The One That Got Away

What’s your story of “the one that got away”? Today, we’re not talking about past flings, but the cars that we’ve let slip through our fingers.

Anyone with a driver’s license likely has a story of their own: a vehicle from years ago that you sold, gave away or otherwise moved on from that you wish you had back in your garage. Maybe it’s a classic Jeep Wagoneer with the Griswoldian wood paneling. Maybe it’s an old Chevy Blazer that you sold in order to buy something safer for the family. Or perhaps it’s a Volkswagen Vanagon you puttered around the country in before settling down.

Oftentimes, the cars we love the most are not the most desirable on paper. But one man’s lemon is another man’s dream machine — as we found out when we asked 12 automotive journalists and photographers to each tell the story of the unexpected vehicle that left a gaping hole in their garage.