What Cars Did Your Family Have When You Grew up?

Recently I went on a trip with my parents, and in one occasion my 79yo dad got attracted to some Mercedes Benz that were on display in a shopping centre. He was mumbling that he had never owned a luxury European car, until my mum reminded him that he once had a Lancia. "Oh that garbage…"

What cars did your family have when you were growing up? In chronological order:

  • Nissan/Datsun Sunny — family's first car in bright yellow. 1.2L gutless engine, manual window and no aircon.

  • Nissan Bluebird — cool car with more electronics in the dash, and aircon :) Unfortunately it got stolen right in front of our house.

  • Lancia Thema — my family got a bit more well off so my dad thought he would replace the stolen Bluebird with an European. I didn't really have a bad memory of it, but I guess it wasn't the case for my dad who had to take care of it.

  • Toyota Cressida — probably my parents' favourite. I drove from Qld to Sydney for uni in this, and my mum drove it back. Done a few more Brisbane - Sydney trips afterwards.

After I moved out, they subsequently had a Honda Civic sedan and a Nissan X-Trail, which my parents had for the last 20 years. All very reliable cars except the Lancia.

Comments

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  • +16

    my dad competed in Racewars so we had 3 Honda civics

    • +10

      With Spoon engines?

      • +9

        All 3 running T66 turbos, with NOS, but only 1 had a Motec system exhaust for some unclear reason.

    • +4

      family

      • +1

        Beers at family BBQs were anyone you wanted as long as it was a Corona

  • +12

    My poor kids when they get asked this question in later life - I've been in the car industry their whole lives, different car every week lol

    • +1

      Your company lets you borrow cars for personal use? What's the best and worst car you've driven?

      • Probably works in sales at a dealership. They get their pick from a bunch of readily available cars as the new models are released and swap them every few weeks

    • Sounds like it's something someone can write a thesis on. But there must be some cars that they had the most fond memory of?

  • +9

    My dad drove a rolls royce

    Coffin in the back meant no room for us kids unless we were playing hide and seek

    • Was it good for his voice? Credit to Mark Bolan and T rex for that…..

  • +8

    VC Valiant. I still remember the number plate, the slam of the heavy steel glove compartment door, my dad flicking on the hi beams with a foot switch, and the red vinyl bench seats.

    • +1

      We had one too.I must have left 3 layers of skin on those vinyl seats each summer.

      • " left 3 layers of skin on those vinyl seats each summer"
        for me it was the all metal seat belt receptacle (bench seat was black vinyl)
        .

  • +7

    Dad had a Mitsubshi Starion that he had to sell when I came along. I often think now if I were him I would rather have the car

  • +5

    Ford Cortinas…….one after another for years.

    • +10

      “Ay Steve, can you move the Camira? I need to get the Torana out to get to the Commodore.”
      “Sure thing Dad, but I'll have to get the keys to the Cortina if I'm gunna move that Camira.”
      “Alright mate, just watch the boat”

      • Cortana, summarise this for me please

        • +5

          It’s from the movie called The Castle. If you haven’t, worth a couple of hours

        • +4

          "Cortana, summarise this for me please"
          that is UnAustralian
          .

    • Wow, so many memories. We had a silver Cortina (I believe it was a 1974).

  • +4

    Maruti Suzuki 800

  • +4

    Rolls Royce.
    We were working class people

    • +6

      Be Honest…

      • Don't we all drive Roll Royce's David?

        • Finally found the descendent of our chauffeur.

          30 years later, but return the car when you have a chance please?

  • +3
    • Holden Gemini
    • Ford Telstar (shit car that was; broke down a lot)
    • Toyota Corolla (now on my third one as an adult including the family one)
    • +1

      I want to say LC Torana, but the only memory I have of that is photos of me as a baby. There must have been something between that and the next car I remember, but I have no clue what that would have been. They had both the Telstar and the Camry, as a kid my recollection was that they were both fine. Although, to be fair as they got on in life and could afford it, Dad would turn cars over at the end of their warranty so either they didn't break down until later or I wasn't aware.

      He also has a Toyota Lexan, then Mum had a Mitsubishi Lancer then a Subaru Outback.

      There was a VK Commodorein there for a period somewhere too.

      After I left home, they had a series of Subarus (Outback/Liberty/Impreza) between their two cars. Mum still has an XV.

    • Agree 100% regarding the Telstar - work tried to give me that as my first company car (someone had left). After 6 weeks (most of which was spent being repaired) I returned it and insisted I got budget to choose my own new car. I got a Mazda 323 Astina.

