When Pasquale Di Paola drives up to a customer’s home, the amazement usually begins with a glance at the speedometer. More than 543,000 kilometres! And that in an Opel Corsa C Sport from 2001. Anyone who then sees the well-kept interior and the body can hardly believe it. “People are left speechless,” says the Italian enthusiastically.

Pasquale Di Paola lives in Guardia Sanframondi, a small medieval town in Campania, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. He is a self-employed specialist in car window tinting and works for car dealerships, body shops and workshops. His service is mobile, so he sits behind the wheel a lot: 150 to 200 kilometres a day. Since 2004, his faithful companion has been a silver-grey Opel Corsa C Sport with a 1.7-litre diesel engine and 75 hp.

When he bought the car, the three-door model had just 40,000 kilometres on the odometer. Today, it has covered more than half a million. The amazing thing is that the engine is still the first. Neither the cylinder head nor the engine block have ever been opened. The injectors, fuel pump and control units are also original.

Two perfectionists, one Corsa

How do you do that? For Di Paola, the answer is clear: with discipline, care – and the right mechanic. Every 10,000 kilometres, the Corsa gets fresh oil and new filters, and every 60,000 kilometres a new timing belt. For years, its owner has been filling up exclusively with premium diesel. Angelo Daddona, mechanic and tuner with experience in preparing rally cars, plays a decisive role. Di Paola raves about his skills and attention to detail. “He works with an almost manic precision, cleanliness and perfection,” he says. He particularly appreciates the fact that Daddona explains every step of the process to him. “I’ve learned an incredible amount from him and I’m learning more and more every day.”

The two are the perfect ‘ride or dies’. “Angelo is extremely precise and I’m absolutely meticulous – the perfect combination!” says Di Paola. Of course, it didn’t work entirely without repairs. At around 400,000 kilometres, the clutch and shock absorbers were replaced. The two have also revised the cooling system as a precaution: with new hoses, a new heat exchanger and an original GM coolant tank. A repaired air conditioning line ensures that the Corsa remains pleasantly cool even on hot Italian days.

But for Di Paola, it’s about more than reliable technology. He wants to keep his Corsa as true to the original as possible. That’s why he had the sports steering wheel reupholstered in micro-perforated leather. The original sports seats, the leather gear knob and the characteristic details of the sports equipment have also been preserved. He and Daddona have even carefully re-insulated and fastened the old cable covers in the engine compartment. And when the diesel starts? “Just wow! It sounds beautiful,” Di Paola enthuses.

For the Italian, the Corsa has long been more than just a work tool. It has accompanied him on countless journeys across Italy – to customers, on vacation, on trips long and short. The car has been everywhere with him. The mileage hero only gets a break at night. Then it is parked in its owner’s garage. “The only exceptions are the nights when we are on holiday,” says Di Paola.

The Corsa is now 25 years old, 22 of which it has spent with its current owner. Nevertheless, Di Paola is not thinking about saying goodbye. On the contrary: Together with Angelo Daddona, he already has his sights set on the next major milestone of 800,000 kilometres. “Maybe that’s more my personal dream,” Di Paola admits. „But I’m firmly convinced that we can do it.” And then he promises to get back to the Opel Post. Because the story of his Corsa is far from over for him.

“To be continued …”