It really is a champ - 1994 Suzuki Swift GT. It runs great and does what I ask of it.
Saturday, I drove from Youngstown, OH to Chattanooga, TN, with rain all the way through Kentucky. Today, I drove back. The car didn’t give me a bit of protest during either trip.
I’ve been thinking about getting a new(er) car…and then I have a drive like today, where the weather is beautiful and the car reminds me how great it is and I wonder what I could be thinking about?
We did the 60,000 (it’s at about 130,000 miles)mile maintanence (well, my brother did it, I watched) while I was there - new fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs and wires, distributor cap and wire…I still have to order a timing belt and have that replaced, since he couldn’t get one in before my trip. The car’s just happy as can be at the moment.
I know eventually I’ll have to get another car - and I’m sure I’ll like it when I do. But damn, I love this car. Good running, and it took me maybe $30 in gas to drive back up.
If you can get that belt changed cheap, drive it 'til the wheels fall off. Resale will likely be poor and it sounds like your car has many good miles left in it. Keep up to date on service and it should continue to perform well.
Oh, the belt’s easy to change - I can get in and do it myself (I could have done the 60,000 maintenance myself, but my brother loves the car too, so I’ll let him do it. Plus can doesn’t necessarily mean want to). I can order one through the dealership - this part can sometimes be hard to get other places, and if I go through a dealer I know it’s the right part - and take a morning to change it out, or I could get my local mechanic to do it. He’ll probably do it faster than I could, so I’ll probably go that way.
I intend to keep driving it, at least unless I get some sort of wonderful deal on a new car. Plus, I love not having a car payment.
She’s a dark blue Honda Civic, named Leila the Car (we always name our cars, both in my husband’s family and in mine). I got her last year just when the gas prices started to skyrocket. I fill up about once a week, and until a few weeks ago I was able to fill up for less than $20.
I have to get my 95 Suzuki Swift throught NCT (=National Car Test) on Monday. Your post gives me hope that it might pass without too much trouble. Fingers crossed. And yes, I love my car too.
I love my '97 Saturn, not only just because as of this month, she’s paid off. She runs great and I anticipate several more years out of her. And no more payments!
