As a freshman in college at Arizona State University (August 1997), this 1986 Chrysler Laser 2.2L Turbo became my very first vehicle owned. I payed a bank-account-draining $1400 cash for the Laser, but felt that it was a respectable price for the shape it appeared to be in. Having never been around anything automotive, this car (107,000 miles when purchased) became my initiation. Through many months of operation, it continued to run, but was constantly plagued with problems. Broken heater control valve. Broken belt. Broken hatch lift struts. Broken oil pressure sensor. And so on. Only on two occasions while I owned it was I ever stranded somewhere by this car. But it still kept me greasy with its weekly (if not daily) problems. Before I knew it, I was very quickly making up for my lack of car knowledge. It sure it true that you learn by doing! The first time the Laser left me stranded, it ended up being a front CV joint. The second occasion, however, prompted me to consider getting rid of it. In the spring of 2000, the head gasket blew. Short on money (as always), I opted to repair it at home with the help of my generous neighbor, Mike Lundy. Following the lengthy repair (Lasers are not easy to tear apart), I soon decided that it was best to sell the vehicle before it stranded me (or bankrupt me) again. At the time, I was already in the process of converting my S-10 pickup to electric. I knew I only needed something to reliably get me to and from work and school for a while longer. So off to the Auto Trader it was! In May of 2000, I sold the Laser for $1600... awesome Kenwood stereo included. Though I did spend a few dollars repairing this vehicle, I was happy to have sold it for more than I purchased it for! It certainly made my efforts seem worthwhile.