If you know me at all, you know that I've always liked driving. Didn't matter if it were the family station wagon, an old muscle car, or an imported sport sedan. I knew when I was a kid that I loved to drive. Still do. These are the cars I've owned.

1976 Pontiac Firebird It was Summer of 1981, and I was working full time at at McDonald's to save for that very first car: a 1976 Pontiac Firebird with a 250ci inline-6 and a 3-speed automatic transmission. Over the next few years, I had it painted Corvette orange, bought a set of gold & chrome Cragars, and stuffed it with all kinds of stupid car-gadgets. In hindsight it was very tacky, I know that, but it was also my hobby. I was really into it. And I will admit to being more interested in image than speed...

1983 Pontiac Firebird ...which explains my second car: a showroom new 1983 Firebird with a 2.8 Liter V6 and a four speed automatic transmission. When I turned 19, I came into some money and did exactly what you would expect a 19 year old would do. It was a stupid decision, but I really wanted this car. The 3rd Gen Firebird debuted in 1982, and was such a futuristic design for the day. So freaking beautiful! But after 4 years of driving gutless little engines with slushbox transmissions, something serious was lacking.

1982 Pontiac Trans Am 4MT What was lacking was power, and a manual transmission. This was my 1982 Trans Am, with a 5.0 Liter V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission. I drove this car for four years, and stored it every winter. I also sunk thousands (!!!) of dollars into this car, with all kinds of upgrades, some better thought out than others. By the time I was done, this Trans Am was way more powerful than stock; (which truth be told wasn't really that fast. It was the mid-80s afterall.)

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1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme After college, the Trans Am sat on cinder blocks for a couple years, eventually getting sold off. When I moved away from home, I was driving a much more mature-looking '83 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. And the Cutlass was no slouch, with a 307ci 4-barrel V8, and looking pretty tough with the Keystone Classics lifted off the Trans Am.

1988 Honda Civic DX 5MT Two years later, I traded in the Oldsmobile for a '88 Honda Civic DX Sedan. I very much needed a reliable, high-MPG car, and that meant a Civic. No bad choices there. Truth is, the car was contemporary, fun to drive, easy to chuck around, and had a playful 5-speed manual.

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1992 Nissan 240SX 5MT In 1992, I bought this brand new Nissan 240SX. It came with one engine option: a 2.4 Liter inline-4, rated at 140hp. This car had incredible balance, RWD, and a proper 5-speed manual transmission. I drove it daily for 7 years, with zero problems or repairs. The only modifications were an upgraded exhaust and cold-air intake, but that was it, nothing crazy. The 240SX is the one car I regret letting go.

1999 Nissan Maxima SE 5MT In 1999, I traded in the 240SX for something more mature, but still sporty - the 1999 Nissan Maxima SE. This was Nissan's flagship. And the SE model was pretty impressive, with a 5-speed manual transmission, sport suspension, 16" aluminum rims, and a 190hp 3.0 Liter V6 engine. This car was genuinely powerful, and felt pretty damn upscale while doing it.

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2000 Volvo S40 After our first child was born, we kind of went into Protector mode with Gail's car, and traded in her '93 Civic Coupe for this new 2000 Volvo S40. There was a distinct sense of security with the Volvo, and the heated seats were kind of nice. All in all, it was a pretty nice ride.

2003 Nissan Maxima SE 6MT 2003 was the last model year for the 5th gen Maxima, and I think the best Maxima of any year. It was lightweight, full-sized, and luxurious, with a 3.5 Liter V6 making 255hp. After a few years, I started modifying the car, and by the time I was done, it was kick-ass.

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NWP Engineering Phenolic Intake Spacers Progress Engineering Rear Sway Bar Racingline Performance Front Strut Tower Brace Stillen Rear Shock Tower Brace Energy Suspension Torque Mount Bushings NWP Engineering Engine Torque Link Connector (Free) Short-Throw Shifter mod w/ES Bushings

Apexi Pop Charger Frankencar Short Ram Intake Cattman Performance Y-pipe Cattman Performance 2.5" Cat back Unorthodox Racing Crank Pulley NWP Engineering VIAS-delete block plate

Centric Rotors Tokico HP Blue Struts Hawk HPS Brake Pads Goodyear Eagle F1 Tires MOOG Strut mounts MOOG FSB End-links

2003 Mazda MPV With another child on the way, and fearful to owning an out-of-warranty Volvo, we decided on a minivan - The 2003 Mazda MPV. Ours was sheer green, with a tasteful beige interior, and was an excellent family vehicle all around. It also had a 200hp 3.0 Liter V6 engine, 16" aluminum wheels, and was probably the most fun to drive minivan on the market.

2008 Honda CR-V EX After 5 years of mini-van life, we called it quits and bought another Honda, this brand new, 2008 Honda CR-V EX. This was the mid-range model, loaded with lots of safety features, and a 2.4 Liter, inline-4, FWD engine. Not too shabby. Fun family car, even if it wasn't that engaging to drive.

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2011 Infiniti G37S 6MT After 9 years with the Maxima, it was time to find a genuine Sport Sedan, and the 2011 Infiniti G37S Sedan 6MT was the perfect fit. With 328hp in a smooth 3.7 Liter V6, a proper 6MT, limited slip RWD, a sport suspension, sport brakes, sport steering, sport seats, etc. I started modifying this car immediately. It's uncommonly rare, and simply the best car I've ever owned.

EcuTek Remote Tune by Eugene Turkov 4.083 Final Drive Rear Gears Fast Intentions Resonated High-flow Cats Fast Intentions 2.5" Cat-back R2C Air Intake Kit in Black Nickle R2C Black Hex Series Air Filters Vossen 19" CVT Wheels, staggered

TWM Short Throw Shifter RJM Clutch Pedal Assembly Z1 Motorsports poly Motor Mounts Z1 Motorsports 2-piece rotors Continental Extreme Sport tires Akebono Performance Ceramic Pads Bell Raceworks Differential Brace

Whiteline Differential Bushings Eibach Front and Rear Sway Bars GT-Spec Front Shock Tower Brace Swift Lowering Sport Springs (front) Tein Basis Coilovers (rear) SPC Rear Camber & Toe Kit G37 Convertible Engine Cradle Braces

2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring Edition The Honda served us flawlessly for 10 years, and then we bought our first AWD car - the 2018 Suraru Forester. The top-of-line Touring Edition came loaded with more high-tech and safety features than I ever knew existed. It has a sturdy, 2.5 Liter boxer engine, and full-time all-wheel-drive. Plus there's a panoramic sunroof, premium sound system, this beautiful Saddle-Brown leather interior, Navigation, on and on. Pretty amazing little Crossover.

1967 Plymouth Fury II This gorgeous hunk of Mopar was my winter car when I was young. It was bought new by my Grandfather, and passed on to me when he became too old to drive. There was a 318ci small block with a 2-barrel carburetor, bench seats, and nothing but wind for floorboards. I kept this thing running on a shoestring budget, with soup cans and wire hangers.

Ken Carlson's Jaguar In the early 90's, my buddy Ken and I got together one morning and did a photo-shoot of our cars. We took a number of stills of his Jaguar, intending to creating an animated GIF of the car coming around the bend. (Remember, this was the early 90's.)