I had a used 1977 Monza in high school. Pros: It was $750, and it lasted two years. Cons: No power despite the V8, poor gas mileage, expensive tune-ups becaus

I had a used 1977 Monza in high school. Pros: It was $750, and it lasted two years. Cons: No power despite the V8, poor gas mileage, expensive tune-ups because the V8 was squeezed in so tightly that you needed to lift the engine to change the rear spark plugs, poor handling (heavy engine, tiny tires, primitive suspension), frightening braking (weight again). It taught me a few life lessons. First, always dig deep rather than trusting the surface impression created by marketing. Just because it has a V8 doesn't mean it's fast. Second, don't work at a company where the engineers are forced to make crap. (Any affordable car is a compromise, but shoving a V8 into a car with no room for a V8 and then starving it of air isn't compromise, it's a joke.)