My first car was a '62 Corvair. I think I paid $325 for it, used. That would have been about 1968. I hate to say it here in a Corvair enthusiast thread, but it was a real POS. The engine, the body, the handling, everything about it. I do not remember any good things about it beyond that it got me away from my parents, when it was not apart in the garage... GM had many follies during those times. Very poor engineering. After that I had a '64 VW beetle. It had over 100K miles on it when I got it. Paid $400 for it. I drove it for at least a decade, and it was a wonderful car, simple design, easy to fix, cheap parts availability. A wonderful little car, that defined "simply elegant." Perfect for a penniless student...