Readers Rides

Following is the story about my first car.

When I was 15 in 2006 I was searching everywhere for a first car as all of us do. I found a 2003 Jetta VR6 GLX, with every feature I didn't know it could have. My parents weren't going for it because it was a private sale, and it hadn't been moved. It was just sitting on one spot for 5 weeks during harsh New Hampshire winters. So we went looking at dealers, one of them a Volvo dealership where my mother had gotten her XC70.

We found a 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL. It was blue (my favorite color) with tan interior (my favorite interior color), but being 16 years old I wanted the Jetta. The Altima was what my parents wanted, not me. If they wanted it, it had to be a worse choice. I looked up reviews on edmunds.com about both and found that both received very positive reviews. The Jetta made 200 horsepower, while the Altima made 175 hp. It was also larger, had fewer miles with only 49,000 and even more goodies.

Included are photographs of my Honda Prelude, purchased new in 1997 while I was living and working around Binghamton, New York. It currently has approximately 100,600 miles on the odometer.

Interestingly enough, the Prelude was not my original choice. When I was back in college, I wanted a Volkswagen Corrado sports coupe. Unfortunately, by the time I graduated, secured a decent job, and started earning a reasonable salary, the Corrado had been discontinued.

Ever wonder if Edmunds' employees follow their own advice? Carroll Lachnit is Features Editor at Edmunds.com. Here's the story of how she bought her new car. -- Donna

In late December, when it became clear that my 2001 Acura TL might be heading for some expensive transmission issues, I went shopping for a new car. I wanted a coupe, and it didn't take long to narrow down my list: Volvo S60, Volkswagen CC, Audi A5, Mercedes C250, Infiniti G37 and BMW 328i. I toyed with the idea of the Mini Cooper Clubman, but since no one at the Mini dealership could be bothered to call me back regarding a test-drive, I dropped it.

With that short list in hand, here's how my car buying went. From start to finish, it took about a week.

Hello everyone, My Edmunds screen name is vchiu, City: Marcoussis (20 miles south of Paris), Country: France.
 
This is my beloved Citroën Ami 8 Station Wagon which first hit the road in September 1974. Here are a few specs:

Length: 156 inches, Width: 60 inches, Height: 59 inches
Engine: 602cc Air-cooled flat-twin 32 DIN HP, four-speed, manual box
Weight: 1,600 lbs
 
Displayed mileage is about 54,400 miles (87600 km) but I am not sure if this figure is real or not. I bought the Ami 8 from a car enthusiast about two years ago. It had been completely overhauled and looked pristine.

This car really brings a smile to my face every time I look at it. Driving the Ami 8 is addictive thanks to its unique flat twin noise. It starts off as a gentle pigeon's cooing, then transforms into a raucous mid-range roar, ending with a top-range sporting note. Although there is an optional radio, I never even once considered using it as this engine is a piece of orchestra by itself. True, the 32-hp flat-twin does struggle when climbing any hill, but it is more than a drive, it is an adventure.

Hey everyone! I'm Sofyan (aka xoquixxoqafxo). I wanted to share my story regarding my first new car purchase ever, a 2012 Honda Fit Sport manual in Vortex Blue Pearl.

I bought the car on December 3, 2011 and it is literally the biggest thing I have ever purchased so far. I just graduated college with my first full-time job so I figured it was time to get myself a new car to celebrate my achievement.

My old car was a 2001 Honda Accord V6 that was using too much gas for my taste, plus I really wanted something smaller, fun, and fuel efficient. Before I bought my Fit, I looked at a Volkswagen GTI and while I loved the GTI, I just couldn't justify the extra $10,000. Maybe later, but the Fit offers the same fun-to-drive handling and way more cargo space. It may not be as luxurious and fast but it delivers smiles to my face every time I get behind the wheel and work that five-speed gearbox.

The BMW E39 has always had a soft place in my heart. When I grew up, I remember reading reviews about how great this car was, how it topped its class from 1996-2003. Growing up my family even had two 520i wagons at one time, and our neighbor had a 528i wagon.

I learned how to drive in my Dad's 520i wagon, and it was beautiful. It was a new 2000 wagon with a fjord gray metallic paint job and light yellow BMW individual leather interior. Unfortunately in 2003 my parents split up, I moved with my mom and we replaced the 520i wagon with a 2002 Kia Rio. I don't need to tell you that back then Kias where crap and the Rio was no exception. So when I finally could afford to buy a nice car, it was going to be a BMW E39.

These are some of the pictures you sent us of your first-ever cars.

That last one came with some text, so I'll give that a separate post in a few days.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Or does it? We have some interesting vehicles on the long-term blog today in case you haven't noticed.

Just in case you thought our guys were hopelessly nerdy, I want to come clean and admit that I own the original Star Wars Cookbook.

So naturally, I made Wookiee Cookies for this special occasion. The guys told me they are Chewie. Tee hee.

May the 4th Be With You.

Lady Vader, Managing Editor

My first car was a 1980 Chevrolet Chevette that my father had won in a raffle contest. I was still too young to drive it but when I finally got my license I shared it with my brother. I could finally drive to high school instead of taking the trolley. This was in Philadelphia.

I remember the Chevette fondly. It was my first car so I didn't know any different. It was small, easy to park for a newbie, and had FM radio! It was a special edition with two-tone black and silver paint. It actually wan't a bad looking car. The picture above is not mine but that's pretty much what it looked like.

Share the story of your first car in the comments below. If you have pictures, send them to submissions (at) edmunds.com and we'll post them all together in a first-car blog post.

What was your first car?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

The story of my Jeep starts with the dozen or so different cars I'd owned before it, in about as many years. The latest was a 2008 Civic Si, which was also my first brand new car. It was fun to drive, economical, and had a great engine, but after about a year I began to get that familiar itch for something different. Then one day I spotted a Jeep sitting for sale at a local GM dealership.

It was a 2009 Wrangler X with less than 5,000 miles, already lifted and fitted with great big tires, a stark contrast to the Buicks and Pontiacs parked around it. I knew next to nothing about Wranglers, but it sure was a looker and way different than anything I'd owned before. After entertaining the thought for a week or two, I stopped in one morning to check it out up close. I ended up trading in the Civic that same day.

In the beginning it was bliss. I spent my weekends crashing through the woods, doing doughnuts in fields, exploring trails, getting muddy, cruising around town topless and doorless, and generally grinning like an idiot. Every drive was an adventure. The previous owner had modified it mostly for show, so I set to work making it better suited to the use it was seeing.

Hello, I'm Daryl aka 06Scooby on the forums and this is my new-to-me 1995 Nissan Pathfinder my wife lovingly named "Sarge."

I just picked it up about two months ago after my 1998 Z71 with almost 200k miles had a head gasket fail (without overheating it at all by the way). I decided to sell it with full disclosure to someone that had the time to mess with it and the other TLC it needed.

Since my wife stays at home with our kiddo (soon to be 2!) we had to replace it with something we could pay cash for, could fit the family in and was 4x4 for the winter. After sharing my wife's minivan for a month and searching for something in good shape but cheap, I stumbled across this little gem.

My name is Eric (username: mkivgtivr6) and this is my MkIV GTI VR6. I know, I know, original username and vanity plate.

This has been my little pocket rocket for the past two years and has taken me to 135K miles to date. First let me apologize for the horrible pictures. I'm currently studying in Spain and can't take better pictures with a clean car. I picked up this car with 105K on it with a Carfax that said it had been in an accident and had a risk of a bent frame for $6,500. Though apprehensive at first, the thought of being able to afford my very own GTI made me overlook the danger. I couldn't be happier with my decision.

I've kept it mostly stock. I've added an aftermarket cold air intake filter on the stock intake system, a new radio deck with USB and Aux hook ups and a 12-inch subwoofer. When it came time to replace the brakes I decided to upgrade to slotted rotors and ceramic pads.

My car was a 1972 four-door taxicab plain Torino. I was young, dumb and 17 and wrecked it.

When I had the means I got this Torino in 1998, a 460 cu. in. out of a same-year Lincoln, 2.5 exhaust, some Hooker headers and Edelbrock aluminum heads and a 850cfm Demon Carb. She is a mean motor scooter.

I had Clint beat by a decade! -- Michael

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

This is my second vehicle as Mother Nature claimed the life of my 1999 Chevy Cavalier. Thanks to me getting this vehicle I don't miss that car at all except for the gas mileage.

I found this diamond in the rough on Craigslist for just over $1,000. When I first came across the car in person I saw that it wasn't any ordinary Cutlass. It had a body kit and red stripes on the side reading "XC special."

After I drove the car I was in love with it. It had to be mine. After I bought it I did more research and discovered that this is a limited edition 90th Anniversary Oldsmobile and it is only one of 1,000 gray models. 1,000 white ones were made as well. I was amazed and excited.

This is my third Nissan GT-R and I currently have about 2,000 miles on it. I have had all three incarnations, MY '09, '12, and now '13.

I was reluctant to buy this one because of the big price jump and relatively small power increase. But after spending the winter driving an SUV, the allure of the GT-R's performance was just too much to resist.

I know Inside Line found no measureable difference between the '12 and '13 but I did. It wasn't the big jump of the '09 to '12 but it was still noticeable. Using the same Racelogic VBOX on all three models, I recorded the following:

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

This is my 2012 performance package equipped 2012 CLS63 AMG. Like most of the Inside Line readers I am something of a gearhead and since I was a teenager have always owned the best performance cars I could comfortably afford. I am in my mid-thirties now and this AMG is the first turbo car I have owned since my 1991 Eagle Talon AWD. It makes me feel like a teenager all over again when I hear those turbos spool up, albeit with the deep AMG exhaust growl this time as an added bonus.

The CLS is quite a different animal than my screaming naturally aspirated 2009 BMW M3. But when my M3 was totaled by a careless driver last summer, I knew I wanted something different and a little more raw. The M3 was a marvel to drive in the twisties. But living in the city I had to drive like a real ass to have any fun around town, keeping the revs up above 6,000 rpm and the throttle down to counteract for that car's modest torque curve.

