I used to own that car!

[Rope-Pusher]

Have any of you had the experience of coming across a car that you used to own? Some times it's expected, like after selling the car to a relative or neighbor. Other times, it's like deja vu, unexpected and deeply moving (TWSS). Any good tails of this elk amongst you?

[Tups]

We used to see two of our old cars, an '88 Opel Kadett and a '95 Ford Escort Estate, quite often in our hometown. Now the Opel has disappeared, but I remember seeing the Escort earlier this year. It's not "deeply moving" - more like "WTF, that POS is still between plates?"

My friend came across his old Ford Sierra some time ago on another side of the country. That was surprising.

[Rope-Pusher]

My son works about 40 kilometers from his home and he saw a car in an adjacent parking lot that looked all to familiar. It was "Sarah", his first love that he had sold about a year ago. Not across the country, not even across the state, but seeing it parked daily, right across from where he works was still unexpected.

[theholycow]

I think I saw my first car about ten years after I got rid of it.

I'd like to see it on Craigslist for $200, but not until I could afford it.

[mtheis]

I saw my first car while at work about two years after I sold it. It turns out that the new employee's wife was the one who bought the car from me.

[AHTOXA]

Yep. Seen my old offroad rig around.

Man, I miss her still

[4onthefloor]

My Dad's convinced him and I saw his old Supra a few years back. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but he swears that it had something ( I can't quite remember what) on it that was unique to his. That and the fact that there aren't too many Supras on the roads leads me to believe that it probably was his old car.

[1974Alfa5spd]

I saw my first car while at work about two years after I sold it. It turns out that the new employee's wife was the one who bought the car from me.

"WTF, that POS is still between plates?"

If you mean the 85HP Chevrolet slush, then my words exactly.

And no, when we get rid of a car, it's never to be seen again. I'm reasonably certain a few have gone to the crusher.
In re:
1984 Chevrolet Camaro-Mom bought it with a cracked frame in 1989, before she met my dad.
1986 Mercury Cougar-rusted to death, donated to Polly Klaas in 1995.
1993 Mercury Grand Marquis LS-driven to death, 120,000mi, heater core blew, not worth fixing, donated to Polly Klaas in 2002.
1996 Chevy Blazer-No clue, we had it all of a year, needed a bigger car, traded in for->
1998 GMC Suburban-110,000mi, Front suspension wore out, not worth fixing, traded in.

The GMC was traded in at a SoCal GMC dealership, so it probably wont be seen again up here at least.

Aaaand then they started piling up. >_>

[ElectroGhandi]

A Grand Marquis was driven to death at 120,000 miles?

[LHOswald]

ive been saying ford products are crap for years but...oh nevermind

[1974Alfa5spd]

A Grand Marquis was driven to death at 120,000 miles?

When the heater core blows up and it costs more to fix than the damn thing is worth, yes. Stop humping the panther platform like it's the best thing on the f*cking planet.

[ElectroGhandi]

A Grand Marquis was driven to death at 120,000 miles?

When the heater core blows up and it costs more to fix than the damn thing is worth, yes. Stop humping the panther platform like it's the best thing on the f*cking planet.

I could say the same thing about your Mercedes hoarding...

[LHOswald]

ITS A BINGO!

[1974Alfa5spd]

A Grand Marquis was driven to death at 120,000 miles?

When the heater core blows up and it costs more to fix than the damn thing is worth, yes. Stop humping the panther platform like it's the best thing on the f*cking planet.

I could say the same thing about your Mercedes hoarding...

What I'm trying to say is that every car has faults and weak points and take different amounts of maintenance to keep alive after they pass a certain mileage. Look at me, I'm replacing the damn transmission, head, fuel distributor, and accessory drive on my car because it's old. That Grand Marquis drew the short straw and broke an expensive-to-replace part. It would've been upwards of $2-3000 to replace it when we would've gotten at most $1000 for the car.

tl;dr there is no perfect car, not even a Mercedes.

[RITmusic2k]

Audi 5000 - died in my possession
Nissan Sentra - donated to kidney car
Nissan Sentra - sold
Accord coupe - my mom's daily driver
Taurus SHO - died in my possession, destroyed by careless people while I was in the process of resurrecting her
Saab 9-3 - traded in
Saab 9-3 Viggen - murdered by an asshole driver
BMW 330i - alive and kicking

I have, for a variety of reasons, a tendency to be the last owner of most of my vehicles. Discounting the one my mom's driving, only two of my seven previous cars have the potential to be out there on the road