1988 Grand Am
$1500
118,000 Miles
2.3 Liter Quad 4
5 Speed
A/C Always worked, never touched since the factory
Z24 Wheels
Pretty much stock
This was my first car. I bought it in 1997, after about a 4 hour debate with my parents (I was finally leaving the nest). I was looking for a $1500 vehicle, and was stuck looking at decaying Grand Am's mainly. I thought though, If I could find one w/ the Quad 4, 5 speed, and A/C (A lot of them still had working A/C), then I could sacrafice looks a bit. This was the resault. Bought it in my hometown from some college graduate for exactly $1500. It had recently had the head gasket, brakes, and exhaust done, so I was set to pound miles on this sucker. To this date, I had never driven a stick, so my father had to drive it home for me. The next day, we got a plate and insurance, and out the door I went. Amazingly I only stalled it twice that day. Also that day I managed to throw the serpentine belt. Basicly this thing would NOT die! I drove it until 2001, when I replaced it with the Silver Bullet. After the Silver Bullet Burned up (See sotry), I bought it back from the guy I sold it to. It was great, he bought it, never drove it, and let it sit out all winter. No big deal, bought a battery, and I was back in business again. Around Christmas of 2001, my right rear shock was failing, and the left rear shock tower completely broke off. Right at that time, I ran into the deal on the 88 Regal, and this was just used to go 1/2 mile daily to work and back. Finally in April 2002, with my bald tires, I decided to kiss a tree at work, smashing up the front end pretty well. At this point, I had well over 200,000 miles on it (GM never expected these to last this long, and the digital odometer stopped at 199,999). Since I lived in Yuppieville apartments, I knew I could not keep this any longer without getting towed away, so I DROVE it to a junkyard where I got $40. The amazing thing of this piece, is that I bought it for a whopping $1500, put maybe $500 in repairs (its entire life) and took it from 118,000 miles to well over 200,000 And the even MORE amazing thing that all Quad 4 owners will appreciate, is that the original head gasket (not the head) was replaced at 117,000 (just before I picked it up), and still running on the 2nd gasket and original head!