What's your "one that got away" car?

[Nanoraptor]

Do you have a car in your past that you somehow lost possession of, or gave up and only realised later that you never should have let go? Or one that you *almost* bought but just missed out on - either because you piked at the last minute or someone else beat you to the punch?

My last XY Fairmont was mine. Beautiful nugget gold, lowered *just* right, bench seat with a custom interior from the previous owner, and all the fairmont chrome. In time I've managed to tidy my current XW Futura into a better car than the fairmont, but Cripes... It'd have been easier to start with the better car.

A friend once told me how he passed up a genuine GT in the late 80s because at the time he thought $6k was way too much for a near 20 year old car.

[The Yeti]

When I was an apprentice there was a landau traded at the dealer I worked at, rough around the edges but would have made a nice base, I passed on it for $1500

[2011G6E]

I was just seventeen in 1982, driving a tiny old English car, an Austin A30, and wanted a second car, something bigger. Down the road from where I lived at mum and dads, an Islander family were selling an old car that had been sitting in thier shed getting used occasionally for many years. Big old thing, tail fins, I wasn't overly into cars at the time...hot rods, yes, but I didn't have that wide a knowledge.
They wanted something like $3000 for it...registered, boring two tone brown and cream, a bit dented but no rust and roadworthy, bit of smoke from the six cylinder engine. I walked down the road with my old man as I would have needed a loan to get it, as at the time three grand was a substantial amount for a second hand old car. He looked it over and said, quite rightly, that such an old car needing work and six cylinder rego and running costs were a bit beyond my meagre, working-on-a-tomato-farm wage. I looked elsewhere and bought a nice little Mazda Capella with a worked engine.

Looking back, I really should have bought that '57 Chev...

[LG17]

1977 (I think) I sold my lime glaze XA GT Coupe.
Qld Reg No OEN 204


Say no more :(

[Dalonian]

My first car was a Monza red EA II Falcon S with 5 speed manual. I loved that car, it was immaculate inside and out, but I sold it due the clutch being rough on my knee after an injury. Regretted it ever since and would do anything to have it back.

[XR6T0Y]

An '06 Fully optioned Fairmont Ghia 6 speed ZF. Passed 'cause the dealer wouldn't let me take it for a test drive

[LG17]

Originally Posted by XR6T0Y

An '06 Fully optioned Fairmont Ghia 6 speed ZF. Passed 'cause the dealer wouldn't let me take it for a test drive

Strangely enough, I was looking at 4wd dual cabs yesterday and wanted a test drive - the idiot salesman said no test drive unless you sign to buy. Told him where to go and walked out.

[XR6T0Y]

Originally Posted by LG17

Strangely enough, I was looking at 4wd dual cabs yesterday and wanted a test drive - the idiot salesman said no test drive unless you sign to buy. Told him where to go and walked out.

Won't name the dealer, but was looking at it for like a half hour. Going inside and out. Asked if he could get the keys to crank it over "Yeah no problems". About 5 minutes after I started it up (was the first B series I ever got in as well) I asked if I could go on a test drive....

"You will need to leave a deposit on the car to have a drive".

Got out of the car with the car still running and walked off

[PG2]

My Stepfather had a 2 door XM coupe in the early 80s. He bought a Mazda Capella so he drove the coupe to simsmetal and dumped it there. Back then you could just dump old cars out the front and they would take them and crush them.

As for myself, a black XE ESP in the mid 90s. Sold it to buy my first house.

Edit: Oops, just in case the wife sees this post 'OUR' first house.

[GTB 351]

Mid 80's, offered a 68 GT500KR Shelby for 11k. Couldn't raise the funds.

[redxm]

XB GS Fairmont 302/C4

Sold it because the windscreen leaked. Still regret it to this day.

[Vincenzo]

1977 (I think) I bought an XT GT from the Dealer Principal of the Ford Dealership in Canberra, apparently it was a BTO vehicle. He said it was special but it looked like all the other White XT GT's I'd seen before , just with a White interior, close ratio gear box - which meant nothing at the time and the 36 gallon tank.

In the two months I had it, I drove from Canberra to Brisbane and later back to Canberra on one tank each way and it was very comfortable at about 75mph to 80mph.



Cheers Vincenzo

[Perko]

XD Falcon ute fitted with 351 Cleveland running all the good gear. Had XF Fairmont Ghia interior and I fitted a 5 speed manual. Came with the house when I bought it. Sold it 2 years later when I was given a work ute. It only went 20 metres down the road when I realised that I had made the stupidest mistake. Tried to buy it back but new owner wouldn't sell.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by LG17

Strangely enough, I was looking at 4wd dual cabs yesterday and wanted a test drive - the idiot salesman said no test drive unless you sign to buy. Told him where to go and walked out.

