I know. You thought it was going to be a person, didn’t you? Since this is the month for lovers and all…but my secret love is different.
I love cars. All kinds of cars. I think I could be a car salesman if I were a guy. I’m not sure what all the technical jargon means, and don’t really even care that much. I just know what I like.
My first car was a 1962 Chevy Impala that I had to share with my sister, who was divorced and had moved back home with her two kids. I had my first wreck in that car. I was coming out of the parking lot at one of our high school football games and turned the corner too sharply, hitting the end of a 3’ tall rail fence. I scratched the back passenger side door all the way back to the wheel well.
As you embark on countless adventures behind the wheel, you’ve come to realize the importance of protecting and personalizing your beloved rides with custom seat covers and mats. These simple yet essential accessories not only preserve the pristine beauty of the car’s interior but also add a touch of individuality, making every drive a reflection of my unique style and devotion to the world of automobiles. Seat covers and mats can be a great way to protect your car’s seats and floor from wear and tear, and they can also add a touch of style to your car’s interior.
My next car was a 67 Impala. Now, the wreck I had in this one was not my fault, and it was so freakish that I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it happening to anyone else. I was on my way to college one morning, and a West Virginia State Road Dept. truck was merging onto the interstate. His back wheel axle broke and half of it, with the tire still attached, crossed three lanes of traffic and stuck into my front tire. I loved that car because it was all mine—but after that, the frame was wrecked.
When I met my husband, he’d just bought a hot little car—a German made engine for Mercury graced the “Capri”. It was a 1974 ½ “special edition” car. I learned to drive a stick shift on it, and that car is still my all time favorite car we ever owned.
I think we’ve had about every type of car, truck or SUV out there. Favorite SUV? My Isuzu Rodeo, hands down. I’d still be driving it if the transmission hadn’t quit. Favorite truck? The Ford Explorer Sportrack. Beautiful, great to drive, but about as “un-functional” as a truck could be. My brother-in-law, the wisecracking lawyer, told my husband it had a “vanity bed” in it. We still laugh at that—it was true—there was nothing you could haul in that thing.
I have to admit, when it’s time to go look for a new car, I don’t dread it at all. I know what I want, and I know what the payment has to be to make it work. My husband tells his buddies that they should take me car shopping with them. I’m a tough nut to crack.
My secret guilty pleasure? I LOVE watching Velocity TV. Wheeler Dealer, Pimp My Ride, Orange County Customs, Mecum auto auctions…yep. I get mesmerized, and I’ll watch those shows for hours. I look at the clock and feel like I’ve been sucked into a vortex somehow, of these never-ending car shows. I have to force myself to get up and go to the grocery store.
Our latest? I never thought I”d see the day, but my husband traded in his BABY–his Monte Carlo–for a Chevy Cruze. Gas mileage is important, but I think HIS guilty pleasure is the turbo charged engine.
Anyone else out there a car lover like me? What’s your favorite car you’ve ever owned? Any
memorable “car tales” you want to share? I wonder what kind of car some of our western heroes would have driven if they”d found themselves in modern times?
A native Oklahoman, I've been influenced by the west all my life. I love to write short stories and novels in the historical western and western romance genres, as well as contemporary romantic suspense! Check my Amazon author page to see my work: http://www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson
I live in Oklahoma City with my husband of 40 years. I love to hear from readers and other authors--you can contact me here: fabkat_edit@yahoo.com
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Hi Cheryl,
I have to do this before I go to bed. My first car was my all time fav. After my divorce in 1964, I decided I needed a car. So I found a great one that Fall. Brand new fun car, the first model Mustang!!! It was red inside and out. Stick shift, 8 cylinders. Since then nothing has ever compared to it. It cost a total of $3,000.
That was my secret love!
xoxoxox
I’m so glad I’m not alone! I live watching Top Gear. My fab car was my first–a1952 Chevy. It was my grandpa’s.
This blog brings back a lot of memories. My first car was a gold Pontiac GTO. It had been wrecked before I bought it and went sideways down the road. But oh how I loved that car. It was fast and sleek and it drew lots of envious glances. When I got married I passed the car down to my younger sister. The engine blew up and it was like a death in the family. Then I started having children and my tastes graduated to the more practical.
If my hero had the chance to own a vehicle he’d have ridden around in a Dodge RAM pickup. Nothing fancy but something suited to a hard-working rancher.
I love cars, I guess it is being brought up with four brothers. They were always into cars, at least three of them are.