What I needed to bring the thrill back into my daily commute was spine crushing torque. Requiring four doors for family hauling I considered the short list of 500 hp+ super sedan offerings including the new F10 M5. But after being unimpressed with its styling revealed in preliminary reviews I settled on the CLS63 after a test drive and placed a order.

How can you tell when you love your car too much? Maybe it's when the wife says you take better care of your car than her. Or maybe it's when you drive and drive for that perfect parking spot so you don't get door dings. And while you walk away and press lock you're thinking what could happen while you're gone. I know when. It's when you don't drive her for a few days and you get this weird feeling inside when you slip on your shoes because you get to drive her again. That's the feeling I get every time I drive my 2006 S2000.

I got her back in May 2006 when I read in a blog that this was to be the final year. As soon as I read that, I called my local dealers who had the perfect S, perfect meaning who didn't abuse it while it was on the lot. I called around and you would be surprised how many did not return my phone calls. Was it because they had none or none coming in?

So I stopped by my local Honda dealer and told their salesman what I was looking for. When he brought out their inventory sheet, I saw what they had in stock and what was coming in and in what colors. I asked him where a particular vehicle was and he said it was in the inventory lot and that it just got in yesterday. When we drove to the lot there she was with her aluminum hood covered up with a white plastic tarp. When he gave me the key the first thing I looked for was the miles: 2 on the odometer. I asked him what I needed to do to reserve the car.

My Dream Car...well kind of.

Ever since I stumbled across the Speed channel and saw a WRC event, I immediately knew that when I could afford it I wanted a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. More specifically I wanted a 2005. The slight aesthetic changes that occurred in 2006 I didn't like, and the 2004 interior was not as user friendly. Finally after 3+ years of searching and many let downs (wrecked, driven into the ground, horribly modified) I came across a gem in Florida and settled on it.

Being from the midwest Florida meant NO rust. The difference with this car was the previous owner was an Air Force Officer and he put his heart and money into this vehicle and babied it. That was apparent when I bought it in 2011 with 55,000 miles.

At first you could say it's a rice rocket, but I always justified my Subaru in that it was AWD, came from the factory with a spoiler, and mine had the power to back up the looks. What I got for a fair price was a low mileage 2005 WRX STI Cobb Stage 2.

This is my first Hyundai. As a matter of fact, it is the first Hyundai in my entire family. Like most Europeans, I was raised to appreciate the prestigious German and other European and Japanese brands. My father, for instance, owned seven VWs when we lived in South America and Europe, and swore by Toyotas and Subarus here in the U.S. I've always been a car buff, and I am almost ashamed to admit it, but even less than ten years ago I would've been the first person to say, "Don't buy a Hyundai; they're terrible. Get a German car."

A lot has changed.

With my 10-year-old car on its last legs, I began researching my next purchase. I came across the Genesis and the classy lines and features for the price were a pleasant and unexpected surprise. I will say that there is an exclusivity factor when buying the Genesis, as I have only seen two of them in my town in over two years. Whereas, I see all of the usual premium brands everywhere I look.

Greetings from the Great White North.

This is my ride. We met in 2005. This was my "family car." Let's start at the beginning shall we.

I became older during the import craze and bought into it with every pay cheque I cashed. I was working for a dealership at the time and just finished the last round of the modifications to my Integra when she arrived.

Fresh on trade from our sister Volvo dealership, a 2003 Maxima, her gleaming silver paint and black leather, I was in love. As I peered inside, what did I spy...is that a stick? SOLD! Well I was. My girlfriend, now wife, was not. I spun it as any guy in my shoes would, sensible family sedan. While I was thinking 255 horses, 6 speed...suck it VTEC. Let's move on. Long story short, she said yes (and yes more importantly). That silver sedan has not missed a beat in its seven year severe duty cycle as my truck, sports car, ambulance, bumper car and most importantly family hauler. And here are a few highlights. :)

It all started in 2006, when Inside Line first tested the 2006 MX-5 Miata and I knew I wanted one. Being fresh out of college, I first made the sensible and practical choice and settled for a 2007 Honda Fit. Oddly, I never needed the practicality, and while it was fun, it was slow.

In 2008 I traded in the Fit for a 2008 MX-5 Miata GT. I always wanted a roadster. It was a choice between a CPO Z4, S2000 and the MX-5, but the MX-5 was newer, and was more affordable since I did not want a payment. I settled for a new MX-5 Highland Green GT with the premium package and I never looked back.

I love the car, it had everything I wanted, with HID, leather and smart key, but it had quite a bit of body roll, while sitting quite high like a 4x4. I finally caught the mod bug, but still wanted to keep the warranty intact, so I settled mostly for MazdaSpeed parts with the exception of the exhaust. I also love the coupe look, so I got the factory removable hard top instead of the PRHT. The PRHT looked a bit awkward to me, while I also did not want the added complexity.

Hey guys, this is Lenny (screen name: carfreak493) here to share with all of you my pride and glory.

If there was one thing that consumed my life more than anything, I would have to say it was my car, a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. It has now been in my life for over six years, sharing countless number of incredible memories which forever had changed my life.

It all started back at the end of 2005 with my father looking for a new toy, something a little special (fast, rare), but still versatile (SUV, sedan), as well as being able to deal with the northeast winters (AWD). Our final list came down to a 2006 STI or a 2007 RS4, neither of which my father or I were perfectly in love with. Then when Jeep released the news of a new Grand Cherokee SRT8, my heart stopped and from that moment on there was no doubt it was perfect.

Placing the order in November 2005, which included the Inferno Pearl Metallic paint color and every possible option, it was finally delivered to our local dealer February 18, 2006. Being the second SRT GC to be sold at that dealer, as well as the first one being red, every employee came out to examine, admire, and even snap some quick pictures. It was a moment to never be forgotten. With 7 miles on the odometer, we cautiously rolled off the lot. Three years later in 2009, with the Jeep running strong with 42K miles, my dad officially passed the keys down to me, as I had finally achieved my senior license. To this day I thank him, honestly feeling fortunate is an understatement.

Here's another entry from Huy, who previously posted about his 1991 Acura NSX. -- Donna

This is my 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo. It's another of my dream cars. I came upon this one like it was fate. I had been looking for one and there was nothing good, but one day I was at a Nissan dealership for parts and there it was. It had many problems but it was unmodded and that was good for me.

I set out to do all the maintenance and found this car is a nightmare to work on. Long story short: I got it done but it still did not run right. (This I did not know until later.) Even so, this car was still really quick, faster than my friend's Subaru WRX with downpipe and exhaust. It was when I started modding that I found out what was wrong. The hoses running to a wastegate on one turbo were reversed, so I was essentially running on one turbo. I flipped them around (not as easy as it sounds) and the car was so much faster, you wouldn't believe it. Owning this car is constant maintenance, so I spent most of my time and money fixing things and modding took a back seat.

I just picked up a 2007 BMW 335xi that's fully loaded with almost every option, even small niceties like rear power sunshade and rear parking sensors. I live in northern New Jersey and it's my first AWD car so I'm pretty excited to not have to switch between summer and winter tire sets.

I used to have a 2007 Infiniti G35 sedan but I totaled it so then I bought a 2006 Lexus IS350 (both RWD). But now I'm selling the Lexus because the RWD is just too inconvenient in my life. All three cars are great, the Infiniti was so lively and ready to go fast, the Lexus much more subdued but had a lot of power when asked to go fast, and the BMW is kind of a mix of both.

I'm most excited about the tune that I'll be getting for the car. I'm gonna keep it stock and just get the Cobb Accessport with a Stage 1 aggressive tune, which should net me about 90hp and 110 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. That, coupled with AWD and high performance all-season tires, should really turn this car into an awesome year round daily driver that can handle any weather and be a blast.

Where to start...

Let me keep it short. Always wanted a Lancer, the Evo of course, but I couldn't afford it. So I got the next best thing, a regular Lancer, ES to be more specific, because that was all I could afford. With the hopes of tuning the car, I bought it but soon after realized it was not worth putting all that money in for small gain.

The car does not give great MPG nor is it fast for its class (CVT). And after three years there are noticeable rattles and squeaks. But because it's mine and I pay for it with my hard-earned money, I love her. Her name is Effy. LOL

Hope you enjoy the pictures. -- Bhavin

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

Meet my 2000 Nissan Altima SE. After owning a 1995 Altima GXE and getting in a wreck that totaled it, I bought this one. It currently has over 183,000 miles but is still running great. I do my best to keep it looking in the best condition possible both inside and out.

I must say that the car handles really well for what it is. The SE suspension and front and rear bars really give it that edge in turns with minimal body roll. The engine is also pretty peppy being a 2.4 I-4 with 155 hp and 156 lb-ft.

I really admire the level of quality inside of the car as far as soft touch surfaces and high quality materials. The power sunroof, leather seats, rear spoiler, tinted windows, and good looking tires all work to give the car a great look as well as also being nice features to have like the sunroof and side airbags.

I got my Punto SX60 back in 1999 and it has been a hell of a journey with ups and downs. This is the only car I have ever possessed since I got my license. I was 19 back then and now I'm 31 years old. One time I had a big accident and I had all sides of the car dented. It was a nightmare seeing my car in a total loss state. The only reason I kept it is because my father insisted I did back then.

It was fixed really well I think but because of the accident I had to change many parts of the car from time to time. For example, the water pump, petrol pump and radiator to name a few. After that I modified it to my liking. I kept it real -- I didn't over do it. It's my everyday car so I did not want to exaggerate in the modifications plus I don't like to exaggerate. Keeping things simple on a car is the best way to go in my opinion.

It has a carbon fiber front and rear bumper uniquely designed and made from scratch, a roof spoiler plus Abarth side skirts and 15-inch alloy wheels lowered by 35mm Sparco springs. It has a skimmed cylinder head which gave it a bit more power. It had even more BHP at one time because I had taken off the catalytic converter but I had it reinstalled due to VRT tests and also to do my bit in protecting the environment -- less pollution.

Eric bought Nikki's BMW M Coupe. You can read her entries here and here. -- Donna

There I was, minding my own business, when BAM! Out of nowhere I hear a familiar voice exclaim over my shoulder, "what the $#!+ is that?!"

