1996 Toyota Corolla - I will miss you!

I have to write and tell you about this car. I bought it used in 2001 when it had 65,000 miles on it. We immediately replaced the timing chain, and replaced the clutch at 160,000 miles. Other than oil changes, it has never needed any other work. It has consistently gotten 30-35 mpg (my commute is mostly freeway), although she didn't like our winter ethanol blend as much as summer gas.

She replaced a 1991 Taurus Wagon - that hit a little deer at 40 mph and broke itself so bad it wouldn't run ($6000 damage!!!!) Shopping for a replacement for the Ford, we realized that we didn't need a big wagon anymore (kids were in middle school now so I didn't have to wrestle with car seats), and we looked for compact - I had planned on a Nissan Sentra (I was very pleased with the one I had bought new in 1984, which is currently being driven by my now 18 yr old daughter, and still going strong at +200K
!) We put the word out to the dealers, and this little ruby popped up with the right price ($6600) and turned out to be just what we needed.

I put just shy of 100,000 miles on that car in the 6 years I drove it. She was extremely reliable, extremely comfortable (OK, I'm only 5-2), great visibility (even though I'm 5-2), however, the car itself seems to be invisible to everyone around it (including the state patrol - LOL!)

I totalled this car a few weeks ago, when a Pontiac Van turned in front of me (invisible, remember?) I broadsided this van at about 25-30 mph, hit it so hard I bounced back several feet! I did not even have a bruise. She didn't stall, so I pulled off the road into the parking lot (that the van was pulling into from the other side of the road). The front was crumpled, but not noticeably so, the headlights were mangled, but still worked. In fact, all the lights still worked (they did point in funny directions though). The radiator was apparently pushed back and then sprung back into position (the alternator left an impression in it), but it didn't leak. There was a new rumble in the low gears (seems the engine shifted a few millimeters), but the car is still totally drivable!!!

I have been driving it for three weeks while we shopped for a replacement, which we found last night. My little red '96 is being replaced by a '98 champagne Corolla LE, which we're picking up this weekend. This one has all the bells and whistles, and (barring vans that are in too big of a hurry to look before crossing the road) I expect to still be driving it 12 years from now!