These Are Your Worst Car Abuse Stories

I remember doing donuts in the back lawn of my high school (and the grassy/sandy vacant lot next to my buddy’s house)…in my dad’s E150 work van. Aside from throwing all the tools around in the back (the second incident, a friend of mine was riding in the back, as it only had the two seats up front), I wouldn’t call that overly abusive though.

I wouldn’t really say this was intentionally abusive either, but the car was not happy with me. Was taking my ‘81 Z28 (305, 4-speed) for one last drive last November, went to make a right turn at a particularly interesting intersection (a little blind, cars coming from the left rather quickly out of nowhere). Cars were coming but far enough back that I had plenty of time…except for the fact I wasn’t in first, I was in third.

It became immediately apparent as I proceeded out into the intersection, so I, in a panic, went to throw the car into first…but this being a Super T10, the car has very close gates – and reverse up and to the left. So, of course, I did not put it into 1st, but into Reverse – while moving forward, leading to some awful noises and vibrations. At that point, I had to make the decision to get out of the intersection as those far away cars were now very close and probably wondering what in the hell was going on. Backed up very quickly (thankfully nobody behind me) and made my attempt once the line of cars had past. It really seemed to hate second (oddly, as that gear was not involved in that debacle) right after.

On my way home, I stopped to fill the tank up in preparation for parking it for the winter and when I went to leave, the starter would spin, but refused to engage. I am pretty sure that was the car specifically stating its feelings toward me that day.

Whoops.

When I was a kid, the E-series was The Van. It was everywhere, in every logo and livery you could imagine; unseen and omnipresent. To imagine one doing donuts brings a sense of peace and joy to my inner child.

Submitted by: MP81