I had been looking at this picture...

...marveling at how the light plays on the surface of an e86 dressed in Sepang Bronze. Killing time, I had meandered into the For Sale section of my favorite Z4 forum, and noticed that the first thread was of Nikki's coupe. I knew that her car had been for sale for what seemed like an absolute eternity (especially from Nikki's point of view), and was curious why it had made its way back to the top of the thread list again. Had it been any other thread that day, none of this would have happened.

This is my 2005 Bluestone Metallic Lexus IS300.

It's very fun to drive, aggressively styled, and has a magnificently engineered inline six-cylinder engine. It's all stock apart from the Injen cold air intake and the Magnaflow street-series exhaust.

When I first bought this car I underestimated how much fun the automatic would be, but once I got the system down I found that you can actually rev match when you down shift. Step on the pedal and you hear the nice sounds of the straight six and feel the rush of the 220 horsepower. But when you're cruising along the highway the IS is super smooth and quiet as you would expect from a Lexus. Road feel is also great in this vehicle because of its superb steering system.

The color combo with the stock chrome wheels makes it a looker. Being a 20-year-old living in San Diego, California this car never gets old. Cruising along the beach, driving through the windy back roads, or hitting the boulevard, she never disappoints. -- Gary

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

After about a year of looking for the most performance I could get for about $35k, I finally bought a new 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR in June of 2009. It had 143 miles on it and had been on the dealer's lot for over a year and they were offering $7,000 below sticker before negotiation. Sold.

I cross-shopped everything with a manual transmission from the STi (of course), 135i, G37, Mustang GT, to even the Speed3 and the GTi.

Since then I've put about 20k miles on it and have had no problems whatsoever. Scheduled maintenance, TSBs and a new set of summer tires once the stock Advans gave out at 14k is the extent of it.

I've chipped it using the Cobb Accessport, Stage 1 93-octane map (noticeable increase of power across the band, especially 3-4.5k RPM), put on a K & N filter, and plan to start modding it once the warranty runs out. Although I'm 27 and married, I'm still a boy racer at heart and plan to replace intake, exhaust, intercooler, and maybe put on lowering springs. As this is my daily 3-seasons driver (MKIV GTI w/ snow tires during the Illinois winter), I will likely stop there as my goal is real-world drivability and performance, not an ultra-peaky, track day special. No bigger turbo, no cams.

Hey Ya'll. This is my "hellaflush" 1992 Ford Festiva sitting on twelves. It has 165k miles and a salvaged title. It's rare to see these cars nowadays after the Cash-For-Clunkers program.

Anyways, I dropped it about four inches by cutting the springs all around and installed limiting straps so the springs won't fall out. I also tinted the windows, installed ambient lighting, and added a custom navi and head unit.

It's great for driving in LA traffic.

Oh and by the way, a 100-shot nitrous is next in case anybody wants to race! -- Dan

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

Hello Inside Line!

This is my 2012 Ford Focus SEL with only 4,700 miles on the clock. Let me start out by saying that I never thought I would be driving a Ford, or for that matter, even consider purchasing one. The 2012 Focus has changed my whole perception of what Ford has to offer, and I must say, I'm impressed.

Having owned two BMW's in the past (2000 323i and a 2008 BMW 135i), I have been a bit spoiled when it comes to driving cars with incredible driving manners. But as the economy began to take a turn for the worse, I began to change my spending habits and FOCUS on what's really important in my life.

After looking at the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevy Cruze, Mazda 3 and Chrysler 200, I found that only two cars stood out to me in this category; The Ford Focus and the Mazda 3. The Mazda 3 is definitely the driver's choice. The Ford Focus on the other hand has both the athleticism of the Mazda 3, but an interior that makes some cars in the $30,000 plus category look cheap.

I'm not like most drivers. What most people find as inconveniences, I find as quirks, or personality.

It's 2012. Cars nowadays are full of modern technology. Sync. Navigation. Auxiliary jacks. Satellite radio. You can add Facebook, Twitter, and Pandora to your multimedia system. How do I compensate? I've got one auxiliary jack for the iPod and a dual-link 12v outlet. I don't have satellite radio, so I added fourteen total podcasts to make up for it.

But that's just the technological piece.

Then there's the car. I have located two rattles. One is from the cubby lock on the passenger side. The other, surprisingly, comes from the passenger visor. The visor. Yes, the visor. Of all places, I would have never thought noise could emit from a visor connected at one point with just two screws. But guess what? It does.

My car may weigh 2,300 lbs but it's not a smooth ride. The steering wheel feels hollow. The steering ratio, however, is very quick. I think I'm ruined for quick steering for the rest of my life.

Ever since I was a child I have been interested in transportation and have considered myself an enthusiast. Automobiles have continued to remain my number one passion, although after spending the summer in Europe, high-speed rail has gained momentum.

Just as an apple never falls far from the tree, my father too has had a passion for cars previously owning a 1989 BMW 528i 5-speed. I absolutely loved that car and after turning 16 I was anticipating my father would hand me down his pride and joy. Unfortunately, my mother had other plans and immediately instructed my father to sell it. After this crushing blow I was further let down by what became my consolation prize: the 1996 family Dodge Grand Caravan...

Fast forward five years and the time finally came for a much deserved replacement. My father had asked me what type of cars he should begin searching for and my only requirements were a sedan with a manual. My wish was granted with the purchase of my 2008 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L 5-speed.

Now, I know what you're thinking. This kid said he's an "enthusiast" and yet he got an average Korean FWD plain Jane sedan! Well, you would be partially right as this too was my original thought before the first drive (I was looking at MK5 GTIs, B7 A4s etc.) but my father insisted that we get a reliable car that my brother could eventually drive. So after owning my Sonata for a year here are my thoughts.

After owning a 2002 Porsche Carrera and a 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe (great quality and ride), one day I read an article about the Mustang GT with Brembo package. It said the Mustang gave a very strong and close fight to a BMW M3, a car costing double its price.

In that moment, it crossed my mind that it was the perfect successor to my 911. After I bought the 5.0 I was amazed at how this car handled and that it was very quick off the line. To be sincere I did not at all miss my 911 that was very expensive on the maintenance side.

First, I upgraded the Mustang shocks and springs to KONI & Steeda Sports. Immediately I felt a big improvement on the handling side. Also, I really liked the look of the rear pedestal spoiler from the California Special Edition so I added that as well. I was curious how it would look with the BOSS style side decals, so I added them, and then the Eleanor style scoops and I switched the front pony for a black one.

My name is Paul and my screen name is MikeTyson8MyKids. I don't post very often but lurk daily. This is my 2005 RX8 that, until just recently, was my daily driver/autocrosser. With the addition of another car to the family, it's now just an autocrosser and fun car.

My car now has 126,000 of almost trouble-free service miles. Besides the regular maintenance and wear items like brakes, clutch, etc., the only warranty work I've had to have done was an engine replacement at 99,000 miles due to low compression. Other than that, it has been nearly 100% trouble free.

I bought this car new in May 2006 right after I graduated from college. It must have sat around for quite a while but it had less than 100 miles on it and they cut me a nice deal. I drove it every day long distances for work. I raced radio-controlled cars and it had just enough space in the trunk to move all the equipment that I needed to do that.

After a long distance move with work in 2008, I met a nice young woman who is now my wife, and decided it was time to retire from the r/c racing. The time investment was too great wrenching on toy cars, and being that it was 2008, the recession hit r/c racing in my local area very hard. All the good tracks closed down and it was just too much to drive every weekend to go race.

I've been a long time follower of Inside Line as one of my sources for automotive info. With all the great readers rides I've seen I wanted to share mine. I am a total car nut, but when I needed a new vehicle to haul around snowmobiles in the winter and boat in the summer a sports car was out.

The family is loyal to GM products so I focused on looking at Sierras and Silverados. I test-drove lots and settled on this 2003 Sierra Denali. I picked up this truck in May 2008 with only 20k miles on it for a great price. It's a shame GM got rid of Quadrasteer because it makes this truck very maneuverable with or without a trailer. It's also a blast to drive on the back roads believe it or not.

When the "gas crisis" hit I decided that with my commute something more wallet friendly was the ticket.

After owning a Dodge Dakota, I had to have something that could at least haul larger items in a pinch when I needed, so the hatch was the only way to go. Several test drives later I ended up at the Kia dealership. I didn't like the looks and fuel economy of the Mazda 3 hatch and the Ford Focus was too new at the time and much more expensive. Out the door was less than 20K for the Kia Forte SX with the sunroof and auto-dim mirror.

I have 31K miles on the clock at the moment after purchasing in February 2011 and I have nothing but praise for the car. The ride isn't too harsh, and the car handles well enough for my needs. The six-speed automatic is a tad slow at times and I really don't have a need for the shift paddles but they're there on the SX package. So far I have averaged 29 MPG combined, and on some long freeway stretches I've seen around 33-34.

Meet Milla, my 2010 Porsche GT3. My lovely wife knows but does not completely approve of "the mistress." I met Milla for the first time back in May of last year when some unworthy gentleman discarded her for some newer, hotter mistress. I can't imagine there is such a creature. She had a mere 2,200 miles on her clock back then. We're up to 9,300 now. My life hasn't been the same since. There were many others before her, but she's captured my heart and my mind and I can't see ever parting with her. My wife will just have to make it work.

Since we met, we have spent a lot of time together. My wife is not happy about that either. At least every weekend, Milla and I go out. She loves long excursions up in the mountains of Southern California but really prefers dates at places named Willow Springs, Buttonwillow and AAA Speedway. She dreams one day of visiting Laguna Seca. Being the smitten sugar daddy, I will find a way to give her what she wants.

When the Honda Element first came out as the 2003 model, my wife and I fell in love with the car right away. While the styling could be very subjective to others, we really liked its boxy shape, versatility, and body panels made of composite plastics. Then we brought a 4WD EX home.

