Au Revoir, Go-Fare

Almost 8 years ago, I walked into a Kia dealership, not intent on actually driving home in a new car. I was 18 with no credit, and I didn't have a clue what I was looking for. I just knew that Kias were fairly cheap cars. I still remember the slimy salesman...Clem. He promised to buy us pizza, since we were there nearly half the damn night, trying to negotiate. He didn't, though. Jerk.

I ended up purchasing a 2002 Kia Rio Cinco because I "looked cool in it". At least, Clem thought I looked cool in it. I even tried to convince myself that it was a "sport hatch". Nah...it was a station wagon. And to "look cool", I had to add a spoiler, racing rims, neon lights, a muffler, and a sound system. Even then, I was just a kid with all that cool stuff...on a station wagon.

I paid it off in 2006 and bought a 2005 Nissan Xterra 4x4. I passed the Kia down to my wife. The Kia became a secondary vehicle, used only when the Xterra was down with an injury, or there wasn't enough gas to make it to payday. Eventually, I grew up and had a couple of kids. The Kia became too small for the 4 of us. We had the Xterra, but the wife needed a new-er ride to haul the little terrorists around. We got a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer and the Kia got parked in the driveway. She collected leaves, mold, and bird poop. The battery died, the alternator blew up, and I had to replace the passenger-side wheel bearing/tie rod end. She was in bad shape.

My grandmother-in-law wanted the Kia, as a trade for the Trailblazer, since she bought it for us. Pretty fair trade, if you ask me. I just had to get it ready for her. That's what I spent last Saturday morning doing. It took damn-near forever to get the mold that was caked all over the outside.When spraying the hood, water got up under the paint and ripped about half of the paint off. I drove her, unregistered, 45 miles out to Grandma's house and dropped her off. She has the title in hand, I removed my "NEALIO" license plate, and the Kia is now hers.

I was a little sad to get rid of her. She was my first new car. I drove 104,000 miles with her. I blew the transmission, blew both front tires, and got stuck in the snow against a retaining wall at 3 in the morning. I broke the motor mounts. I lost the timing belt in downtown Columbus, OH. For a while, that car was my baby. Near the end, I treated her like a step-child: I ignored her, stuck her in the corner, told her she would never be as good as her big brother & sister.

I only hope that someone else gets some joy out of her. She was good to me. She'll make a good first car for someone else, too. Ignore the fact that she's a Kia Rio station wagon with a fart-can muffler and racing graphics. She has heart. Au revoir, Kia. Au revoir.