Subaru Impreza with a 2.2. Look at what my idiot friend did to one with 278,000 miles, and then wrecked it at 283,000 miles and it still drove under its' own power more than easily.
Quoted myself from another forum after it happened last fall:
Here's how the car in the following pictures would look new. (Wikipedia)
This is a followup to the story I posted about my friend's Impreza. I've got some pictures of it today that show it's current condition. His is one of around five or six Imprezas owned by students at my school. One 2008, two first gen wagons, a first gen coupe and his second gen sedan. I've always loved the cars, and now I know I might just pick one up this winter (Since my van can't do winters). His has 283,000 miles and, no exaggeration, he absolutely flogs it. Every day, every possible chance. It has gotten air, it has scraped the undercarriage, it has been sideways more than a lot of drift cars. It has even slid sideways into a 3'' tall curb. It has bombed down freeways, dirt trails and everything in between. All with little to no maintenance even done, and it still runs fine. If I get one and drive it like a normal person, and actually maintain it, it may practically last forever.
(Unfortunately someone tore off the novelty banana hood ornament I wrote about. There is still the screw hole in the hood if you look hard enough)
*a month or two later @283,000 miles*
Okay, I have a friend who owns a '97/'98 something Impreza sedan, five-speed. Was a great little car. His antics can be referenced on page 108 and earlier on page 102. Well, he had found a three-mile long, uninhabited, single lane stretch of winding dirt roads with enough blind curves and elevation changes to impress a professional rally driver. He had been going there a few times a week, which is somewhat respectable because it was taking his dangerous driving off the public roads. Well, the leaves were falling today and apparently that messed up what grip he did have. Or, he slipped up. I will never know, I just got a phone call and went down to help him. Luckily for him and his friend, neither were hurt. That is the best thing, luckily I think he's learned his lesson. Glad this happened before he could do something else and seriously injure himself and others.
Want to see how it turned out?
There's the original point of impact, I guess he slid into it on the rear door, which spun the car and it hit another tree with the front. Both back tires are destroyed, and so is the driver's side back rim.
What a mess! After confirming that they weren't hurt, I set about grabbing some pictures while talking to him about the crash.
Yeah, she's pretty much a goner. Look at that radiator!
Then, stripping off some of the broken body work, to my amazement, it fires up. It doesn't sound too great, there is a terrible noise coming from the timing belt, I believe. Two flat rear tires, all of the damage, and it still moves under it's own power. Barely.
Despite the smoke rolling off the flat rear tires as the poor Subaru limps down the roads, and with the now-unsafe qualities of the body, tires and the lack of proper tags. The Subaru has a will to live, if one weren't to remind oneself that the poor thing is just a car, it almost brings a tear to the eye.
Who didn't see that coming? Two miles from his house. The officer was remarkably nice, didn't even give him a citation for anything. Just required the car get towed. Friend elects to have it flatbedded to his house, despite the fact that the car is totaled, no questions. There is no way this car will ever be normal. At least my friends weren't hurt.
Man, I am so glad the kid didn't get himself killed with the way he drove. His parents made him scrap the car, and the thing drove under it's own power right onto the flat bed a few days later. It's a real testament to the quality of the Subaru and the 2.2 flat four with the way he treated it, especially at that mileage.