10 September 2008

So Long Little Red Corsica

Posted by Dan Satterfield

About 5 years ago the TV station I work for decided to auction off some of it’s older vehicles.

One car in particular had a very troubled past. A 1995 red Corsica. It seems that one time the steering wheel came off in a reporters hand while driving down the road. Then the transmission fell out of it as well. All those things were fixed and with 120,000 miles it was to be given to the highest bidder.

Enter Dan. I have NO knowledge of cars. I met my wife because she showed me where to check the oil in my car while I was at University. (It had very little to none at the time too.)

I needed a cheap car for my daughter and bid $700 on a lark. Well you guessed right. No one else was that stupid.

Now here is the rub. That little car ran great for 5 years with only one major repair costing 600$. All I care about in a car, is that it starts, and has a COLD air conditioner. It met the bill!

Until yesterday!

I drove home from a class I am teaching at Calhoun Community College here in Huntsville, and when I went back out to start it later that day, it made a tremendous noise.

The engine is toast. Dead as an Egyptian door nail. It did not quite make it to 238,000 miles. (The average Earth – Moon distance)

The mechanic said that I should have heard something strange as a warning. (To quote a famous actor: “He don’t know me very well, do he”. B. Bunny)

My 13 year old son is Autistic, and spent many a happy hour on the boot watching the world go by. He will miss it too.

So long little red car, slowly rotting from the inside out, I will miss you. (I bought a Kia Rio 2007 that gets 38 mpg!) I just need a new Apple sticker.