amazing wheels
Jul. 29th, 2002 02:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceagleThis is just a lil tribute to my devoted car.. :>
Back at the end of 1982, it started to be evident I was going to need more reliable wheels.. in fact, my supervisor at work suggested it, or consider shipping out! 8| So for the first time I considered getting a new car.
After going to way too many dealerships where I seemed to know more about the car than the salesman knew, I started to look into Hondas, having heard some good things about them from two family members. I wanted a sedan because I liked having a trunk and also being able to seat at least 5 people :> Even at $8,500 the cheapest ones were still a bit out of my range, working part-time for $4.40 hr.
Within a few weeks, a salesperson I was working with suddenly called me with a deal.. some one had bought a car a week previously and brought it back for a trade-in of the same car in automatic.. it seems they had bought this car without being able to operate a clutch 8| !
After the dealer fixed some right-front-end damage, you could hardly tell there was a problem there before.. and the car had 170 miles on it, but he told me they had to sell it as used.. so I could get it for $6,200 !
The only drawback was that is was a hatchback.. or so I thought ;> I have gotten an entire Christmas tree in the car *hehheh!* The seats weren't too contoured, so I went to put in the nice european seats from my old car in there, and the seat-track was nearly identical! After cutting two inches off the track length, the seat went in perfectly :> ..I just changed one seat, since I can't flip it forward (sedan seat in a hatchback) and wanted to leave one seat with the ability to do that.
Well, now it's at 408,000 miles (with the same clutch!) and still purring like a kitten *wags tail* My previous jalopy went thru 3 clutches by 68,000 miles, and needed a valve job at 70,000!
I am not all that superstitious, but I sometimes like to think it's because I made a little deal with the car.. 'you take care of me and I'll take care of you' :> I have always taken it in for service at 7,000 or so mile intervals, and put super gas in it too. Maybe the motto the year my car was made, "We make it simple" really states why it has endured so well actually *warble* :>
My Dad tells me that Honda should see my car as a shining example and give me a new one free.. heh, ohhhhhhhhh yeah ;> I recently got a replacement part for it at a scrap shop, and the car it came off of had 330,000 miles... and my buddy Gene Catlow's car (not a Honda) had 495,000 miles before it needed a new engine.. :D ..so I'm sure there are plenty of shining examples of cars out there that have stayed the course a long time.
Still, I am very thankful for my little car. It has never decided its plans are more important than mine, and it has never kept me from getting to an appointment.
20 years and counting.. thank you, lil' car :>
Back at the end of 1982, it started to be evident I was going to need more reliable wheels.. in fact, my supervisor at work suggested it, or consider shipping out! 8| So for the first time I considered getting a new car.
After going to way too many dealerships where I seemed to know more about the car than the salesman knew, I started to look into Hondas, having heard some good things about them from two family members. I wanted a sedan because I liked having a trunk and also being able to seat at least 5 people :> Even at $8,500 the cheapest ones were still a bit out of my range, working part-time for $4.40 hr.
Within a few weeks, a salesperson I was working with suddenly called me with a deal.. some one had bought a car a week previously and brought it back for a trade-in of the same car in automatic.. it seems they had bought this car without being able to operate a clutch 8| !
After the dealer fixed some right-front-end damage, you could hardly tell there was a problem there before.. and the car had 170 miles on it, but he told me they had to sell it as used.. so I could get it for $6,200 !
The only drawback was that is was a hatchback.. or so I thought ;> I have gotten an entire Christmas tree in the car *hehheh!* The seats weren't too contoured, so I went to put in the nice european seats from my old car in there, and the seat-track was nearly identical! After cutting two inches off the track length, the seat went in perfectly :> ..I just changed one seat, since I can't flip it forward (sedan seat in a hatchback) and wanted to leave one seat with the ability to do that.
Well, now it's at 408,000 miles (with the same clutch!) and still purring like a kitten *wags tail* My previous jalopy went thru 3 clutches by 68,000 miles, and needed a valve job at 70,000!
