Your first car

[Gemini]

As Oma's GS got his first car today, I think a thread on our first cars may be a good idea!

My ex OH bought me my first car. I was in my late 40s and had been having driving lessons for while. I know my instructor thought I would get on a lot faster if I had practice between lessons.
Our family car was too big for me, and automatic (I was learning in manual at that point)
One of my Christmas presents was confusingly a car wash kit! Seeing my puzzled face OH led me to the window and there was a white Nissan Micra, adorned with a bow!! It was an old one and I didn't have it long, upgrading a bit once I passed my test, but I could now practice my driving. I was so happy!

[Oma]

Mine was a 2 door Vauxhall Cavalier in white , a automatic , I loved that car and cried when we traded it in for a better one

[Gemini]

Although I was so happy to have that first car, I was never that fond of it!

I have hated to get rid of every other car I have owned however, and can't bear to see them taken away!
I never want to change my cars, but they don't last forever unfortunately.

[Grauntie Mag]

I had a blue mini. It reminded me of a sewing machine! When I lovingly cleaned it out I found the biggest bra I had ever seen! It was down the back of the back seat.
I didn’t give it back to the previous owner as he seemed a very nice young man so I thought I would spare his blushes.

[Gemini]

LOL Grauntie!!!

[Plantaholic]

I have never owned my own car, we did have 2 cars.

[Daisy]

I learned to drive long before I could even think about affording a car. I drove various cars belonging to other people and occasionally a company pool car.

When I met OH I drove his very old Austin Cambridge and when that fell apart we bought the only brand new car we've ever owned - a Vauxhall Viva Estate. I drove it to work but it was 'our' car. Then we needed a second one and bought a wreck of an A40.

It seemed to set the pattern - we had two cars (more when the boys started driving) and I drove whichever nobody else wanted! The first car I really considered 'mine' was a Citroen Picasso which I loved, and now I have a Skoda Yeti, which I also love.

[Lizzie48]

I passed my test at 17 and used to drive my fathers or my sisters car, when I moved here my first DH (if I can call him that) had a motorbike and all the money and rest went on that so I didn't have much hope of driving a car, a friend did advice me to change my license to a Dutch one, I am always pleased I did that as a few years later you had to take a test here for the Dutch license. Fast forward quite a few years, DS1 was in the army and DS2 was a keen cyclist, he used to go to take part in the races, he always had to ask one of the other boys out of the selection if he could ride with them, I had saved money from my dressmaking and asked him one day what he thought if I bought a car, I didn't have to wait long for the answer. I was lucky and bought one from the daughter of the local taxi owner, I had known him for years and he helped me a lot with it, it was a red Renault 5, I had to get used to driving the left hand drive but I soon got used to it. It did have the Renault curse, when it was raining it would just stop! We did have a few scary moments but survived. When I went to work at the Esso station all the AA men used to call in for a chat and coffee, between them they actually fixed the problem for me. Then, DH and I went ski-ing, DH phoned his son, he got back to me and said " your DS2 is fine but your car is a write off"! DS2 was a DJ in Rotterdam at the time and driving home he thought to drive through a petrol station, he skidded and hit a pump! Luckily he and his friend both had their belts on and were both fine. That was the end of my first car.

[Daisy]

Oh Lizzie - what an adventurous time you had with your Renault 5. Thank goodness no-one was hurt when it met its end. It must have been odd having to drive a LH car. I've driven them in the States, but they were all automatics. I wasn't used to those and kept waving my right hand round, looking for a job for it!!

[Lizzie48]

Daisy, when I first started with the LH drive I still went for the gear with the left hand. I soon got used to it though

[Gemini]

I think you also had a motorbike when I first got to know you Lizzie.

[Lizzie48]

I did Gem, I did have to pass a test for that license though.

[Plantaholic]

You were certainly very adventurous Lizzie. The car I first drove was the car my OH had before we got married and was an Armstrong Siddeley Saphire. My OH taught me to drive and I passed my test the first go. I think the examiner was so impressed with the car.

[Lizzie48]

Very smart Plant! That would be a car to admire!