What's your biggest automtive related mistake?

[weedtank]

Bought a BMW 330ci that was in pristine condition, but for some reason things just kept breaking with no rhyme or reason. Never buying another German car.

[MokSpeed]

Originally Posted by pinski

Buying my old Lexus. It was comfy, quiet and reliable but had as much soul as a toaster.

That must have been one awesome Lexus!

[Koa]

I took my brother's '66 Nova SS with a 396 for a joyride when I was 16 around my neighborhood.

The neighborhood was a big, windy loop. I got on the gas in a corner, and lost control where the car started veering off to the right. I panicked, overcorrected, and while attempting to press on the brakes, actually got my foot wedged underneath the brake pedal and right on top of the accelerator.

I flew into my neighbor's open front yard, full of trees with a gazebo in the middle. I could see it in slow motion- I just knew I was going to hit that thing. Obviously was trying to brake at this point, but no use. I was flying going 50+ through grass. I tried to steer the course away from a front-end collision and bounced off two trees, one hitting the rear right quarter panel, then swinging the car to hit the left quarter panel. I then am now skidding sideways.

I run into the gazebo and climatically, the roof of the thing cascades down on top of the car, and after those moments of chaos and noise, everything goes quiet. It was just like in the god damn movies. I had to walk home, grab my Jeep, and go back there to get his son (my friend) to sit in the driver's seat so that he can steer while I towed it half a mile home. I'll never forget nor stop appreciating how cool they were to me/about the situation. My friend's only comment was, 'I never thought my first time sitting in your brother's ride would be like this' as he got out once home. bahah


-Epilogue-

I fixed the gazebo with my father (who was sooo mad at me. My brother was deployed in Iraq at the time, thank god. He would have murdered me if he didn't have 6 months to cool down).

I later bought my 2002 WRX from the guy's son (a school colleague). What a wild ride..

[daiheadjai]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

- I had a set of 18" BBS wheels on my STI. One time after pulling off one of the wheels, I left it standing on its own. Fell straight on its face on asphalt and left small scratches all over the face. Face, meet palm.

I actually did this with one of my PF01s the very first time I put them on.
Worst of all, I remembered thinking to myself "maybe I should lay the wheel down to be safe" followed by "Nah, it'll be fine"

Followed by a loud crash as the wheel faceplanted in my condo garage, and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

[pinski]

Originally Posted by MokSpeed

That must have been one awesome Lexus!

LOL! It wasn't a brave toaster, that's for sure.

[Dave-ROR]

Hmm most recent was this past weekend. Got to Road Atlanta after dark, it was cold and we weren't as diligent as we should have been backing the track car off the trailer. Drove the car into a Cayman S. That bill won't be the most fun car related expense I've ever paid.


Much longer ago it would be buying my S2K new in 06, selling it at a horrible time (08 or 09, both years sucked) and losing 12k or whatever in a short period of time. I think I only owed 4k on it at the time so it didn't seem as bad as it was.


Of course I'll likely lose ~7 or 8k on the BRZ soon also. :shrug:

[aaguilar3]

I did the one you see in the movies and shows. Well similar, I forgot to put the new oil filter on and fired up the engine to hear a big sploosh of oil all over the garage.

[Reaper]

Quick garage camber adjust to 1.2 on stock struts with 17x9 wheels and drove off not realizing the tire was rubbing the spring perch. Oops.

[gravitylover]

I had the most wonderful 1960 Willys CJ5 that I had hundreds of hours of TLC and thousands of hard earned dollars invested in. I did a lap of the country, hit over 35 states and bounced into Canada a few times too. It went everywhere (slowly) and got 22mpg doing it. One very hot (109*) afternoon I had a beer in the shade at a gas station and headed south on CA Hwy 99, shirt and shoes off, top off, ya know lazy summer afternoon ride

About fifteen minutes later I must have thought putting it on auto pilot and taking a nap was a good idea. Wrong The Jeep ended up in over 30 pieces scattered over a half acre of farmland and I was all banged up. 18 fractures in the head, bumps and bruises all over and I puked blood for three days

I miss that Jeep nearly every day. I also wonder who was watching over me that I'm not dead

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Koa

I run into the gazebo and climatically, the roof of the thing cascades down on top of the car, and after those moments of chaos and noise, everything goes quiet. It was just like in the god damn movies.

I have notified your local police department and they are prepared for you!

[Koa]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have notified your local police department and they are prepared for you!

Bahah Tcoat!

I had quite the laugh, despite it all.. thankful wasn't hurt and that a few patches to their yard & some lumber, roofing, and nails later we made everything better*.

*Except the poor SS.. bro still (rightfully) gives me shit for it

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Koa

*Except the poor SS.. bro still (rightfully) gives me shit for it

I can sympathise with him on that one!
Came back from UN deployment in Cyprus and found the one fender smashed in on my '70 Coronet R/T. Apparently my dad had decided it needed a run and took his buddy out with him. He had never drove it before and had always said it was "gutless" (he was a Ford guy). Well apparently he popped the clutch just as the rear end came down off a speed bump, broke traction and started heading down the road sideways. He always said he panicked and kept it pretty much floored until it eventually came to and abrupt stop against a pole. He never called it gutless again!


And shit ...I just now realized my dad was drifting in a massive muscle car way before drifting was a thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ultramaroon]

After doing a valve job, timing chain, and sprockets on my 240Z I very carefully installed my distributor/oil pump shaft exactly 180 degrees out.

I almost burned out my starter before admitting to myself there really was something wrong. Dumbass.

[Andrew025]

Getting my car back with a brand new bumper and then hitting a cone in the road cracking it and breaking my lip 5 days later.