The first car I ever had that was mine was a 1985 Nissan King Cab pickup truck. I learned to drive stick shift on that truck, and I miss it...I think I only had that truck for about 9 or 10 months. I never had an accident in it, but I nearly slid into things with it twice. First time I ever drove on snow or ice with it, I nearly slid into a dumpster in a parking lot.

First time I drove in heavy snow conditions, on my way out to the community college for class, I was coming up to the turn for the highway, and couldnt stop. Started to spin and slide into the intersection. Heading straight for an 18 wheeler. I lucked out. The 18 wheeler got past before my truck could slide into it and I ended up on the front lawn of the house on the corner. No damage to me, and I think, no damage to the lawn. I was scared out of my mind tho.

Next day, my dad took me to the Toyota dealership and bought me a 1985 Honda CRX (yeah, dad, that's a much safer car...not!) The Honda came with a cracked head gasket (dealership paid for it when I blew the engine coming home from school...at 125mph. Got home, went inside for something, came back out, started the car and BOOOOOOM! It still drove tho, so I called the dealership and they were waiting for me with fire extinguishers)

The Honda was a crap car, but it was a sports car, and gosh, was it fun to drive at 125mph. Got rid of it after I witnessed an accident that another Honda CRX was in. Driver was killed...the steering column went thru his chest. My dad gave me his 1988 Camry All-Trac after that and we sold the Honda.

I loved the Camry. (my favorite car!) We had bought it used in mid-1988. It had been a dealers car. So, it was the closest my dad had had to a brand new car since my mom totaled his 1984 Toyota Tercel. I acquired the Camry in 95 or 96. It was my car until July of 1999 when I totaled it. (uninsured motorist turned left in front of me and I t-boned her car...so she totaled it, I didnt) I was hurt, and couldnt afford to replace the car. My dad took the Camry, had it rebuilt and kept it for himself again, and he bought me my 1996 Toyota Tercel.

The Tercel was a worse car than the Honda had been. Nothing mechanically wrong with it, but it was only a 4speed stick shift, and if I drove it in winds that were stronger than 30mph, I couldnt go any faster than about 35mph otherwise the Tercel wanted to launch itself off the road. I didnt care for it much.

When my dad decided we were going to move to the house we're at now. He decided he wanted to downsize the number of cars he had. I didnt like my Tercel, so I let him use it for a trade in. He got rid of my mom's old car and his 4Runner, and got himself a Toyota Rav4, and I loved his Rav4, so he used my car and his other car to trade in on my Rav4. (dad's Rav4 is a 2000 and automatic, mine is a 1999 and stick shift and much nicer than my dad's)

I love my Rav4. It's been the best car I've had since the 88 Camry. It drives exactly like the 88 Camry All-Trac (fulltime four wheel drive) The Rav4 has the same chassis as the Camry had, so it handles almost exactly the way that the Camry did. I feel in love with the Rav4 the first time I drove it.

I plan to drive the Rav4 until either it doesnt go any more, or until I dont go anymore. After that, I dont know what I'll do for transportation. I love stick shift vehicles, so I'm going to try to keep my Rav4 for as long as I can manage to work a clutch. (hopefully the MS wont screw around with my legs for a looooong time)