So Long, Kermit

For those of you distressed by the name in the title and the picture to the right, don’t worry: as far as I know, Kermit the Frog is as healthy as ever.

No, it’s Kermit the Saturn, my first automobile, that I am referring to.

As readers of this blog know, I was in a car wreck Sunday evening, which left Kermit in critical condition, and then Wednesday afternoon I got the news that he had been deemed “totaled.”

For most of the time I’ve had Kermit, I haven’t really been a big fan; I had to replace the engine within a month of buying him, and have had to deal with almost constant problems ever since.

Here is a (partial) list of former repairs and current problems that I’ve experienced with my car:

Former Problems/Repairs:

• Replace Engine
• Replace Alternator
• Replace Brakes
• Repair Passenger Side Electric Window
  
• Repair Rear Driver Side Electric Window
• Replace Serpentine Belt
• Tire Blow-out
• Repair Fuel Pump
  

Current Problems (Prior to the Accident):

• Coolant Leak
• Malfunctioning Driver Side Windshield Wiper
• Overheating in Idle
• 3 of 4 Air Conditioning Vents Broken
• Missing 3 of 4 Original Floor Mats
• Leaking Spare (Donut)
• Cracker Passenger Side Inner-fender
• Scratched Paint
• Dented Hood
• Broken Tape Player
• Broken Handle/Clothes-Hanger
• Cracked Reverse Light Cover
• Cracked Driver Side View Mirror
  

For a long time, the myriad of problems was a source of constant frustration for me, but recently, I started to appreciate how reliable Kermit was despite all of his problems.

It kind of reminds me of an athlete who has constant nagging injuries but still plays hard every day anyway. That’s the way I was as an ultimate player, so maybe it’s fitting that that is the kind of car I had.

That, and the fact that I bought Kermit used, in 2002, for $4,000, and I’ll be receiving $4,039 for him from the insurance company have helped me to better appreciate how good of a deal I originally got.

I went to the collision shop yesterday to clean out the car and say good-bye, and Kermit left me with a parting gift: $21.07 in change, collected from various places throughout the car.

When I got Kermit, a 1999 Saturn SL-2, he already had 85,000 miles on him. Later this month would’ve made five years, and in that time, I’ve raised the odometer to 126,000.

Those 41,000 miles over the last five years haven’t been perfect. In fact, they’ve generally been slower, louder and hotter than I would’ve liked, but all in all, they’ve been good miles.

Kermit, you were a good friend, and you will be missed.