Faults:

A/C compressor at 140k.

Engine and transmission mounts, front struts at 190k.

Water pump at 220k.

Thermostat, radiator, starter, battery cables at 230k.

Crankshaft sensor at 250k.

Oil and transmission pans at 270k.

General Comments:

This car looks bland and boring on the outside, but when you drive it, you realize you cannot judge a book by its cover. It is even reliable and has a smooth ride, along with an engine that delivers great performance and eats a little amount of gas. I bought this car for $1300 with maintenance records stating that a new engine was put in because of bad gaskets. Luckily for me this car has been fabulous for me.

Faults:

- E-brake handle broke.

- Power lock switch broke.

- Leak from the windshield.

- Paint chips.

The Corsica isn't without its faults. The 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder, automatic transmission model is what I own.

Most Corsicas have been known to have paint chips, and mine is no exception. My uncle, who works as a mechanic at a Chevy/GM dealership, has noted that Chevrolet used a waterpaint coat for some of their automobiles in the 1990s, and the quality of the paint eventually began to show. The Pontiac Tempest also suffers from the same problem.

The car also has a leak, but I think the car had the leak when I bought it.

Another thing that was broken when I bought the car was the driver's side power lock switch. I developed a habit of reaching over to lock the car's power locks on the passenger side, and even though the lock's fixed now, I still do that.

Also, the Corsica tends to be a very noisy car.

When my dad owned the car, he drove it much more than I did, And I think he was a lot rougher on the car than me. During the time he owned it, the e-brake handle broke, and once, the transmission shifter got stuck (one time, we drove to Abbotsford, BC for a Heat-Marlies game and he put the car in neutral and used the E-brake). But these things were easy fixes.

General Comments:

The 1995 Chevrolet Corsica might just be the best beater/starter car for a person today. Most of them go for less than $1,000, and not only that, a majority of them have proven to be reliable. If you do basic maintenance on this car, it will keep on going.

The 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder engine, automatic transmission model is the one I own. I originally purchased it in 2009 from one of my dad's best friends, a mechanic, who in turn, got the car from an old lady who had barely, barely driven it (explains why the kilometres on the car were at 47,000, which is almost like buying pre-owned). It ended up at the mechanic's office because the lady hadn't taken it on the highway for so long, the valves got clogged up full of carbon, and then they blew when she tried taking it on the highway. She was informed the repair cost was $1,900, and she couldn't pay it. Then my dad calls the mechanic and says "My son's looking for a car, do you have anything?" and the rest is history.

I bought the car for $1,900, bought snow tires for $500 (which I still have today, and they still look good), got the car's junk tires replaced the following summer for about $400, installed a CD player for $200, and then replaced the brake pads for $400. In 2012, I sold the car to my dad for $2,000, at about 60,000 km. Bought it back in 2014 for 600$ when the car had 88,000 km. Currently, the car has 94,200 km. In the time I've owned it, I've never had to do any serious maintenance on it, and the mechanic who I bought it from, and still bring it to, says it's a great little car and that it'll keep on going.

I'm debating whether to keep it for a few more years until something goes on it that's not worth repairing, or selling it because it does get boring driving the same car for a while. But, if you're someone who likes cheap, easy transportation without all the high costs of automobiling, the Corsica is just what you would want.