So this was what I bought to replace the Geo Metro convertible. It is a 1994 Z24 and aside from it being a Chevy and a 6 cylinder, it was identical to the blue Pontiac Sunbird that had started my convertible obsession.
This car was beautiful, when the top was down. However being 9 years old or so when I bought it, it was surely due for a new top and had I had it longer than I did I would have bought it one. This car though, was nothing but trouble.
Oh it looked good alright and when people unfamiliar with it drove it they always squealed the tires because it had way more power than they expected it to- but it was a piece of shit from day 31 of owning it. Why day 31? Because it had a 30 day warranty on it, of course.
On day 31 of my ownership of the Z24, I found I had very limited gears. As I recall, first, fourth and reverse were the only ones left working. The place I had bought the car from agreed to split the cost of a new transmission with me 50/50 and while not happy with the offer, I decided it was better than 0/100. Unfortunately, the new transmission lacked a few gears too and they ended up installing yet another one. I think I was without my new car for at least a couple of weeks...
Not long after the transmission was replaced I found out that the car needed significant front end work. I can't even remember what it was but I remember the cost of it being over $700. Every time I sunk money into the car I tried to convince myself that I was finally over a hump and the car would be good to go from that point on. I never reached that point. The farthest I ever drove the car was to Salem, Massachusetts for Haunted Happenings in 2003 and 2004. I would not have trusted it to go any more distance than that.
I did decorate it cute though- since it was a Cavalier I had graphics made for it of Don Quixote and I had vanity plates that read DULCNEA, but that was really the best part of the car.
Haley got his drivers license while I owned the Z24 and he somehow managed to get the front fender hung up on something and semi detached it from the car..... and he had a couple of experiences in it that involved law enforcement, but I won't go into those details. As for me, I developed a substantial pet peeve with the malfunctioning automatic door locks. I recall one day getting locked out of the car, having to go to Waterville to the Chevy dealer to have a spare key made, coming home and getting into the car, only to leave the spare key in there and get locked out of it AGAIN. Plus, it had LoJack on it and if for instance the battery died in the disarm button... well, you could not start the car. Oh, and sometimes even with a fresh battery you still couldn't start the car- it was a massive inconvenience to say the least.
It was early summer of 2005 that the car met a new demise. It was a convertible that had an actual glass rear window and an obstruction while putting the top down caused that window to shatter into at least a gazillion pieces. Since that window was fabricated into the top, it was going to be an unfathomable amount of money to fix it. Naturally I didn't have any left for that car, and resorted to velcro and clear plastic to solve the problem. However it leaked so badly when it rained that there isn't even a word to describe it, and with a leather interior, the car began turning into a rolling terrarium.
All things considered and with more and more mechanical problems creeping up everyday, and a good opportunity to buy something better, I parked the Z24 in my parents yard and covered it with a tarp for the winter intent on making a decision about it the following year. When spring came and the tarp was removed from the car, there was an entire new eco system growing inside it. The white leather was green and fuzzy, it smelled like a dirty swimming pool. I recall trying to scrape moss off of the steering wheel with my debit card before actually touching it- and when one of Haleys friends offered a hundred bucks for it, I was happy to see it removed before it became an official bio hazard.
Hasta la vista, baby.
I'm sorry!
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