I have owned all of my cars and never have had a car payment yet, but I also buy cars that need repairs and drive them in to the ground. I also have never sold a car because here in the salt belt of ny they will just slowly disappear with time.
This is what have I owned in order of when I bought them.
1972 Cadillac sedan deville, it was my first car when I was 16. She was a bit rusted when I got it, but the most comfortable car I have ever owned. I still have the engine and tran in my garage, it ended up in the junk yard
1980 dodge ram pick-up, bought it for $200 drove it till the body was falling off. It was a great truck.
1972 Plymouth gran fury, still have it to this day and is one of my summer only cars. I am in the process of restoring it now.
1991 Ford Ranger, bought it for $400. had it for 10 years till I hit ice and cartwheeled it in a ditch , I still miss this truck.
1999 Ford contour sport, bought it for $500. I put a lot of mods and time in to it and I drove it all across the east cost, it was a great car but rust was the killer of it, I still have it for a parts car.
1991 Ford f150, got this for $300. It needed a new exhaust and brakes and brake lines. I drove it till the oil pan and the frame had some holes in it.
1995 Saturn Sl2, bought it for 200. When I bought it the trans was messing up and it had damage from a dear on the hood. So I installed a new value body in the trans and installed hood pin on the hood. My SO spun out on her way to work and crumpled the frame against the curb going 15.
1996 Subaru legacy L. Got this one for $100, it needed a starter and some brake work. I ended up lifting it about 2 inches with different suspension, and it is now my winter only car. It also has 240,000 and still going.
1999 Ford contour SVT, I picked this car up in PA so it's pretty much rust free with low miles and it's only driven durning the summer. I love this car and it is my dream car.
2000 Ford focus zx3. Bought it for 900 and it was a pain in my neck but after replacing the timing belt, exhaust system, all of the brakes, every part in the suspension with svt parts, and the rear hatch, But after all that it is a good car now and very fun car with the svt suspension.
1998 Ford escort zx2, got this one for $100. It needed a new oil pan and front brakes, but so far it's the best money I have spent and is a very fun car.
1967 Ford Fairlane, got this car for free. But it also has not engine or trans and need some body work. I have a engine lined up for it just need to find a trans now.