4-1/2 years and counting... Lord willing it'll be the last mini van I ever have to own! ;):D


oh yeah, someone asked about bikes
- random 10 speed (high school)
- Raleigh(?) 21 spd Mountain Bike
- Giant - ATX Aluminum frame Mtn Bike
- Home Built short-wheel-based Recumbent
- Kona - Dew Deluxe 24spd Hybrid (aluminum frame) -- Current Winter Bike
- Louis Garneau - Urbania 2.0 Hybrid (aluminum and I forget if it has carbon fibre forks or not) -- Current Summer BIke
 
Interesting...I thought I would see brand loyalty, and there is some, but not as much as I thought there would be. I also thought there would be a trend toward more expensive rides as people aged, but that didn't happen.
 
Top