I am not all that superstitious, but I sometimes like to think it's because I made a little deal with the car.. 'you take care of me and I'll take care of you' :> I have always taken it in for service at 7,000 or so mile intervals, and put super gas in it too. Maybe the motto the year my car was made, "We make it simple" really states why it has endured so well actually *warble* :>
My Dad tells me that Honda should see my car as a shining example and give me a new one free.. heh, ohhhhhhhhh yeah ;> I recently got a replacement part for it at a scrap shop, and the car it came off of had 330,000 miles... and my buddy Gene Catlow's car (not a Honda) had 495,000 miles before it needed a new engine.. :D ..so I'm sure there are plenty of shining examples of cars out there that have stayed the course a long time.
Still, I am very thankful for my little car. It has never decided its plans are more important than mine, and it has never kept me from getting to an appointment.
20 years and counting.. thank you, lil' car :>
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no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 07:00 am (UTC)Great Car Story!
Date: 2002-07-29 07:16 am (UTC)That was beautiful, my dear friend! I’m glad to have had the opportunity to ride in your Honda! It was great. And I loved the comment you made to me at the time: "You hear that rattling noise in the engine? It sounds like a mouse scampering in there. It helps the eagle salivate for food." :> (Something to that effect).
It’s amazing you’ve gotten so much mileage and usage out of your car. You’ve inspired me to post a story about my old Mazda 323! Maybe once I find time this morning, I shall have to do that!
*winghugsnugs*
no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 07:40 am (UTC)I never had anything last that long
In fact, my most recent loss was my 88 Toyota Camry, hauled off as scrap a few months ago for a total sale price of $150. I now have no car at all and have to drive the camper van when I need to haul cargo. Otherwise it is bicycle time.
Re: I never had anything last that long
Date: 2002-07-29 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-30 01:55 am (UTC)Buran - Yep... Civic :>
Dad and also my cousin had the CVCC ones, Dad's an Accord and cuz' was a Civic, both cars from the 1970s. The CVCC as I recall was a reference to their engine which could use either leaded or unleaded gas at the time. *warble*
The Accord saved my pop's life the one time he fell asleep driving back from Vegas (first and final time!). I still have the radio from that 1970s Accord in my car too..!
Glad your parents dig 'em too! And yeah, I like that Insight.. the seats feel reeeeeeal nice too, they have got a very good ergonomic match for comfort.. and the 72 miles per gallon doesn't hurt either ;>
It's the $19,000 that would kinda hurt just now though.. *heh*
Lanakila - *heh!* Thanks for the reminder about the mouse in my dashboard! :D It has gotten much better (quieter) of late.. maybe it's low on cheese..
And of course, sorry you had to lose your older car, ..but at least the replacement is serving ya well :> Any time you wanna write it up, I'll peek in n read..
Expy - :D *wingpats your shoulder* Glad you dug the read.. :> I hear that about areas with snow and the salt eating thru the autos.. :P Car-eating potholes!.. . *skreee heh hee!* There oughta be a law!!
I'm over in the Los Angeles area of Californy.. ya know.. the place it never rains...? ;>
Best of luck with getting them miles outa yer wheels!
Custer - yipe!...
Tragic to hear about them lemony-tinged car experiences... I still get chills once in a while thinkin' about your motorcycle experience, and am glad yer around to tell the tale..
Camry... odd that :/ Wish it could have gone longer.. I hear they can..? Another friend just bought this years' Camry and is hoping to get a few hundred thou miles out of it. He is one of the nearly dozen people who had bought Hondas based on the success of mine, even when it was only 7 or so years old .. He had a Civic that just went from 1988 to now, but he probably drove it super tuff.. I think he still got 350,000 miles out of it.. He only went with the Camry due to the deal and supposed reputation. I truly wish him well.. it has a nice interior too, but very annoying seat belt system.
p.s. ...Buran likes VW vans.. ;> You might have a customer!