Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:

I used to think I'd always only get American cars. Hell, I grew up with Captain America and baseball and apple pie and rah rah rah, but everything you say here is correct. And that bit in Snow Crash about Americans producing shit except for pizza, microcode and movies will eventually be true. Here's my car lineup, only because I love these lists from everyone and was sad to see them deleted. As an aside, my dad sells used cars so I've only bought them from him. He's offset his inability to help with schoolwork or college by saving me from ever having to negotiate with the liars, thieves and scum that make up everyone in the used car business.

o Silver & blue Chevy S10. I can't even remember the year. It wasn't around for very long as it was the truck I learned to drive on and a manual. Coming home from the DMV written test, the old man pulled over to the side of the road and told me to give it a spin. It's always rainy and sloppy in April in Rochester and I accidentally ripped up this guy's lawn trying to put it in gear and get it back on the road. I haven't driven any better since. This one sold for $750 a couple years later on the as/is line at the Butler auction, even though it stalled out.

o 1987 GMC S-15. Diarreha colored and the only automatic I've ever had. I had it from 96,000 miles until around 150K and sold it to another dealer at the auction. It was still going with 250K on it last we heard. This fact convinced me that Americans make great, long-lasting vehicles. Maybe they do sometimes, but not when it comes to...

o Red 1996 Dodge Neon Sport. These things are designed to need a head replacement at 70,000 miles. They're cheap, disposable garbage and I crashed it into a guy coming home from work after having it for only three years. The "blue book" value on it was $4,500. It was leaking two quarts of oil a week and I couldn't afford to get it fixed. I wouldn't have been able to get $500 for it, realistically. Also, every cliche about cops going for red cars more often than other colors seemed to come true with this one. This is the one that got me into legal trouble. Crashing it was the best thing I could have done. I followed it up with...

o Black 1998 Dodge Neon R/T. In my defense, I got it for five grand when it was three years old. I think by this time DC had solved the problem with Neons needing a new head gasket after 70,000 miles, but when I took it in for the water pump I was told that I ought to get the head replaced as well. For the hell of it, I guess. I read up on this and learned that Chrysler will give you some money for the head gasket replacement, but they wouldn't for me. I suspect it's because the dealer I took it to (I know, I know) lied about it needing a new head and while Chrysler wasn't going to tell me he was lying, they also weren't going to pay for a new head gasket. I wrote off American cars at this point. Fuck 'em all, I'll give some other nation a chance to try to screw me. I know that it's possible that dislking them because of a Neon is like writing off video games because of those Christian Bible shooters, but still. Fuck those guys. I agree with everything you said there, BDR.

o 2004 Subaru WRX. Dad's driving it out this weekend. I hate to be Tycho and Gabe when it comes to buying a car... but limit break me, Kupo.

Still gotta find someone to buy the R/T, though, but it's now got so many things wrong with it (no horn, line break in windshield, 113K miles, needs new tires) that I feel guilty trying to sell it. I've never sold a car to a private owner before. I imagine doing so is a ball.