Year:    1990
Make:    Toyota
Model:   Corolla All-Trac
Bought:  June 2003
Sold:    Spring 2004

The All-Trac was the first beater I owned, I bought it off of ebay for $450 to use as a daily driver. After a new windshield, new tires, and extensive rust “repair” it was inspected. After a short time of driving it, the cat clogged, so I bashed it out with a broomstick. After that fix, the car felt quick (relatively.)

In the winter, even with $15 value special tires it was fantastic in the snow. It only left me stranded once, when the alternator died out. Doubly unfortunate, it chose to die when it was 15 degrees below zero. After thoroughly soaking my feet in washer fluid, I replaced the alternator on the side of a street in the suburbs just outside of Boston.

After almost a year of driving it, I let my sister borrow it and within 5 minutes the transmission was destroyed. It took an unreasonable amount of negotiating, but the junkyard took it away for the fair price of free.