Ever since some person who’s going to be in the same circle of hell that’s reserved for bicycle thieves hit the Tercel, I’ve been noodling over the idea of a new car. Not a NEW new car, but a new to me car. A newer car, shall we say.
I have shopped for cars exactly once in my time on planet Earth – and that was when I got the Tercel. I wasn’t even really shopping for a car, I’d just decided that I’d lived long enough without one and I was walking around my neighborhood and there he was, the Yodler. I bought him the same day that the owner put the for sale sign in the window. I’ve got his birth certificate – in Japanese – and every single record of every single oil change etc etc amen. The first time I took him in for an oil change the guys at the shop – they’d been working on Yodler since he was brand new in 1985 said this: “You’ve got Marsha’s car! You got the better end of that deal, no matter what you paid.”
Yodler carries a ton of camping gear, he is hopelessly reliable, he works as a kitchen when it’s raining and your campground doesn’t have a cook shelter, and he gets outstanding mileage for his 21 years. He’s compact, so it’s not hard to park him here on parking challenged Capitol Hill. Given all those qualities, what I’m looking for in a new car is pretty specific. In a perfect world, I’d find a well loved, low mileage, 1985 Toyota Tercel Wagon.
That’s not going to happen, so we’ve been shopping and I’m pretty disappointed at the offerings. I really like the Yaris, it’s super cute, but it’s just too small to suit my needs. I like the Matrix, but it doesn’t get the mileage that the Yaris gets. I like the Subaru wagons, but they seem to come with too much engine, which means lousy fuel economy, and it’s not easy to find one that isn’t all wheel drive, and excuse me, I do not need that. And all of those things are quite expensive, and I am a fiscal conservative. I ain’t buying a car that I can’t afford and I ain’t working for my car. Man.
The closest thing to acceptable so far has been the dull as dirt but well reviewed Ford Focus Wagon. I sat in one yesterday and I can’t say I loved it. I really liked the Passat wagon, man, that’s a nice car, but how can a car that’s 10 years newer than mine get half the mileage? I’m aggravated by the fact that most cars we’ve seen don’t come close to offering the fuel economy of my 1985 Tercel. And those that I can afford are too teeny and the hybrids are out of my budget.
Yo, Detroit. Yo, Toyota. Yo, auto manufacturers! I want a small four door hatchback that is reliable, fuel efficient, and doesn’t require me to take out a second mortgage. I would buy a diesel if I could find one, I’d buy a hybrid if it came in the configuration I want. It’s clear I’m not too picky, after all, my favorite car ever is a 1985 Tercel. Could someone get with the program, please? On the short list but not in the budget? The Honda Fit and the Toyota Matrix.
Current plan? Keep the Tercel a little longer and save more pennies. While I’m saving my pennies, maybe a new generation of smaller, fuel efficient econoboxes will hit the market. Here’s hoping.
You think I’m crazy? Check out this poem to an 87 Tercel.
[tags]Toyota Tercel Wagon[/tags]
ohhhhhhhh not a Ford! Ford is an acronym for ……
Fix
Or
Repair
Daily
I had a Ford in high school and it lived up to it’s name. I’ve avoided Ford and most American made car since, except for my Rambler…. now that was a car. I switched around the bold block metal letters of “Rambler”, that were so boldly displayed across my grill, and re-named her “Marbler”… never say die and soooo dependable, she was. Rambler was the last great American automobile, probably manufactured in South America, that money could buy.
Yes, Pat, I know. I read a LOT of reviews saying the Focus is a great car, but notice how I’m not driving one yet? Nope.
Marbler. Heh.
I’ve driven a Focus wagon for 5 years and I love it! I’m selling it now because I got a good deal on another wagon, and I was ready for an upgrade, but seriously, I loved my Focus. It is well-designed, fuel-efficient, holds a ton of stuff and is fun to drive. Ford has made the newer ones a bit less good, cutting a few corners, but they’re still a good value for the price.
If you’re anywhere near SF and want to look at my 2001 Focus, drop me a line 🙂 Good luck!
Not a Scion xB?
The Scion is cute, but it’s a little small and it’s also a little low to the ground. We find ourselves in some funny places with bad roads come summer camping season and clearance matters. But I’m going to take a second look.
We miss our 91 Honda Civic Hatchback. That car was terrific. We hope you find a car that is somewhat like the Yodler.
p.s. Love the new layout.
We just upgraded to a new old Ford Mondeo. We wanted a diesel Focus, but they don’t really make many and the people who buy them hold onto them for life. So it’s a big car and we’re looking around for somebody to sell us the 1000 litre tank of biodiesel.
I’ve never had maintenance problems with a Ford. They’re simple, they’re easy to fix, they’re cheap to fix. There’s very few cars out there like that.