1988 Chevy Corsica
This was my first car. I was 14 (yay school permit!), and I was so excited to have something to drive that was all mine. Mine didn't look anywhere as nice as the one pictured above, and it was a real piece of work. The passenger side door didn't open from the outside, there was no radio and the trunk didn't really lock (you could turn the key thing with your hand and it would open). Ah, but who cares, right? This was freedom.
1991 Dodge Shadow
Oh yeah, we're moving up in the world now. My Corsica had a very short life, and this was her replacement. This car lasted me the rest of high school -- cruising Hubbard after games, to and from football practices (I was a manager), trips to Ames, etc. This car took me everywhere. I eventually passed it on to a family friend who drove it during his high school years. Indeed, this car had a good life.
1997 Dodge Neon
I got this car during college. I don't know why, but I was fixated on Neons at the time. And yes, it was this color. Ironically enough, I passed on a bright red Neon because I thought it was too flashy. But apparently this color isn't. This car also had some amazing times -- senior year road trip to Minnesota, concerts and it was also the car I drove to Texas when I moved there. She died a tragic death on I-35N near Duncanville one night when I was on my way to a Rangers game. I heard a strange clunking noise, and then the engine just quit. Fortunately, I was right near an exit, so I took it. A nice man in fatigues helped me push her off the frontage road and into a Chili's parking lot. Then, I sat and waited three hours for a tow truck to come get us. I was sad to let this car go. I loved it.
2005 Dodge Neon
So after the purple Neon died, I needed a new set of wheels. And fast. My boss at the time helped facilitate a good deal on a new car with the local Dodge dealer. I drove Buzz home a few days after the loss of the purple Neon. Yes, this was the first car I named. He got his name from John Mayer's song, "Neon." The lyrics say, "She's always buzzin' just like neon, neon." So, Buzz it was. Buzz became a very good friend. It was the first car with a CD player in it, although this model was definitely an afterthought because it still had crank windows and no cruise control. This Neon had a lot of roadtrips too, including the long one that brought me back to Iowa in 2006.
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
My mom has had three Lancers, and I loved them. So one day, when she was at the Mitsubishi place with my brother, picking up his car, she discovered the salesman needed to make one more sale to make his quota. She called me down to see if they could work something out with me. I quickly got dressed (I was in casual Saturday clothes) and met up with them at the Mitsubishi dealer. A few hours later, I drove home in Ribbie. She got her name because her first big roadtrip was to Cedar Rapids to watch the Rangers' low A affilliate. (Ribbie = RBI) She's been on much longer roadtrips since then, including more than a few trips to Chicago and one long journey to and from Isle of Palms, S.C. I love love love Ribbie, and I can't wait for her to have a garage in the near future.
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