As you know I went on a nice jaunt down to southend this abbo to collect this DONKEY...
On the way down I was in quite good spirits. I figured that if the worst came to the worst and it broke down, we'd just phone the RAC on the other half's membership. She would jump in the Polo and play "stranded girlie" while I hoc in the Astra as "concerned motorist".
That would work just fine. But for one SMALL problem. MrsB announces, when pushed on the matter that she has cancelled her RAC membership as it cost alot for something she never used. DOH!!
And we wouldn't be able to do my greenflag cover as that is for the BMW only...
However when we arrived at Southend my fears dissapaited.
The Polo looked much better than I had expected. Yes, faded and snotty with a trashed interior, but hardly a spec of rust anywhere.
Before I got the papers, I took the keys to check it over. Started first time from cold and purred like a kitten, revving freely without any smoke etc. Suspension, wheel bearings etc all checked out, the brakes worked....OK the clutch was heavy and the thrust bearing was on the way out, but it still worked ok.
So I got the docs and made for freedom, thinking I'd got the sale o' the century...
SO, DID I GET BACK IN ONE PIECE??
DID I F*CK!!!
Got about 5 miles down the road when it was discovered while the engine was nice and sweet from cold once it got warmed up it wouldn't run at all. Nice.
Ground to a halt. Twiddled and fiddled with carb etc for a bit, and off we went again. About another mile before it was all systems STOP again. Arseburgers.
By this time it was slashing down raining too, so further fixage was off the cards.
And, having never towed a thing before in her life, MrsB was kinda reluctant to drag this heap behind the Astra for 80-odd miles.
So an executive decision was made, the Polo was stashed away in a "safe place", and MrsB and myself went for a nice lunch in Leigh-on-Sea, enjoying a bit of time away from the offspring! ;D
I'll go back and fetch it with the static bar and some proper (non-girlie) assitance tomorrow.
(That is if I can be arsed. Might just go down the pub instead)
This is the point at which you all wave your fingers at me and say "told-you-so!". ;D
On the way down I was in quite good spirits. I figured that if the worst came to the worst and it broke down, we'd just phone the RAC on the other half's membership. She would jump in the Polo and play "stranded girlie" while I hoc in the Astra as "concerned motorist".
That would work just fine. But for one SMALL problem. MrsB announces, when pushed on the matter that she has cancelled her RAC membership as it cost alot for something she never used. DOH!!
And we wouldn't be able to do my greenflag cover as that is for the BMW only...
However when we arrived at Southend my fears dissapaited.
The Polo looked much better than I had expected. Yes, faded and snotty with a trashed interior, but hardly a spec of rust anywhere.
Before I got the papers, I took the keys to check it over. Started first time from cold and purred like a kitten, revving freely without any smoke etc. Suspension, wheel bearings etc all checked out, the brakes worked....OK the clutch was heavy and the thrust bearing was on the way out, but it still worked ok.
So I got the docs and made for freedom, thinking I'd got the sale o' the century...
SO, DID I GET BACK IN ONE PIECE??
DID I F*CK!!!
Got about 5 miles down the road when it was discovered while the engine was nice and sweet from cold once it got warmed up it wouldn't run at all. Nice.
Ground to a halt. Twiddled and fiddled with carb etc for a bit, and off we went again. About another mile before it was all systems STOP again. Arseburgers.
By this time it was slashing down raining too, so further fixage was off the cards.
And, having never towed a thing before in her life, MrsB was kinda reluctant to drag this heap behind the Astra for 80-odd miles.
So an executive decision was made, the Polo was stashed away in a "safe place", and MrsB and myself went for a nice lunch in Leigh-on-Sea, enjoying a bit of time away from the offspring! ;D
I'll go back and fetch it with the static bar and some proper (non-girlie) assitance tomorrow.
(That is if I can be arsed. Might just go down the pub instead)
This is the point at which you all wave your fingers at me and say "told-you-so!". ;D