ZPOST
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Go Back   ZPOST > BIMMERPOST Universal Forums > General Automotive (non-BMW) Talk + Photos/Videos
  TireRack

SUPPORT ZPOST BY DOING YOUR TIRERACK SHOPPING FROM THIS BANNER, THANKS!
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      02-06-2023, 04:12 PM   #1
sygazelle
Brigadier General
11112
Rep
3,404
Posts

Drives: 2014 328i M-Sport, 2019 X5 40i
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco

iTrader: (0)

Which of your Dad's (or Mom's) cars influenced your love for cars the most?

If you are a car guy or gal, there's a good chance you were influenced by what your Dad drove when you were a kid. I know my Dad's car choices influenced me, both in a good way and a bad way.

My Dad was a GM guy at first. As he got more successful, the cars he brought home went from various Chevy models to Cadillac. Never a Ford. Never a Chrysler product. As Detroit cars got bigger and bulkier and my Dad didn't have to lug around kids anymore, he started favoring, lighter, well-balanced, manual transmission cars, mostly from Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

So while I love the style of the '50s and '60s General Motors cars my Dad owned, my love for cars and driving came from his Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. It had that amazing Aurelio Lampredi-designed DOHC engine, four-wheel disc brakes, double-wishbone front suspension, and a five-speed manual transmission.


Which of your Dad's (or Mom's) cars influenced your love for cars the most?
Appreciate 2
lakefront560.50
GERMAN M34176.50
      02-06-2023, 04:22 PM   #2
lexttu
Private
No_Country
60
Rep
59
Posts

Drives: 2022 M50i, 2023 330i, 1999 C43
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: TX

iTrader: (0)

I would have to say my grandfather's 60s MG and 63 Buick Riviera. Talk about a boat. He owned the only repair shop in town so I pretty much grew up there helping him and oogling over all the cars that came through. I remember one early 80s 3 series that came in pretty regularly (go figure) so that probably kicked it off as well.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:06 PM   #3
dreamingat30fps
Lieutenant Colonel
United_States
5256
Rep
1,904
Posts

Drives: Miata, Cayenne, Model 3, F350
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Florida & NC

iTrader: (1)

None. My parents were not car people. I don't think I ever heard my dad talk about cars. I was always into hotwheels and model cars, but I'm not sure that I knew much about them until I went to college and started getting in BMWs. Mainly because of people I knew who had them. I would go to the car shows and see all the cars etc. I got into German cars mostly because at the time they had the cleanest nicest interiors IMO. Of course I couldn't afford a BMW right out of college so my first car that I chose and purchased myself was a VW Jetta GLI.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:16 PM   #4
BlacknBlue
New Member
21
Rep
15
Posts

Drives: M340i
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Ottawa, Canada

iTrader: (0)

1998 Ford Contour SVT
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:26 PM   #5
Toddbmw
Enlisted Member
95
Rep
38
Posts

Drives: F22
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: North Carolina

iTrader: (0)

My dad and his dad were Chrysler people. Granddad had a Chrysler Imperial.
When my dad got out of college in the late 50's. He wanted a TR3.
The local Dodge dealer sold Triumphs, so that is where he bought his.
His story on the TR3, was that he was visiting relatives in NJ (he was living in VA at the time), and had a shop in NJ tune the car.
He remembers they did a job on the tune and it drove great after that.
He was getting head colds from the soft top and side curtains, and needed to get ride of the car.
Back then, dealers were more partial to providing a good trade-in on the brands that they sold, he wanted a T-Bird, but the Ford dealer would not give him a good
trade-in price. So he went back to the Dodge dealer, which started his history with Dodge/Chrysler. Can't remember what he bought.

Growing up we had Valiants for my mom, and he had a 1968 Barracuda with the slant 6. I made sure he kept that car for me when I turned 16.

My brother and I talked him into buying a 1978 Porsche 924. I asked him about insurance for two teenagers since he let me and my brother drive that car. He said he did not know (or care), the insurance was through his business.

Had a number of good times in that 924, took it to two Porsche Parades (and did get a few speeding tickets).

Over the years I have had my own Triumph TR250, '72 911T, E36 M3, Miata, and now the M240i.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:29 PM   #6
dailym340i
Enlisted Member
18
Rep
35
Posts

Drives: 2020 BMW M340i X-Drive Exc Pkg
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Toronto

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
The GM cars that my father had. Big body Chevy Caprice, Pontiac Trans-Ams (2, 89 GTA and 96 LT1, both with t-tops. We also had random GM minivans and cars. The Trans-Ams were awesome. I’d love to have one brought up from Southern USA.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:41 PM   #7
DocL
Captain
DocL's Avatar
United_States
1923
Rep
863
Posts

Drives: 2018 M3
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Delray Beach

iTrader: (2)

My father and uncle were really into cars. I can still remember my uncle taking me for a ride in his 308GTS. I can also remember sitting in the hatchback area of my father's 260z. My father also had a lot of eclectic cars when I was growing up. There was always something in the garage such as Avanti, Triumph, Fiat Dino, Bentley, Morgan, Maserati, Lancia, Porsche, Lamborghini, and a few others that I'm drawing a blank on.

