Something else that’s new to me this year is owning a half-decent car. We bought a 6-year old Peugeot 206 when we moved to Swindon. It’s actually the second car I’ve owned but the first one was old enough and small enough to be easily repairable and this second purchase has entered me into the realm of the “modern” car.
Initially I had BIG regrets about this as it broke down twice, in quite dangerous situations, in the first couple of months. When I say broke down I mean that the engine just stopped for no apparent reason.
After MUCH work convincing the garage that there really was something wrong, they finally identified that the intermittent fault was an old relay which, when it go too hot, cut out most of the electrics – including the spark plugs! We did get it fixed, and the car has been running fine now for some time.
However – having just reached our first 10,000 miles it, the engine has developed a nasty rattle which the garage want £200 just to take apart and diagnose (and then another £200 to put it back together). What with MOT’s and insurance and depreciation and servicing, I’m starting to question the value of owning a car.
But I’m continuing to cycle and this week’s mini celebration is that the odometer on my cycle computer says that I finally clocked 1,000 miles. Only took 9 months, which is pretty rubbish really. Must start upping my distances!
But that milestone also came at a price too as my bottom bracket disintegrated and the batteries on my cycle computer finally got low on power and needed replacing.
It’s been an expensive month!!!