      • +2

        As the Ford Telstar is just a rebadged Mazda, I wonder how it was so unreliable.

        • In the late 80's Early 90's the Government was pushing interchangeable parts so there were a bunch of cars that were rebadged versions of the same thing with minor tweaks.

          • @The Hawk: From memory, other cars included Ford Laser, Toyota Lexcen, Holden Nova & Apollo, Ford Maverick off the top of my head.

            However, I'm not sure of the rationale of rebadged cars. Did overall sales numbers of Australian made cars increase? I don't think so.

  • +3

    Toyota Lexcen, then Toyota Corolla. Then I moved out.

    This thread made me realise there's a lot more older people on the forum.

  • +3

    My parents were born 90 years before the automobile was invented, so we just had a horse and cart. And a donkey.

    • +1

      Haha, that made me laugh out loud. Big question though, is did they dangle a carrot with a fishing rod over the donkeys nose to get it move?

      • Did it lean to the side? having horse/donkey combo sounds a bit mismatched.

  • +2

    Toyota Camry , then tarago, then odyssey

    Looking back I was always low key embarrassed to be seen getting out of the tarago during school pickups, especially as there was 6 in the family and the middle person had to hop out and slide the seat forward for the back people to get out but now I kinda don’t mind the look of a done up tarago

    • +3

      The older I get, the more I appreciate the Tarago.

      Unfortunately we never had one, but I'd love to get one.

    • +1

      If it makes you feel better parents had a 323 with no air con. However My mates parents had a Tarago with air con and a sunroof I loved going in that thing especially in summer.

      Funnily enough the Tarago had the number plates SAYYES (to your potential).

      • +1

        When my dad got the odyssey , it had been optioned with sunroof, he thought it was the coolest thing ever, maybe I’m getting old now but I kinda see the appeal of having all the extra room - especially since now I am into mountain biking..

        • +2

          Lol yeah I’ve been in fast sedans and coupes for most of my life. I now need to get a bigger car and looking at what has space and is comfortable (I do a lot of rural and regional driving).

          I’m looking at what’s big and comfortable but secretly hating every moment of driving that. Thankfully Im at a point where I can ‘add to’ the cars and not ‘replace’. I’ll grab some SUV that I could never get excited about but I look at the Alphard (or even better the Lexus LM) and think that would be great

  • +2

    Ford falcon, ford falcon

  • +2

    XK Ford Falcon. Gearbox was very weak and in the end I could change the gearbox in 30 minutes. Wrote off the fist one, which was my fathers, then wrote off a second one which was mine. Regardless of the flaws in the old Falcons I was a Ford man thereafer.

  • +2
    • Holden Kingswood - I remember the choke being pulled out all the way. It seemed like it was almost a metre long but I was a kid and everything seemed bigger back then.
    • Valiant Ranger - very roomy but wasn't the V8 version. I wanted a Ford Cobra V8 when I grew up.
    • Ford Escort - Mum's car with the strange door handles that had to be squeezed upwards. Nice car. Good for rallying. 1.6L.
    • Ford Falcon - a bit of a work horse. Very reliable and kept on going. 4.1L. Super was 60 cents a litre.
    • Ford Fairmont - a bit more luxury back then. Even had a powered aerial, but radio was still AM only, no air con and had wind-up windows.
  • +2

    Mazda 1600
    HR kingswood
    81 Datsun bluebird - no power steering, power brakes, ac, or carpet (vinyl floor). Learnt to drive in this - but man it hurt only having an AM radio
    73 Ford fairlane - took the family around Aus with a camper trailer on the back
    91 Mazda 121
    94 Ford Fairmont
    05 Toyota Corolla
    19 toyota rav 4

    Almost all the cars were kept til they went to the metal scrap heap in the sky

  • +2

    Damn, I can't recall, but remember the neighbors car had A/C so we thought they were well off.
    I think we had a second hand fairmont, remember it stalling regularly in rain, and waiting by the side of the road for it to dry out before we could continue. Ohh and the high beams switch on the floor and no rear seat belts.

  • +2

    Oh boy, our first car was this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trabant_601

    • +1

      so long as you didnt sell it ..
      millionaire potential right there

      • A Trabby would be a fun thing to own these days.

  • +2
    • AP5 Valiant (with push button auto)
    • FB Holden
    • VC Valiant
    • VW Beetle
    • Mazda RX3
    • Chrysler Valiant Charger
    • MK VII Jaguar
    • EH Holden
    • XY Falcon

    I forget so many things nowadays but I can still remember every one of their number plates.

