This is a list of the cars I own or have owned, from most recent addition back to my first car. Here are some directions and flags to help you navigate the menagerie (pick one to limit the view, or show all):
Fun cars! Daily drivers for kids, dogs, and commutes My cars Kathy's cars (which she let me drive) Cars which have moved on to new garages :-( Current cars Country of origin:
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2013 Mazdaspeed 3 "Mr. Toad"
Mr. Toad, my Wild Ride. Zoom-Zoom with a vengeance! |
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2011 Mazda 3 S "Zoom-Zoom"
I never seriously thought that I would buy a non-European car for myself, but when the Passat came due for assorted repairs that exceeded its value I started looking around. Key requirements were (1) three pedals, including a clutch and the associated gearbox, and (2) interior space for a dog or the occasional "stuff" consistent with a station wagon or something close. To my surprise, that led me not to another Volkswagen but to a Mazda 3, which not only is an adequate daily-driver but is awfully fun to drive, too, one of the best-handling cars that I have owned. Zoom-Zoom! |
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2008 Toyota Prius
Kathy's new car, just in time for her birthday. It's more fun than I expected (a low bar) but with its video-game cockpit it still feels like something George Jetson should be driving. Some people will want to know that it's a Package 2 car in Spectra Blue Mica. (Why do Prius fans care?!) |
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2001˝ Volkswagen Passat Wagon
Kathy and I bought this car in preparation for Libby's arrival. It had the Audi 2.8-litre V6 engine, so it was quite fast and fun to drive. Kathy usually drove it until she got her Prius. |
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1953 Morgan +4 "The Flying Haggis"
A veteran of the 1988, 1989, and 1990 runs of La Carrera Panamericana, the Mexican Road Race. I bought it in 1999 and hope to do some vintage racing with it. |
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1997 BMW Z3
Kathy bought her Z3 after years of practical cars, having realized that a fuel-efficient four-seater added little real value for short commutes with no passengers. She soon discovered that convertibles weren't just for sunny days - they're great for enjoying starry nights! This realization played a prominent role in our meeting. While good for solo commuting in California, a Z3 is not good for kids, so Libby's arrival contributed to the Z3's reluctant departure. |
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1993 Saturn SL2
This was Kathy's practical car, then my daily-driver after she got the Passat. While not the most exciting car, I could actually take nearby freeway ramps faster in it than in the Morgan. In traffic, air conditioning and decent tunes were nice, too. With over 107,000 miles, it was finally replaced by Kathy's Prius. | ||
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1985 Honda CRX HF
This was Krissie's car. Once, on a trip down US 101 to Los Angeles, we averaged 52 MPG! The Honda became my everyday commute car after Krissie died until I donated it in June 2000. |
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1979 BMW 323i
I liked the BMW 320i from the first time I saw one, but they were anemic. The 323i is a European-model, never imported officially to North America, which has a 2.3-liter inline six instead of the 320i's 2.0-liter (1.8 in later years) inline four. |
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1982 Volkswagen Scirocco
This is the only car I bought new for myself—so I had reliable transportation when I started my first job out of school. Alas, that job was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so the car's first few years were pretty rough, and it accumulated many battle scars. For a long time it was a good "take the dog to the beach" car, but I finally found it another home in 2000. In better days, it looked like this twin (pictured at right). |
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1979 Volkswagen Cabriolet (Super Beetle)
My first car, from the last model year that the original Beetle was sold in the United States in any form. (The Cabriolet was actually built by Karmann using the Super Beetle from 1971 on.) |
Copyright © 1999,2001-2004,2007,2008,2015,2017-2019 Karl L. Swartz. All rights reserved. |
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