My first car was an '88 ford escort! They certainly don't make 'em like that anymore!!! Mine leaked, didn't like to start in the rain... The nice thing about having a manual is you can push start them when necessary... and I found it necessary A LOT!!! haha
As for the storm grate... I dunno... I thought that it was just a normal storm grate, but something got the side of the tire wall... and it went flat lickety split! Oh well!
(Actually, most of the time I still can't believe I'm married, and that really made me feel like a stereo-typical wife. haha Who decides to go shopping and pops their husband's car tire!?)