Pops co-signed a loan for me so I could buy my first car.  Bought used from a Cornell University graduate student who was upgrading to a Porsche 924S. I worked a string of minimum wage jobs (dishwasher, prep cook, grocery store stock clerk, electronics assembler) so that I could afford the monthly payments, gas, insurance and general upkeep.  Still one of the most fun cars I've ever owned.  It was also very forgiving of my enthusiastic driving and it had ideal pedal placement for perfectly executing heel-toe rev-matched double-clutch downshifts. In hindsight, given the 8v motor, I believe the car was most likely a Jetta  GL updated to '92 GLI look.

1.8L 8 valve CIS fuel-injected engine

'92 Recaro seats and big bumpers/ fender trim/ side skirts/ trunk spoiler

auxiliary VDO/Audi 3 gauge setup

Blaupunkt cassette deck and speakers

short shifter

amber euro sidemarkers

Fubu antenna

Tectonics Tuning stainless steel cat-back exhaust

Neuspeed sway bars and lowering springs

Boge shocks/struts

Momo pedal covers

 

Purchased April 1996

Sold November 1997