09/24/2024
It’s a bittersweet goodbye to Grogu (bby yota), after just over 4 years and 20,000 miles together. At 194,000 miles and 17 years, Grogu’s engine might’ve gone forever if I kept supplying the appropriate replacement parts, but the exhaust was losing a battle to time and rust after a lifetime on the east coast. I got pretty attached to this pile of trash with its lack of power windows, locks, or anything modern and I’m so sad we didn’t hit 200,000.
The idea of even buying something different frustrated me so much— nearly every subcompact car has been discontinued from the American market, and I knew it was time for something new, with a warranty. I hated the idea of straying from my beloved Toyota, but I hated the idea of much more than 150” of car more. I drive nearly exclusively in Brooklyn, and sometimes park my car more than 10 times a day. So… I kept coming back to the last subcompact hatchback on the market. The Mitsubishi Mirage.
The more I actually learned the more I realized it was what I wanted. A loud, 3 cylinder, gas efficient, economic, tiny little thing. All the reasons people hate it, and that it too has been discontinued. I still wish it weren’t a Mitsubishi, but I am learning to love it. And yeah. I’ll eventually get new plates, and think of a name. It’s a work in progress. For now, my muffler is firmly attached and months of car anxiety are finally over.
