Probably my favorite car to drive, and our last stick shift, was a silver demo 1985 Jetta, bought from Friedman Motors in Des Moines in 1986 for $11,211, with 700 miles on it.
Dan drove it his senior year in high school (1992-3) for his job a Target and super early chorus practices. He didn’t have a car in college, so the Jetta was my car again until 2000.
I’d planned to include all the trips we took in this car, but we flew to England twice and to California once. Our only trips out of state in the Jetta were to Minneapolis and to Kansas City. It certainly was a workhorse around town, chauffeuring a kid to Scouts, school activities, AWANA (at church), piano lessons, taekwondo. (We also traveled to Denver and Milwaukee, but the Jetta was our “old car” then and we drove a 1995 (used) Chevy Lumina, an automatic.)
We gave the Jetta to Dan when he moved to Minneapolis in 2000. After he’d used it about a year, it started having more problems than it was worth. Dan bought his first car and Guy brought the Jetta back to Iowa, eventually selling it in 2004 to a man named Luis for $1.
If you’d like to see the cars we’ve driven during our sixty years together, check this out. Would you believe that the vehicles I mention at the end (this was 2018) are what we’re still driving–a grey 2010 Honda CRV and a used bright blue 2014 Ford 150 XLT!
Guy adopted a 2003 Corvette in 2018, which he enjoyed driving six years. As Parkinson’s advanced, he sold it in 2024.
Joy! I love, love, love this fab family history told car style!
The pic of Guy in the bug with Muffy stole my heart…”somewhere in Nebraska”. Teehee! If you know, you know! 🤪
And the quip about Guy “adopting” a Corvette…so funny. And no doubt true…all of his loving care.
Happy Tuesday, my friend! 😎❤️😎
The adoption was in the Twin Cities and the former owner was afraid Guy would drive it on gravel. NO. Guy sent photos of where it lived here and kept in touch! Blessings, Vicki!
Oh my goodness! Paul will love that tidbit! No gravel…right-o! 😎❤️😎
Interesting how our vehicles are so intimately linked to our memories and stories. We’ve spent a lot of time in them.
It helps to keep good records! Thanks, Jim.
We had a number of cars over the years. Most of the jalopies went to me, with high mileage and long life. I’ve had some interesting happenings in those junkers though and lots of funny memories too.
Aha, stories! Thank you, KMB.
I miss my stick shift cars.
I don’t think my “new” shoulder would enjoy it anymore, but it was fun once upon a time. After using the Jetta, Dan bought a VW Passat, stick shift, still has it!
Buen blog compañero! Un gran abrazo desde argentina!
Thank you!
Those Hondas last forever too. I had one I drove for 15 years and then gave it to my daughter when we moved to Spain. That was 11 years ago and she’s still driving it!
Wow, thanks, Darlene! I hope the CRV lasts at least as long as we do!
Back in the day, we had an Audi and a Dasher, both wagons. That was when gas was high-probably when you had your VW Bug. The car I drive every day now is a 1999 Toyota Camry. I enjoyed reading about your family’s car history, Joy. 🙂
Thanks, Nancy, and for your input! Who knew this old Family Record Book would come in handy someday, and the stories it weaves!
We all tend to date everything by either what child was born then or which car we had! My first car was a hand-me-down from my parents, an F-85 Olds, when I needed wheels to do my student teaching. I sold it to my brother, who fixed it up and sold it for much more than he’d paid me. At that point, I made the worst car-buying decision I’d ever made–a 1980 (?) Olds Omega hatchback–a real gas guzzler–just as the energy crunch hit and Pennsylvania rationed gas according to the last number of your license plate, on even or odd days that matched the plate number. Got rid of that quickly in favor of a little Chevy Chevette stick shift–first new car we ever had. That lasted only until the third daughter was expected. It no longer was big enough for two adults and three kids in mandatory car seats.. We then went through a series of minivans, the first a stick shift that was totaled in a wreck and the other two stretch versions–all Plymouths or Dodges. During that time, we also inherited a Mazda B2000 pickup, stick shift. When the last of the vans died, it was another Mazda, a Tribute. It, too, soon died, and now we’re on a Dodge Journey and an F-150 pickup. So far, so good. Your post brought back a lot of memories!
This is fun–thanks, Dennis! I want to know more about the wreck, and what color is your pickup?
I have never driven a Corvette, but it would seem like it would be fun to drive. I love the Ford XLT.
Thanks, Pete. The pickup is a lot more fun to ride in than the Corvette! I don’t like riding so low, “down with the crickets.”
Funny how we get so nostalgic about the cars we’ve had and the places they’ve taken us. My fave so far was my 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, but I’ve loved all my Hondas, too, including my current 2022 Ridgeline.
Thank you, Eilene. I think I liked the Jetta because it was a stick shift and zippy, but I was more zippy in those days as well.
I used to drive standard transmission, too. But bad knee made the clutch a pain!
I get it, Eilene. My “new” shoulder won’t let me shift gears very long.
So when it comes to bring fun to drive? A Jetta beats out a corvette. Who would’ve guessed? Ha ha. Love it Joy. Yes, yes, I’ve heard from a former boss that the corvette really is low to the ground. Oh well, long live Jettas that go and go and go forever!
Well, if you ask my Favorite Guy, I bet he’d choose the Vette! Thanks, Brian!
It is incredible how many memories are attached to road trips and our favorite cars! I often said to my husband, “Oh, the tales our Suburban could tell with our long car rides with our four children!” We took a lot of road trips!!! I have so many happy memories of these adventures with our children and the family dog!
Sounds like a great blog post, Linda! Thanks for the fun comment!
You’ve made the cars last a long time compared to many people, Joy. We lived in Denver for a couple of years after I got out of the Army in March of 1972. I worked in Aurora for a while, building houses. Having a Corvette would be fun, I think.
Well, a couple of them we drove until they leaked underneath and the doors wouldn’t stay latched. I’d declare that I was DONE driving it. That’s when I took over his Ranger, so he decided he’d better start shopping for something else. Actually, the Ranger was fun to drive but it was an automatic, but not the locks and windows. ha (We eventually bought a new house on S. Olathe Way!)