The Focus Wagon died today...

Kinja'd!!! "Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
09/15/2018 at 02:08 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!1 Kinja'd!!! 20

So I wanted to run an errand over lunch today.

Get in my car, start it up, drive out of the parking lot at work.

As I get to the first stop sign, I turn right.

As I’m turning, I hit a small bump... and I hear and feel a snap... and then the steering feels a little wonkey.

I stop and get out... don’t see anything at first. Then I turn the wheel so I can get a better view... and the front passenger side control arm is clearly cracked.

I drive it very slowly and carefully to the Crappy Tire nearby and ask them to look at it.

I walk back to work and I get a call within a half an hour.... “yes, your control arm is cracked. But we won’t touch it. This car has too much rust to be worth fixing.”

I go back and my car is still on the lift. The mechanic shows me all the lovely rust I knew was there... and I spotted a transmission fluid leak that I know wasn’t there a month or two ago.

So the plan wa s to put the car down and carefully drive it back to my work where I could leave it for a bit and I would decide what to do with it

We didn’t get that far.

After the car was down, the mechanic drove it about 10 feet and the control arm snapped completely and the car was undrivable.

At that point a decision was made to just call an auto recycler to come pick it up where I get a cheque for $200 out of the deal - which will mostly cover my car rental for the coming week.

And now I’m doing my homework to find a replacement. In my searching, I found this to be oddly appealing:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

But I’m not gonna go for it. I need a cheap daily driver, not 2 projects.


DISCUSSION (20)


Kinja'd!!! d15b > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 04:47

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Toyota Corolla 


Kinja'd!!! RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 05:58

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What’s your budget?


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 06:29

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Yikes! Glad you’re safe. A control arm  would be a scary thing to lose at speed.


Kinja'd!!! Victorinoo > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 06:56

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Used Toyota Camry with a manual transmission 


Kinja'd!!! pip bip - choose Corrour > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 06:57

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that sucks

but \0/ car shopping!


Kinja'd!!! Wacko > d15b
09/15/2018 at 08:28

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Why you hate manwich?


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 08:46

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At least it didn’t happen while doing 70 on the freeway !


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Wacko
09/15/2018 at 08:59

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It’s the obvious answer  https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/belleville/2005-toyota-corolla-se-standard-transmission/1379433656?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true


Kinja'd!!! Captain of the Enterprise > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 09:13

Kinja'd!!!1

I’m sorry to hear, best of luck with the replacement. I’ve had good luck with cheap Toyotas so far. My 2005 Corolla was perfectly reliable until I got hit  in April. My 2011 Camry has been solid since I got it in June too. 


Kinja'd!!! d15b > Wacko
09/15/2018 at 14:54

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: ) Being practical I suppose.


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > d15b
09/15/2018 at 17:06

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Actually a 1994 Corolla wagon with a manual transmission is one car for sale near me I'm gonna check out!


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/15/2018 at 17:08

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CAD$1000 to $5000... with a manual transmission and a hatch or wagon body style (even FWD CUVs) with at least 18 cu ft of trunk space with the seats up


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Urambo Tauro
09/15/2018 at 17:26

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Yeah... was lucky it happened at low speed and not in the boonies 


Kinja'd!!! RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 17:29

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I would suggest a used car like mine (2009 Hyundai Accent 2-door hatch) as they are very reliable and can be had at that price point with a stick (prob closer to $5k with low kms) , but not sure it would meet your requirements for trunk space with the seats up...though a Kia Rio of the same gen is the car underneath and came in 4 door hatch form? Not sure if they had more cargo space though.


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Victorinoo
09/15/2018 at 17:32

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If a Camry wagon or hatch was available 


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > pip bip - choose Corrour
09/15/2018 at 17:33

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Yeah... I knew this day would come. I wasn't shocked.


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/15/2018 at 17:39

Kinja'd!!!1

Nah... Accent is too small.  The Elantra hatch or wagon are on my consideration list


Kinja'd!!! Dan > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/15/2018 at 23:13

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As a daily focus wagon driver this was particularly sad to read today, and a little chilling after I heard a whiny grind coming from my hood today after cars and coffee. Thankfully it was just my PS pump choking from lack of fluid due to a leak from the pressure sensor. After reading this I feel alot more thankful that it was only a simple leak. Car heaven got a good one today. RIP


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > d15b
09/16/2018 at 03:49

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This is on my candidate list:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/city-of-toronto/1994-toyota-corolla-wagon/1382080952?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true  

Kinja'd!!!


Kinja'd!!! d15b > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
09/17/2018 at 12:00

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Original hubcaps? Fancy.