    • "RX3"
      braap braap braap
      .

      • "RX3"
        braap braap braap

        My father thought he was so cool in his little mustard coloured RX3 with sliding vinyl sunroof. (though he was the only one in the family who thought that)

        My mates and I were obviously the cool ones - driving everywhere in the MKVII Jaguar (seemed to attract a lot of attention from the Highway Patrol for some reason)

  • +1

    Nissan Bluebird

    Parents had this car before I was born; they would always complain that the electronic dash would randomly cut off while driving…


    Vehicle that parent owned after I was born:

    • Mum: Holden Calais -> Toyota Prado -> Toyota Rav4
    • Dad: Toyota LiteAce -> Toyota TownAce -> Toyota Hilux
    • +1

      To be fair though, it was the Worlds First Four Cylinder Limousine.

    • That might be the case — but as a kid all I saw was "oh flashing lights!"

      • That was one of the main reason my dad bought the car; for the 'new advance technology' in the vehicle…

  • +1

    Holden camira

    • Us too!

      Everyone told us it was a piece of crap but served us great.

      • +2

        Was stolen 4 times in its life and was recovered lol

        • Didn’t break down mid theft?

          • +5

            @Gunnar: Probably did thats why was recovered each time and didnt go far lol

  • +1

    Peugeot 305

  • +1

    None. Neither of my parents could drive and in any case we were too poor to afford a car. My dad had a bicycle which he used to get to work.

  • +1

    Mum:
    Mitsubishi Nimbus - my mum went through 3 of them maybe.

    Dad:
    Volvo (something) - I don't know what model of car this was but it was a boxy sedan where the rear seats faced backwards. My brother and I loved sitting in those seats when going up steep hills. Eventually swapped for…
    Mazda MPV - a pretty good people mover as we were a family of 6.

  • +1

    Datsun 120Y (1970-1973)
    Datsun 180B (1973-1976)
    Lada (not sure of model) (1977-1978)
    Peugeot 504 (1980-1989)
    Toyota Camry (1990-2010)
    Nissan Pulsar (1993-2010)
    Hyundai Elantra (2010-2015)

  • +1

    Possibly not all in the right order…..

    Mk I Cortina
    TC Cortina station wagon (in jungle green)
    XD Fairmont
    1974 Mini
    Magna (can’t remember what model)
    Ford Meteor Ghia
    Mazda Traveller van
    Mazda 323

  • +1

    Station wagon with mismatched door, because poverty.

  • +1

    No car growing up, so it was either the bus or walking. I used to get money for the bus to school… but instead I’d spend it at Woolworths on food and just walk the 45 minutes.
    My first “hack” 😅

  • +1

    HQ Kingswood 202…

  • +1

    Datsun 120Y
    Nissan Van (Vannette?)
    Toyota sedan (might be a Corolla)
    Proton Saga

    (Yes grown up Malaysian)

  • +1

    1976 VW Kombi bought new by my dad ($5200) still registered to him and running n rust free , 2 paint jobs (faded) 2 engine rebuilds, (excessive oil use only) Dads 91yrs old

  • +1

    Nissan BlueBird

  • +1

    Datsun something 1300 I think? I remember my dad going sideways "like in the movies!" around a turn in the rain once and told us not to tell mom.
    Mom had a Fiat 1100.
    '89 Toyota Corolla, bought new.
    Inherited a Merc 350 SE

    And that was it until 2015 when my dad bought his next car.

  • +1

    Datsun Sunny
    Mazda 626

  • +1

    We grew up further in the west. Learnt to ride horses before learning to drive cars. :D

  • +1

    Datsun Sunny -> Nissan Skyline -> Ford Telstar-> Toyota Corolla

  • Mum never had her licence so the only car I recall my parents ever actually owning was a Datsun 120Y though I believe they had a Sunny before that. They never owned a car after that as dad had a procession of company cars, mostly various Falcons though there was a brief stint with a Kingswood and then later Rodeos. Never thought about it before but now I wonder if that had any impact on why I've owned so many cars.

  • What didn't we have?

    Couple of Monaros over the years - HJs. Last one was a Bathurst model, factory sunroof, drop tank, twin exhaust, Canary Yellow… 🤤

    Few MKI Cortinas. Green one, mine was a 240 red one.

    Barge Fairlane. 1962 from memory, ex cop car. Try parking that at the shops

    Datsun 280 ZX Targa top

    Normal 💩 like EB Falcon

    Toyota Landcruiser 92, Hilux (90 something - on the farm now)

    Couple of Holden utes? WBs I think

    • HK-T-G Monaros?