The Element may look weak on paper compared to its competitors. The engine may be just a 2.4-liter conventional 4 banger. 4WD is not really an off-roader. The fully loaded Element comes with nothing but just basic stereo and AC. However, in reality it's brilliant. The engine is butter smooth and reliable. The whole car is solid: no rattles and no falling apart. The ride is refined and comfortable (but only with right tire choices). The 4WD is pretty capable and works all the time. Repair? The only hassle is to bring the car to the shop for regular maintenance.

My name on Inside Line is yay4saabs, while my first name is Thomas. My love affair with cars started when I was a little kid being able to point out all the different cars on the road while my parents drove me to places such as daycare or school. Enamored by all kinds of cars from a young age even until today, shopping for my first car in February of 2011 was one of the most difficult experiences I've had to deal with.

I was turning 16 in March and my parents knew I that I really wanted to have my own car for my birthday. Originally, I had narrowed down my search to look for a low-mileage 1999-2002 Saab 9-3 Hatchback, but lack of cars in the New England area in good physical and mechanical condition swayed our search towards a newer compact car.

Going down the local highway here in Lakeport, California, about a month after my 12th birthday in 2010, I saw a junkyard with a whole bunch of old cars. I really wanted to check this place out! Cars are my life. I supposedly even teethed on Matchbox cars.

My dad and I finally found a day when the place would be open (which is harder than you would think), and set out for the "junkyard," a place the locals call "Don's Shop." As we were heading off, my father talked about some of the cool cars he had owned, including an old 1966 Volvo 122S. Then he told me about one of the coolest cars he thought Volvo had ever made, the PV544, a car that looks like a smaller, Swedish version of an 1942 Ford sedan -- not something that anyone but my dad would think could be cool.

After two wrong turns, we finally found the entrance. "That's a 544!" Dad exclaimed as we rolled in the gate, slamming on the brakes. According to the owner, the Volvo started, had a little rust and it was for sale complete with the original 1960 pink slip. I did as much research as I could over the next few weeks, determining the car was legit and solid. Exactly three weeks after the sighting, we bought the yellow beast for $1,400.

You remember Tony. He wrote about his road trip of a lifetime in his Pontiac G8 GT. Here's what Tony has been up to recently. -- Donna

The following occurred Saturday 2/19/2012.

It all started with a question...

The day started out with us going to visit a couple of my girlfriend Jayme's friends in Ojai. An ordinarily easy and uneventful drive down US-101 from Santa Barbara and then inland along 33. Jayme's friends had bought a house out that way and moved from SB and I really liked their house. Their lot was huge, dotted with several citrus fruit trees, a ginormous tree of some sort dominated the backyard, begging to be climbed. After we got the tour, we left her boyfriend back at the house while we went looking for fixings to make for dinner. I ended up having to drive because her car wasn't suited for three adults, one being Big Dog-size.

On the way to the grocery store I was asked by our friend in the back seat what kind of car the G8 was. She asked if it was an Audi -- that was a first. It made me smile. The G8 often does get mistaken for some Euro/German variant. At the intersection for the grocery store she asks from the back, "How does this car do on mountain roads?" Jayme's and my eyes meet, we both smile and I reply rather wryly, "It does OK." She then suggests taking the mountain back roads to another grocery store 'over yonder.'

CA-Highway 33. From Oak View, CA to CA-Highway 166 -- 60 or so miles of twisty, technical, challenging and FUN back mountain roads! This road was something out of Ronin/Bullit/The Driver/Fast & Furious/Top Gear automotive fantasy! There were only a few straightaways, the majority of the road was sweeping lefts and rights, with changes in elevation and the constant feeling of, if I took my eyes off the road for an instant I will take me and my two passengers careening over the edge for a premature meeting with our respective maker(s).

I have 177,012 miles on my car. I bought it because my old Audi was on its last legs and I had never owned a BMW before and was encouraged by some friends to consider them.

I liked the fact that it was an inline-6 with rear-wheel drive, a setup which I feel gives perfect balance to the car. It's ironic now that BMW is no longer offering an inline naturally aspirated 6 cylinder, a move which makes me much more likely to shop around for my next car! -- Al

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

This is my 1993 Lexus SC 400. I've owned it since 2008 and it currently just turned 150K on the odometer. This car still has its original black paint and gray leather interior. I bought the car from a friend of mine who was its original owner. He bought it new from Thousand Oaks Lexus in California. He was also a Lexus salesperson. He moved to the Seattle area where I live and brought the car up with him.

When I bought it there was 119K on the odometer. He was so attached to his "baby" that I joked it felt more like an adoption application and vetting than did it a sales transaction.

The only non-stock items for its model year are the 1995 chrome SC 400 wheels. This car still turns heads. It rides and drives better than a lot of newer vehicles. It's quick and lives in the limelight more as a gentleman's cruiser than a boy racer. The reliability has been great with only wear and tear items replaced apropos to its age. -- Stephen

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

It all started when Audi announced the A5 and S5 coupes in 2007. I found myself stunned by the seductive lines and curves, along with the lovely interior. At that point, I wasn't ready to get a new car but, unbeknownst to me, that seed had just been planted. Over the course of the next two years, I started thinking about how I would want my A5 to look and started playing around with the online configurator. At that point, everything was pointing towards an A5 3.2 S-Line with Tiptronic (I didn't know how to drive stick back then) in Meteor Gray, Navigation, B&O and Audi Drive Select. Then, for grins and giggles, I started building out an S5 with the same options but without Audi Drive Select. The price was still outside of my reach at that time but that didn't sully my interest in it.

A couple of months later, more information (and rumors) were coming out in regards to the 2010 A5 and S5. One of those rumors (and insistence of the local Audi dealer) was that the 2010 S5 would get a supercharged V6 and dual-clutch transmission. Not only would that mean a lot of torque earlier in the power band, but also better fuel economy! As Audi officially released information about the 2010 model year changes, that did not come into fruition. The 4.2-liter V8 would stay until the 2011 model year...or so Audi said.

Hey guys,

Just picked up this Hyundai Veloster a week ago and I am loving it. It is my third Hyundai so far. I used to have a 2005 Elantra which I traded in for a 2011 Sonata and a year later picked up this beauty.

I've only had it a week and have received a huge number of compliments and questions about it.

It has a great ride, amazing handling, upscale interior and a sporty feel. Not as fast as it looks but I wanted the better gas mileage for my daily commute to work.

I optioned for the automatic and style package which includes the 18-inch alloys, piano black and chrome inserts inside and out, fog lights, panoramic sunroof, eight-speaker audio with subwoofer, leatherette seat and door inserts, leather steering wheel and shifter and alloy pedals.

Highly recommend this ride for fun yet economically minded drivers. -- Alex

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

My name is Chad (screen name 330i_zhp) and I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts of their personal rides so I decided to share my own. Here is my 2004 BMW 330i ZHP. After years of shopping, I finally decided the ZHP (which includes a number of subtle visual and performance upgrades) was the one I needed to have, and I flew from SD to TX in early 2009 to purchase the car with 50k on the clock (recently rolled over 70k), and drove it back (in a single 25-hour stint). Silver with black interior and a manual 6-speed were the only major requirements, so I reluctantly gave up leather for the cloth/alcantara seats, which have proven to be a worthy compromise due to the smokin' deal I got on the car.

I must admit that I fell into the hype from many auto publications about the 3 Series being the car its competition aspires to be. I had driven a couple examples of E46 330i's equipped with Sport or Premium packages which helped me truly settle into my decision, but decided only a ZHP would do (although I had never driven one, I knew it was the right car). While I appreciate the simplicity about the interior since it allows the driver to focus on the road ahead, I do find myself missing many features that can be found on cars costing far less from the same era, such as Homelink, Bluetooth, etc.

This is my 2001 Acura Integra Type R #341, which led me to pick my clever screen name of ed341. I have owned it since 2003 and as it sits it has 225,000 miles.

I have performed probably 90% of the maintenance on it, including a self-taught timing belt change and an engine and transmission rebuild. As other cars come and go from my life the trusty R still lives life as a daily driver and track car, even at its advanced age.

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

My name is Greg (gsschro2) and here is my 1998 Honda Accord EX. I bought this car in 2008 for $6,500 with 125,000 miles on the odometer. After 3 1/2 years of ownership the car now has 207,000 miles on it. This car has caused me to love cars and driving. Before the Honda my previous cars were: a 1983 Ford Tempo (dead at 110,000); a 1996 Saturn SL2 (dead at 133,000) and a 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada (15 mpg and a suspension made of marshmallows). Of course, some of my past car problems were youth related and thus self-inflicted, but this Accord has been everything the past cars were not: reliable.

The car has been astoundingly reliable. I have only had to perform routine maintenance on this vehicle, all of which I have done myself. Because I lack the tools and mechanical know-how I appreciate the engine layout that has allowed me to change the oil, transmission and spark plugs with minimal time and work.

Some things are worth the wait. That is the case with our 1997 BMW Z3 1.9L Roadster. We placed our order for the hard-to-find car in October of 1996 and had to wait months (February 1997) for the car to arrive. The Roadster was built just a few miles away from where we lived at the time in Spartanburg, SC. This February she is celebrating her 15th year of being in the family.

Over the years she has attended numerous Z3 Homecoming events, has been shown in car shows in several states, and even been featured in a car magazine and on the walls of BMW's Zentrum museum in a large panel print.

She is no car show queen. She has over 90,000 miles on her odometer and many upgrades including: 18-inch wheels, HMS Rollbar and Strut brace, lowering springs and numerous interior enhancements. She has driven the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Dragon and dozens of other highly respected roads around the country. Her most unique feature is the factory Turquoise paint that we selected with black interior. Everyone fails to believe that BMW would have ever offered the color as a standard option because it is so unlike them.

She has been problem free for all these years with only the traditional maintenance activities required. We look forward to driving and enjoying our BMW Z3 for another 15 years at least. -- Debi and Keith

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

OK, the wheels and tires are totally wrong by three or four decades, but apart from that this Ford Mustang Mach I is a dead ringer for Eleanor. The Eleanor from the original 1974 edition of Gone in 60 Seconds. The Gone in 60 Seconds you simply must rent if you haven't seen it already.

