​​​​​​Because humor is funnier when you know it's true.

The cars of my life (continued) 

I never could justify buying a new car, so I began my search for yet another used gem.  But I was now spoiled by my trusty Olds, and wanted a car just as good.  And so I turned to the so-called stars of reliability, the Japanese.  And since I now had a decent job, I decided to splurge a little.  I bought a used, silver Celica/Supra, Toyota’s very sleek, sporty model.  It gave me instant status with my coworkers in our tony Connecticut headquarters.  It was so cool in fact, that upon stopping at a local supermarket for a quick milk purchase one December day, I exited the store to find that my silver baby had been stolen!  It was never recovered.

With my insurance money, I decided to go for a somewhat less desirable car, a used Honda Accord sedan. After owning it for a very short time, I was about to start a new position at my company.  On the very first day of my new job, I was commuting to work in heavy traffic, looked down for a second at some paperwork on the passenger seat, and then looked up to see myself plowing into the rear of a Chevy van.  The van’s bumper was barely scratched.  My car was totaled.

This presented an opportunity for me to buy a new car for my wife at the time, and I inherited her used Honda Civic.  The Civic did well until its timing belt slipped on a long trip to North Carolina.  Though repaired, it was never the same after that.  To add insult to injury, when my wife ultimately filed for a divorce, the car’s engine blew in the middle of downtown Cincinnati on my way to meeting our divorce lawyers.  I guess her old car hated me too.

Since then, I’ve stuck with used Honda Accords.  They’re not flashy, and they don’t last forever.  But they’re pretty darn trustworthy, as long as you don’t run into Chevy vans.  And as a practical, point A to point B, retired engineer, I’m just fine with that.

-Rick M.