My 2008 Corolla hit 200k miles last week, and a 30 second convo at the gas station got me there

I was about to trade in my old beater last year because the check engine light kept coming on, but this mechanic at the Shell station on 5th street told me it was just a loose gas cap and a bad O2 sensor. He basically said stop chasing fancy cars and just fix what you got, so I spent $80 on parts instead of $8,000 on a new payment. Has anyone else had a random stranger talk them out of spending big money on a newer ride?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylorshah1mo ago

A 98 Civic, not an 08 Corolla.

the_lisa1mo ago

Driving a 98 Civic in 2024 is like drinking cheap whiskey past midnight - nobody's impressed, but you know exactly what you're getting. Throttle cable so loose you can press the pedal to the floor and the engine just goes "...eventually." But that car will outlast civilization if you change the oil twice a decade. A 08 Corolla's fine, but that 98 Civic's got that worn-in, no-bullshit character. I'd take the rattly plastic interior over a quiet one any day.

miles_hall1mo ago

Fix the throttle cable, you say? My 98 Civic's got a two inch dead zone in the pedal before it even thinks about moving. Makes merging onto the highway feel like a riddle you're not sure you'll solve. Glad @taylorshah knows which era we're talking about here.