My first car was a 1983 blue Toyota Corolla. Well, it was blue and rust. My friends called it the Toyota Corroded. It was my first car so no matter how bad, it was great.
I didn't buy it. My brother gave it to me when he got his first full time job and bought his first new car. He had purchased it second hand. I think I was the fourth driver.
He gave me the Corroded with one condition.
I didn't buy it. My brother gave it to me when he got his first full time job and bought his first new car. He had purchased it second hand. I think I was the fourth driver.
He gave me the Corroded with one condition.
The condition was, when I sell it, I give him the money. No problem, I said. And a fair deal if I ever heard one.
I drove the car for close to two two years. It got me to school, work and to play. In the first month I was nervous driving five-speed so I wouldn't take it on the highway. After a while, becoming more confident, highway or road way, I didn't care where it stalled.
I drove the car for close to two two years. It got me to school, work and to play. In the first month I was nervous driving five-speed so I wouldn't take it on the highway. After a while, becoming more confident, highway or road way, I didn't care where it stalled.
It had an AM-FM radio but no cassette deck. It burned oil. Once a week I would fill up with gasoline. Once a month, I would have to fill up with oil.
Coolant also seemed to go fast, it too was either burning up or leaking out.
Coolant also seemed to go fast, it too was either burning up or leaking out.
One day I was on my way to the downtown campus of Concordia University when my hood flew open. I invested in a some cord so it wouldn't happen again.
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| Had to scour the internet for a picture 1983 Toyota Corolla |
The car had intermittent windshield wipers. What I mean is, that they worked, but only sometimes. When the windows became dirty I would have to drive through a puddle and hope the splash would clean off the grime. I was forever tailgating people praying the spray from the tires would do the same.
When it got too cold out the heater did not work. Worked like a charm during the summer.
One door wouldn't close so I had to invest in a second cord to tie it shut. I knew it was time to get rid of it when I was ticketed twice within a week for that door not closing.
One door wouldn't close so I had to invest in a second cord to tie it shut. I knew it was time to get rid of it when I was ticketed twice within a week for that door not closing.
When I finally saved up enough money for a down payment on a new car, the dealer would not take the Corroded as a trade-in. "Take it off the road", I was told, "it's was too dangerous". Was it because the handbrake was not connected?
So, I made a deal with a scrapyard. They agreed to tow it away and pay me $50.
When the scrap guy showed up he refused to take it. It wasn't worth the $50. A scrapyard did not want my car. It was not worthy of their level of scrap. I had to convince him to take it for free. It was my first car. It was awesome.
