Jump to content

Here's My Work Car---Don't Laugh!! Let's See Your Work Cars


TennesseeVol51

Recommended Posts

Well here it is a 1990 Toyota Camry.

 

This is kinda long story bear with me,1st off let me say I bought this car off e-bay from a local Honda dealer in Huntsville,Alabama.The person that bought the car new in 1990 worked at Redstone Arsenal and had traded it in for a new Honda.

 

 I bought this car 4 years ago in July,I paid $900 for it.The car was a 1 owner and only had 98,000 miles on the odometer.I started driving it to work daily,I drive a 80 mile round trip to work every day.I have been driving this 80 mile trip to work since 1989!! This Camry drove like a dream everything worked and it gets 33 MPG no matter how you drive it 400 miles on 12 gallons of gas everytime.

 

I have took my kids and myself in this car to Knoxville to watch a Tennessee Football game.I have driven it to Atlanta to a Braves game.I have driven it to Talladega,Alabama to the Arron's 500.I have driven it to Indianapolis to pick up dirt bike parts and everywhere in between. 

 

 I drove the car till it had 118,000 miles and the tires that came on it when I got it were wore out so I spent $ 275.00 on a new set of tires.Then I drove the car another 4,000 miles and the top of the radiator started leaking a little so I put in a new radiator I think about $90.00.

 

 Then I drove the car till 130,000 miles and I was getting worried about the timing belt so I ordered got a new Toyota brand belt tensioners,oil pump,water pump everything and had my buddie that runs a service station in Lawrenceburg,Tennessee that I have been racing dirt bikes with since the 1980's.I left the car with him and told him to replace everything .His mechanic is a Toyota expert.Everything total was about $500.00 or so.

 

I then drove the car till about 165,000 and had to get another set of tires this time about $300.00.I also put in a new Interstate battery $100.00.

 

Now here is the kicker to the story in late January this year I was driving to work on the backroads I have to drive.I was about 15 miles towards work and on a 2 lane road and a lady was turning left into here driveway.As soon as she turned I caught a glimpse in my rear view mirror of a truck then BANG!! he hit me square in the rear end.He got out and was about 19 years old and was driving a 1987 Toyota 4x4 truck he said the brakes went all the way to the floor,of this I am sure.Because the truck he was driving was worse shape than you can imagine,I could not believe it would even drive.I had zero tread on all for tires and only 2 bolts holding on the bed of the truck and no front bumper.There is not enough time and space here to describe the condition of his truck.

 

Well he was a good ole country boy and called the Trooper we filled out the report and went on our merry ways.I got a call from his Progressive agent the next day and the adjuster came on Sunday.He called we with the estimates.Progressive totaled the car and paid me $1890.00 and let me keep the car.Although I cannot have anymore claims on this car.

 

So what I am trying to say is I have drove this Camry 4 years and spent about $2,000 total on keeping it running good. Progressive paid me $1900.00 so driving this car for 4 years and putting 79,000 miles on the car since I have owned it has cost me about $200.00.

 

I know the rear end looks bad and no one in my family will be seen with me driving it!! My wife and daughters laugh everytime they see me out in it, but I don't care I would head out to California in this Toyota tomorrow--let's here your stories on some of your cars trucks etc.

.

079_zpsa1a177bf.jpg

 

080_zps0e313e7e.jpg

081_zpsa339c192.jpg

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still have my T-Bird identical to this picture, but faded. When I parked it I had NEVER: changed spark plugs, spark plug wires, never tuned it up, still has the original transmission and 5.0 EFI engine and still PASSED CALIFORNIA SMOG. It has 300,000 miles on it and still runs. All I ever changed on it was the water pump and battery. When I found the 53 convertible, I was about to buy a 69 mustang coupe and transfer the mechanicals into that chassis. I still may do that next.

 

That T-BIrd was a dream on the highway with its Sport Suspension. Not a mopar but a great car.  

 

 

TBIRDsideview_zps26f859a7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrap a chain around a tree, hook it to the middle of the trunk, drive it forward, pull the trunk out, hammer the trunk lid back into shape so it closes, get some of that yellow plastic tape for the signal light, and enjoy your solitary drives.  there are probably 4 more years in it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's an old picture of mine.  Dad bought it now on MLK day 1994. I bought it from him in the fall of 2000 but I'd been driving it long before that. It had 80 some thousand miles. Its quite rusty now. 213Kmiles. I've had it long enough that parts I replaced along the way with lifetime warranty stuff is going out again. I've done the radiator and water pump twice now. I swapped the box few years ago to a non rusty one. Running the wheels off the parts truck because they had intact clear coat and now the american racing ones for summer. Not a big fan of the look of the wheels cost more than the entire vehicle but if I don't start using them pretty soon the tires will go to waste.

 

 

 

Dakota-AR.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yea Greg I'm going to pull it out when I get around to it I might just drill holes in the trunk and let it ride as is.I fully expect it to get 300,000 miles before I scrap metal it!! Then I will get me another small car and do the same.

 

I drive this car everyday 80 mile round trip to work.

 

Paul even though I am not a Ford man :D I always really liked that body style T-birds.

 

Good looking truck Ed--my 2001 S-10 extended cab that I bought new gave up the ghost about 4 months ago my son had been driving it to school and the #1 cylinder rod let loose and knocking bad.It had 215,000 miles on the 4 cylinder.It's still in the yard waiting to decide what I am going to do.

 

Here is a picture of my 1987 Toyota 4x4 SR5 truck that I bought for around the house and my son to drive to school.It has absolutely zero rust any where in the frame or body.I have never seen a Toyota truck with as little rust as this truck.It has the 22RE with 280,000 miles on it.I will pass this truck to my 14 year old girl when she turns 16.Also here is a shot from behind of the dented Camry and the truck.

 

001_zpsfb9db851.jpg

 

003_zps2f0f2c9f.jpg

 

Bojo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My main work truck from 9/04-4/11...

 

As bought Labor Day Weekend 2004, less than 24 hours ownership and it is heading for a Boy Scout Jamboree. That big box in the back was a US Army field cooler that could keep stuff frozen for a week and a half on 10# of dry ice...Champfromabove_zps4ce5a7da.jpg

 

As she sits now, waiting for her rewire, the racks to be painted white, and the summer to be spent as a farm stand. Making a shelf to angle off the cattle racks for the produce bins. Can't license/insure it right now, so it will earn its keep another way until I can find an off farm job or the farm starts to earn money (for a change), 400 pecan trees, lots of produce, and it usually rots in the field/orchards since my father-in-law is ancient...DSCF0149_zpsdd0a8762.jpg

 

And doing what she always did best, hauling a broken motorcycle... inbedrear_zps31e92be9.jpg

 

One of these days it will be back in service. Until then, I'm stuck with "Barney", a 1994 standard cab 4 cylinder 5 speed 2wd Ranger. No pics, it's a bit too generic to bother.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tenn: I still have the car and thought about CLEANING IT UP! But I like the 50 styles much better and they are much better conversation starters.

 

Just gave my 95 Cirrus to my son. $200,000 miles, it's a V6, 24 valve and it can fly. New tranny, AC, distributor, and fuel pump in 200K is not bad. Only 24/28 hwy mpg, but it will really take corners. Was my wife's car so it has not seen sun for long periods of time thus the interior is VERY good. Honda dealer could not believe how nice it is.

 

It was a bit problematic as long as I took it to the ply/dod dealer, changed to a back yard mechanic and the troubles went away. Go figure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Terms of Use