One of my fav cars I owned was my Chysler Cordoa. It was black with red interior and had a sun roof you rolled back with a crank handle. i don’t remember what year it was, but my brother’s nicknamed it my “Pimpmoblie”.
My dream car is to own a Green Jaguar with white leather interior. Not the newer Jags, they don’t have the Jaguar hood ordiment on them now. But one of those great sedans from the 90’s. Maybe one day my dream will come true.
This is an unexpected side of you, Cheryl. I never saw it coming.
What are my loves?
Wow, nothing this interesting.
Books is probably about it. I’m sort of one dimensional. I’ll think more about it.
I never saw this coming from you either, Cheryl. But it’s fun to know.
I’ve had several cars but only one I loved. A little bright red ’93 Honda Civic coupe, the only car I bought new. Loved driving it. When I wrecked it a few years later (I was making a left turn; the girl coming toward me was signaling a right. She lied.) it broke my heart.
Thanks for a fun blog!
OH, Mary J! I have always wanted a Mustang. To this day, I still love the way those cars look. My niece had one and it was terrible on wet or icy roads, but it was so gorgeous. I saw one the other day on the Mecum auction that was just fabulous–I was eating my heart out. I’m so glad you got to have one–I bet that lifted your spirits after a divorce.
Cheryl
Traci, what a wonderful first car! That little Capri just stole my heart and I HATED having to trade it in, but so many things were starting to go wrong with it, and it was time. I’m glad I’m not alone, too! Love those car shows!
Cheryl
Tracy, sorry, I know your name has a “y” at the end, and not an “i”. Good lord. I have crazy fingers this afternoon.
Linda, my brother in law had a blue Pontiac GTO that we borrowed for a while when our car was in the shop. I loved that thing! Isn’t it weird how we get attached to our cars?
The only “dud” car we ever had was a Chevrolet Monza. Anyone remember those? I had so many things wrong with it, from the very beginning. I loved the way it looked, but it seemed like that car was just a problem all around, and they quit making them soon after they started, so there must have been a lot of complaints.
I love those Dodge Ram trucks, too, but I also love the King Ranch edition of the Fords. Those are awesome! We just had a Chevy Silverado we traded not too long ago–mainly because of the gas, and because with my never damaged leg, it’s harder and harder for me to hoist my big butt up into a high vehicle.
My hero would probably drive a Ram or the King Ranch Ford. Although, I could see him in a hot muscle car, too.LOL
Cheryl
Kathleen, that Cordoba sounds like a dream car! I would have loved that thing. Chrysler makes some fantastic looking cars, don’t they? I’ve always loved the way that Sebring looks. My husband likes the way the Chrysler 300 looks. They’ve all got some sweet lines to them, for sure.
My husband has always said he wants an older Jaguar in the British racing green color and tan interior. That’s his dream car.
Cheryl
LOL Mary, you always crack me up! This was a gradual epiphany for me. But it dawned on me in my later years, I was probably the only 10 year old girl I knew who watched car racing on tv, and back in the day, the only race they televised was the Indy 500. I love books, too. So much I am fast running out of office space because of it. I need to drag everything out of here and just start from scratch putting things back in until I have it the way I want it, then donate the rest. LOL
Cheryl
Hi Elizabeth,
I have my favorites, but truth is, I eventually fall in love with every car I own. Right now we have a Chevy Equinox and a Chevy Cruze. I love them both. The Cruze will, as my husband says, “Run like a spotted coon dog.” The Equinox is a beautiful metal flake black with plenty of room, and I’m high enough to see well, but not so high I can’t climb in (like the truck). I don’t have to have a lot of gadgets to make me happy. I just like the way these cars look and the different purposes they serve. It feels weird not to have a truck. We’ve never been without one for any length of time. But we’re too the point in our lives where we don’t have to worry about moving or hauling stuff so much, and the kids are settled enough to where they can rent a u-haul if need be–we’re too out of shape and old to be lifting and moving like we used to ‘back in the day’ anyhow. That little car of yours sounds like my kind of car–I would have been in love with it, too.
Cheryl
Cheryl, that first car had a push button start and a key that you didn’t have to use. it was just for unlocking the doors. When the brakes failed my dad sold it to a car guy. Broke my heart!
My second favorite car was the Infinity Q45 that dh and I bought used. OMG I loved that gigantic gas-guzzling luxurious set of wheels!
