Ten Talents...

I know that Toyota has had its share of bad press recently and I was very saddened and disappointed in many of their actions, but I still really do LOVE my Toyota (or I wouldn't write this post, no matter the incentive), and here's why...

 One of the only memories I have left of my Corolla from a trip to Florida  (yes, those are stickers--you should have seen the dashboard!)


My grandparents bought me my first Toyota, which was a gently used '94 Corolla, when I was 18 years old and about to leave to go five hours away for college.  When you live in the South, five hours away is a big deal.  I was the first in my family to go to college, and so they blessed me by making sure I could arrive there (and visit home!) safely.  I LOVED it!  This car fit me perfectly because not only was it the right size for me, but it also seemed to maintain itself!  My Dad used to joke that he knows there is a God because it amazed him that I could take so little care of a car (I feel bad about this now) and still be safe.  It did have a little trouble with the alternator and front axle, though I think this had more to do with the mechanic I took it to than anything else.  I kept this car for almost ten years and finally only sold it because we moved out of the country for a few years.  I was sad to see it go because it had been a part of my life all through college and beyond until after my first year of marriage.  I was still able to sell it for about $2,000 even though it was about 12 years old because people know that Toyotas will run forever!

                You can see my hubby's 4Runner (now MY 4Runner :) ) in the background.  We took it four-wheeling in Durango, CO, where he went to school.  He first told me he liked me in this car!

That's not the end of our story with Toyota though!  My husband is also a Toyota lover, and we decided that though we had to sell my Corolla, we would keep his '96 4Runner for when we returned home.  The 4Runner has well over 150,000 miles, and we haven't had to fix ONE SINGLE THING in the past four years.  I don't even know when he had to fix it before that...it might have been even longer than that.  I can only testify to what has happened with it since we've been married :)    I now drive my little lady in this car every day, and I feel so safe!  I have told several people that I hope this car lasts us forever, but if it doesn't, I know our next car will still be a Toyota!

I'm participating in a Toyota/TwitterMoms campaign, which inspired this post. My opinions, thoughts and feelings are my own. As a TwitterMom, I'm eligible for a courtesy gift of $50.