The acting sucks so bad it's good in a Beastie Boys Sabotage video sort of way, but the last 60 percent of the movie is car chase. One continuous uninterrupted badass car chase...involving Eleanor.

Two words: Net Flix. That's all I'm gonna say.

Here's the beginning of my three-part story:

Back in 2008 I was in the market for a sports sedan. I had narrowed my choices to a handful of 1-2-year-old cars, which included an Acura TL Type-S, Infiniti G35S and a Lexus IS 350. Ultimately the decision was less about the individual features or color and more about what I could find in the local market that was not abused, was well priced, and contained the packages I had in mind.

My search led me to a mint condition black 2007 G35S 6MT. Not only was the manual transmission a huge plus, the previous owner had worked out a deal with the local dealership to swap wheels with a G37 Coupe. In my two years of owning the car I did not come across a single other sedan with 19-inch coupe wheels nor did I ever see another 6MT sedan.

Although the car was already a beautiful package that blended sport and luxury, I have a history of tinkering with cars. Within the first year I had lowered the car along with a proper camber kit, installed Hotchkis sway bars, Stillen intake and exhaust, Baer rotors, radar detector, tint, iPod kit and so much more.

I received compliments almost daily about how well the car was put together and how clean it looked. In the end I had a rare sports sedan that handled well, sounded great, and looked better than I had thought it would turn out. So what next?

This is my 2008 Acura TL Type-S 6MT. Having driven a fair amount of RWD cars, I can confirm that they do handle very well and more times than not outperform similarly sized FWD vehicles. However, to get those performance gains there are a fair number of concessions that one has to make such as: giving up valuable truck/interior space, large decreases in weather traction and the likelihood of higher repair bills.

For the better part of my driving career the only decently sized sedan with a manual transmission, that provided the most up-to-date features/technology with any sporty pretentions and that didn't exceed my $30k budget was the Nissan Maxima. Having owned three Nissan Maxima SE manuals back to back, it killed me when Nissan announced that there will be no more stick Maximas after 2006. After months of coming up short trying to find a leftover model 2006, I ended up buying a 2006 Altima SE-R six-speed manual. While it had the power and looks it was dearly missing the luxury component. So after two years with the Altima, I went shopping to fill that luxury void and in the end I narrowed the list down to 5 sports sedans: Acura TL Type-S, Audi A4 3.2, BMW 335i, Honda Accord EX-V6 6MT sedan & Infiniti G35 6MT.

After test-driving them all I felt the expensive repair bill stigma/ reliability woes together with the lack passenger space ruled out Germans. I almost signed the papers to the then G35, until I got wind of the small trunk again, a problem with having RWD. So after coming to those conclusions I headed over to my nearest Acura dealer and custom ordered my 2008 Acura TL Type-S 6MT on the spot.

I just picked up a 2012 A6, replacing my 2011 A4 quattro Premium Plus with Sports package. I got the 3.0T with Premium Plus Package and the 19-inch Sports package.

Unlike the A4, I plan on keeping the A6 for five years, at the very least. The A6 feels much more impressive inside and is also roomier. The pop-up screen with Google Maps is very cool, but can be a bit distracting for someone not used to nav.

A few things the A6 is missing at this trim level, in my opinion, are seats with adjustable lateral support, a more premium-feeling steering wheel, rear fog lights, and automatic HVAC controls with digital readout (the A6 Premium Plus has a knob with different temperatures printed on it, but is still considered automatic HVAC).

All of these features were on my A4 and should be on the much more high-end A6. With that said the A6 has features such as very high-end looking wood trim, the aforementioned Nav with Google Maps, push-button start, a touchpad interface, and user adjustable steering and suspension feel.

The engine has more punch than the 2.0T in the A4, although both put out more than enough power for driving on public roads. They both share the same eight-speed automatic tiptronic transmission, but the shifting seems less rough on the A6 than the A4. Both have similar steering wheel paddle shifters that upshift and downshift at your command. Unfortunately the shifters are made of plastic in both cars, and feel cheap in an otherwise premium feeling vehicle.

Before I got my A6, I also test drove a 2012 BMW 528i, and a 2012 Jaguar XF. I avoided test-driving a Mercedes E class due to the fact that they run about $10K more than the A6 with similar equipment, and I prefer a car with sportier pretensions, as opposed to one that is more of a luxury-only car. The A6 seemed to me to be the perfect mix of sport, luxury and price. -- Gregg

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

My car is a 2007 Evo IX. It's got 55,000 km on the odometer (34,375 miles).

Modifications are:

HKS 76mm downpipe
HKS 76mm exhaust
HKS turbo timer
HKS mushroom filter
HKS intake and boost pipes
Perrin electronic boost control solenoid
Competition Clutch Stage 3
Frieling Racing water/methanol kit
Autogauge boost gauge
Bonnet and roof carbon vinyl wrapped

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

I have been a long-term reader of Inside Line, known as phennighausen. My family loves our German cars and last fall we picked up the cream of the crop, a 2012 Audi A8L W12. I have been using this car everyday for the past month and finally feel qualified to write a little snippet about it.

Having never driven a 12-cylinder car before, I was amazed at how smooth and seamless the power delivery is. On acceleration the engine is barely heard unless you put your foot flat down and hear a muted whistle soaring into triple digit speeds (on a closed track of course). Commuting in this beast is like going to the spa, it has by far the best massaging seats ever fitted to a car and a button for seemingly everything.

The tricky part is when it comes time to park. This is a LONG car and in narrow car parks it can take a 5-point turn to slot it into a space, although the turning radius is amazing. Parking was not helped by the fact that it was delivered to us without a backup camera due to a shortage of supply. Fortunately our fantastic Audi dealer fitted it as soon as they came in and Audi of America compensated by sending us a $200 gift card!

I recently purchased this 2012 Pro-4X and am very glad I made the switch from a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. It has everything a person needs in a truck and will do all that most people will ever use a full-size for.

Here in Nebraska we recently received around 10-12 inches of snow and not even all that snow could keep us from making tracks to a local sledding spot popular for kids of all ages.

I as a little skeptical about owning a midsize truck but it's been just over a month and I'm really glad about my choice. I had driven a Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport beforehand and could feel a big difference between the two enemies of the midsize class.

I hope Nissan sees there is a real market demand for TRUE midsize trucks that are capable on and off road. And that it keeps to its roots by not conforming to what the marketing department thinks we want but instead what every person dreams they want a truck to do.

Looking forward to many years with this truck and hope to see Nissan keep it midsized and further evolve its off-roading capabilities. -- Casey

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

My wife tells me the first thing women notice about men are their shoes. Shoe size notwithstanding, she explains that the kind of shoes and the condition they're in say a lot about who a man is and hint at what he hopes to be.

The shoes on our base trim 2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon are 17-inch Michelin Pilot HX MXM4. In the Michelin lineup, these tires slot between the MXV4, which lean toward comfort, and the Pilot Sport A/S, which are geared for performance. Does this wagon live up to its luxury sport aspirations?

On the outside, the wagon's overall look is sleek and conservative. You'll find formal creases along the hood and the sides. Chrome door handles and chrome window trim give the wagon an elegant appearance, especially when paired with dark color. Sporty cues show up in the front with fangs on the chin spoiler, on top with aluminum roof rails, and at the tail with dual exhaust pipes and chrome finishers.

How NHTSA Destroyed My Dreams

Take a look at what used to be my 1995 Nissan Skyline GTS-T. The car still exists, but it's no longer mine.

The right-hand drive car was originally sold in Japan, imported into the United Kingdom, and then sold (I hope it was sold, not transferred illegally) to a certain Herr Thessing in Germany. As the reader may know, many cars in Japan cannot be driven on public roads beyond a relatively young age (maybe 40-60k miles) because of air quality concerns, which means there is a robust export market for used cars, engines, and parts.

But the United States imposes strict requirements for importing private automobiles, making it difficult to bring cars specifically made for a foreign market here. Of course, there are ways to legally import certain makes/models but not without significant modifications to the glass and certain plastics. If you don't choose to play by the NHTSA rules, you could ship the car to Mexico and drive it across the border but that gets into a gray area of auto registration laws and insurance practices, to say the least.

I purchased my GTS-T while I was living in Germany, serving in the U.S. Army. I paid 4,000 Euros for the car, which three years ago was well north of $6,000 at the then exchange rate. I had been seeking an unmolested and very clean example of a Skyline and, surprisingly, that was not terribly difficult to accomplish. The car's odometer indicated about 110,000km and other details seemed to confirm that it did indeed have about 68,000 miles. Aside from horrible tire wear and the desperate need for an alignment (most certainly unrelated!), the car was mechanically sound.

Standard equipment for a Skyline of this era included -- almost nothing. This particular car did have the rb25det engine, which is a 2.5-liter turbocharged, dual overhead cam (with variable valve timing on the intake side), inline-six-cylinder motor. The car also had an AM/FM tape deck with the FM range somewhere between 76.0 and 90.0MHz on the dial and that made the radio almost useless. Most radio stations in Deutschland are in German so that didn't matter to me.

You don't see these every day. Looks like a beautiful example of a 1970s-era BMW 3.0CS.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

While I no longer own this car, I believe that this 1994 Subaru SVX LSi was the best car I've owned. Not because it was particularly a good car mind you, but because it was so unique.

I actually received this car from my grandparents for the cost of the needed repairs on the car. My grandfather bought this car and was the sole owner for 15 years before it came into my possession. With minimal repairs I owned a truly unique car, which at the time only had 19,000 miles.

What made this car great though? Was it the rare panda original paint coat, the immaculate all-suede interior, the hide-and-seek audio controls? Or the fact that the aerodynamic windows allowed you to drive at highway speed with the windows down with little road noise? No, it was the sheer wow factor this car represented driving down the road. I almost caused three accidents because people where staring at this car trying to figure out what it was. People were always looking at it as if it was some sort of rare exotic car. Clearly it was not.

Here is my 2012 B7 Volkswagen Passat. There is much more to this car then meets the eye. That is, there are many reasons I chose to pull the plug on purchasing one. It's more about what this car stands for rather than what the car has to offer. This is Volkswagen's first stab at controlling the American mid-size market. Built in the new LEED certified plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the B7 body is entirely different from its B6 European brother built in Germany. Although the cars look identical, this version is a different platform.

