Quite Simply, The Greatest Car Ever Made

Yes, believe it or not it is possible to say that of all the cars made, one of them is the greatest. And no, it is not the Bugatti Veyron which Paul so covets. It was not made in Europe, but in Kenosha, Wisconsin...and Paul owned it...

The 1988 Dodge Omni America 5-door hatchback

September 1987...Paul buys a brand new "sky blue" 1988 Dodge Omni America. It had the 2.2 litre engine, a 5-speed manual transmission, and a stainless steel exhaust system. Paul owned it until 1996. It was quite simply the best car ever made. Here are some highlights of his ownership:

• The best mileage he ever got it it was 44mpg driving from Alfred, NY to Washington, DC
• When he got sold it in 1996, it had 170,000 miles on it
• It still had the original clutch when he sold it
• Paul never replaced the shocks....in 170,000 miles (and to ride in the back seat you would know it)
  
• It had only 3 sets of tires -- Goodyear Vectors which lasted seemingly forever
  
• The stainless steel exhaust system was never replaced (a monumental achievement for having been driven in the heavily salted roads of upstate New York)
• Paul and his brother David drove the Omni across the country in 1988
  

Events involving this car subject to dispute:

• An unloaded Utica, NY water department dump truck temporarily held the lead in a drag race between it and Paul's Omni. Despite the fact that the Omni was fully loaded with passengers, it easily overcame this handicap to beat the dump truck.
  
• Paul's brother David hits a deer in Minnesota during their cross country trip. The deer survives but the Omni sustains $35 worth of damage (in 1988 dollars).
• Why Paul ever sold it.
  

In 1996 Paul sold it for $300 to someone from Maine. The final fate of the greatest car ever built remains a mystery to this day.

Here's the (somewhat) official specs on the car:

• Wheelbase: 99.1"
• Track: front, 56.1"; rear, 55.7"
• Overall length - 163.2"; width, 66.8"; height, 53.0"
• Curb weight: 2,296 pounds
• Headroom, front and rear: 38.1" and 36.9"
• Legroom, front and rear: 42.1" and 33.3"
• Shoulder room, front and rear: 51.7" and 51.5"
• Hip room, front and rear: 52.6" and 46.4"
• Cargo volume: 15.6 cubic feet - Interior volume: 100.2 cubic feet
• Tire size: P165/80R13
• 93 hp 2.2 Litre engine; 121 ft-lbs of torque; Fuel Injected
  
• Fuel tank: 13.0 gallons - Gas mileage: 26 city, 35 highway (manual)