When I started learning to drive at the age of sixteen, I never thought I would enjoy the look and sound of certain vehicles. If I could own any car in the world, what would I pick?
When I got my learners licence, I needed a car to practice in; as my parents did not own their own car at the time. I was lucky to have saved a little money and my parents were happy to help out.
So with my first car purchased, I was ready to practice driving a manual transmission. I was learning to drive through a driving school once or twice a week and I fell in love with the Suzuki Swift that I was learning in. Taking my Datsun out for it's first spin with my Dad, we stopped in Kilbirnie and my Dad asked me to do a U-turn. Well, I did the U-turn...but it was more like a donut with the car about to lean into a two wheel side on. I freaked my Dad out, but it just got my adrenalin pumping and I was proud on how well I handled it. I didn't really drive this car much in the end, I found looking out the back window awkward, so it ended up parked on the street most of the time.
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| Datsun 140J Sedan |
My next car was brought after I had gotten my restricted licence and was able to drive on my own between 6am and 10pm. I loved this car, but the only problem with it was it was rusted through below the back window and so my boot was always filled with rain and so the wheel well started rusting. I invested a little money into this car, I decided to get the rust removed and a new paint job. I went for my favourite colour jade and it looked good, but the rust was still a problem and I still couldn't use the boot.
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| 1991 Ford Festiva |
After working full time for over a year and with my Datsun 140J's alternator playing up and three different mechanics were unable to rectify the problem, I saw an ex demo for sale of a 1991 Ford Festiva. So Feb 1992 was when I purchased it and seeing as it was my first car loan and I was still quite young, my parents had to be my guarantor. But they never had to worry as I had it fully paid three months before my car loan was due to finish. I ended up having this car for over 10 years, did over 200k on the odometer, went on many long car trips and lived in a few different cities. Of course time came to up size and go for something more family orientated, comfortable and so my little blue bug got traded in.
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| Toyota Windom 2.5 |
Our Toyota Windom felt so much like luxury. It was also my first automatic and it handled like a dream. I just couldn't get use to how much petrol it consumed, but it's pick up speed and roominess for long travel was a great asset. I loved driving it around the Awakino Gorge to Taupo, she took the corners like a dream and breaking was so smooth. Our first child was born while we owned this car. Problem with the radiator started causing major problems. It was okay for getting to and from work, but whenever I wanted to visit my parents in Wellington or Taupo, it kept over heating and my little girl was only in her early years. So getting stranded with her, was not a great moment. We had the radiator totally re-coiled and a new head gasket, but it still kept overheating and the thought of driving it with my little girl in the car was just to nerve wreaking for me, so it was time to trade up again.
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| Honda Stream 7 Seater Hatchback |
Well, this was my pick. Loved the colour and it was the first car I owned to have a chain-drive cam system. It had a whole lot more in the safety department, definitely heaps more room and if you weren't moving heaps of people around, you were able to move a heap of other stuff. I remember buying my son a bed and being able to fold all the seats down to bring it home there and then. It was also perfect for when it came to a certain time in my life when I had to pack the car as full as I could, while still being able to fit my two kids in and drive to my home town of Wellington. During the tough times of having recently moved back to Wellington, I needed to down size my car for economy reasons and so this is when I got Pinky.
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| Honda Fit 2004 |
Yes, it was Pink and my daughter loved it, actually all the girls that walked past it loved it. Had her for a few years, until one day it got hit from behind by an idiot and it ended up being written off.
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| Toyota Passo 2005 |
This is the car I replaced my written off car with. I got enough money from the insurer's to buy it, without having to add anymore money to it. For a little car, she was pretty nifty in the speed department, very similar to my small Honda fit above...I just found long distance travelling very difficult as it was a very noisy car. After a couple of years of owning her, the noise really started to get to me, especially with me having to drive to Bulls at term times. So I started looking around for another car. I wasn't in any rush, I was just going to wait for the right price, low K's and not to old and one day one appeared on Trade Me.
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| 2011 Suzuki Splash |
Yeah, finally got a Suzuki. I know it's not exactly what I learnt to drive in, but it's still a Suzuki, it's my favourite colour Blue, like my old Ford Festiva. Has a proper sound system inside, not a stupid Japanese one that you need to have the band lengthened. It has alloy wheels, so I'm never going to lose those plastic crap one's that only stay clipped on for so long. The wheel size is standard, so no having to fork out for the irregular sized ones that don't have many brands to select from. The interior, black with the same blue of the exterior. It could do with a few more cup holders, as my girl and I keep fighting over who get's to use the centre spring out one...but with that really being the only problem, I think we can live with that.
So in 25 years of driving I have owned 8 cars. One day I would truly love to own a convertible and I did take a Peugeot 4 seater for a test drive before I brought my Suzuki Splash and Yes, I was very tempted, as it was a hard top...But I thought it was best to wait to get my dream car after the kids leave home.
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Out test driving a Peugeot Convertible
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But before I sign off, I would just like to show you what my ultimate dream car would be if I had all the money in the world.
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| Lamborghini Convertible |
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