21-08-2021, 09:28 AM
Hedd Jones wrote: "David, I run 10year+ cars by choice. Issues are 'life'."
Yes Hedd, I do too, but out of economic necessity. It is only with he greatest reluctance that I have had to replace the 1983 Polo with something a bit newer. (the Fiat Panda 4x4 I have bought is a mere 15 years old.) The Polo did over 200,000 miles in my hands over a 14 year period, including several years when i was running up to Redditch from Bala and back twice a week. The only reason it had to be replaced was the increasing difficulty of getting the parts to keep it on the road. When it came off the road for an engine overhaul in April, I allowed myself 6 weeks to do the work. This has turned into a four month marathon simply because I was trying to source all the bits to do the job. Brexit hasn't helped. For instance, no one seemed to be able to to supply a clutch for it. I had to source one from Germany!
In the meantime, I was using the RP as my daily driver and my Series 3 Landrover for the fetching and carrying. Even so, I racked up over two and a half thousand miles in the RP, and, whilst it proved to be utterly dependable, the only replacements being a speedo cable and a propshaft flexible coupling, I was terrified of breaking something major, and the idea of having both cars off the road at the same time was not one I could contemplate.
To be fair, the Panda was the best one I could afford, has done 87000 miles and has just passed its MOT with only two minor advisories which I shall deal with over the next week. Some how, though, I can't see it giving me the sterling service the Volkswagen has given me over the years.
Yes Hedd, I do too, but out of economic necessity. It is only with he greatest reluctance that I have had to replace the 1983 Polo with something a bit newer. (the Fiat Panda 4x4 I have bought is a mere 15 years old.) The Polo did over 200,000 miles in my hands over a 14 year period, including several years when i was running up to Redditch from Bala and back twice a week. The only reason it had to be replaced was the increasing difficulty of getting the parts to keep it on the road. When it came off the road for an engine overhaul in April, I allowed myself 6 weeks to do the work. This has turned into a four month marathon simply because I was trying to source all the bits to do the job. Brexit hasn't helped. For instance, no one seemed to be able to to supply a clutch for it. I had to source one from Germany!
In the meantime, I was using the RP as my daily driver and my Series 3 Landrover for the fetching and carrying. Even so, I racked up over two and a half thousand miles in the RP, and, whilst it proved to be utterly dependable, the only replacements being a speedo cable and a propshaft flexible coupling, I was terrified of breaking something major, and the idea of having both cars off the road at the same time was not one I could contemplate.
To be fair, the Panda was the best one I could afford, has done 87000 miles and has just passed its MOT with only two minor advisories which I shall deal with over the next week. Some how, though, I can't see it giving me the sterling service the Volkswagen has given me over the years.