--- title: "Show Us a Picture of Your First Car" description: "First cars—they always hold a special place in our hearts. Mine was a 1997 Dodge [Ram 1500]() I inherited from my brother. I started driving it about 12 years after it was purchased new. It had the 5.2 Magnum V8…" date: "2024-03-06" modified: "2024-03-06" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/show-us-a-picture-of-your-first-car" categories: - "Culture" - "News" - "QOTD" tags: - "1500" - "dodge" - "pickup" - "ram" --- # Show Us a Picture of Your First Car ![]() *\Stellantis\* First cars—they always hold a special place in our hearts. Mine was a 1997 Dodge [Ram 1500]() I inherited from my brother. I started driving it about 12 years after it was purchased new. It had the 5.2 Magnum V8 with four-wheel drive, and it was a single cab, per the style at the time. I didn't like it when I was a teenager because I did not grow up a truck boy, but I miss it today. And now I'll put it to you: Share a picture with the class of *your* first car. If you couldn't tell by the general clarity of that image, the pose and tilt, and the fact that the dang truck is spotless, what you see up there is a '90s Chrysler press shot, not a photo of my actual Ram. Visually, I'd say the only difference between that truck and mine is that mine had matte silver five-spokes rather than chrome wheels, side steps, and fog lights. I know photos of the pickup exist, but they're buried in a drawer somewhere in my parents' house. Oh, the pain of pre-digital media. ![]() *Anyone in my life who had an opportunity to stop this haircut and didn't owes me one. Adam Ismail* But don't be like me if you can avoid it! Today we're sharing pictures of our own first cars. If you don't have one on hand, then sure, find a car on Google Images that's pretty close in appearance and trim. You can also upload a picture of your *second* ride if you have to. That's mine up there: a blue 2012 Ford Focus (unfortunately, yeah, it had the [PowerShift]()). I don't know which part of the brain is responsible for the feeling of embarrassment, but that part of mine was absolutely screaming in objection as I dragged this jpeg off Facebook and onto my desktop. Alas, here we are. And this one does have me in it, which is immediately apparent to anyone who knows me because I'm wearing a *[Wipeout]()* t-shirt I made myself. Is it any wonder I don't miss high school? Anyway, enough about the worst haircut anyone's ever had. Now it's your turn. Pictures say a thousand words, and this one's gotta say them about your first ride. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()