      • Actually I think there was a HK at one point? A brown one. Bit early for me, early to mid 80s.

        We had a continuous rotation of cars for reasons I can only put down to Dad impulse buys… 🤣

        • Only those 3 models are Bathurst Monaros.

          • @DazMon: There were some made from Holden's to racing/Bathurst specs out of the factory. Ours was one. Originally purchased in Wollongong, sold in Adelaide (still in SA I believe).

            Plenty Holden/Ford factory specials around. Holden's especially would make cars to order all the time (had family working there). Want extra sound proofing in your Commodore? 👍 want a different exhaust system? Why not 🤷‍♀️

            Also know of a LJ Torana Lakeside Green here in Adelaide - only 2 produced - reasons? Who knows. Spare tin of paint?

  • Peugeot 404 on the farm and then a Toyota corona 1970 , four on the tree , my brother had one as well . Really good cars 👍

    • +1

      I grew up in Africa and the first family car I can remember was a Peugeot 404.

      I'd love to have one today.

    • We had a pug 504 (?) - three rows in a station wagon

      • When I was 16, my mate, somehow, got a banged up Peugeot 504 in a shitty brown colour. We basically taught ourselves to drive it on the mine dumps at the back of our town!

  • Nissan Bluebird and Toyota Cressida? Your parents had good taste.

    My parents had a Datsun 180B and Ford Escort.

    • Toyota Cressida

      Yeah the 3L V6 twin cam was pretty sweet at the time. It was also the only car my parents had that was close to being luxurious — they've never spent that much money on a car before nor after.

      • It would be pretty sweet to have today too …..

  • Old man limousines: Holden Caprice x 2 (he crashed one failing to give way), Ford Falcon G6 2010 (I bought this one off him, bit of a lemon), Holden Statesman, Ford Fairlane.

    My mum has a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, Mazda 3, a variety of C class Mercedes Benz’s.

  • In order of ownership;
    Mini Clubman (Blue) - Family car (mum didnt have a license)
    HQ Holden 1 tonner (light blue) - Dad's work ute
    1975~ish 5th gen Toyota Corona (yellow) - Mum's kid delivery car
    Early/mid 80's Gen 2 Suzuki Sierra (brown) - Dad's work commute/holiday car
    Mid 80's 2 door Holden Jackaroo (Army green) - Family/holiday/camping car
    Mid 80's TG Holden Gemini (red) - Mum's work/school run car
    Toyota "Grinner" Hilux 2wd - Dad's work ute
    91 VN Commodore (red over grey) - Mum's family car

    These are the only ones I can remember.

  • My old man had string of company cars. Interestingly all falcons despite working for a few different companies. Stayed with falcons into retirement and sold his last falcon (FG) recently for a plug in hybrid.

    Mum had a starwagon until kids left home.

  • mum,
    ford fairmont ghia wagon
    ford mondeo
    holden ss wagon
    holden calais v
    merc c300

    dad,
    hiace van
    hiace van
    vw transporter
    hiace van
    vw caddy

  • Nissan Pulsar that we took a family of 5 camping in down many wet 4wd only tracks. Then my parents bought a shop so we upgraded to a Nissan Vanette which is what I learnt to drive in. Both lasted about 15 years in spite of their treatment. Neither of them had air conditioning but we got a cd player for the Vanette at Xmas one year which made it seem pretty cool.

  • Toyota Camry wagon, an old blue van I don't even know and the spaceship awesome Tarago and finally a Prado.

  • You might say my parents were Ford fans… (if you wanted to start a fight)

    Before I was born there were classics like FC Holdens, Toranas, HQs, Kingswood etc…
    There was a brief hiatus last oil crises where they had a little Mazda and Toyota, but then came the Commodore …

    So two at a time including these:

    VK Holden Commodore 6-cyl
    VL Holden Commodore 6-cyl
    VN Holden Commodore Berlina V8
    VQ Statesman V8
    VP Commodore V6
    VR Commodore Equip V6
    VS Holden Commodore SS V8
    VX Holden Commodore S V6
    Holden Statesman V8
    VE Holden Commodore SV6 V6
    …through into the mix us kids before we left home and throw (back) into the mix more older VL, VN, as well as VT and VY and later ZB so we had all 5 generations….
    After a weekend day of washing them, we once lined up 4 shades of red Holdens across the front of the house and took an iconic family photo.

    • +1

      No VF?

      What us the family buying now, now GMH have departed?

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