So yeah, the car guy itch definitely was passed down to me.
__________________
2018 F80 M3. YMB/BLK. ZCP. Three Pedals.
"Education will never be as expensive as ignorance."
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:51 PM   #8
SoCal_NSX
Major
SoCal_NSX's Avatar
2363
Rep
1,356
Posts

Drives: 981CS/428/is250/JLU Rubicon
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Center of the Universe

iTrader: (1)

I think I was more influenced by the cars I saw on TV or the movies than anything else...


my favorites as a kid





although my dad had a sweet orange Bronco with the white top and the white Baja wheels that I will always give him crap for selling

Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 05:56 PM   #9
tturedraider
Major General
tturedraider's Avatar
United_States
4938
Rep
6,219
Posts

Drives: 2018 340i M Sport
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Chicago, Edgewater (via Texas & Tennessee)

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
When I was about three years old my uncle gave me a 1965 Ford Mustang pedal car that I constantly drove up and down our street and I always say that’s what started it. When I was five years old I picked out my parents’ first new car. It was a 1968 Ford Fairlane station wagon. It was Candy Apple Red. They were backing it off of the truck and I said “let’s get that one.” From that time forward I was involved in pretty much all of my family’s car purchases. I noticed someone mentioned Hotwheels cars. I had a collection of more than 100 when I was a kid and I took them with me everywhere.

edit: I had another thought. When I was a teenager I was an avid user of the “original” Edmund’s, back when it was a quarterly paperback. I used it to plan my first new car purchase which I custom ordered. I actually typed it up to look just like a window sticker with the option code for each option and both the invoice price and the MSRP for each option. My salesman was pretty incredulous. I also got the deal for $300 over invoice. My salesman told me that couldn’t be done. I told him I knew it could and they were still going to make a profit from the holdback that was standard practice back then. He wouldn’t budge. I left. He called me about two hours later and agreed to the deal. Easiest sale he ever made.
__________________
https://youtu.be/-ay-8p2p29w
www.bmwcca.org
member #388003 - Use me as a referral
& you could win a one day ///M Driving School!!

___________________________________________

Last edited by tturedraider; 02-06-2023 at 10:25 PM..
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 06:36 PM   #10
Donatello.
How's My Driving?
Donatello.'s Avatar
1017
Rep
952
Posts

Drives: Hellcat & Miata
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Zero
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 06:49 PM   #11
Oldgixxer
Captain
Oldgixxer's Avatar
1688
Rep
729
Posts

Drives: nothing fast
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: The Lowcountry,SC

iTrader: (0)

I grew up in the 70s and was a teen in the 80's,my family wasn't into cars at all.. my interest in motorcycles and riding dirt bikes as a young kid satisfied my need for speed as a teenager when I got my 1st street bike. Never thought cars were "fast" til a high school buddy got a brand new 1985 Mustang GT and that changed my outlook on cars and I suddenly became obsessed with 70's muscle cars w big V8 engines since they were somewhat obtainable for me while I was working at a gas station pumping gas after school and on the weekends. Then my interest really took off when I attended my 1st street race in Hunts Point NY at 16yrs old.
After that I was hooked. Had a few 70s Mustangs,a few Fox body's etc and then I saw a legit AMG Hammer driving downtown in Englewood Cliffs NJ during the summer of '86 IIRC. My buddy said,"Holy crap,do you know what that is??? Thats a Hammer!!"

Ever since that sighting I lusted for a fast German sedan and it wasn't until I turned 30 and our daughter was born. My wife and I got our 1st BMW back in '98(323i manual trans)as she promised herself she would reward herself with a BMW when she got her Masters. I was still driving an SUV which suited me perfectly up until it didn't. Traded that in on a brand new C55 AMG in '05 then onto an E55 AMG and so forth(see my sig).

Since my wifes very first 3 series back in '98,we have always had at least one German sedan in the garage. I just love em.
__________________
-'24 X5MC,'22 430i
-'09 Busa,'05 GSXR-1K(GT28R turbo)'00 Busa(GT3582)
Gone but not forgotten:
-'22 X3MC,'20 M550i,'18 X2,F30 328xi,'07 E63 AMG (1st W211 63 in the 11s),997 C4S Cab,CLS55 AMG,E55 AMG,C55AMG
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 07:07 PM   #12
Germanauto
Major General
Germanauto's Avatar
United_States
9666
Rep
6,075
Posts

Drives: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Rosso
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LA

iTrader: (0)

My dad was an engineer at GM so I was a GM fan growing up. But in my teen years he moved onto brighter pastures and my parents started driving BMWs. The rest is history.
__________________
Former
-2008 E90 328 black/brown
-2012 Lexus IS250 black/black
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 07:21 PM   #13
lakefront
Captain
561
Rep
755
Posts

