1982 Toyota Corolla DX review from North America

Rusted rear body at bumper line when I got it for FREE from my cousin's auto shop because one of my other cars keep breaking down (dodge ram mini pickup).

Drive shaft fell off in the middle of traffic at 130000miles. Embarrassing...

Radio busted since stone-age.

Still. This car made a permanent impression in me of how reliable car should be after it took all the beating and abusing of my years in college... like skipping oil lube schedule and water-for-coolant treatments... and never replaced air filter.

It ran and ran at the turn of the key EVERY time!

Then one cold morning after I climbed to San Francisco from San Jose... the engine gave up its first cylinder valves as it broke with springs and parts flying inside the head. I did not realize the weird noise and unstable idle speed when it happened at start up... as it was still a very cold morning in San Francisco.

I ran it home to San Jose anyway...and days to months later that I noticed one of the cylinder isn't firing. Opened up the head cover and discovered the exhaust vales and springs had broken to pieces inside the engine. I picked out the parts the best I could and covered up the engine and the car still kept on running muhahahaha... it was invincible! Then later when I got another car, I ditched it. The most incredible car that I've seen.