If you were 15 years old, had traveled the roads for over 188,000 miles and endured the salty streets of winters in New England, you might be ready to hit the skids too. My trusty Toyota Carolla has been deemed too gone to save…and that from the Toyota service department. I don’t want to believe them. There must be some way to redeem the old thing. I have not seen the undercarriage myself, but it couldn’t be as bad as they say. I asked what it would cost to fix it… and they wouldn’t even bother to estimate the repairs. “Lady, your car is beyond repair. It’s just not worth fixing. You hit a pothole the wrong way, and that back tire is going to fall off.” I was most discouraged.
When the muffler fell off last summer, my brother-in-law warned me the rust was pretty bad. But I only use the car for runs to the beach and the dump. If I drive real slow, maybe I can stretch it for one more summer? They warned me against selling the car. (Kelly Blue Book estimates the value at around $765 but that’s if it is in “fair” conditioin.) Liability problems. I wonder if I can give the car away?
I was going to use the car to pick up this year’s Christmas tree… but the local garden center was only just putting out the pines from upstate Vermont and now, I am on my way to sunshine in Florida for a week, so hauling Christmas boughs of holly will have to wait until I return.
Right now I do not want to think about all this. I am heading for palm trees and warm ocean waters. And maybe a new bathing suit, and a walk on the boardwalk, and some great seafood from the waves off Captiva and Sanibel. The car and the Christmas tree hauling will have to wait for my return.
What cha think? Is it time to let the old car go?
If you only drive on under 25mph roads and are prepared to deal with breaking down you can probably use it until something important falls off the undercarriage.
What will most likely happen is that something will go ‘clunk’ ‘scrape’ ‘scree’ and the car will come to a grinding halt wherever you may be. That will be the end. I don’t think it will be the brakes or drive shaft that go first, so you probably will retain control when the axle or a-frame rust through.
Dearest Wreckit …. Thanks for your encouraging words… i do believe i might still have a few more trips to the dump in the old girl… and I do avoid pot holes at all costs….. will report back with news as it unfolds….
It was time to put the old girl out to pasture a long time ago…rattle, rattle, cough, cough!
Donate the car. You can probably get a tax deduction. Don’t gamble on your safety. I assume you have another car if you are only driving this one to the dump.
My car, btw, is 16 years old, and I have had to do a few repairs this year, but it is otherwise in fine shape. 🙂
Hope you are having a great time in Florida!
The only person who should ride with you is wreck it ralph…they’re as crazy as you are…park the car…period!