And although it was a decade old and lacked the style of a mid-’90s Civic or the quiet competence of a Clinton-era Corolla, this Mazda promised a few unique advantages. Right out of the gate, the Protegé satisfied one prerequisite: It was a tidy Japanese subcompact. Like other Japanese cars (such as the “Corolla Tercel” and “Stanza Altima”), the Mazda Protegé retained the established name of its predecessor/sibling for its first couple of years. Finally at a small-time used car lot a half hour from home, I saw something intriguing: a 1991 Mazda Protegé DX. Several cars caught my eye, but none worked out. With autumn looming, I frantically looked for an alternative car, something affordable that would be fun to drive and allow me to pick up dates with some degree of dignity. I’d worked full-time at an office job that summer and amassed decent savings. With my dad driving his fair-weather 200SX throughout the summer, I had a reasonably easy time stealing the Legacy, but I knew the law would be laid down as temperatures dropped. The passenger’s side front door had been hyperextended, and my dad’s DIY solution to keep it closed was to drive a drop-forged center punch through the B-pillar and door, effectively deadbolting it for life. The Dodge-already an embarrassment when I first received it-had been rendered “date proof” in a senseless backing accident.

Candidate three has its own unique angle, being the first vehicle that I actually selected and purchased with my own earnings.īy the summer of 2002, I was in a bind. Another contender is a 1990 Dodge Spirit ES, bought for me by my dad in August 2001 to keep me away from the Legacy. Though purchased in May 2001 to be my dad’s winter car, the Legacy captured my heart immediately, and I commandeered it through the following summer. My vote goes to a 1990 Subaru Legacy LS wagon. What do you consider to be your first car ?įor me, three vehicles could potentially lay claim to the title.

Html5 canvas css3 adobe animate games