I took posession of my first car in the spring of 1985. It was a red 1975 Chevette that my dad handed down to me. It was not an impressive car, but it got me from point A to point B. The OIL light was always on, so I had no idea when it actually needed oil. As a result, I threw a rod in the spring of 1986 and my little red 'vette went to car heaven.
I purchased my second car for about $3000 in the summer of 1986. It was a 1983 Toyota Tercel, affectionately known as the Turdcel. It was blue and boxy, and the speedometer maxed out at 85 mph, but it saw me through many trips back and forth to Nashville (college) and Pensacola (Navy). It was a nice enough car, but the vinyl interior and lack of CD and cruise control didn't do much for me.
Around Labor Day of 1993, as my carer as a Naval Officer was drawing to a close, I got a case of car fever. Some of my friends were buying new cars, I had a couple thousand dollars saved up, and I wanted a new ride.
I paid a visit to Ron Samuels Toyota in Pensacola, FL, where a slick salesman introduced me to a new 1993 Celica GT. Unlike most Celicas, it was a hatchback. It was sporty, sleek, black and shiny. As much as I didn't want the salesman to know it, I loved the car at first sight.
I test-drove it on the interstate, cruising smoothly at just over 90 mph, ignoring the salesman's warnings about speed traps and the like. I loved the slick layout of the dash. I opened the sunroof, blasted the stereo (complete with CD!), and drank it in.
As we pulled back into the dealership, the salesman pointed to a very specific sopt in which he wanted me to park. Naturally, when we stepped iside to talk turkey, he led me to a seat where the car was in my direct line of sight.
There it sat, all black and shiny, calling my name. I tried to haggle with the salesman, but I was young and inexperienced, and he was not. I probably called my dad from the war room a half dozen times, but one thing was certain. I was buying this car.
Eventually, we got everything hammered out and I traded in the Turdcel and took ownership of my first (and probably last) brand-new car. I drove it home to my apartment and caught myself looking out the window every five minutes to make sure it was still there -- surely, such a shiny new car would be noticed and immediately stolen!
People noticed my car. I got several comments from friends, acquaintances and strangers. Guys liked my car. Girls liked my car. One guy who worked in my office remarked, upon seeong me pull intot he parking lot one morning (without a trace of sarcasm): "Sir, I had no idea you were so awesome!"
I went out on a date with a girl - a one date wonder - who liked my car so much that, when I ran into her a few months later, she asked me, "Do you still have that cool car?" Had I found her remotely interesting, a second date could have been credited entirely to the Celica.
During my last few months in the Navy, I took the Celica -- or, perhaps, the Celica took me -- to Ft Walton Beach, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Mobile, and of course, Chattanooga. I made it from Pensacola to Chattanooga (400 miles) in five and a quarter hours. I drove 30 miles one way to and from work every day. I listened to CD's, employed the cruise control, and sped along with the windows down and sunroof open as often as I could.
After the Navy, when I settled back in Chattanooga in the summer of 1994, I still took many trips in the Celica. I went to Nashville and Pensacola a lot, but frankly, my daily commute was as pleasurable as a long trip on the freeway. I loved my car.
In 1995 I met a girl and fell in love. I'm not sure she was as enamored with my car as I was, but I took her everywhere in it. When we got married in 1996, it was the vehicle in which I drove her home to our apartment. It served as our primary means of transportation for almost three years.
Eventually, my wife's 1990 Nissan Sentra was no longer suitable for our needs, so we sought to replace it. in April of 1999, we bought a 1995 Honda Accord. As a 4-door car, it was more appropriate as a primary means of transportation than my beloved 2-door Celica... but I still got to drive my Black Beauty to and from work every day. If I was travelling solo, I was in the Celica.
Got to go to bed.. Will finish later... be patient!
As partially seen on On the Other Hand!!!
A good sports car; runs very well; no major mechanical problems ever
One owner (me)
Oil changed fairly religiously every 4,000 miles
Black exterior, grey interior
Liftback
5-speed, AC, AM/FM/CD, cruise control
About 168,000 miles (I'd be sorely disappointed if it didn't go to at least a quarter million and beyond)
Clean title
Hatchback area can hold a remarkable amount of cargo
Will make the Kessel Run in just under 12 parsecs.
Nice looking car; I've only seen 3 or 4 just like it in Chattanooga since 1994.
Kelley Blue Book Value (high mileage; good condition): $2400
A few minor issues (hey, it's a 12 year-old car!), but still a very good little car
Buy this car!
It's been a very reliable, economical, awesome car for me since September 1993. I love it and am reluctantly putting it up for sale.
For the back story, read the post above this one.
I'd like to get $2100 for it. That's quite a bargain. Sentimentally, it's worth $10,000.
Leave a comment here if you want to see it. OR you can call me at:
five-oh-four, zero-one-four-six
If I can get my hands on a digital camera, I'll try to post a picture.
Take a look! Make an offer!