We knew it was only a matter of time.
Our gold 2000 Saturn SL2 lost its battle with... well... everything. It has struggled with transmission problems for somewhere around 5 years now. Last year it developed a wonderful habit of kicking in the anti-lock brakes any time slowed down to turn of for a stop light. And yes, the grinding/crunching noise kicked in, too. An attractive crack ran from one end of the windshield to the other. And then a couple of weeks ago the engine died.
While I can't say I was sad to kiss it goodbye, I'll reserve a mini SL2-shaped place in my heart for it and look back fondly on the time we spent in that car. We shared some good memories in that puppy.
The Saturn was Josh's college car - a gift from his grandparents. It was the car we sat in when Josh told me he didn't have feelings for me, but did like one of my friends. And it was the one we sat in the night we started dating (after he'd changed his mind about me!)
And the road trips we put it through... perhaps it is no wonder it died a premature death. We rock at road trips. Only a month or two into our relationship we drove the Saturn to New York City for an architecture project Josh had to do. I remember how thrilled we were when we discovered just how easily we could talk to each other - for like 12 hours straight. It also took us to Toronto, Chicago, Grand Rapids (lots of times), Boyne Mountain, Cleveland, Wisconsin, Traverse City, and even Phoenix and back a couple of times.
And since I totaled my Camry 2 weeks before our wedding, we shared the Saturn for the first six months of our life together.
We had great conversations, fun times with friends, and even a few fights in that car.
And now the Saturn phase of our life has ended. I don't mind moving forward without that car. It will actually be nice to have two normal, non-shady cars for the first time in our married life. Also, for the record, I don't like the look of a gold car. But looking back on the bank of memories from that car I thought it deserved the dignity of, well, a blog post.
Here's to you, little car.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
awww, the gold saturn. never rode in it personally but i can still feel the "heartache" of letting it go. i had an old volvo wagon that had lots o' good memories in it but at over 200,000 miles and way more $$$$$$$$$ than i care to remember put into it...it was time to say good-bye as well.
a couple bought it and told me they were driving it to california. it was sold as it, under full disclosure, but i still worried for them for months. hopefully it made it!
and here's to newer unsketchy cars!! :)
We are driving a little Saturn, so anytime you are feeling sad, I am happy to come pick you up and take you for a ride!
We are driving a little Saturn, so anytime you are feeling sad, I am happy to come pick you up and take you for a ride!
Here here!!!! It truly is a right of passage when you part with the college car.
This post brings back memories of my first (owned) car. My little 88 Honda Prelude named "Hope" because every morning I went out, I hoped she would start. Sigh. Cheers to first cars, and life with (and without) them.
Post a Comment