I wanted the best model they had to offer so I went for the 3.6 SEL Premium and ordered it directly from the factory. It exudes nationalism in the fact that it is purely American aimed at Americans. It has interesting touches such as remote start (which is illegal in Europe and Volkswagen's first and only model to offer it from the factory), rear turn signals which are red instead of amber, an American exclusive Fender Audio System, and even DRLs that switch off when the turn signals are on. These features may go overlooked by many, but they are the cool differentiations that drew me toward this car.

This right here is my first car. A 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. Say what you want about it, call it a redneck car, I don't care. This is what I wanted.

At the time I got my permit, I was planning on receiving my Dad's 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8, a dream car. But, the engine (which is irreplaceable) went, so I had to buy a car with my own money.

After a lot of looking around, which I do in my free time anyways, I found this 2001 Monte Carlo SS, fully loaded and 87,000 miles, for $8,000! Now, keep in mind that I'm on Inside Line daily and I favor top-notch cars, but I had a good feeling about this.

So this is my 1991 NSX.

It took me about three years searching on and off to find one I liked. I had found many lemons beforehand or I would call or go check it out and it was sold just that morning. I could only assume those were as nice as they seemed in the ad. I had grown cautious because I usually go check out a car that seems too good to be true in the ad and you check it out in person and it is flawless, until you put the car on a lift.

When I saw this one, it seemed too good to be true...all maintenance was up to date, the car was clean inside and out, bone stock, and the car was local. I jumped on it ASAP and it was pretty great. Seals were leaking, but no drips, otherwise it was perfect. My autobody and detailing friends could not believe how clean this car was.

Everyone enjoys unsolicited compliments. Whether it's an unspoken nod of approval, a thumbs up, or just hearing something nice as in "I like your car." Back in March 2005 I had the good fortune to buy a fine-looking, new "S197" model Mustang GT shortly after Ford introduced it. I wasn't prepared for what happened next. Right from the outset parking valets, toll booth operators, gas station attendants, pedestrians and fellow drivers would admire my relatively rare ride and offer their compliments. "Is that the new Mustang? Nice." Needless to say, this was slightly addictive. Unfortunately, it didn't last forever.

Mustang Makeover
Ford had a hit on its hands and within the first two years had produced and sold 327,504 model S197 siblings. Although my ride still looked great, as its exclusivity faded away, so did the kudos. Please don't misunderstand, I loved my 'Stang and didn't want to trade it in for the latest sensation, I just wanted to give it a slight makeover to bring back that lovin' feeling.

Hi, I'm Matt (subaru123). This is the car I learned to drive in and now drive just about every day. It is three years old and approaching 34,000 miles. I absolutely love driving this vehicle and detail it myself. The pictures are a day after my last detail to it.

Driving the car is amazing compared to any other that I have driven. The engine and exhaust sound great for what it is (I enjoy driving without the radio because of the sound).  0-60 times are in the mid-sevens and acceleration is more than adequate. The five-speed automatic kicks down on command when in Sport and upshifts are nearly CVT smooth. The steering is direct and heavy (the way I like it). The suspension soaks up all the bumps and is quite stiff at the same time. There is very little body roll in the corners and almost no nose dive under heavy braking. The brake pedal has a rather long travel, but is firm towards the end and stops are very short and linear with very little ABS intrusion. Lastly, the AWD is my favorite feature. I never once slipped in the rain and you can accelerate around curves as if it was dry out.

Around Christmas 2010 I lost my all-in-one, everything car, a 2004 Acura TL. It was the first "real" car I purchased and fell in love with. It handled everything: family duty, poor weather conditions, highway cruises, and nights on the town. And after a good amount spent it was a real sleeper when it came to speed and handling.

On my way to work (did I mention comfortable commuter?) an older woman ran a stop sign, caught me on my rear quarter and spun the car out. The resulting damages led to the car being totaled.

Heartbroken and carless I vowed to never put myself into a position where I have one car for all duties. Living in NYC, especially in the borough of Brooklyn, it feels like only a matter of time before someone hits your "baby." With the insurance money I bought a new scooter (what I normally commute on when the weather permits) and a 2001 Honda Civic EX with 80k miles for commuting and family duty.

As the fall approached, I was fearful of another terrible winter here in the northeast. I'm not at all a fan of the "SUV in cities" craze but I figured if I was going to get one, I'd get a "proper" SUV and proceeded with my search for a Jeep Cherokee.

Nikki is a Data Content Administrator at Edmunds.com. Read her first entry on her car here.

My car doesn't have navigation, a sunroof, or push-button start. It doesn't have fog lights, a back-up camera, or folding rear seats. My car doesn't even have rear seats. What it does have are six gears, four (non-runflat) tires, 330 hp and an 8,000rpm redline. And that's good enough for me.

Actually, if that were true I would have bought a Lotus Elise years ago. I must admit that I do enjoy the leather seats, power windows/locks, and 10-speaker stereo system. And yes, I'm addicted to the heated seats. As the perfect blend of luxury and performance, the Z4M Coupe fits my every need for a daily driver. And at under $30k it fits the budget too.

Read Chris's first entry here.

Since the story aired (the pics were originally taken in 2010) I have continued "shopping" on Craigslist. These pics are as of today.

All of these changes were performed from late November 2011 to now. I have completed the following: Genuine Ford Racing FR500 black rims with Nitto 555 staggered tires. Complete Eibach Pro suspension drop kit, Accufab throttle body and Plenem combo with 4" spacer, SCT tuner and Shorty antenna. Also acquired online were gas hood struts, black billet gas door, Mustang Bullitt pedals and factory mud flaps.

I have strived to update the Mustang in a classic and tasteful way. I recently got the car detailed inside and out and tinted the windows. This is a daily driver (though I do have a winter beater) and we will do our first Hot Rod Power Tour Long Haul this year!

Again everything was installed by me in my garage with regular tools. Notice the new driveway too! Current mileage is 126k. -- Chris

News Editor Kelly Toepke sent me this picture of a Zamboni at Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, the official training center of the L.A. Kings and Lakers. 

TRIVIA QUESTION: Which Edmunds editor used to drive a Zamboni?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Hey, everyone. My name is Matt (also known as twa727) and I live in Richmond, VA. I have a 2005 Honda Civic LX named Piggie. It's probably the most boring and plain jane car that you're going to read about on this blog, but I'll try to help you understand why I love it and what makes it more unique than any other Shoreline Mist Metallic '05 Civic on the road. I know, it's not sporty, it's not fast, it's not entirely beautiful, especially by new car standards...but hopefully by the time I'm done you'll understand why I love it.

I paid $10,995 for Piggie with 50,546 miles. Then started the real fun. I had just bought a car I didn't really know how to drive. I know, a gearhead that didn't know how to drive stick? How sad! The salesman gave me a quick rundown in the parking lot of the dealership (even before I bought the car!) and I was off on my way after doing my paperwork. I think I must have stalled that poor car 35 times getting the twelve miles back home. It never skipped a beat though, even when I smelled some burning clutch and decided to stop trying and let my mom drive the car home...

What do you think his 60-foot time is?

Josh Jacquot, Senior Editor

During my short Army career I was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone in 1968, and before reporting to my next duty station I was allowed to drive home. This practice ended soon after due to "instability" in some of the countries on the route.

I'd already convinced a friend of mine to dump his '64 Ford Galaxy to get a sports car, so we made the trip back together as far as Guadalajara, after which he headed to Texas to be discharged (I headed to Travis AFB in California for departure to Viet Nam).

The trip was actually fairly uneventful. Both cars ran just fine on crummy gasoline, and the only mechanical problem either of us encountered was a bad generator in my MG, repaired with a Land Rover armature. Luckily, the problem surfaced in Costa Rica, which had Land Rover dealers.

We were both officers, documented in our passports, so every border crossing resulted in salutes with no delays. Until Arizona, that is. After being waved through, the border agent yelled for me to stop after seeing my Canal Zone plate on the rear. No contraband to find (I was a lieutenant, after all), and luckily they never looked in the door panel to find the handgun.

This stretch was the only unpaved portion of the Pan-American Highway, a roughly 200 mile stretch that took us all day and passed over Cerro de la Muerte. The '66 MGB was mine, and the '67 TR250 belonged to my friend. I'd already driven my recently purchased MG from California to New Jersey to ship the car to Panama, so driving it home made sense, in a way. I currently drive a 2005 Elise, but the car in the photo made me a believer in British reliability.

This car is all about the driver experience, not necessarily drag times. Although 0-60 in 4.2 seconds isn't slow. At just around 3,000 lbs, and mid-engined, the driving dynamics are just incredible. You are supremely balanced no matter what you do. And the steering, oh the steering! You must sample the hydraulic steering. To call it precise hardly captures the joy of sitting behind the alcantara-wrapped wheel and maneuvering the car quickly through a bend. Having come from a 2008 Audi TT (3.2L 6-speed DSG), loved the car to death, but the ultra-light non-adjustable steering just made controlling the car difficult in corners. So, how to describe this marvelous piece of machinery from Stuttgart?

Too spectacular...Magical. Telepathic. Intuitive. Superb, muscular stance. Perfectly balanced. Zero body roll. Love the PDK w/paddle shifters (seven-speed dual clutch transmission), burble of the engine, the exhaust note. The engine growls and sings opera-style at throttle, right behind you. It's literally got your back. Keeping it beneath 4K RPM for the break-in period is a repeated exercise in restraint. The R sits very low, nearly one inch lower than the Cayman S, yet it is so easy to get in and out of. The sport seats are amazingly comfortable, and contrary to popular assumption, it's not at all bad over bumps, even great as a DD (Daily Driver)!

Seeing two other near-lookalikes of my car in your "reader rides" prompts me to offer a little engineer-geek experimental data I was able to conduct with my 2010 Mazda3s GT 5dr 6MT (not a Mazdaspeed though).

