Why did you buy your first StarQuest?

[viper1355]

I was reading the "first stick experience" thread, and it reminded me of how I was thinking when I bought my first Quest. Made me curious about everyone else. I'll share first:

 

I was looking for my second car as the cavalier I was driving was on it's last legs. Browsing CL looking for something AWD, stick, and fun. I came across a listing for a "Conquest/Starion." In my head I was thinking of the AWD Starion rally car from Gran Turismo, so I went to look at it. Got there, and instantly fell in love with the car ('88 Fiji Quest, clean as a whistle).

 

Long story short I decided I had to have the car, even though it was RWD, so I put some money together quick and paid the asking price of 5k. Learned to drive stick on it, and that started the obsession XD

[importwarrior]

Saw an 86 widebody on the show room floor back in early 86

Wanted one since.

Then in 1990 saw a few left over Fiji's on the lot.

Wanted to buy one but father firmly said no.

Then years flew by and in 2000 got my first 87 Atlantic blue.

Fell in love! I wanted a 89 Fiji but the 87 was a one owner.

5 more later I now have my 89 fijji. So happy. Needs a lot of work.

But not giving it up.

[Colin]

Playing Forza 4 on my xbox I won one in a race. I thought damn I've never seen one before there's no way they made them in America. When I found out they did, I knew I had to have one.

[mrvwbug]

I was just out of high school and saw a flatty at the local burger joint where I was living at the time in Castle Rock Colorado, 1986. I then saw my first widebody up close and I have been hooked ever since. Then, in 1993 I found a 1983 Starion Dakota Sand in color with Digital Dash - I bought it from a mechanic for $1800. I was ontop of the world. it was in very good condition almost excellent. Everyone at work and while I was in college was in envy of me. I loved that car. I wish I could get another one just like it!

 

Cheers,

 

SLim Jim

[ucw458]

I wanted a 4 cyl turbo car to tinker with. Something different from my 60s v8. I was looking at getting a daytona or convertible lebaron with a 2.2 turbo. Then I found out SQs were RWD. As soon as I learned that I found one and bought it.

[pcristquester]

Saw a new Fiji driving around during my high school days and knew I'd eventually get one. Love at first site. Couldn't afford one til a decade later. Got a red 86 in '98

[markhansenconquest]

When my dad pulled up at my sisters house for a family party everyone looked out the window and said what the **** ....and I said that's going to be mine.!!!!!!!!!! It took 18 years to finally get him to part with it and a 1 1/2 years later to have a bad driver to take it away (RIP ) then another year and a half to find my black 87 .... :D :DThat's where I am at now....getting back what was taken away from me....THANKS FOR SQC AND ALL THE PEOPLE ON HERE FOR HELPING ME GET WHAT WAS PROMISED TO ME BACK...........With out this club I don't think there would be very many of us ........ Edited March 6, 2015 by markhansenconquest

[techboy]

I was about 14 or 15 when I got my first job as a dishwasher at a somewhat upscale restaurant. The head cook had a Durban, I know now it must have been an 88. Anyway, I just thought it was about the coolest car I'd ever seen in my life. I knew someday I'd own one. After college I spent a long time in the DSM scene (still do), but I never forgot about my Starquest desire. Once I got to a somewhat "happy place" with my Eclipse I knew it was time for a new car project and knew exactly what was next in line. So, here I am. Took about 15 years from that first time I laid eyes on one, but it happened nonetheless.

 

EDIT: Looking back, the funny thing is, I thought it would be an easy transition from DSM to Starquest. I quickly found out that other than the manufacturer emblem and the power steering reservoir there is very little carry over between the two.

Edited March 6, 2015 by techboy

[19cturbo]

my buddy in high school had one, never heard of it, never seen it.. first time i layed eyes on it i knew i wanted it. because it was better than any 240 or anything else i had seen in stock form!

[BuGG]

A neighbor friends father had a red with black leather and he took us to a little league baseball game back in 88 or 89. Even though I was 12 or 13 it was tight in the back seat. I just loved the look of the car. It was the first time I saw it close up and it was new and beautiful. I would see it driving around the neighborhood and It would always catch my eye. He later sold it for an Acura Legend because the conquest was short on legroom and he was like 6'4". Jump to fall of 1993 my dad and I were looking for a father son rebuild project so we hit several rebuild-able lots one day. There it was up near Pocono raceway and it had extensive front end damage from a collision. I just had to have it. So we went back and had it towed home and the learning began. No internet forums back then. I didn't find the first knowledgeable conquest site (cant remember the name) on the internet until I had already sold that car in 1997. I drove it year round in deep snow and 5 trips from Philly to south Florida. Edited March 6, 2015 by BuGG

[87redcat]

Got my license in 83 and saw my first SQC at the dealer. I remember my Mom stopped in with me to look at it. She just shook her head and said it was too much money. When I was in the Marines in NC one of the guys had one and I was in love again. It was an 88 fiji and I drooled every time I saw it. When I was in Okinawa I only saw a few and remember seeing a horse emblem on the fenders... Never got to race one with my Toyota Carina

FF to 2007 and I looked on ebay for no good reason and bid on a Rio 87 from Northern Ohio. I got my car...

