First Car Syndrome...

Is it just me, or do people tend to love their first cars for the dumbest reasons? Unless you're Justin Bieber, (who got a brand new Land Rover), chances are good that you were given something under three grand to destroy. My first car was a 1991 Eagle Talon TSI. It was a little 3 door lift-back with a manual transmission and an upgraded turbo. And unlike many of my teenage counterparts, I had to pay for everything myself. So when anything went wrong, like the brakes, I drove until it REALLY broke. That little car withstood more abuse than I thought was physically possible. Not only did I drive it hard, but the dang thing just wouldn't do too well when I crammed five people into the tiny little coupe. Even with all the irritating quirks and annoying noises emanating from my brake pads, I loved that car because it gave me a sense of freedom I'd never experienced before. That feeling has slowly faded away over time, as driving becomes more and more monotonous, moving from point "A" to point "B".

My 1991 Eagle Talon TSI.....Pretty, huh?

Now, in the back of my mind, I'll always have fond memories of that cheap little car that I poured money into, got into trouble, and drove til its death. Some people are far more fortunate when it comes to the car they lost their virginity to (No, not in). I hate to see kids come in with their fathers looking at brand new Mazda Speed 3's, or even older Corvettes. To me it just  doesn't make sense to spend fifteen to twenty thousand dollars on someone who'll wreck it in the first year! Not only that, but if you don't pay for the car yourself, you lose a certain amount of emotional attachment to it and treat the thing like crap. My Talon ran me eight hundred bucks with just over ninety thousand miles on it and I put at least double that into maintenance while I owned it. What was your first car, and how did you find it? Let us know in the comment box and be sure to subscribe to the blog for upcoming news and events at Wheels and Deals!