I ran careful checks of fuel economy with the trip computer, averaging each over the same 15-mile loop of Washington State I-90 with very light (essentially zero interference) traffic. I used cruise control on each loop, starting and ending at a standstill in the same location for zero altitude change and near-zero wind effect. The weather was dry and cool on all of the 2-3 days of the experiment.

My car now has 36,000 miles on it but this experiment was done between 10,000-20,000 miles.

WHAT TIME DOES TO US AND WHAT IT DID FOR MY CORVETTE

Time is a funny thing. Hard to believe how quickly it goes by especially as you get older. Forgive me. I am aware this thought is nothing new or surprising. It is a phrase that even if translated into different languages, people all over the world can relate to it as well.

But as the other saying goes "you get better with time and or age," which as a human being never really made all that sense to me. Am I any better off after I had my wisdom teeth removed? This usually happens with age.

Or maybe because you have more hair in places you didn't before. Some people lose hair! Some get fat. Well, by "some" I really mean 99.9% of us get fat. And old fat hairy people aren't better off than thin young people. That is a true statement.

So then the phrase "better with time or age" is really just there to comfort the once young if you ask me. And that's fine because we like to tell each other and ourselves things to make us feel better.

Like me telling myself my 13-year-old (by model year, 15-year-old design technically) Corvette is still the sh#@. Although many out there would have you believe the Corvette is actually &*^%.

By now you've probably seen Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad preview with the Chevy Sonic Kickflip.

Well, here is the giant skateboard seen moving down the freeway.

Thanks to Ben Reynolds, Production Coordinator at Edmunds.com. His Dad spotted this and snapped a quick pic.

Here's the ad featuring the Sonic's crazy stunts:

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

In light of Saab's bankruptcy, I felt compelled to write a review of my 9-3. My name on the site is Remdog and this is my born-from-jets 2002 Saab 9-3 with 125k miles. My three years with it has been quite an adventure.

Since I picked it up one fine June afternoon, I found this car full of contradictions. On paper at least, the Saab is an excellent used car value. I can't think of many sub-$5,000 cars with a 22 cubic foot trunk and less than 7-second 0-60 time, while weighing 3,100 lbs and returning over 25 real world mpg. Not bad from a brand known more for their "soul" and "feel." Alas, my 9-3 has also let me down with its terrible reliability and exorbitant repair costs.

This is my 2008 Jeep JK (Wrangler to the common folk). Over the years, between my wife and I, we've had three Jeeps. To call me a Jeep fanatic would be an understatement. I love this vehicle. It rides like crap, gets crappy gas mileage, slow as crap, and loud as crap. But I love every minute of driving it.

I recently moved from Buffalo, NY, to Northern Virginia (about an hour and half outside of DC), where I hooked up with a local Jeep club. This gave me the opportunity to "explore" some of the countryside, and it really gave me a chance to see what my JK could do. I've been living here for about a year now, and I've made multiple trail rides through George Washington National Forest.

Did I mention how much I love my JK? I do! Driving it makes me feel like...you know something not a lot of other people do. It really is a Jeep thing. You wouldn't understand. -- Christopher

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

Here is my 2010 Volkswagen GTI. I have had the car about 18 months and love every minute of it. The car it replaced was a 2006 MKV GTI. I took that car up to 75,000 miles and had nothing but good times. I just like new things. My new (not so much anymore) MVKI GTI now has about 29,000 miles and has not incurred one single issue and thanks to free routine maintenance I have not spent a dime on it during my time with it. I chose the GTI in the first place, and again, because of its ability to do all things so well.

0-60 in 5.8 seconds (per Motor Trend, my best is 6.1 with a passenger), 32 mpg hwy (I have averaged as high as 35.4 mpg on my 32-mile mixed driving commute to work), Audi-esque build/material quality, and free routine maintenance helps with knowingly expensive German service. Plus, having two 80 lb golden retrievers, the hatchback versatility is fantastic.

As you probably know by now, we installed a rotary lift in our testing studio. We sometimes sit around the office and talk about what we would love to have in our home garages? This ranges from cars to equipment.

What's in your dream garage?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Hi everyone! My name is Hector and this is my 1993 Nissan Sentra SE-R. I remember like it was yesterday the day I brought her home. Back in 1997 I was driving a 1980 Mazda RX-7 and I needed a bigger car. Since Nissan introduced the Sentra SE-R back in 1991 I wanted one.

At that time I was living in Puerto Rico and unfortunately Nissan dealers in the island never imported one. They said there was no market for them. I think they were wrong. It was not until years later when some used examples from USA arrived to the island. I got mine back in 1997 and the rest is history. I have enjoyed this car for the last fourteen years and I plan to keep her for many more years to come.

For what you see in the pictures I have done some modifications. The interior is still completely stock. At first I didn't plan to mod her at all. I wanted to keep her stock. But, I could not resist. I had to do it.

This is my 2008 Saturn Astra. His name is Oliver. Yes, from Top Gear. You caught me. For those who are not in the know, this plucky little Saturn is really an Opel with a quick and dirty badge swap and some federalization "enhancements" but kept some of the German-engineered, Belgian-built charm-replete with a 24:00-only clock.

I went with the three-door, offered only in XR guise and told the dealer, "I want every option except the automatic transmission." Drive one, and you'll know why the automatic is akin to next Christmas's re-gifts. I also said that any color was fine as long as it was not blue (my last three cars were blue) and not silver (I just don't like silver). Three cars matched my requirements in the radius they were willing to tap into...all white. Fine. I bought mine in 2009. It had been sitting on another dealer's lot for over a year. The sun-faded window sticker proved that the build date was definitely accurate.

One of our editors posted this on Inside Line's Facebook page:

One of my younger cousins is just learning to drive and he asked me for some advice. I said "Eyes up. Look further ahead than you think you need to; things move fast."

What advice would you give to new drivers?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Specs: 2004 Audi A8L 4.2, 61,000 miles on the odometer. This is the first model year of the D3 platform. The V8 engine produces 330 hp with 317 lb-ft of torque. Zero-to-60 mph at a moderate 6.3 secs. No fury but much haste.

Continuously adjustable air suspension glides through potholes but corners with little body lean in dynamic mode. Six-speed ZF automatic is very smooth.

The presence is there: It's a massive car, measured over five meters, most of it going to back seat legroom. It is so understated that many mistake it for an A6 or A4. But somehow the shape of this car just works for me. It has a stance that turns heads without the showy shouting of the Mercs and Bimmers.

The best part: It has the most beautiful interior. Period. Amaretto Brown (Dark Orangish Tan) Valcona leather with matching color Alcantara headliner, complemented by dark walnut wood trim that flows through the cabin. Bathed in surround sound with Bose premium speakers, it is a great place to be.

I bought Gus the Volkswagen Mk6 GTI in July of 2010 with 12,000 miles on him. He's a United Grey two-door fully loaded (except DSG, didn't want the $400 40k mile DSG fluid change maintenance and DSG reliability issues) hot hatch. He has the Autobahn Package (partial leather sport seats, sunroof), RNS-510 Navigation, Dynaudio, Bi-Xenon headlights w/AFS, 18-inch Detroit wheels and a six-speed manual.

I've always been a car enthusiast, but I've never owned a car enthusiast type of car. My first car was a Grand Am, and since then I've owned a sixth-gen Accord and a first-gen Mazda 3 hatch before Gus. The Mazda 3 had been the closest to a "driver's car" before Gus, but I was still lusting after the random 335i and C350, G37 etc. that drove by. Gus is totally different. The minute I test drove him I was like, "well this is why people buy manual transmission equipped cars." My previous MT experience had been my brother's Mini Cooper Base, and it wasn't all that engaging or smooth.

I've had Gus for over a year, and he still brings a smile to my face every time I get in him. I barely notice the German and Japanese sports cars driving by, and all I can think about is how I can make him even more enjoyable.

When I was 16 years old, I was lucky enough to have already driven at least 50 cars because of my experience working at car dealerships. At the time, my dream car was the Porsche 911. That is when my dad drove home in a 1998 Porsche Boxster 2.5 from the dealership and that was the first Porsche I had driven. It was tons of fun and very quick. From that moment on, I decided my first car will definitely be a Porsche. Four jobs and five years later, I finally made enough money to buy my first car at age 21.

By this time, I had already driven over 300 cars including some amazing sports cars like the Acura NSX, Chevy Corvette, Porsche 911, Nissan 350z, Mazda RX-8, Subaru WRX STI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, and the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. None of them left the same impression as the '98 Porsche Boxster I drove years ago. The Boxster had great steering feedback, a very nice engine sound, and handled amazingly. So the hunt for my first car began.

I searched for months to find a Boxster I could afford. In October 2010, I found my black 2000 Porsche Boxster 2.7 with a manual transmission and 76,900 miles being sold for $11,900 in Fairfax, VA. I drove down from Philadelphia, PA and negotiated the price down to $9,700 and made the purchase.

My daily driver for the past five years has been this 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It's an Evo 8, and was the first model year Evo in the U.S. with the driver selectable active center differential. In the days before kids and family life, I've always owned one basic daily driver plus a second "fun" car. The fun cars included a Mustang SVO (do you know what that is?), a Saab 900 turbo, and a few 1970s and '80s vintage Porsche 911s. I especially loved the Porsches, but with my family obligations on the rise, it made sense for me to give up the two-car life. Enter the Evo.

I've been into cars since I was ten years old, and no one else in my family was but me. I subscribed to all the magazines, put up posters in my room, ranted about the cars I liked whenever we drove past any, and later on, enjoyed harassing dealers for test drives. Thinking about cars all the time became a disease I still have.

When marriage and kids became part of life, the one-car plan reared its head. And as soon as it did, I already had the field narrowed down based on my budget, all-weather capability, four doors and performance. There were quite a few tempting possibilities, but the rally fan in me ended up being the decider. I can't say how much time was spent deliberating between the Evo and STi (let's just say an awful lot), but in the end, this very quick Apex Silver Evo 8 found a new home in my garage.