...try going to buy a new or near new motorbike at a lot of dealerships...some won't even let you take a test ride if you left your first born as a security deposit. Harley dealers are even worse...I asked for a test ride of a Sportster, and was told no. When I said "How do I know if it suits me?", I was told, quite matter of factly, that "Most people just walk in and buy one...they don't bother test riding them".
Explains why so many near new Hogs are for sale...


Two that got away that still haunt me are two Fords...one right after the other. One was an XY Fairmont, 302 auto, that a friend had. He'd bought it to drive while his XY GT was getting retrimmed and painted. I'd just laid down $6500 on a 1980 VC Commodore Four SL (stop laughing you bastards...). It was 1984. My mate was curious about the four cylinder Commodore, and we swapped cars for a drive down to the beach where he lived. On arriving, he said it was interesting, if a little slow off the mark. I loved the Fairmont. He said it was for sale, and if I wanted it I could have had it for two grand...bugger.

Another friends father owned an XB GS 302 auto he had owned since new...bright red, black trim, black interior, all sorts of options like air con, power windows, sunroof, power steer, etc. This was about a month after we had bought the Commodore. I was in a youth group at the time, and we were at a BBQ at their house. All of us guys were in the shed drooling over the XB, and my friends father causally said it was for sale. I asked how much, and he said "For you, five grand".

Bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger...

[Lotte]

Growing up, we had a compact 63 fairlane my dad had been restoring before he passed. I grew up with it in the garage, being driven to school in it, going on GOR cruises, everything. Eventually mum couldn't afford to register it, and I offered to buy it. Never got my **** together to start giving her money for it, and she sold it for a measly 2k, because the auto blew in the toyommodore. it's still a massive sore point.

[smoo]

Valiant VG Coupe, 318 Fireball Oz import with history. I was bidding about September last year on $1 reserve. I bid it up to $12750 kiwi, someone won it at 12,800 (about 10k aud), tidy all original non restored runner. I kick myself to this day.

And earlier this year Mercedes W108 300SEL 6.3 V8, hydraulic suspension, the Euro version of the P3 GTHO Just a lot more technology, at about 10% of the price.

[Moby Vic]

I've only had one car get away. I still have three of the four cars I've ever owned.

But the one that got away was special. It was my first new car. It was a 1991 Mustang LX 5.0 Sport hatchback. None of the dealers equipped them the way I liked (minimally so), so I had to order it. I wanted crank windows instead of power. The power windows were part of an option package deal that included air conditioning. They messed up my order, and the car showed up without air conditioning. I had paid for it as a separate option, so the dealer had to install it.

Anyway, it was white with black interior. I added rear louvers (a Ford accessory). I learned to drive a manual transmission in that car. It was stolen almost exactly 4 years after I got it, on the night before Thanksgiving. It was never recovered. I suspect it went to a chop shop.

[XP6]

Back in 94 dad wanted a new car as he had just retired. I said to him I would buy Valery the Valiant (AP5) which he had from brand new, he wanted a Subaru Liberty

As it happens the dealer he originally brought Valery from was still open and was a Subaru dealer! They wouldnt trade Valery but would trade his 180B Datto... (fools)

So without me knowing he sold Valery to a young lad for 1k I tore strips off him for it he said I wouldn't be able too come up with the cash as I was unemployed at that time... what he didnt know was I had actually landed a job(2 weeks after) which is where I am typing this from 19yrs later!
7 yrs ago at my wedding I said to dad "it would have been nice for my bride to be carried by Valery dad" that was the 1st time I'd ever seen tears in his eyes... I felt terrible for saying it.
But in hindsight Valery is still about and has been restored by the now middle aged lad... he wont sell dam it!

[Kevxr8Leexr6]

Yep, VJ charger. Parramatta rd doin laps lookin for a replacement corty after it was pinched. not much I could find an near out of daylight the father says, geez look at that charger, I said like yeah right, cop it off the mates if I went home with that. he persisted and we went and looked at it. well I was surprised when we took it for a run but it seemed to not be changing gears and still went hard as hell. got back and dad says to the salesman that the gearbox is not good , he goes into his manager back out and says just needs a service ,take it as is for $1500. dad near broke my wrist getting the wallet off me to pay him. so when home that's when the fun started. dad said , you have no idea what this is do you, I said yeah its a Marrickville merc an im gonna cop sh-t off my mates forever. he smiled and said, its an ex police persuit car and its got the 265 hemi with triple downdraught webbers ,hydraulic trick shifted gearbox with all the suspension done up already. your mates wont laugh at you as they wont catch you or come near you . he was right. it was one of the fastest cars I had ever been in. had it for years but the arrival of the first offspring and a naggin spouse as a 2 door its to hard to get bub in an out of. sold it for $2500 . regretted it then and still do now. sob.........

[SSD-85]

The most vivid one for me will always be a 1974 Mercury Cougar XR7. Immaculate for only $5k, just didnt want to cough up the money. The joys of being young and stupid.

