We have had an excellent run of vehicles.
Our Saturn, purchased used for $1,750, made it almost 400,000 miles before developing a hole in the engine block. Our 14-year-old Yukon currently has 350,000 miles on it and, other than burning oil faster than I would like, is still running like a dream. The little Mazda is also running strong.
As far as aesthetics go, our two running vehicles looked pretty good until the past few months. Our Mazda took the first hit. Dana was at an appointment in town and, when she came out, someone had hit the front of it and driven away without saying a word. The front of it was destroyed; there was some $2,500 worth of damage.
The Yukon, though, has become almost comical in the number of times it has become a target. We now call it “Lumpy.”
The first huge dent in the rear quarter panel was given to us in a parking lot. We have no idea who hit it or with what. Weeks later, the front passenger side bumper was damaged, and there is still rubber from someone’s huge tire embedded in it. Several tiny dents were added here and there over the next few weeks from unknown sources.