So, I found my dream car - a 1993 240 wagon, manual, with sunroof. I've wanted a wagon and a manual since I got my 89 240 automatic sedan. I love my grey ghost (sedan) but was always jealous of wagons, and manual transmissions.

A guy in NJ was selling, and even though it was overpriced, I thought that this car is pretty rare, seemed to be in pretty good shape, and I could love it and it would outlast my already fading 89 (fading due to the ravages of salt – I live in finger lakes region of NY).

So, finally drove down to buy it today (Jan 19) at 10am.

The good – in good shape body wise, seemed to be dealer maintained (expensive, but generally they replace anything that might be failing). Even came with an extra clutch kit (clutch is near dead) and two snow tires (not on rim, just in the “trunk”. I’ve become religious about snow tires – I love studded Hakkalapetas (sp?) because I have only gotten stick once (and only temporarily) with them in the snow, and I believe, in my heart of hearts, that since the tire is though only thing that affixes the car to the road, this is one area where you do not want to skimp.

So, begin drive back through the Poconos. On 380, near mile marker 13, a car, about 6 cars in front of me, fishtails and crashes into the guardrail. Somehow, she managed to flip her car and get it impaled on the guard rail, on its side, so the guard rail pierced the windshield and the (unoccupied) front passenger seat. The skid or accident (honestly, I don’t remember which) causes a cascade effect with everyone slamming on their brakes. Stupid me, I try to be clever, downshift into 4th gear, and tap brakes (figure with ABS, I should be OK, and extra drag from downshift on back wheel should help slow me, since the brakes are front-loaded). Car to my right front begins to seriously fishtail into my lane. I can either hit it with my brand new dream machine, or go left, toward the huge, but steeply banked median divider.

Steer left, lose control. Steer right to regain control. Whew – its ok, just heading in the wrong direction– about to re-enter right lane. Turn left again, avoid hitting car that is now merging into my lane, but the car in front of me is braking faster than I can. Rear end it or try to go left and slow down. Go left. Now too close to impaled car, either I hit it, or go down the slope. Plus, there is a bump – I think I got clipped on my rear passenger car by another panicked driver, but who knows. I’m in slow-mo mode, and there is too much to process.

The long and the short, I end up going down the embankment, and due to a panic attempt to get back on the road, do a 180 and go backwards down the slope, and bump into a tree. Oh poo, I’ve ruined my car.

Get out, check on flipped car, someone else is already there to help, takes driver to his car (pulled over on the side of the road). I’m ok, no-one is dying, so I go back to check on my car and try to extricate it. But I have nothing in the car- just bought it. No chains, no come-along, nothing. Plus, blew out the rear passenger tire. When did that happen? Going backwards? Or was that the bump I felt earlier? Who knows.

Anyway, now, $230 in tow and tire repair later, I made it back home.

Lessons?
1) If it is snowy/icy, you cannot leave enough space between you and the car in front of you. Going slow will definitely make the trip take longer, but it is better than increasing the probability of personal injury, or, even worse, damage to your brick (you are organic, you can heal. The car requires costly bodywork.)
2) Buy Collision & comprehensive. Since I bought my first brick for a song , I never bothered insuring it for damage to it. The whole time I was sliding backwards, out of control, I was cursing the fact that I didn’t buy comp & collision damage on my policy. First thing tomorrow, I’m ponying up for the extra premium. If the new wagon gets hurt, I want the money to repair it.
3) Tires count. This never would have happened if I had the studded snows. Yes, you will almost never need the studs, but when you hit ice, you will be glad they are there. And the rest of the time, they don’t hurt.
4) Bring your toolkit/trunk stash if you are buying a new (used) vehicle. I felt like a fool having to wait to get pulled out.
5) Check your spare. The spare was OEM, probably never had been looked at since it weas hidden in that clever little well, and was shredded. Couldn’t put it on my car, so I had to pay for a “new” tire to be mounted, instead of just changing the tire. Oh, and by the way, the snows that were “free’ were unworn, but so old that the steel radial had eaten through the old rubber. I’m amazed that I didn’t enjoy a second blowout on the way home.
6) ABS is great, but it doesn’t mean that you can safely drive more aggressively. That, or my downshift killed me, or the tires were so bad that it didn’t matter… either way, I’m not trusting the ABS ever again to help.
7) The 240 is the best car ever. I stopped by running over numerous small trees (saplings really) and there was NO BODY DAMAGE! Yay for thick steel!
8) Be careful on route 380. The ice comes fast & furious, and isn’t visible.

Anyway, I love the new car, am pleased as punch that it is still in the same shape as when I bought it (except some grass & dirt, and a messed up tire), and look forward to driving it for that least the next 10 years. And, manual is so much more fun to drive!

Happy bricking, and be safe!