Monday, May 30, 2022

Car history

My dad's post on car history, prompted me to make a similar page.

After getting my driver's license, I was driving my dad's Volvo 343. Not a lot of power, so quite boring to drive.

As a conscripted hussar in the Dutch Cavalry, I learned to drive this DAF YA-4442. Six-wheel drive! Picture taken on an exercise in Hohenfels, Germany.

I bought a Peugeot 309 GLD (1.9L Diesel) from my colleage Arjan who worked at Nuson. Very reliable, and loads of torque from the engine.

To get my next car, I had to deal with a hostile salesman! When I asked to test drive the Suzuki Swift GLX 16V, the salesmen responded with a "Why?" Confounded, I replied "To buy it?" This car was high-revving, and boy, it was fast. It weighed next to nothing, but had a 100HP engine. It was a little rocket! I had to scrap it when the bottom turned to rust.

Its replacement was the worst financial decision I ever made: I wanted a classic Chevy Camaro. To finance it, I sold my stock portfolio comprised of ARM Holdings (!) and Samsung. I was a very early investor in those companies, and it would have been worth a fortune today! This was a decade before the iPhone! Instead, I got a car that cost me an arm and a leg to maintain and repair. Oof.

In Canada, I got a 2012 Subaru Forrester with 2.5L boxer engine. Costly repairs include a new clutch at 70K km. It is currently also leaking oil. A fun way to explore British Columbia, though!

My next car will definitely be electric.