[TexasQuest]

Always thought they looked cool as hell. One of the sexiest cars of all time imo. Saw a Fiji blue one at a friends shop down the street from where I was living at the time. I remember thinking to myself, "Who has one around here?" and "I wish it was for sale". Sure enough the very next day it was out on the corner with a for sale sign in it. I remember clear as day walking down the street to look at it. I clearly remember saying to myself as I approached it, "If it's a 5 speed I'm buying it no matter what" Lol. Well sure enough it was but it needed a lot of work and ran.....ok at best. That was July 2006.

[Skullzaflare]

back in 07 i believe it was, i went to a junkyard that i used to frequent. There sat a white one, very nice body, locked up engine. Was going to try and buy it, never seen or heard of them before but i loved the body. Week later it was gone, think it was scrapped, few days later i rescued a miata from the same yard, with a "blown up" motor that was just the timing belt off 6 teeth

[Malykaii]

Wanted a project. Ended up using it for parts for a montero turbo swap. Car was too far gone to save.

[Bills89quest]

Freshman year of High School in 91,I went to first day of wrestling practice and the best wrestler on the team was a Senior Randy and he had an 89, beautiful Fiji, I fell in love at first site. I knew one day I would own one, then my best friend got an 88 Starion our senior year, it was black on black, five speed, and I drove that car like I stole it, as he wasn't much of a driver so every time someone wanted to race, I got to be the one behind the wheel. I finally bought my silver 89 shp about a year ago, and now I have 3 lol. Edited March 6, 2015 by Bills89quest

[Turbo Cary]

Summer of 2010 I had a busted EF civic that was a beater. I was talking to my friend and said "I want something 4 cylinder turbo and rwd from the factory." He said "where are you going to find that?" We had just left my managers house and said this as we turned in a neighborhood and saw Joe's white conquest.

 

I didnt know what they were but looked cool. He was outside and I asked him if it was for sale. He said no but had a body on jackstands in his garage. 86 with 63k on it. I spent a month or two on my days off and put it back together. Have had it ever since. Its now at 108k on the odometer 5 years later. I love it.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Turbo Cary

[jmactenn]

Got tired of giving my wife my old cars when I got new cars. So I traded in my 84 Subaru turbo wagon for an 87 Conquest TSI for her. She kept that car super clean, including under hood. Then I traded it for a 93 Mustang convertible. monochrome white special edition. And I have heard about it ever since. She really hated that car.

[Guest]

Got my first one for FREE! From a disappointed and disallusioned owner, after his 3rd headgasket, my nephew just gave me the keys and "take it, set it on fire!"

 

I always wanted one as a kid when I first saw one in 89. Forward to 1999 and that had been my car of preference since.

[Fuze]

Wasn't even looking for a car but saw this clean white '89 sitting in a driveway with a sign on it, they wanted $4500. Car had 60K on it, I was aware of them from my childhood but would confuse them with Supras as a kid. Something happened in my head and I went to the bank and took out my first loan and bought it a week later. I think that was in 1995.

 

The Conquest was my second RWD car after my old '80 Corolla. I drove it home with no plates or paperwork and proceeded to take everybody I knew on a drift run around the neighborhood, it had the OEM Yokohamas and they were bald. Ahh, my first drift experiences, don't let anybody tell you a stock Starion won't drift.

 

After about 7 runs my roommate came home and wanted to go for a spin. Too bad that's exactly what happened when I tried to link two turns together and boost my way out of it... the car got silly and spun 180, then slid over a curb onto a lawn with the wheels spinning forwards. Actually went across the lawn and over their driveway backwards. I drove the car home and parked it, then went looking for a new set of rear rims in the Want Ad Press.. yeah, there was no Craigslist or eBay. $400 later I learned my first expensive lesson after driving 3 hours to go pick them up my second day owning the car. It's been that way pretty much since then.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Fuze

[IntercooledFlatty]

In 88' a buddy had just got a job with Chrysler and came over to show me his company car, yes, an 88 SHP Yellow sunroof auto . instant love then i followed Project Conquistador http://www.flickriver.com/photos/splattergraphics/3622284792/ and being a MOPAR guy, knew i had to do that one day

these cars just have something about them... but you know that

[leesfer]

Was browsing Craigslist for $500 cars to use in the 24 Hours of Lemons and found my quest for $600... then I accidentally fell in love with it and couldn't use it for Lemons anymore so now it just sucks my money away instead.

[Convette]

I saw a red sports car. Bought it.

[psu_Crash]

I was always a fan of the Porsche 944. After I caught my '91 Talon on fire and totalled it I had insurance money and started the hunt. Checked out a black quest near me and fell in love. I thought it had a strong resemblance to the 944. I had never heard of a Conquest before but knew I wanted one. The black one was beat up so I started looking online. Became a member of this site and made a post in the summer of 1999.

Paul Cleary from Toronto had a beautiful show room clean '86 Starion for sale.

We talked a few times then I went to meet him half way at Niagara Falls. Test drove the car and had to have it.

About a month later I drove to his house near Toronto and picked it up. The rest is history

[viper1355]

I'm seeing a common thread here... "I saw it and had to have it!" There really is something special about these cars that draws the eye.

[Guest]

I'm seeing a common thread here... "I saw it and had to have it!" There really is something special about these cars that draws the eye.

 

And sucks the life blood out of our wallets!