My first car was a 1991 Chevy Lumina. I was proud to say I bought my first car myself, albeit for $100. :lol: The outside wasn't bad, as it was always garaged, but the interior was beat to shit and smelled like a chimney.
I started saving some cash, and combined what I made, what I had banked since I was a kid, and what I sold the Lumina for for a 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT coupe. It wasn't anything crazy fast, even after I modded it quite a bit, but it got me into the car scene. the SXT was equipped with the 4G64, which mates up to Evo heads. After having the car on an I/H/E/E85 setup, plus suspension, brakes, audio, all kinds of shit. I was shooting big, until the car was totaled in the snow by a bitch who ran a red light. If that didn't happen, I would've literally bought the Evo head and associated parts within that week, and had one hell of a sleeper.
While I had the Stratus, and learning about the tuner scene, etc, I purchased a 1991 Nissan 240sx. It was beat to shit on the outside, but had some nice parts and low miles. The ugly ass teal green was a turnoff, but it ran. The guy sold it to me for $300, since it needed A LOT of body work, and the stock KA didn't run. Little did he know, I just replaced the spark plugs and it ran perfect. Only had 105,000 miles on it before I sold it to a buddy who works at a body shop. Being 17, and having a newer car, plus a project car didn't sit too well with the parents, and I didn't want to put the time and effort into a beaten up 240. Sold it for $1,200 to my buddy after fixing up a few things and replacing a few body panels.
Not mine, but you get the idea
Fast forward to January 2009, and the Stratus gets totaled in the snow by the dumbass woman driver. I knew it right away, as coolant was all over the place, all kinds of front end body metal was pushed back and bent. I'm pissed at how much time and effort I put into the car, only to see it totaled by a girl who, "thought her light changed color". At the time, I'm just under 19, have $3,000 in the bank, and end up getting a little over $7,000 from the insurance company for the wrecked Stratus after paying the rest of the car off. When you put $10,000 into a 19 year old's hands, eyes are open everywhere. With the Dodge being a Mitsubishi based car, I immediately started looking for a 2006 Evo IX SE.
I found a IX SE in black with 22,000 miles on it for 20,000. I drove it, and the car was beat to shit; it seemed liked it was crashed pretty hard, as it pulled like a mofo to the right. After being super dissapointed, I couldn't find another Evo for a good price that was clean. I began looking at buying another 240, or maybe finding an EK hatch. 240's were overpriced, and not many around, and I couldn't find an EK. Then, I began looking at B5 Audi S4's, which were all maintained to shit, and high mileage.
I hopped on Auto Trader, and then began looking at STi's. At first, I liked the 06-07 front end, so I went and checked out and drove an 07 OBP STi. Uber low miles, bone stock, price was a little high, but I was interested. I'm getting financed on the 07, when another sales guy sells the car to some asshole who came in after me. They try talking me into a Ford Mustang GT (I hate Fords), and offered them $20k for a 2008 and told them to fuck themselves. :lol: I left there, pissed off, disappointed, wanted to go home and eat like a fat kid. But I decided against it, and jumped on the computer. I found my love, checked it out in person, put down a deposit to hold it, and came and got it. Never looked back.
Nowadays, along the STi sits my daily...a 1991 Subaru Legacy L AWD Wagon. This thing is a beast. 210,000 miles and running strong. Blew a head gasket a while ago, but nothing major. It fits plenty of tools and parts in the back. Seats 5 people comfortably. Passes trucks in the snow. I plan on keeping it for a while...really want a turbo diesel for a daily.
I started saving some cash, and combined what I made, what I had banked since I was a kid, and what I sold the Lumina for for a 2005 Dodge Stratus SXT coupe. It wasn't anything crazy fast, even after I modded it quite a bit, but it got me into the car scene. the SXT was equipped with the 4G64, which mates up to Evo heads. After having the car on an I/H/E/E85 setup, plus suspension, brakes, audio, all kinds of shit. I was shooting big, until the car was totaled in the snow by a bitch who ran a red light. If that didn't happen, I would've literally bought the Evo head and associated parts within that week, and had one hell of a sleeper.
While I had the Stratus, and learning about the tuner scene, etc, I purchased a 1991 Nissan 240sx. It was beat to shit on the outside, but had some nice parts and low miles. The ugly ass teal green was a turnoff, but it ran. The guy sold it to me for $300, since it needed A LOT of body work, and the stock KA didn't run. Little did he know, I just replaced the spark plugs and it ran perfect. Only had 105,000 miles on it before I sold it to a buddy who works at a body shop. Being 17, and having a newer car, plus a project car didn't sit too well with the parents, and I didn't want to put the time and effort into a beaten up 240. Sold it for $1,200 to my buddy after fixing up a few things and replacing a few body panels.
Not mine, but you get the idea
Fast forward to January 2009, and the Stratus gets totaled in the snow by the dumbass woman driver. I knew it right away, as coolant was all over the place, all kinds of front end body metal was pushed back and bent. I'm pissed at how much time and effort I put into the car, only to see it totaled by a girl who, "thought her light changed color". At the time, I'm just under 19, have $3,000 in the bank, and end up getting a little over $7,000 from the insurance company for the wrecked Stratus after paying the rest of the car off. When you put $10,000 into a 19 year old's hands, eyes are open everywhere. With the Dodge being a Mitsubishi based car, I immediately started looking for a 2006 Evo IX SE.
I found a IX SE in black with 22,000 miles on it for 20,000. I drove it, and the car was beat to shit; it seemed liked it was crashed pretty hard, as it pulled like a mofo to the right. After being super dissapointed, I couldn't find another Evo for a good price that was clean. I began looking at buying another 240, or maybe finding an EK hatch. 240's were overpriced, and not many around, and I couldn't find an EK. Then, I began looking at B5 Audi S4's, which were all maintained to shit, and high mileage.
I hopped on Auto Trader, and then began looking at STi's. At first, I liked the 06-07 front end, so I went and checked out and drove an 07 OBP STi. Uber low miles, bone stock, price was a little high, but I was interested. I'm getting financed on the 07, when another sales guy sells the car to some asshole who came in after me. They try talking me into a Ford Mustang GT (I hate Fords), and offered them $20k for a 2008 and told them to fuck themselves. :lol: I left there, pissed off, disappointed, wanted to go home and eat like a fat kid. But I decided against it, and jumped on the computer. I found my love, checked it out in person, put down a deposit to hold it, and came and got it. Never looked back.
Nowadays, along the STi sits my daily...a 1991 Subaru Legacy L AWD Wagon. This thing is a beast. 210,000 miles and running strong. Blew a head gasket a while ago, but nothing major. It fits plenty of tools and parts in the back. Seats 5 people comfortably. Passes trucks in the snow. I plan on keeping it for a while...really want a turbo diesel for a daily.
Last edited:
