In February 2004, I first laid eyes upon a shiny red 2003 Mistubishi Galant ES. Sitting in the parking lot of the Enterprise Dealership, this baby was clean, had no dents, had all the hubcaps, and a gas cap. This may seem like it should be standard...and it is. But you'd be surprised at how much changes in 8 years.
Considering it's been a month since I've given up my car permanently for the first time ever, and keeping in mind all the memories, adventures, run-ins with the law, towings, tickets, and epic road trips I and so many others have shared with this car, I figured it's time to pay tribute to the Markmobile. Plus, this just happened the other day:
Don't worry. My car is in good hands, and my sister, who was driving it at the time, is safe and sound.
You may think it's strange for someone to write a whole tribute to their plain ol' consumer level sedan that's made by a mediocre middle of the road car company. But it's not just the car itself (though Galants are generally crappy cars) that I'm paying tribute to. It's everything that car has been through with me. And with others. I'd have to say that there have probably been at least 239 unique passengers who have ridden in the Markmobile. Some notable quotables people have said about this vehicle:
"I thought I saw your car rolling through, but I noticed it had hubcaps so I knew for sure that i wasn't you."
"You're still driving that red car down to LA? Please be safe, I'll pray for you"
"It's only a 2003?? It looks so much older"
"That car is still running??" times 30 because every other person who saw me with the car was surprised I was still driving it around.
And it wasn't just short rides around town this car has ventured on. This car has traveled from San Francisco to Chicago and back. It's up and down from the Bay Area to Southern California at least 97 times, it's been through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.
This car has been been a receptacle for piss, vomit, and one time, period discharge. It's seen rain, snow, hail, and 115 degree weather. It's been towed twice in two different cities, it's spun out of control in the middle of a highway, it's traveled 300 miles on a spare tire, the brakes have had to be changed twice. It's stored all my worldly possessions at some point, I've slept overnight in it once, it's held as much as 7 people. It's been a shuttle, a storage unit, a tailgate, a movie prop. It's been mutilated by a garbage truck, it's been broken into, and it's only been hotboxed once (but there's no way for me to keep track for that short period of time when I lent this car to my sister.)
I've even run into a twin of my car on two occasions (I'm convinced it's the same girl), same dents and scratches and missing hubcaps and all.
Yup, this car has been through plenty, and unfortunately though I don't have photographic evidence of everything it's been through, I can walk you through all the little things that make the Markmobile unique.
And it wasn't just short rides around town this car has ventured on. This car has traveled from San Francisco to Chicago and back. It's up and down from the Bay Area to Southern California at least 97 times, it's been through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.
This car has been been a receptacle for piss, vomit, and one time, period discharge. It's seen rain, snow, hail, and 115 degree weather. It's been towed twice in two different cities, it's spun out of control in the middle of a highway, it's traveled 300 miles on a spare tire, the brakes have had to be changed twice. It's stored all my worldly possessions at some point, I've slept overnight in it once, it's held as much as 7 people. It's been a shuttle, a storage unit, a tailgate, a movie prop. It's been mutilated by a garbage truck, it's been broken into, and it's only been hotboxed once (but there's no way for me to keep track for that short period of time when I lent this car to my sister.)I've even run into a twin of my car on two occasions (I'm convinced it's the same girl), same dents and scratches and missing hubcaps and all.
hers.
mine.
Yup, this car has been through plenty, and unfortunately though I don't have photographic evidence of everything it's been through, I can walk you through all the little things that make the Markmobile unique.
This is what happened to my door when I accidently drove into a garbage truck back in February 2009. Yes, I drove into a garbage truck. What happened was that hook that lifts up dumpsters was sticking out of the truck as I was trying to go around it. Unfortunately I turned too quickly and the hooks smashed into my front door. If I had been just a few inches off, those hooks could've easily sliced open my head. It was a $2000 fix for a new door, but better the door than my face.
In January 2011, I came back to my car late at night to see my window broken and this:
Not cool man. I went radio-less for a good month or two before I got it replaced. Luckily they didn't find the GPS in the glove compartment.
The backside of my car. I'm not sure why I had to have both the "UCLA" bumper sticker on the window and the "UCLA Alumni" plate. Damage is already visible on the bumper.
The front side of the Markmobile. Oh, so pretty.
Like I mentioned before, this car has been towed twice. The first time was in Chicago, and I apparently parked too close to a fire hydrant. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the day it was towed was when I had just started a 3 week vacation in California. It spent 19 days in the impound lot.
In January 2011, I came back to my car late at night to see my window broken and this:
Not cool man. I went radio-less for a good month or two before I got it replaced. Luckily they didn't find the GPS in the glove compartment.
The backside of my car. I'm not sure why I had to have both the "UCLA" bumper sticker on the window and the "UCLA Alumni" plate. Damage is already visible on the bumper.
The front side of the Markmobile. Oh, so pretty.
Like I mentioned before, this car has been towed twice. The first time was in Chicago, and I apparently parked too close to a fire hydrant. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the day it was towed was when I had just started a 3 week vacation in California. It spent 19 days in the impound lot. The second time it was towed was in San Francisco, and I'm guessing it stuck out too much into someone's driveway. As you can see here, I didn't even bother cleaning the numbers off the second time.
My little talking Homer that has taken residence in the rear since 2007. The reason why Homer looks burnt is because of my short stint in Riverside, CA in the summertime. The weather can get up to 110 out there, and considerably hotter in cars. As such, Homer literally was burned to a crisp.
The gas tank cover was a cheap contraption to begin with. One push that was too hard and suddenly the thing fell apart. I managed to keep it on with tape for a short while, but on one fateful trip down Highway 5 to Southern California, it flew off in the middle of nowhere.
This occurred in October 2006 in San Marcos, near San Diego. I was backing out of a parking space, when a huge truck with a tow hitch slammed into my bumper. Unforunately, I got the brunt of the damage.
2004, driving town Tennyson Blvd in Hayward. We're stopped at the train tracks, and I get rear ended. As we're inspecting the damage, the lady continually tries to deny all blame. I figure it's not worth it to pursue, so I let it go.
Occurred in a parking garage in Hayward, possibly 2006, while backing out of a space. Hit a pole.
Was in the Sproul Turnaround at the dorms in UCLA, a large loop area that many cars stop and unload. Sometime in Spring 2007. Was driving around the loop when a Lexus RX 330 suddenly stops in front of me. I don't have enough time to stop and I tap her in the back. No damage on the luxury SUV, more damage on my Mitsubishi.
September 2008. I was driving down Gayley Avenue in Westwood, Los Angeles. I was in the right lane. Another car was in the left lane when they suddenly decide to pull into a driveway on my right, thus making a right turn from the left lane. I run into them from behind. They deny all blame, and even sue me for damages. I won the case.
If you saw my parking space while living in Los Angeles, you would see how complicated it was to get into and how awkward the turn was to pull into it. Considering how many times I've pulled into that awkward curve, I was lucky enough to only hit the pole once. Spring 2008.
How it happened is unknown. This occurred during my first year of college, when I spent the year away in LA, without my car, 2004-2005. My family drove the hell out of this thing, and when I came home, this was here.
In the 2005-2006 school year, I paid to park my car in a random two car garage in Westwood. Unfortunately, since parking is a premium in Westwood, it cost me $80 and they managed to stuff two cars, two mopeds, and 3 other cars parked in the driveway behind me in those spots. Having to maneuver my car awkwardly around these obstructions, I was bound to hit the side of the garage at least once.
Caused by the mopeds in the aforementioned overcrowded parking garage in 2006. Those bastards.
In May of 2006, at 1am, I asked my friend if she wanted to drive with me from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. By 2am, we're on the road and making the long lonely drive up north. Somewhere in the middle of Highway 5, I feel my car starting to lose balance, and suddenly the driver side rear tire blows out. We spin out of control and end up facing the opposite direction. Good thing it was 4am and the highway was empty. If it was any other time of the day, we would've been slammed into by a big rig. Notice on the bottom where it's sort of dented. This is the damage from the spinout on the wheel.
Caused by me trying to fit my bike into the backseat. A spoke or a handle bar caused this, probably sometime in 2009.
More stains from my greasy bike, sometime in 2009.
Stains from the bike again. I really should've put a blanket or a towel on my bike or something.
The last picture of me in my car (for now). It's the night I left it to my sister.
And there she goes. Keep in mind, having been the sole driver of this car for the most part, I've never seen my car in motion from behind:
My little talking Homer that has taken residence in the rear since 2007. The reason why Homer looks burnt is because of my short stint in Riverside, CA in the summertime. The weather can get up to 110 out there, and considerably hotter in cars. As such, Homer literally was burned to a crisp.
The gas tank cover was a cheap contraption to begin with. One push that was too hard and suddenly the thing fell apart. I managed to keep it on with tape for a short while, but on one fateful trip down Highway 5 to Southern California, it flew off in the middle of nowhere.
This occurred in October 2006 in San Marcos, near San Diego. I was backing out of a parking space, when a huge truck with a tow hitch slammed into my bumper. Unforunately, I got the brunt of the damage.
2004, driving town Tennyson Blvd in Hayward. We're stopped at the train tracks, and I get rear ended. As we're inspecting the damage, the lady continually tries to deny all blame. I figure it's not worth it to pursue, so I let it go.
Occurred in a parking garage in Hayward, possibly 2006, while backing out of a space. Hit a pole.
Was in the Sproul Turnaround at the dorms in UCLA, a large loop area that many cars stop and unload. Sometime in Spring 2007. Was driving around the loop when a Lexus RX 330 suddenly stops in front of me. I don't have enough time to stop and I tap her in the back. No damage on the luxury SUV, more damage on my Mitsubishi.
September 2008. I was driving down Gayley Avenue in Westwood, Los Angeles. I was in the right lane. Another car was in the left lane when they suddenly decide to pull into a driveway on my right, thus making a right turn from the left lane. I run into them from behind. They deny all blame, and even sue me for damages. I won the case.
If you saw my parking space while living in Los Angeles, you would see how complicated it was to get into and how awkward the turn was to pull into it. Considering how many times I've pulled into that awkward curve, I was lucky enough to only hit the pole once. Spring 2008.
How it happened is unknown. This occurred during my first year of college, when I spent the year away in LA, without my car, 2004-2005. My family drove the hell out of this thing, and when I came home, this was here.
In the 2005-2006 school year, I paid to park my car in a random two car garage in Westwood. Unfortunately, since parking is a premium in Westwood, it cost me $80 and they managed to stuff two cars, two mopeds, and 3 other cars parked in the driveway behind me in those spots. Having to maneuver my car awkwardly around these obstructions, I was bound to hit the side of the garage at least once.
Caused by the mopeds in the aforementioned overcrowded parking garage in 2006. Those bastards.
In May of 2006, at 1am, I asked my friend if she wanted to drive with me from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. By 2am, we're on the road and making the long lonely drive up north. Somewhere in the middle of Highway 5, I feel my car starting to lose balance, and suddenly the driver side rear tire blows out. We spin out of control and end up facing the opposite direction. Good thing it was 4am and the highway was empty. If it was any other time of the day, we would've been slammed into by a big rig. Notice on the bottom where it's sort of dented. This is the damage from the spinout on the wheel.
Caused by me trying to fit my bike into the backseat. A spoke or a handle bar caused this, probably sometime in 2009.
More stains from my greasy bike, sometime in 2009.
Stains from the bike again. I really should've put a blanket or a towel on my bike or something.
The last picture of me in my car (for now). It's the night I left it to my sister.
And there she goes. Keep in mind, having been the sole driver of this car for the most part, I've never seen my car in motion from behind:
The car's still around, still alive and kicking for my sister's use. She'll have her own share of adventures and journeys with the Markmobile for years to come, that is, unless shit like this keeps happening to it:
What are some of your fondest memories with the Markmobile? If any? Post them down here in the comments:
"y'all might as well start playing 'twisted metal' with that car."
-CT
hmm, i'm not quite sure what the best memory i have with that car is. i just remember on that one trip to san francisco that a bunch of stuff kept happening to your car: accident on gayley, flat tire on some highway while you were driving to south san francisco from hayward, and there was something else that's escaping me. there was that one time we went with chance looking at game shops. i thought that time was kinda cool.
ReplyDeleteactually, when you, Chance, and I went on that game shop expedition, we weren't driving my car. we were driving a CSC van that happened to have a dvd player in it. that's when we had The Simpsons playing while we were in traffic.
ReplyDelete