Most of the cars I had before I graduated college were embarressing, but heck, this was the late 70's and early 80's; there were a lot of people driving around in shitty cars back then. My first car was a big bad 1974 four door maroon Buick LeSabre that my Dad got for me to drive to my Purdue Cal classes. It was a tank and I liked it because it *RULED* on the Borman. When I got behind a slow poke in the left lane, they usually moved over. When that car died (oil...huh?), my dad got me a 1976 dull gray Toyota Corona wagon. It was my first stick shift and my first compact. I loved it, even if I did lose all my muscle on the highway.

Gramma, God rest her soul, bought me a car when I turned 16.
Gramma was from the old country, and thought she was a shrewd bargainer.
Well, a family in her congregation at the Lutheran church had a car for sale.
And she thought she had made the deal of the century.
Bear in mind, Gramma didn't consider that I was (and remain) 6'3".

She was so happy, and I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

She bought me a Dodge Omni.

The car was, shall I say, modified.
For a girl.
A short girl.
The gas, clutch, and brake pedal arms had been extended by 4 inches.
The seat supports had been raised by 3 inches.
And it had a custom paint job.
Red plaid.
With pink upholstery.

My father made a deal with me.
"Keep the car for 6 months, until she forgets about it, and I'll get you a car."

The car sat behind the house for six months, and only moved to visit Gramma.
After six months, I was able to rid myself of the Omni, and got a Bronco.
I was going to get a Crown Vic, but couldn't get used to being in the front seat.

Bwahahahahahaha!

We had a Fiat back in the 70s. I loved that car. I thought it was soooo cool that you could turn around in circles without having to back up. My brother also had one. That sealed my love affair with small cars. Before that we always had really big cars. To this day, I hate big cars. I drive a 91 Geo Metro convertible. :D When I lived in LA, people couldn't believe the parking spaces I could get into.

My most embarrassing cars, when I was in high school, I had a yucky LeMans. When I first moved to LA, I bought a yucky mustang hatchback.

There is nothing yucky about a Mustang, woman! What are you thinking?

As much as I like it, I am somewhat embarrassed by the Red Baron.

The Mercury Sable is an ol' lady car.

Especially after the Talon.

I beg to differ..
http://media.motortopia.com/files/11...5MustangGT.jpg

I can't remember the most humiliating car I have ever had/driven, there have been several - It's what happens when your in a family of car traders - I can honestly say I have driven at least 3 different cars in 1 week. However, ones that stick out in my mind - was a dodge dart (the '70's era) an ugly green and dented, a chevette, don't even remember the year, but the struts were bad and that piece of crap would bounce like crazy. I have managed to put the past behind me and now drive this -

Attachment 22449

Nice. :thumb2:

Thanks

My first car was a Dodge Dart Sport it made me very cool in HS. My most humiliating car is my now 94 Explorer it is white always covered in mud , leaks gas, has no air, the drivers door barely shuts and is always full of Hub's junk.
I do have a PT Cruiser I traded for a puppy I love it. :)

Oh it wasn't a cool mustang, it was an ugly, crappy, uncool one. :D

Wow. I forgot about the humiliation of being seen in parental unit vehicles ... AMC Hornet Hatchback, Beige with Wood-tone and a Beige Chevy Chevette, awful car in the most humiliating color. The salesman indicated that he made it "sportier," as if anything could make a Chevette "sporty," by throwing in a brown pinstripe detail at no charge. I always assumed that they didn't have enough of that pinstriping kit left to decorate a full size car and just wanted to be rid of it.

My mother had a thing for beige.

Several contenders for the cars with, umm, the most personality. I really didn't find them humiliating, but one does notice & start to wonder when nobody will ride with you because of your car. I had a '67 Impala fastback that had been stolen from the previous owner several times. The thieves blasted the car through the garage doors, so it was banged up and looked terrible. My towering 5'0" self sitting behind the steering wheel, and extensions on all 3 pedals, plus all the exterior damage to the car, ensured that I had plenty of space around me on the highway, though. :p We also had an '83 Chevette, diesel, that had been shot at, rolled several times, and had plastic windows. No need to lock it, even in San Diego - nobody wanted to steal that cockroach car. We kept it a long time, then sold it for $200, same as we paid. I think growing up with a 1959 American Rambler* conditioned me to only caring about a car's innards, and not exterior.
*it was like this one, only bubblegum pink.

My very first car was a freebie - a Ford Fairlaine 500. Since it took at least 5 quarts of oil a day, I bought it by the case - "Around the World Re-recycled oil". CHEAP STUFF! But my MOST fav sheels came a couple years later, I got one of the first Yamaha 650 Specials - black with gold metal flake. I wore that bike out!

When I was in high school, we drove my grandfather's caddy (like this http://www.rrrclc.org/images2/80_Rankin%20(1)red.jpg) up from Florida. First, since it had been sitting in the sun, the top was bleached to a lighter color of shit brown than the rest of the car. The fabric on the roof was hanging down because the foam was rotted. The tape player ate tapes, one door didn't lock, one door didn't open.

The best part that at one point, my grandfather insisted on having a tap handle put in place of the missing hood ornament. I was riding around with an old school I.C. Light tap handle sticking out of my car. Yea, that was awesome :)