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{ Category Archives } car

A lockdown MOT

My mother’s car, which I inherited, was due its MOT this month. Well, actually, it was originally due it over the summer, but the government in its wisdom back in the first lockdown decided that MOTs were not that essential, and handed out automatic 6 month extensions to all cars which were due one. So […]

Give a car again

Ten years ago, shortly after Christopher died, I was having coffee in Waitrose, idly flicking through the free newspaper in the coffee shop. I came across an article about a recently launched “social enterprise” / not-for-profit company which promised to take old unwanted cars of your hands, regardless of condition. They would realise the value […]

A Covid-compliant car collection

After my mother died in February, it was decided amongst the family that it made most sense for me to inherit her car, as my mini is now 17 years old and on its last legs. With hindsight, I should have driven it home straight after the funeral, but at that point my father, sister […]

Dodgy Tyres and Dodgier Electrics

I was on my way home on the first day of the equipment trial, when half way up the steep hill my Mini made a loud “Bong!” and a warning light lit up on the dashboard. Oh great, the tyre pressure sensor had alerted, and I had a flat tyre. I managed to limp home […]

More messages from beyond the grave

It’s that time of year again when I get a stream of emails from Christopher, or rather from a Google Calendar that he set up before he died, giving me loads of reminders of things to do around the house. So far, he’s given me a ghostly nudge to: Get the central heating serviced Shop […]

More emails from Beyond

It’s that time of year again when I get a flurry of emails from Christopher, or rather from a Google Calendar that he set up before he was ill. They are a series of reminders about the house and car – “Empty septic tank”, “Service central heating”, “Get quote for house insurance renewal” and the […]

Puncture!

It’s coming up to the end of the Financial Year, which means I’m working flat out undertaking equipment trials and writing up final reports on my various projects. For the past two weeks, I’ve largely been based at a customer site near Cambridge, staying in a Premier Inn at a rather grotty service station, and […]

A Rodent Issue

The car mechanic gave me more unwelcome news this week. Not only was he charging me a small fortune to replace my radiator, he also informed me that I’ve got a “rodent problem”. Well, I know all about the chronic infestation in my loft – that’s why I have a pest controller on an annual […]

Radiator leak

I filled up the car with coolant on Sunday, and took it for a test drive to Tesco’s in Ledbury, about an eight mile round trip. It behaved fine – the temperature gauge rose quite rapidly to the “normal” point, but then stayed there unwavering. I did have a bit of a worrying moment when […]

Struggling up the hill

I was driving home from work yesterday afternoon and got stuck behind a very slow car going up the steep hill to British Camp. I had to drop down to second gear and crawl up the hill at 20mph, and my little mini clearly didn’t like it. The temperature gauge started climbing alarmingly, and the […]