This is my 2006 Mazdaspeed 6. When I was shopping for a new car back in 2006, I wanted something practical, fun, stealth and rare. Living in the DC area, Audis and BMWs are a dime a dozen. It's not every day you see a Mazdaspeed 6 on the roads and I like that. Also it's stealth enough that unless you know your cars, a silver grocery-getter flies under the radar from ricers and police.  It's not the fastest, greatest handling or even the most fun to drive but I find that this car is the best compromise for the real world.

As for mods, I've turned the car into how it should've come from the factory, mainly fixing the heat soak, breathing and weak chassis braces. It has a downpipe, inlet, intake, intercooler, Access Port tune making about 280whp. As for the suspension/chassis, it has Bilstein/H&R with Whiteline sways and Sure Diff and engine mounts. Not a ton of power but it will surprise the unsuspecting and most of all it's a lot of fun when the roads get twisty.

During the middle of the now famous DC Snowmageddon, I drove out to Five Guys for a burger as I was getting cabin fever. Not many performance cars can fit four people comfortably while tackling all weather with a trunk full of groceries. I've just turned over 50k miles driven the way this car was intended and only things I've done are fluid changes. *knock on wood* -- Steve (SN: Understeer)

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

I live in Orlando, Florida and I saw this piece of movie history on I-4 (what would be considered our 405 in Orlando). He was not going 88 but I think that was for a specific reason... -- Phillip

American car tuning harkens back to the days when do-it-yourself mechanics got ahold of one of Henry Ford's 1930s Model Ts or As and souped them up with performance and appearance mods. According to SEMA, the undisputed king of modern American tuner cars is still a Ford, but the 20 million Model Ts and As have been supplanted by their great-grandkids -- over 9 million Mustangs and counting since 1965.

Although you can't find it written in the owner's manual, it's every Mustang owner's God-given right to modify their 'Stang to suit their personal taste. Carol Shelby may have jump-started this in 1965 when his successful GT350 R ended up taking home a bunch of checkered flags. Nowadays, the Mustang nameplate leads the American aftermarket with close to $1 billion in annual sales as the average tuner eagerly forks over $1,500 a year for performance parts -- and I'm not immune.

Road Test
Just before the onset of the 2007 spring driving season, I contracted a particularly virulent strain of "tuning fever." Ever since I saw Ford's GT500 "Germany" commercial during a Patriots/Jets playoff game, I was infected with the cockamamie idea of shipping my 2005 Mustang GT from Massachusetts to Europe and winding it out on the autobahn. Fortunately, I had some notion of what to expect since I had a lot of autobahn experience leisurely accelerating my 2000 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro to its 130 mph (210 km/h) maximum speed. Even so, I wondered if my stock Mustang was actually up to the task of cruising along at its 143 mph (230 km/h) max speed without killing me.

Spotted this unusual car-theft deterrent at a lunch spot near Edmunds HQ. Any time anyone came near this convertible the cute, little pug would go ballistic barking and charging in their direction. You may doubt its effectiveness at dissuading car thieves but I present Exhibit A.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Hello fellow car and auto fanatics! My name is Alec. I'm a 20-year-old college student from Long Island, NY. Growing up on the north shore of Long Island, the roads were littered with every model of all the luxury and exotic cars that manufacturers offer. Not an overstatement.

Like most of the east coast states, NY has its winters. After my mother's 1992 Jaguar did a few 360s in the snow, my father started buying 4x4s. So as much as I was fixated on my first car being a 2007 Shelby, it just didn't happen.

I was a 16-year-old who wanted a muscle car with AWD. It came time for me to decide on my first daily driver. My thirst for HP did not go away. My stipulations were as followed: AWD, 350+ HP, $42K or less.

Hi, everyone! My name is Loren (username: subytrojan) and I would like to share my 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan with you. I've wanted to share it ever since Donna began posting Readers' Rides on the Long-Term Road Tests blog.

This Scooby is the first car I got after graduating college in 2003. Prior to that, I had the "pleasure" of driving a 1993 Oldsmobile Achieva S, a 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera SL and a 1992 Toyota Pickup (I4). Before the WRX graced our continent, I had wanted a fourth-generation F-body (Camaro Z28 or SS). After learning more about the 'Rex and reading reviews, I changed my tune.

Initially, I preferred the bugeye look -- especially with European market HID headlights -- but warmed to the Peter Stevens-designed refreshed MY2004 Impreza. Subconsciously, Petter "Hollywood" Solberg's 2003 WRC championship-winning campaign sold me on the new look.

I purchased the car from Desiree Farey at Frank's Irvine Subaru in Lake Forest, CA right before New Year's. Because she is the dealership owner's daughter, she was very honest with my family and me when it came to all of the numbers. The out-the-door price after tax was around $26,060, which included the rear spoiler, auto-dimming rearview mirror and OEM STI 5MT accessory short-throw shifter. I didn't want the Premium trim because I didn't want a moonroof and I figured heated mirrors and seats and windshield wiper de-icers aren't needed in Southern California.

My name is Cody and I live in Lancaster, Ohio. I drive a 2005 Saab 9-3 Arc. Username is PRD2BDF reflecting my license plate. It means "Proud to be Deaf"

Oh my my my, what an interesting life the car has lived with me. I am a travel fanatic. I love to drive and see the country. When I bought the car, it only had 44,000 miles on it in September 2008. As of now, it has 104,000 miles with 30,000 of those miles put on since January 2nd of 2011. I've named the car Stewie since I consider it a mischievous car.

It's been in four accidents, two were my fault. It's gone off-roading, I didn't see the end of the road and went right off. A guardrail jumped out in front of Stewie. A guy wasn't looking and drove directly into the back of Stewie. It spends most of its time at 75 MPH.

The best time I've had so far with this car was when I took it autocrossing. It was not one of those fancy-schmancy autocross courses. It was a simple one at the Carlisle Nationals. The Saab did a fantastic job considering it had four tires, each with broken belts which I kept on driving for an additional five months. It's been to many states and will see many more as I make my cross-country trek to Oregon for student-teaching. I don't believe I will ever find another car like this that is able to give me spectacular MPGs, live a hard life, be roomy (I'm 6'5") and be faster than 75% of the cars out there.

I love this car. To quote David E. Davis, "Freedom and whiskey!" -- Cody (PRD2BDF)

If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna

Hello. This is the story of my Craigslist Mustang. I had a 2001 Mustang GT drop (5M) and traded it (and a CTS) for a 2004 BMW 545. To make a long story short, the bimmer didn't do it for me. Once the bimmer left, a 1993 Lexus SC400 came and went (had to get it out my system). I'm always on Craigslist looking for things and I always search "mustang gt convertible". I found this 2000 GT Convertible with 97k on it in April 2010. I absolutely had to have a stick shift and this fit the bill.

As you can see it went from mild to wild. The following modifications have been done: 18-inch wheels and tires (car came with dinky 16s), SLP loudmouth exhaust, Steeda underdrive pulleys, K&N cold air intake, Mach 1 grill delete and chin spoiler, GT center caps, sequential tail lights, and factory Ford head lights from a 2004 (dark tinted). Almost all of these parts were purchased off Craigslist (the Mach 1 pieces and center caps from American Muscle and the sequentials off eBay).

This car is a blast! It now has 123k on it and is still running strong. Other than oil changes the only mechanical work done have been a transmission rebuild at 109k and a rear end rebuild at 119k. I drive it as a Mustang should be driven. Also, this is my daily driver.

As I search on an almost daily basis, I have found more "toys." Stay tuned because there will be another round of updates very soon. Gotta love Craigslist!

Some of the pics are when I first got it. The others are my buddy and me performing the transformation. Everything was done with simple hand tools and jack stands. -- Chris in Chicago

My name is John, but on Edmund's IL, I'm better known as "stpierrewm". This is my project car, of sorts. It is a 2002 BMW 530i. It doesn't have the sport package or the comfort package, but it is well equipped with nice leather, HID lights, a sunroof, and a trip computer with expanded functionality.

I was lucky enough to snag a vehicle with a manual transmission, and boy do I love this car! I did not know about the beauty of E39s (the code name for this generation Five Series) until I test drove this one. The steering is incredibly direct and precise, and there is so much road feel. The shifter is good, but not exceptional, whereas the inline-six engine is just brilliant. It wails all the way up to redline, and it's a blast to drive and even better to hear.

This is my 2003 VW Passat. It's the GLS trim level with the 1.8-liter turbocharged engine.  I bought my Passat in 2007 with 67,000 miles on it, and it now has almost 112k and I'm still in love with it!  The Passat is comfortable even on all-day road trips, gets decent fuel economy while delivering plenty of get-up-and-go, makes a perfect compromise between handling and comfort, and still looks great even though the sheet metal is nearly 10 years old.  I love the indigo and red of the gauges at night!  The best thing about this car is how much car it really is for the money, with standard features like one touch up/down windows, sunroof, heated mirrors, the five-speed auto with tiptronic...

I have done one major modification to my car:  I've bought an aftermarket ecu "re-flash" that alters the boost from the turbo, giving me somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 hp and 240 lb-ft.  This made a night and day difference in the performance of the car, without adversely affecting everyday drivability.  I'd love to do more, but most often my money is needed elsewhere. -- Zach (veedubber86)

Zachary originally sent us this post on his 2004 Passat but before we got to use it he told me, "Disaster in the form of a 19-year-old distracted driver struck and I no longer have the Passat.  I replaced it with a 2007 VW Jetta GLI." Follow the jump for more. -- Donna

During my recent R&R from Afghanistan, my wife and I took a little road trip across California in our BMW 335d.  The trip covered around 1,900 miles over the course of 10 days. I have compiled the highlights (part vehicle review) at http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=617792 and would like to share it with you and the audience of Readers Rides.

Here is a snippet:

Recently my wife and I had the opportunity to hit the open road in the "d" on a trip that would cover 1,900 miles over the course of 10 days, and take us from Southern California to places such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Lake Tahoe to name a few.

This trip not only presented some excellent driving through some amazing scenery but also a much needed recharge for these asphalt junkies. Freude Am Fahren is alive and well in this family. In recent years my wife and I have been fortunate enough to travel all over Europe and especially Germany. We have driven topped out on the Autobahn and full tilt on the famous Nurburgring.