[290GTP]

Sold my genuine M code (351 clevo 4V heads) Fastback Mustang 11 years ago to help pay off a mortgage & have regretted it ever since. Seemed like the smart thing to do back then, now I just feel like a total dumbass.

[chunny]

2 for me.

1. Sold my original V8 panelvan. It had every option, NO RUST, all the books, all the documents from the factory, even the original sales brochure!!

Sold it because the engine was on it's way out and bought a lemon landcruser.

2. 5 years ago had the opportunity to buy an AC cobra kit car. It was complete running with a 351 built in the 80's for $12k. Old bloke down the street was selling it and didn't know it's worth!

I couldn't afford it. Spewing that I didn't buy it.

[rog xc]

Early 90's (I was 19-20 at the time)

1. Landau coupe, no motor or box- rest was original, no rust. $600
said no because I didn't have anywhere to work on it.

2. XB coupe, black 302 auto, no rust. $1100. Said no because it didn't have plates on it (although it was registered).

3. XA gt sedan with a Windsor in it, $900.. Said no because it was painted pink!

[Brendo_GSUte]

Originally Posted by LG17

Strangely enough, I was looking at 4wd dual cabs yesterday and wanted a test drive - the idiot salesman said no test drive unless you sign to buy. Told him where to go and walked out.

Worst salesman of the yr award but know what you mean. Maybe introduce him to the concept of a factory demo vehicle? make him aware he car write it off on tax... But i suppose due to natural selection he wont sell cars and go back to whatever he was doing before he thought ill be a carsales man today!

Anyway back on topic..

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/...ps92690f59.jpg

My baby had leather and was tough as. Sold it for an e gas koz i hit hard times and was saving for a house :(

Sung to the tune of "baby come back" and me on the beach skmming stones into the ocean a'la the toyota ad

[2011G6E]

I stil wonder where my first car, a 1953 Austin A30, ever ended up...I stupidly traded it in on an old Valiant AP5 that I later sold for only $400 (and never got fully paid for!).
She was a light blue 4 door with a white roof, QLD rego 263-NSF, and last I heard a trucky had bought it and shipped it up to somewhere around Tully in FNQ...of course this was back in 1985, so not much hope now...god I miss that fun little car...

[hawkgirl]

my mums ZD fairlane, resprayed Midnight Blue with original burgundy interior,with a mildly worked 351 cleveland... she traded it on an XF six - wouldnt sell it to me as it had some rust (nothing terminal).. if I could find it I would happily buy it back.

and

my brothers 75 Anniversary LTD - pinched but a repairable write-off, he was devastated by the damage to his "baby" and would not let me buy it back from the insurer... and I cant find another one wahhhhh....

[AU Mont]

mu AU2 VCT Fairmont Ghia with 110,000km's i sold couple years ago.

Everything was so tight in that car, sold it to fund my stupid V8 ideas and got burnt with a dud car. I wish i had of kept it, i dont think i'll ever find an AU like that again.

[atec77]

Originally Posted by Nanoraptor

Do you have a car in your past that you somehow lost possession of, or gave up and only realised later that you never should have let go? Or one that you *almost* bought but just missed out on - either because you piked at the last minute or someone else beat you to the punch?

My last XY Fairmont was mine. Beautiful nugget gold, lowered *just* right, bench seat with a custom interior from the previous owner, and all the fairmont chrome. In time I've managed to tidy my current XW Futura into a better car than the fairmont, but Cripes... It'd have been easier to start with the better car.

A friend once told me how he passed up a genuine GT in the late 80s because at the time he thought $6k was way too much for a near 20 year old car.

1967 at high school a friend suggested I might like to buy an old Ford he had for $100.00 , that was a lot of money in those days being as a normal wage was about half that , I declined being happy with my hot Morris minor on 205 radial fats , Damn shame I let that 140 Ford V8 go one owner in powder blue :(

[dannyxm]

Back in about 95 I guess, went to a wrecker in Campbelltown NSW with my uncle to get parts for some car we had at the time, perhaps his XY, not sure anyway...

There was some guy who drove into the wreckers with a 71 Val Charger, in primer, but complete, sold it to the wreckers for $100.

Even today im still burning......

[rog xc]

Originally Posted by danny351

Back in about 95 I guess, went to a wrecker in Campbelltown NSW with my uncle to get parts for some car we had at the time, perhaps his XY, not sure anyway...

There was some guy who drove into the wreckers with a 71 Val Charger, in primer, but complete, sold it to the wreckers for $100.

Even today im still burning......

About 93 or so I lived in a set of units in reservoir, vic. My alcoholic next door neighbour had a vj? charger, worked 265 grunter.. Swapped it with another neighbour for a 6 pack of vb stubbies Told him I would have given him at least a bottle of scotch for it, lol.