Tracy,
I know–it seems like sometimes we are at a point in our lives where it’s just better to sell something than to fool with trying to fix everything. If you’re a car guy, it’s what you do, so it’s no big deal, but to the average person, it’s huge because of the expense involved.
I hear you about your Infinity. I had a 75 Chevy that I loved like that, but had to fill it up about every 3 days with all the driving to work and chauffeuring (sp?) kids around we were doing at that time. We got rid of it and were able to make a car payment for what we’d been spending in gas!
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, love the post! My uncle had quite a collection of antique cars and I loved him displaying them at concourse de elegance’s every once in a while. Each summer, we head to Tahoe and Reno for Hot August Nights, where herds of classic cars are displayed and paraded. As for me, my next car will be a hybrid!
HOW FUN, Tanya! We host the National Street Rod Assn. here every summer, and they do a parade and drive around town in them–sooooo cool. The Cruze and the Equinox we bought are “eco” cars. It actually gave us another 25% off of the finance charge because of that.
Cheryl
My boyfriend, now my husband courted me in a Buick Wildcat, that was a majorly cool car with a HUGE engine. We drove it until our second child was born. Beautiful machine.
We had a 1989 Ford Probe and I loved that car. It was bright red five speed. It was a great little car not sure why they quit making them.
Oh, Mary. A Buick Wildcat! That WAS a majorly cool car!!!! Lucky you!
Cheryl
Quilt Lady, my nephew had a red Probe and he loved it, too. Sometimes, these car companies just get it in their minds they need to change things. They quit making the Monte Carlo when they began to remanufacture the Camaro, because they didn’t want competition between the two cars. Just stuff like that.
Cheryl
Cheryl! You do know how to grab attention! I’m not that much of a car lover, but I did fall in love…with my future dh–in a Baby Blue 1956 Chevrolet–tail fins and all. Lands, we loved the car, and we kept it for many years. No air conditioner, but since we lived in Houston, we had one of those under the dashboard kind added. The thing was forever freezing up, and we’d have to turn it off, etc….ButI knew how to drive a stick shift by driving my mother’s yellow Mercury.
Those were the days, weren’t they. I love your choice for a car!
Oh, my parents had a white 57 Chevy with the fins that we drove when we went to CA to visit my aunt and uncle –crossed the desert in that thing with no air, just the windows rolled down.Loved that car–my 2 sisters and I rode in the back seat with PLENTY of room, making gum wrapper chains all the way. LOL I learned to drive a stick shift after Gary and I got together–my parents never owned one by the time I came along. Yes, for sure, those were the days–our kids will never know what they missed, will they?
Cheryl
Another car lover!! My first car was a brand new Ford Pinto! I got it the first year it was out and had two wrecks in it. The second one I was rear ended and it DIDN’T blow up! My hubby’s first NEW car was a two door Barracuda sedan with a killer black stripe down the side and the black vinyl top. I LOVED that car! He bought a special pillow to put on the center console for me to sit on. He said the passenger bucket seat was too far away.
Oh, Carolyn, that had to be a sweet ride, that Barracuda! And how sweet that he put the pillow on the console for you to ride on! TRUE LOVE! I’m so glad your Pinto didn’t blow up–those were the neatest little cars–everyone wanted one.
Thanks for chiming in, lady! Wouldn’t you give anything to still have that Barracuda?
Cheryl
Not really a car lover. I just want to have a reliable vehicle that is comfortable and gets good gas mileage. We have a 2000 Saturn with 275,000 miles on it, so are car shopping. Hate to because I really do like this car.
Our favorite is the car my husband bought just before we got married, a 1972 Land Rover. It really has character. We had some great times with it and will again once it is refurbished. It is not the most comfortable vehicle and the heater is worthless. We put a rack on top and built a platform we could pitch a tent on. We did that many times, but those days are long gone. Our old bones and the extra pounds make it a bit difficult. It was tight enough before that we had to coordinate rolling over. Aside from that, I don’t think I climb up there now.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories.
Patricia,
My dad once said to me and my sister, “A vehicle is like a glorified wheelbarrow that carries you and your possessions from one place to another.” LOL (Did I mention that we often referred to my dad as Mr. Spock?)LOL Anyhow, that sounds like an ingenious idea about the rack on top of the Land Rover to pitch a tent on! What a great plan! But climbing these days would be my big failure–that’s for younger chicks than me. Thanks so much for commenting–I’ve heard nothing but good things about those Saturns–sounds like you got another “good one”!
Cheryl