Why my car fits me perfectly? …because like me, it is a joke.

I drive a 1994 red Grand Cherokee, aka an old piece, aka the love of my life. Loopy is the dear thing’s name. It was named junior year of high school when we passed the same exact year and model with the license plate: Loopy. Instantly stuck. Loopy is a hand-me-down which was first my sisters and then my brothers and I have now been driving since I turned 16. Not all the doors lock. But that’s fine because no matter the time of day or place, you can find the keys sitting on the floorboard—that is if the place seems dangerous enough to take them out of the ignition. Many times in high school my friends caught on to this and would play jokes on me and move my car across parking lots so I’d freak out. The gas light is on 90 percent of the time and for a while the tires were so unbelievably flat, it’s a miracle I still have rims. Evidently my pride and joy.

Two years ago Loopy was appraised for $96. This was with a full tank of gas and brand new $400 tires. The idea of selling was tempting, mind you, but we quickly declined that offer and decided I will drive this thing till it ca-puts. With another 1000 miles on the odometer, Loopy is still holding strong. I will be honest and say there have been many occasions when I’ve doubted Loopstar’s performance. On every 5 hour trip home, a part of me wonders if this will be my last and hopes that it’ll happen in Pinehurst and I’ll get to come back with my mom’s Tahoe. At this point, nothing that detrimental has happened.

Memorable disasters:
1. Earlier this year I was turning left onto Baxter from Milledge—a very busy intersection in Athens. My car at the time was known to stall out, though it’s manual and seemingly impossible to stall out. (This issue has thankfully gone away but is one I’ve never really understood.) Waiting in the line, the car stalled. I was stuck for 9 light changes and all the people in the lane behind me had to go around me. Eventually my car had to be pushed to the nearest parking lot. Once I got there and tried to turn it on again, Loopy instantly turned back on. Prankster.
2. Loopy is practically indestructible and got hit by somebody backing out at the pool. I was laying out and watched the Volvo station wagon literally bounce off upon contact. I too once hit a car driving Loopy and there was absolutely no damage to my car or theirs. (This may be a confession—mom and dad, I don’t know if you knew that.)
3. Loopy got towed once when I visited Chapel Hill. Knowing how strict Granville parking is—Anderson and I were too anxious to get to Katie and Dean and go to their cocktail so we parked it anyways. Next morning, no car. $100 later, thankfully split four ways, everything was great again.

Basically in all of this I am saying—I love my piece of crap car. I have had so many great roadtrips in it. I have had so many great driving with the windows down kind of days in it. It gets me back and forth and makes me laugh because you have to use every bit of your body weight to shut the passenger door and because its imperfections and age because it so much character.