Drives: 2017 Macan GTS
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: SE Wisconsin

iTrader: (2)

With 6 kids my Dad was pretty limited in what cars he could buy/afford. We had station wagons and big boats for the most part. But somehow moy brothers and I got the car bug and he LOVED driving our cars when he could.
As OP said, loved little Italian cars like my Fiat 124 Spider. So cool. His only concession to big cars was when we had mostly moved out and bought an ORANGE Saab 99 manual trans. Said he never got it lost in a parking lot....
Appreciate 0
      02-06-2023, 07:49 PM   #14
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

Ferrari 330GTC. There was also a Pantera, a Rolls Silver Cloud 3, an AMX, a fleet of Alfas and Fiats, a bunch of boring Mercedes and an FD RX7. My dad still drives a manual SLK320 that he treats like a Macca F1.
Appreciate 2
sygazelle11112.00
Germanauto9665.50
      02-06-2023, 08:03 PM   #15
///MPhatic
The Seeker
///MPhatic's Avatar
13540
Rep
3,207
Posts

Drives: OG M2 • Exige
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA

iTrader: (2)

Didn't have a dad around, and my mom wasn't into cars. It's a genetic thing for me.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 08:13 PM   #16
heitzke
Captain
heitzke's Avatar
1153
Rep
783
Posts

Drives: '15 M4 base, '04 Cobra
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Nashville

iTrader: (1)

It was my dad for me, and also just the environment I grew up in. As a child I grew up going to Carlisle, Lime Rock and going to local town car shows so I was always around it. Took me a few years but early in my teens is where it finally hit me and has always been around since.

That coupled with my propensity and interest for how things function really led me here. I've always been really hands-on with a good functional skillset of problem solving.
__________________
Mosselman-powered M4 - 698/714 | 2.9 Whipple 2004 Cobra - 690/645 | Instagram
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-06-2023, 08:47 PM   #17
sygazelle
Brigadier General
11112
Rep
3,404
Posts

Drives: 2014 328i M-Sport, 2019 X5 40i
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Donatello. View Post
Zero
From Zero to Hellcat. Now that's how to close the gap!
Appreciate 0
      02-06-2023, 08:52 PM   #18
sygazelle
Brigadier General
11112
Rep
3,404
Posts

Drives: 2014 328i M-Sport, 2019 X5 40i
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ///MPhatic View Post
Didn't have a dad around, and my mom wasn't into cars. It's a genetic thing for me.
You drive an M2. You take awesome photographs of amazing cars. You got the bug somewhere along the way.
Appreciate 0
      02-06-2023, 10:36 PM   #19
Rokoz
Lieutenant
Rokoz's Avatar
United_States
293
Rep
496
Posts

Drives: 2016 f80 M3
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Vermont

iTrader: (0)

Grew up riding around in my grandmother's e46 330i, loved that car and really that jump started my love for German cars
__________________
Instagram: @f80ghost
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-07-2023, 05:26 AM   #20
10"
Colonel
10"'s Avatar
No_Country
4946
Rep
2,263
Posts

Drives: orange BMW 1M.
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: world

iTrader: (0)

Being dropped off at school daily in a green 1977 Buick LeSabre (which also became my 1st car later lol) inspired me to do better for my kid.

which is why I drop my 7yo off to school every day in my 1M. Never forget!
__________________
don't read this. too late...
Appreciate 3
sygazelle11112.00
Red Bread4462.00
nicholasn261.00
      02-07-2023, 05:51 AM   #21
WayneM3
First Lieutenant
284
Rep
352
Posts

Drives: F90M5
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York, NY

iTrader: (1)

My dad was a GM person - some Pontiac Grand Prix's in the early 70's and then Oldsmobiles. We had all of their different terrible diesels and then a few Touring Sedans which were actually pretty good.

When I was 8, he bought a 1974 Jensen-Healey - a 2.0l Lotus 4 cylinder English convertible and I still own it today (although it is now fuel injected so it starts and runs much better). Along the way he bought a Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 4 seater so the family could fit. That was traded in for a Maserati Biturbo which seemed very fast at the time. In 1991 we walked into an Acura dealer in Queens to look at the then still new Acura NSX in person and he ended up buying one on the spot. That was an AMAZING car that he sold at the bottom of the market for almost nothing. I would say that we should have kept it but they sold their house which included the garage so there was nowhere to keep it.
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
      02-07-2023, 06:13 AM   #22
Llarry
///M driver
Llarry's Avatar
14494
Rep
486
Posts

Drives: 2022 M3 6-speed
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Oregon

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
My Dad was not a car person. At age 15-16 when I suggested he spend the extra hundred bucks for the larger V-8 in the planned Plymouth station wagon, his response was "You don't even need a V-8 in these cars; a properly-geared six is fine." He did, however, get the 318 cubic inch V-8. Probably because there was no six on the lot...
__________________
'22 G80 M3 6-sp Portimao Blue/Tartufo
Appreciate 1
sygazelle11112.00
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:40 PM.




zpost
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST